Reclaiming Your Goals: 6 Tips to Make 2024 Your Best Year Yet!

1. Go easy on yourself.

Change takes time so be kind to yourself, rest when you need to, and keep going when you can. Be careful with this one, though. Doing so may fuel the use of excuses due to fear. It's important to identify the difference. Excuses can be valid, but are they tools you use because you're scared of something? Is fear holding you back? Going easy on yourself means don't beat yourself up so much. If you tried and failed, you learned, but no one got anywhere without trying. In situations like this, try to push yourself just beyond your limits. After COVID-19, people have struggled with anxiety and are debilitated by fear, often not related to health. The struggles are often associated with rejoining the workforce and leaving the house, having developed or intensified feelings of anxiety and codependency to our home, pets, and loved ones. I know I have struggled and beat myself up because I haven't bounced back easily. Unlike many, I didn't have any problems with isolation or staying home. I don't mind leaving the house either. It's been the shift of sleep/wake times that I struggle with. The harder I am on myself, the worse I do. So, if you're like me, go easy on yourself and try, try again.

2. Nourish your body and mind with the right nutrients and environment.

What you put in your body and what you surround yourself with affects both body and mind. Clutter can fuel distraction and snuff out motivation. Too many unfinished home tasks and an unkempt, dusty home can make home life unbearable and lead to illness. Constantly scrolling social media shortens attention span and can lead to an increase in anxiety and depression. It's the same when you surround yourself with negative people. You might fight off negative emotions for a long time but eventually, you get sucked in and they kill your vibe. Surround yourself with people who support you, want to see you succeed, and also have goals in their lives. These kinds of people push each other and inspire growth. Some people find that having people in their lives who have what they want is inspiring and others, not so much. Just know that the company you keep influences your well-being and your well-being affects your physical health. Remember the gut is considered the second brain as each affects the other.

Processed foods, high glycemic foods, and candy can lead to depression, diabetes, and weight gain. Probiotics and supplements to fight free radicals can increase your body's functioning while detoxing your system. Chlorella is mitochondria, aka greens that help clean, cleanse, and are a natural way to promote regular poops. Ashwagandha is exceptional for increasing stress resilience and improving cells. It is also helpful for restful sleep. Chamomile is also excellent for sleep and anxiety. Dandelions are a miracle plant. Often killed and categorized as weeds, they are exceptional for a plethora of problems and are my secret weapon against post-nasal problems, allergies, acidic stomach, and other gastrointestinal problems, and they also fight free radicals among other things. I always have dandelion tea stocked and with me at all times.

3. Embrace the here and now, both highs and lows.

This tip is a two-parter, it has nothing to do with action, and everything to do with living in the moment. Doing so allows you to accept the present, good or bad. Be happy! Acknowledge a crappy situation. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows but there is joy to be had right now and sometimes living under a raincloud just is. Things happen, it's life. Build resilience by being present today. Live in the moment. If you want to fight past negative feelings, you can. I recommend it but embrace whatever comes. Being stuck in the past, living with regret, or being too worried about the future takes away from the experiences today. You can't change the past, you learn from it. You can't live in the future, it doesn't exist yet. You CAN live in the present. You can accept whatever is right now and you can take action toward change if you like. No one is always doing well. Everyone has struggles. Ride the waves. Work through ailments. Enjoy your weekend. Work through your troubles, allow yourself to grieve, or be depressed about your decisions or situation if that's what you need, but don't stay there. The point is to embrace life as it comes. Avoid toxic positivity and the belief that you must always be happy. No one said to live in depression, but acknowledge the emotions and listen to your instincts to learn more about yourself. You'll be surprised how much you grow when you aren't even trying to. The rest will work itself out if you do.

Embracing the here and now also means stopping to take in the world around you. Stop and smell the roses. I'm currently watching a cat chase leaves outside on a windy day. There's pure enjoyment on his face! His enjoyment brings me joy. So, remember that we not only live in the current moment but there's a whole world of life around us right NOW to take in, enjoy, respect, and appreciate. The trees swaying in the wind, the sound of the windchimes, the warm sun on your face, and the full moon lighting the sky at night. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, pay attention to the world around you, and take in its beauty. We live in a world of suffering, but it's what brings us closer together and gives greater meaning to life. Even in tragedy, there is beauty. Stop, take it in, and you'll begin to see the world and your place in it, differently.

4. Be optimistic!

A positive outlook on life gets you through the bad days and helps fight depression. In the end, it'll all be okay and if it isn't, it's not the end. Read that again. Now I know what you're thinking. "It's okay for things to not be okay, Piper." To which I say, you're correct. It is okay to not be okay and sometimes life and situations are not okay at all. With that in mind, know that it'll all be okay because things have a way of working themselves out. The ultimate takeaway is that we find ways to survive. We adapt. We grow. This kind of thinking is optimistic. It doesn't take away from horrible situations nor does it ask you to. It keeps hope alive that through the toughest situations, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.

