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3 Ways to Succeed with Health Resolutions

We all hear people say that most health resolutions will fail within a week, but what if you had a plan that would make sure you were one of the few that succeeded? I have three simple ways that will help you stick to your health resolutions and make you healthier in 2025.

Remember your why. Why did you make these health resolutions in the first place? Are you fed up with being tired all the time? Do you see the benefits of reaching a healthy weight? Do you realize that movement is the key to mental health as well as physical well-being? Do you have an event you have always wanted to do, and you have decided it is time to get in shape? All of these reasons are good ones, but whatever your personal reason is, that is the one that counts. Keep your why in front of you by either writing it out or placing motivational pictures where you can see them.

My why is simple. I see so many people who have trouble moving either because of weight, or lack of movement. I want to travel, have adventures with my family, and chase my grandchildren as long as I can. I want to keep my quality of life at a level that means I can enjoy life to the fullest.

Start small. Don’t try to become fit in one day. This would mean you are going to be sore and discouraged. Start slowly and aim for gradual progress. One of my goals this year is to do an unassisted pull up. I watched a woman approach the machine. I could tell she wasn’t sure how to use the machine, but she climbed up. It was set up for an assisted pull up with the pad down, but the weight would be too difficult for a beginner. I watched her struggle and look completely defeated. I walked over and said, “I know it’s none of my business, but I’m trying to become stronger on this one too. If you change the weight, it will be easier until you are stronger.” She tried it and her face lit up when she was able to do it. Little steps lead to great progress.

Have a growth mentality. Tell yourself, “I might not be where I want to be today….yet, but I know I can become stronger and better.” Watch yourself improve. Setting some goals and then crushing them is a fun activity. Ask questions of people you admire. I am an ultrarunner and I was tired of learning from making every mistake possible, so I asked my ultrarunning friend to help me. I came away from our meeting with three pages of notes and my races since then have been much better.

Give yourself grace on this health journey. You will have good days and bad ones, but as long as you do not give up you will win.

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3 Ways to Stay Healthy in 2025

Many people are making resolutions for the new year and a popular resolution is to work on being healthier. That resolution can encompass your mental and physical health, so it might seem too broad to accomplish, but I can break it down to three attainable goals.

Control your attitude. How you react to what happens to you can make a huge difference. I always say we should be the calm in the storm. Being negative and stressed not only doesn’t help any situation, it also isn’t healthy. A good attitude can help others around you too. People are always watching, so being a good model for healthy behavior can create a domino effect. Sending out positive energy has a way of bringing positive outcomes back to you. Give it a try and see the magic happen.

Practice self-care. Are you the last one you take care of during the day? Self-care is vital for our health, but it also allows us to be better care givers and productive workers because we are healthier because of it. Don’t feel guilty about taking time for yourself. You need to make self-care part of your health regimen. My husband used to make fun of massages until I injured myself and my doctor insisted that they be part of my health routine.

Keep moving. The type of movement you do doesn’t really matter. You can dance, walk, run, bike, swim, or whatever other form of movement you will continue to do. Movement is as important for your mental health as it is for the physical. Movement will help melt away stress, help the creative juices flowing, and clear your mind. It can help with your sleep, and if you do it with others, movement can be a way to build your community and your social health.

Being healthy in 2025 doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with these three ideas, and add on more as you go.

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The Second Book in The Parker John series

I have been writing a series of children’s books for my grandson. The second book, Parker and Grandpa John was just released, and is available at Amazon and online at Barnes, Books a Million, Thift Books, and Goodreads. I hope you will grab a copy!

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Does Everything Have Energy, and How Does That Energy Affect Us?

Do you believe there is energy all around us? If you do, have you thought about how we can use that energy for positive means? I believe strongly that energy is flowing all around us and in us, and we have the power to manipulate it. Energy is a force that can transform something, but what it can affect might not be something you have considered. Let me give you a few examples.

Your attitude. Your attitude has energy. What you send out in negative or positive energy will come back to you like a boomerang. My husband is still amazed at one of the simple ways I show him how this works. When we pull into a parking lot of a restaurant, I always say, “We are going to get seated right away.” He almost always looks at me as if I’m crazy and before you know it the hostess is leading us to a table even though the waiting room is full. It happened last weekend when we were out with my daughter and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend looked dumbfounded and said, “How did that just happen?” Positivity has powerful energy.

Your actions. Karma is real in my opinion. The actions you perform will come back in the same spirit they were delivered. Sometimes it takes a while, but your kindness will be rewarded, and meanness will be dealt with. I choose kindness.

Symbols. Do you have something that brings you luck, or something that is a reminder of someone you love? Symbols carry powerful energy because they can bolster our spirits.

Nature. I always say you need to go outside if you want to improve your health. There is energy all around you. Do some gardening and watch the energy plants have.

