The fresh start and clean slate of a new year is here. It is an exciting time for anyone who has something on their mind to personally accomplish in the next 365 days. So what is the best way to wrap your head around getting started and make the plan?
Start with something as simple as a word or a mantra for the year. Your mantra is your motto to guide you along the goals you are going accomplish during the year. When you are faced with challenges or decisions in your life, your mantra will be the thing that sticks in your mind and guides you along the way. Grab a piece of paper, a pen and diffuse your favorite essential oil (this one is my favorite) to write down some answers to the questions below to help create your mantra.
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Make it personal. Your mantra needs to be easy to be felt and expressed, so it should be very personal to you. Ask yourself these questions and try to be specific:
- What do you value right now in your life?
- What brings you joy?
- What do you want to remember the past year for?
- What have you always wanted to do or accomplish that you are ready for?
- Make it positive. Your mantra should be positive and encourage you to take action in your goals for the year.
- What will need to happen to achieve your goals?
- Does your mantra help guide you to make the decisions to get you to your goal(s)?
- Start your mantra with an action word. Here are some suggestions: Create, Practice, Learn, Write, Travel, Plan, Support, Be, Embrace.
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Make it memorable and achievable. Your mantra should be easy to remember and do.
- Don’t make your mantra something that is out of your reach. You want your mantra to be something you don’t forget because it is too difficult to remember to say or do.
- Make it all-encompassing of your goals for the year. For example: My mantra this year is “Embrace being uncomfortable.” This applies to goals I have for my professional and personal life.
- Make it short and sweet. Make it rhyme – whatever will keep it present in your daily routine.
Now that you have created a mantra, write it down on a note, in a planner or set a reminder in your phone calendar. Share it with your friends and family. If you see and share it, you will be more likely to put it in practice each day.
Want to work with a Hy-Vee dietitian to create health and wellness goals encompassing your mantra for the year? Go to the Hy-Vee Dietitian website and from there you will find the dietitian who covers your area and can move forward with setting up an appointment for a FREE Discovery Session. This session allows us to learn more about your health and wellness goals and discover which of our many services will be the best fit for your needs.
*The blog articles, recipes and recommendations found on this site are not intended as medical advice and should not replace consulting with your medical provider. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
About the Registered Dietitian
Anne Cundiff, RD, LD, FAND, has more than 21 years of experience as a registered dietitian and 13 years of experience as a Hy-Vee dietitian. Anne graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and attended Iowa State University for her dietetic internship. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Iowa Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, where she has serve as president and was the recipient of the Medallion Award and of the Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award.