5. Stay hydrated.

Water curbs cravings, regulates body temperature, helps digestion, delivers oxygen all over the body, lubricates joints, flushes waste, allows cells to reproduce and grow, and is necessary to manufacture and regulate hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain. Like Mother Earth, most of our bodies are made up of water. In fact, 55-60% of the human body and 70% of the Earth is made of water, so drink up, it's good for you. Try to avoid bottled water with additional sodium. Dasani is known to add salt, which can increase dehydration but also help replenish sodium after a hard workout. Some of my favorite waters are Essentia, Core, and Fiji. Essentia and Core are pH-balanced, alkaline waters that I enjoy the taste of. I've come to love them over Fiji's artesian water, naturally filtered through volcanic rock. Fiji claims to have twice the electrolytes and is also a naturally pH-balanced water. It's not exactly cheap, but it's also an excellent choice. I like the larger opening and cap of the Core bottles. I tend to drink more water when I get them.

If you struggle with water intake, mineral water is a better choice because it includes minerals that help absorption. It's not a lot but it's better than purified water, which removes all minerals. If you are really dehydrated, it can take up to 45 minutes to feel any benefit when rehydrating so additives like Drip Drop and Liquid IV are great and easy ways of helping hydration quickly. Put a little water in a cup and mix it with a packet to ensure you get it quickly. I see so many people adding to a full bottle of water and then not drinking it all. It defeats the purpose.

Pedialyte is still an excellent choice, while Gatorade is best after strenuous workouts. I used to get the Gatorades with the orange twist top so I could refill them. It made me drink more water. Orange juice and even coke/soda/pops have water but I don't recommend cokes for hydration. Unsweet tea is a good source, just watch your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a diuretic. Also, don't let Vitamin Water fool you, it's not a good source for hydration. It's best as a treat. Just know that if your water goes to room temperature or gets hot, it's not good to keep refrigerating it. Over time, the back-and-forth process can cause the build-up of bacteria. It alters the taste.

6. Focus on the things (and people) you love!

Listen, if there's one thing I've learned in all my nearly 41 years on this Earth, it's that you never know when it'll be your last day. So, do things you love with people you care about. Don't settle if you don't have to. Don't put off traveling. If money is an issue, go somewhere local that you haven't seen. There are parts of your town or surrounding areas you haven't seen or explored. Take a weekend road trip to places hours away. If you haven't explored it before, YOUR TRAVELING! You can get the same experience exploring local history if you look for it.

Don't skip that exhibit you miss every decade it's in town. Stop putting off your interests. Feed your awe, curiosity, and wonder! It keeps life fresh and interesting. Go for that new haircut or color! Nothing is truly permanent. Try the cuisine you're curious about! Be open to suggestions and know that if you include people you love, it won't matter if the food or the exhibit wasn't what you expected, you experienced it together and had fun doing it.

I also understand that sometimes we have to do the hard things and work jobs we don't like because it pays the bills, live in less than favorable conditions as we try to get ahead or stick by a significant other or kid who is struggling, leaving the household, not the ideal place. Those are sacrifices and situations that improve our resilience if they are somewhat temporary and everyone is attempting to overcome the difficulties they face. Sometimes life just sucks but it's hoping that it'll get better that helps you move through such tough times. Remember that you can only change what you can control and you can only control yourself. You can choose to change jobs if you're unhappy but know that the perfect job doesn't exist. Everyone gets fed up or doesn't want to work sometimes, that's life, but if you want to change, apply for new jobs before leaving your current one.

If your significant other isn't working through their difficult times, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy your own. Sometimes bringing them into the light and sharing what you love, helps them. Take care of yourself and your mental health and don't feel bad about it because it's easier to get out of a slump if you focus on things or people you love right now. There is joy to be had no matter your situation. It's those things that drive us toward change and give us purpose. Doing things you love, no matter how small, gives strength in tough situations and also indirectly encourages those around you. If you're reluctant to do the things you love because others aren't feeling well, remember that we cannot control others or do the work for them. I'm not saying to not care or to blatantly rub happiness in their face or anything like that. Leading by example is incredibly helpful. You don't have to talk or give your opinions. Loving energy rubs off on others just as negative energy does. The problem is that as egocentric beings, people are hardwired to focus on the negative and have blinders on during tough times, but we don't have to live that way, and neither do you. So if focusing on what you love involves those around you who are struggling, try to include them in things you love (sometimes making them when they don't feel like it works too), lend them an ear, a shoulder, encouragement, and a nudge when appropriate. Then hope your love and some sunshine can break through the clouds.

Psst...These tips will extend well beyond this year. Let me know what you think below. Don't forget to subscribe for more.