Shared Care: Building Wellness Through Connection

While caring for our health and wellness is our personal responsibility, we can often achieve our goals and create lifelong habits with the help of those around us. Studies have shown that social connection can increase longevity, strengthen the immune system, improve recovery, and boost mental health, while a lack of connection can cause physical and psychological health to diminish (Stanford Medicine1). The following ways can be used to build wellness through community, relationship, and connection. Find Support and Encouragement Establishing healthy habits that last can feel like a lifelong journey. Finding support along the way provides encouragement and reinforcement. Working with others and sharing our experiences can make the process feel less lonely. Even the strongest habits can go through seasons of obstacles and difficulty. Creating connections with family, friends, and coworkers helps us work through life's hardships while [...]

Healthy and High-Tech: AI Uses in Wellness

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a profound impact on nearly every aspect of our lives, from work and education to personal communication. It is no surprise that AI has made its way into the world of health and wellness. While there are still plenty of improvements that can be made and precautions to take, it does offer some benefits that support healthy habits and lifestyles. Let’s explore several ways that AI can be integrated into your wellness journey. Mental Health Care Virtual consults and apps utilize AI to make mental health care and assistance more accessible. These platforms offer a space to discuss emotions and feelings, providing support and follow-up care. It can also aid in diagnosing mental health conditions for more personalized and expedited care. While it has limitations on its scope of care, it can be a useful [...]

Build Healthy Routines with Healthy Habit Formation

Healthy lifestyle routines lower the risk of various health conditions, diseases, and all-cause mortality (National Library of Medicine1). However, it is challenging to create healthy habits that last. It might feel frustrating when you don’t see results immediately or have difficulty navigating a busy schedule. Too often, we give up before healthy habits become part of our lifestyle. The good news is that creating lasting healthy habits isn’t impossible. Follow the tips below to build personalized healthy routines by forming healthy habits that endure despite our ever-changing schedules and lives. Keep Your Goals SMART Creating a habit can be challenging if you don’t have a specific plan or direction that you are aiming for. Often, we set broad goals and then feel defeated when we don’t see progress. Setting SMART goals can set you up for better success. S – [...]

Setting and Achieving Realistic Fitness Goals

As spring approaches, we often gain a renewed motivation toward physical activity. Setting goals can give direction and meaning to the habits we are building. They keep us on track when things get challenging and bring the satisfaction of celebrating a hard-earned achievement. We set goals with the intention of completing them. So, how do we ensure we choose the right ones for ourselves? It comes down to formulating personalized goals that are realistic and achievable. Let’s explore how we can set ourselves up for success by choosing the right approach to goal setting. Use SMART Goals Goals typically fail due to unrealistic expectations or an objective that isn’t specific enough. Avoid these missteps by choosing a SMART goal for yourself. A smart goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. It’s easy to say you have a goal of [...]

Why Wait for 2025? Tips for Building Healthy Habits Today!

As the holiday season approaches, many of us find ourselves tempted to postpone making healthy changes until January 1st. But why wait? Building healthier habits now can set you up for a more confident and energized new year. Instead of relying on resolutions, which often fizzle by February, consider embracing small, sustainable changes as endorsed by bestselling author, James Clear in his book Atomic Habits. Rather than focusing on setting goals, Clear encourages people to examine and improve their habits (behaviors) – by looking at simple strategies to build good habits and break bad ones, using small but ongoing daily improvements. Focus on Systems, Not Just Goals For years, coaches and other change facilitators had people focus on smart goals. For many people, it’s easy to think in terms of goals — “I want to lose 10 pounds” or “I [...]

Setting SMART Goals for the New Year

The new year brings new goals and a renewed motivation to reach them. However, setting goals and accomplishing them can often be two different stories. Did you know your approach to goal setting can affect your success? We frequently aim to exercise more or eat healthier, only to find we rarely stick with it because the objective is too vague and that makes it easy to procrastinate. According to Forbes1, “Vividly describing your goals in written form is strongly associated with goal success, and people who very vividly describe or picture their goals are anywhere from 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to successfully accomplish their goals than people who don’t.” As you set your intentions this year, consider making SMART Goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Specific Make your goals as specific as possible so you know what [...]