Rather than set goals or intentions for the year, I’ve decided to focus on one healthy habit a month in an effort to make actual changes in my life. I want to do all of these immediately, but I also know that isn’t realistic for me.
You’ll notice I didn’t include a month specific to working out. Getting a good sweat in most days of the week is so important to my mental and physical health that I am making it a focus throughout the year. The past month has been pretty abysmal. I’m determined to turn it around because I know I’m a better person when I do.
JANUARY // Drink 60+ ounces of water a day. Since moving to Colorado, I feel perpetually dehydrated. To be honest, I’m failing at it so far this month, but I’m making more of an effort so there’s improvement.
FEBRUARY // Go through each room in the house and clean it up/out. We did a pretty deep clean this past weekend. It’s crazy how quickly our house can seem cluttered and filled with items that we don’t wear or use. It’s also a good reminder of everything we already have.
MARCH // Floss teeth at least four days a week. My mom is a retired dental hygienist. Right now she’d be embarrassed at how often I floss my teeth. I want to make her proud.
APRIL // Walk a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. I picked April for this habit as the weather should be getting warmer and the days longer leading to more time outside.
MAY // Review our budget together once a week. I am in charge of our budget this year. I’d like to ensure my early momentum doesn’t dwindle after a few months. This will also be a good time to make adjustments to our budget.
JUNE // No unnecessary clothing or beauty product purchases (for me and the kids). I tend to do well with our spending at the beginning of the year and then lose focus in spring/summer. If we run out of toothpaste, it’s fine to buy more, but I want to eliminate extra purchases that aren’t necessary.
JULY // Take my vitamins every day. Lawson, Sybil and I take a daily probiotic and multivitamin. I consistently remember to give them to the kids, but often forget to take care of myself.
AUGUST // Read 30 minutes a day. I go in reading spurts and always enjoy it when I devote time to it.
SEPTEMBER // Meditate at least 5 minutes a day. I truly buy into all the meditation hype.
OCTOBER // Sleep 8 hours a night, five days a week. It’s unrealistic to think I’m going to get 8 hours of sleep every night, but I can do my best to ensure I get enough sleep the majority of the week.
NOVEMBER // Cook one meatless meal every week. I pride myself on cooking dinner most nights. The majority of those include meat of some variety. I want to cut down on how much meat we eat and increase our veggie intake.
DECEMBER // Sleep with my phone in another room. What does it say about me that I’m most nervous about this habit? The amount of time I spend mindlessly scrolling Instagram is enough to make me physically ill.
So there you have it, one month of healthy habits for the next year. Wish me luck!
I love the idea of setting monthly goals – it makes things much more manageable and really allows you the time to build a habit! I need to join you in the water drinking habit this month – after the holidays, it’s been hard for me to get back in the regular routine of staying hydrated!
xx katie // a touch of teal