Food. Food is our source of energy. Have you ever started feeling run down and weak? A quick snack will have you back up again.

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How to Create a Legacy of Love

Love is a powerful emotion that we all need in our lives, so shouldn’t we do what we can to preserve it in memories? One of my favorite poems, You Should Leave Houses by French author Ronsard, talks about the importance of leaving something of yourself behind. Ronsard keeps his memory alive through his writing, and I want to preserve a memory of love for my family through writing. Let me tell you how I have done it so far.

Write journals detailing your children’s life. When each of my children was born, I started a journal detailing my thoughts about the child, what each child like to do, and anything else to chronicle the life of the child. I made sure to add frequently how much I loved the child, and how proud I was to be the child’s mother. Each child was given the book on their 18th birthday. It was fun to watch each one read what I had written. My oldest daughter has continued the tradition with her son.

Letters upon leaving home. When each of my children left home, I wrote them a letter telling them how happy I was for them, and how excited I was to watch their next adventure. I also gave them a list of all the things I would miss about them living in my house. My oldest wrote a note to me with a list of what she would miss as well as promises of what we would do together still.

Letters of thanks. Gratitude is an important attitude. Anytime you can thank someone for the good the person has brought to your life I think you should do it. On my 6oth birthday, each of my children stood up at my party and read a thank you letter for me being their mom. I framed them.

Create something that shows your love. When my grandson was born I wanted to leave him something that would always remind him how much he was loved by me, so I wrote a series of books about him. The first book talks about what I hope his life is like, the second describes his bond with his grandfather, and the third talks about the special relationship he has with our dog. My husband said, “When Parker’s teacher asks the class to tell her something interesting about each student, Parker can say, there is a series written about me.”

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7 Life-changing Actions

Most of my greatest lessons have come from failure or trial and error. I am always going to be a work in progress doing my best to improve and live my best life, but I am sure of a few actions that have been life-changing for me.

  • Take care of yourself first. This sounds selfish, but you cannot help yourself or anyone else if you aren’t taking care of yourself. Self-care often means saying no to others and not needing to explain your reasons. If saying yes to someone’s request causes you stress, don’t hesitate to say no. Rest is another important element in self-care. Take time to relax and recharge. Eat well and move consistently.
  • Remind yourself about what is important. Life is a roller coaster ride where our mental health can take a hit on a daily basis. Having simple phrases to use as reminders can help. You can pick whatever works for you, but some examples are, “focus on the positive.”, “Find the joy.”, “Let it go.”
  • Let others own their issues. I’m super sensitive, so I always worry about what people think of me, and if I might say the wrong thing, but I’m finally realizing that most issues don’t have anything to do with me. I have a family member who rarely visits. I wondered for so long if it was because of something I said or did. I finally had to let it go and have the attitude that it was his choice where he spends his time.
  • Guard your peace. Drama swirls around us every day, and certain people love to give it power, but remember that it takes two people to create drama, so if you don’t engage in the situation, you can maintain your calm.
  •  Set boundaries. Let others know how you expect to be treated and accept nothing less. Don’t allow disrespectful treatment. Communicate your boundaries well.
  • Don’t compare or covet. Differences make us more interesting, so be happy with your own style and ways. Perfection is usually a mask that hides a massive mess below the surface, so before you wish to be someone else, ask yourself if you are ready to shoulder any burdens they may have.
  • Find the positives. There are studies that show that negativity can make you ill, so why would you not try to turn your attitude to a positive side that might make you healthier. My best friend is slightly negative. I have tried to show him the power of positivity, and he tells me how mad it makes him when it works over and over. One of my favorite moments was when we had finished a race, and we were walking to our favorite diner that was across from the race. You could see how crowded it was, but as we came closer, I said, “We are going to get right in.” My friend looked at me as if I was crazy and said, “Yea, right.” We walked inside as two people stood up from the counter and left, leaving two seats available for us. My friend looked dumbfounded and said, “No way.” You have nothing to lose so give positivity a try.
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What The Parenting Books Don’t Tell You

When I was expecting my first child I read as many parenting books as I could because I wanted to be prepared. I didn’t know that nothing would prepare me for the beautiful, crazy way my life was about to change.

When my daughter was born and the sleepless nights began, I told the pediatrician that I needed help keeping her on a schedule. He looked at me and said, “Babies, don’t have schedules.” I was thinking, “but the book said they do. What other lies did they tell me?”

Here are a few of the many parts of parenthood that you won’t find in a book.

