Four easy steps to a healthier, happier you

Ready for 2013? Thinking of a New Year’s resolution?

Well, here is one for you: Make wellness a priority.

Better than that, how about you change that statement from a resolution to a lifestyle change?

By making the decision to make wellness a priority, you are already on your way to having a happier and healthier life.

Resolutions rarely make it past the first few months of the year, so why not incorporate wellness into your every day? It’s really not that hard.

Step one: Start off by making a list of priorities in your life. They usually look something like this:

1st: Family; 2nd: Friends; 3rd: Job/Career; 4th: Health.

Step Two: Switch your priorities and put “Health” at the top of your list. That is the only way you will be of any use to your family, friends and your job/career.

As soon as you make wellness a priority then you will be much more valuable to your other priorities.

Step Three: Decide what changes you are willing to incorporate into your every day for the rest of your life (i.e. drink more water, get more sleep, take more time for yourself, start to walk more etc.). These are all examples of small changes you can start today.

By deciding to make small changes (to last a lifetime) to your lifestyle, you will notice it really isn’t hard to do. If you need to lose a substantial amount of weight and/or get healthier quickly, you can still begin with these small changes and once you get into your new habits you can start to incorporate more aggressive changes.

Step Four: Start now. As soon as you make wellness a priority you (and your priorities) will enjoy the benefits of a healthier and happier you for the rest of your life.

Happy New Year Sudbury — we do not want to be known as one of the unhealthiest communities in Ontario any more. (According to research document “Seven More Years,” a report published in July 2012 by Public Health Ontario and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences which shone a light on five risks to health—smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity and high stress—and their impact on life expectancy in Ontario.)

Lisa Lounsbury is Founder and Director of New Day Wellness – A Corporate Wellness Coach and Fitness Trainer. For more information visit newdaywellness.ca or email [email protected].