With the holidays just around the corner, we’re all in the perfect New Year’s mood to make some new promises, and hopefully do our best to commit over the months to come. And what could be better for us than improving our lifestyle by introducing certain healthy habits, ditching some of our old vices and making changes we’ve been wanting to make for ages?

If you’re in the holiday frenzy yourself, and you cannot decide which ones you should or can prioritize, and how to approach your seemingly endless list of healthy resolutions, let’s raise a glass to a year of good health, and dive into some of the resolutions that will ensure a healthier, happier you!

Slow down

For most of us, life is often a tangled mess of rushing to and from work, finding time to meet with friends and devoting our time to our families. But in such a state of constant hurry, it’s easy to neglect the simple appreciation of the present moment, or finding the time for much-needed sleep, or a relaxing walk in the park.

Make a promise to yourself that in times of greatest chaos, you’ll find a technique to slow down – because this is precisely when you need it the most. Create a consistent sleeping schedule to restore your energy, and ditch multitasking for the sake of enjoyment in the simplest things. So, the next time you reach for your remote during lunch or pick up your phone while on a coffee date, take a step back and immerse yourself in the present – it can do wonders for your wellbeing.

Find your Zen

When hardship strikes, as it inevitably does from time to time, we need a trusty stress management method. Think of it as a long-term investment, and not something to practice only once the problem has occurred, because preparing yourself for such situations is what you need to increase your resilience to stress.

For example, mindful meditation, simple breathing exercises, yoga asanas, time spent in nature, or getting a furry companion are known to lower your cortisol levels and balance your hormones into serenity. Take your pick and add years to your life for more New Year’s resolutions ahead.

A clean slate for your skin

How about a solemn swear that you’ll take better care of your skin, and that you will do your absolute best to get rid of adornments and embellishments that no longer have any relevance for you? The first several months of 2018 are an ideal time to finally attend to those long-awaited cosmetic procedures that take time to heal.

If you have tattoos that are a residue of the past, such as an ex’s name, or a poorly designed tattoo, this is a perfect time to consider laser tattoo removal, since it can take several sessions to achieve success and some time to heal properly. Then you can finally start anew and maybe pick new images to adorn your body!

Change your diet

How about a change of mindset that will once and for all help you maintain a healthy lifestyle that is based on healthy bites? Whatever your aspirations may be, to lose weight, to gain some muscle, to increase your physical abilities, food is the essential ingredient to achieve such goals.

Once again, this is a long-term process, one that requires discipline and commitment to healthy habits and making better choices every day. But if you want to stick to a healthy diet, you’ll need a detailed plan, and perhaps some help from a nutritionist, so that you can ensure optimal macro and micronutrient intake that will support your goals.

Get stronger, leaner, fitter

What goes hand in hand with a healthy diet? Regular physical activity is often in the top three New Year’s resolutions people make, yet fail to keep. In order to prevent that from happening, do your best to prep for the ordeal: get a fitness buddy as an accountability partner, pay a gym membership for a year in advance, join a dance class, or invest in equipment you can use at home.

Whatever your preference may be, do your best to prevent yourself from bailing out or postponing the decision for months – your mind and your body will be forever grateful, and you’ll finally cross this one off your list for 2019!