  • In the early years, you may find yourself wishing you could have five minutes to yourself, but when they are older you will wish they would spend five more minutes with you.
  • Parenting teaches you vital life skills like resiliency, flexibility, and mental strength.
  • You will have to make decisions for your child that are for her good instead of enabling her, and that can be hard.
  • You will feel fierce protectiveness and love like nothing you have known before.
  • Parenting will humble you. It’s difficult to look cool after a diaper blowout in a restaurant, or a nasty tantrum in the middle of the grocery store.
  • You will learn about strange childhood diseases like Roseola Virus that strikes around 18 months and comes with a high fever, a rash, and vomiting. There are some disgusting ones like pin worms which is when your child plays in the dirt and then puts his finger in his mouth, and suddenly there are white worms in his butt.
  • You understand the anxiety your parents went through when your child spends the night somewhere else.
  • You will learn sneaky ways to help your child do the right thing.
  • When your child does something wrong you will feel guilty and wonder if it was because you are a bad parent. Spoiler alert! You probably are not.
  • You will see parents who seem to parent effortlessly while you are on a daily struggle, but that parent is only better at hiding the mess.
  • The laughter of your children is beautiful music.
  • You will be able to tell that your child has a messy diaper from ten feet away.
  • What worked once to solve a problem, will not work a second time.
  • Your child will be an adult in a blink of an eye.

These are only a few of the many things you will encounter as a parent. It is a day-by-day learning experience and a beautiful ride.

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Should Age Determine Your Hairstyle?

Several years ago, a colleague told me she thought it was time to cut her hair shorter. Her hair fell just below her shoulder blades, and it was gorgeous. When I asked her why she wanted to cut her hair she told me she had noticed that older women’s hair seemed to thin and look messy and she wanted to avoid that. I didn’t agree with her observation, but I was even more surprised because she was only thirty-five. Another colleague mentioned she had short hair because her mother had told her that mature women should not have long hair, so I began to wonder if it was widely accepted that certain hair styles were age appropriate.

In the article, Age-Appropriate Hair, No Such Thing, the author says, “I think the whole idea of age-appropriate hair is a load of rubbish. If you get one of these cliche ‘age-appropriate’ haircuts, you end up LOOKING your age…and who the hell wants that? I am a firm believer in getting the style YOU want to get, not what the current trends, your hair stylist or magazines and society says you should have.  Of course, it’s good to stay current with your hairstyle but you should get a color and cut you love.”

I completely agree with this attitude. People are quick to judge no matter what our style is, so choose whatever makes you happy, and don’t worry about someone else’s opinion.

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Great Gifts for Free

When it is time to exchange gifts, we stress ourselves out trying to find what someone will like and that we can afford. We want to gift our loved ones without busting our budget, so what if I told you about 10 gifts you can give for free? Here they are.

A coupon book. Make coupons for services you can provide like babysitting, doing housework, helping with schoolwork, or making dinner. What can you do that someone else needs. Make a coupon for it.

Your time. So many people are lonely. They want to spend time with friends. Invite someone to go for a walk or come to dinner. Your time is a precious gift.

Prayer. I believe in the power of prayer and positive thinking, and praying for someone means you care and value that person.

Give compliments. We don’t gift people like this enough even though it is one of the easiest gifts to give. Tell someone you like an outfit, or that you admire something he has done. A compliment has the power to lift spirits.

Help someone. Clean a neighbor’s yard, bring someone food, ask what someone needs, and do what you can to help.

Volunteer. You won’t have any trouble finding organizations that need volunteers. You can serve food at a local mission, work for the church, offer to help at the library, or play with the dogs at the pound.

Have fun coming up with more gifts that are free. A great gift doesn’t have to be expensive.

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Encouragement for Parents

When my first child was born, I remember feeling terrorized. I was positive I wasn’t up to the job of being a good parent to this beautiful and tiny human. I had no idea what she would teach me about parenting, myself, and life. I didn’t know that I would have to feel every emotion, learn that saying no could teach valuable lessons, and that I would always question whether I was doing a good job. Parenting is tough and glorious at the same time. As parents, we need to help each other by offering our stories, wisdom, and encouragement. Here are a few bits of encouragement I would like to give you.

I would tell the parents of babies that you will eventually sleep through the night again. Be prepared for the first time the baby sleeps through the night because you won’t since you are sure something might be wrong. Enjoy those times when the baby falls asleep on your chest.

Your child is going to go through phases when life seems overwhelming, (being a toddler or teenager). Your child’s emotions and frustration might take over, so you need to keep your emotions in control, so your child feels like at least someone has control of the situation. It’s normal though to have a few tantrums of your own, so give yourself grace. Apologizing to your child is a teaching moment.   

There is not a perfect parent or parenting style so please do not compare yourself to other parents. You never know what burden the parent you emulate might be carrying. Do what works for you.

Ask for help whether that means having someone babysit so you can rest, or meeting with other moms.

Keep a sense of humor. Parenting is messy, so laughing at the crazy situations can make you feel better. Realize that everything does seem to go wrong at once, but at least you are getting it all out of the way!

Stay positive instead of only seeing burdens. Your child will be grown and gone before you know it, so enjoy every moment.