7 New Year’s Resolutions to Promote Healthy Aging (That You’ll Actually Keep!)

Every January 1st, the new year encourages people to make resolutions, hoping to spark a positive change for the upcoming year. But, for many people, these resolutions are the same as millions of others, leading them to become almost a cliche: lose weight, save money, travel more, give up bad habits. The problem with these resolutions is that they are vague, ambitious, and simply unrealistic, resulting in only 7% of people keeping them.

To make resolutions more realistic, it’s better to start with smaller, more specific goals. And while they may not seem as monumental as a major resolution, these smaller commitments can have a much more significant impact and reward in the long run. 

Brickmont Assisted Living offers assisted living and memory care services throughout Atlanta, Georgia. We’re sharing some realistic New Year’s Resolutions that promote healthy aging and wellness all year long! 

1. Drink More Water

Staying hydrated is one of the most underrated things you can do for your health; the benefits are endless. However, according to the CDC, the average American does not drink enough water. As a resolution to drink more water, start by making a conscious effort to drink one more cup each day. 

To make it easier, place it by your bed and drink it first thing in the morning. You can also start carrying a water bottle with you to stay consistently hydrated throughout the day.  

2. Set a Realistic Reading Goal 

Many people have a New Year’s Resolution to “read more,” but they don’t establish a specific goal, making it hard to stay motivated. By giving yourself an attainable and set number of books to read, you can more easily stay on track. Just make sure it’s realistic for your lifestyle and preferences—if you usually find it difficult to finish a book, challenge yourself to start (and finish) one new book each month. If you’re already an avid reader, you can challenge yourself even more—maybe up to 20 or 30 books. To discover books for older readers, explore this list.

3. Move for 30 Minutes a Day (At Least)

Exercising more is on everyone’s list of New Year’s Resolutions, and for a good reason. Physical activity is essential in promoting wellness and healthy aging. However, many people fail to “exercise more” or “lose weight” because these resolutions are too broad, which makes them easier to ignore as the months go by. 

To make exercising a more achievable resolution, start by adding 30 minutes of physical activity to each day. For example, it could be a 15-minute walk in the morning and evening, an hour yoga class, or a 30-minute cardio session during lunch. Any way you decide to move is beneficial for your mind and your body! 

4. Cook at Home Once A Week 

While easy and convenient, grabbing fast food is not the most healthy dinner option available. Even when you get meals from restaurants claiming to be healthy, you don’t know what ingredients are going into your meal. 

When you cook at home, though, you can control the entire menu and know exactly what’s going into your food. Cooking homemade meals can promote healthy aging, weight loss, and reduce your risk for chronic diseases. Try cooking one meal at home every week, and who knows, you may find that you love cooking and want to make more than just one meal! 

5. Call a Friend Once a Week 

Socialization and relationship building is also important to healthy aging, but like “exercise more,” “socialize more” is vague and broad. A more specific and attainable resolution is to try and see or speak to a friend or family member once a week. You can set an alarm or add it to your calendar, so you don’t forget. 

6. Donate (or Volunteer) Once a Month 

Many people use the spring as a time to deep clean and get rid of unwanted clothes and other household items, but by doing it monthly, you can keep your home clutter-free all year long! You can also choose to volunteer once a month, which has been shown to promote healthy aging and reduce depression and isolation in older adults.

7. Share Your Resolutions 

Some people believe that sharing your goals with others will help keep you accountable and stick to them. Share your resolutions with family and friends so they can help keep you on track and encourage you throughout the year. You can also write them down, which some experts claim can help you visualize achieving them and encourage you to accomplish them. 

Happy New Year from Brickmont! 

New Year’s Resolutions are goals and challenges that are supposed to make you feel better about yourself and the year ahead of you, not impossible standards that you spend all year trying (and failing) to accomplish. By setting smart goals and resolutions (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound), you can set yourself up for success and a year of happy living and healthy aging! 

Brickmont Assisted Living encourages wellness and happiness in this new year and all the years to come. To discover more tips on healthy living and healthy aging, we invite you to visit our blog. From all of us at Brickmont, we wish you a Happy New Year!