Health, wealth and knowledge of self. These are three of the most precious gifts anyone can bestow upon themselves, and if you work hard — and smart — you might just be able to earn one or more of these accolades.
Nothing is ever guaranteed in this world, especially health, and piling up a fortune of money will never be easy. But if you set your mind to it and start slowly building some new, crucial and worthwhile habits, you can be well on your way to finding the type of success you desire — and deserve.
So, how can you best get started? How do you start living a happier, healthier life in 2020? The following three tips won’t get you to the finish line overnight. But if you put forth a little more effort every day in each of these areas, you’ll be well on your way to better times ahead.
1. Get Yourself Moving
Everyone knows they should exercise more. So, eventually, usually around the New Year, they kick themselves in the butt and give it another try. One problem, though, is that people try to do too much, too soon. You can’t go from couch potato to ultimate warrior in a week. And you don’t even need to. The path to better physical health is not becoming The Rock; it’s doing a little bit more each day, so start out slow and ramp up over time.
Truthfully, one of the best things you can do to get yourself in better physical shape is to start taking some long walks. Download a podcast or audiobook and take a brisk walk for an hour — or more. Not only does walking give you a lot of the same benefits of more strenuous activities, but it also won’t kill your joints. As you get more active, start doing some resistance training, yoga or jogging.
2. Train Your Focus
It’s hard to stay on point these days. You may have the best-laid plans as you set out to be productive, but smartphones, family and a million other distractions can pull you away constantly. The solution isn’t unplugging fully. As with exercise, going overboard all at once is a recipe for failure. And you don’t need to go from social media addict to monk overnight. But you do need to identify and acknowledge your distractions and work to keep them at bay.
Start small and put trivial things away — out of sight, out of reach — for an hour or two. Shut off email notifications and power through some engaging work you need, and hopefully want, to get done. You may be amazed at how much you can accomplish even in short bursts.
Over time, this can become not just a new regimen but also a habitual way of working — and you might just start checking things off that never-ending to-do list. Working and concentrating intently with mental clarity can get you a lot farther than merely slaving away for 12 hours and wondering where all the time went.
3. Adapt Your Style
As you get fitter and start feeling more fulfilled in your physical and mental health, you want to see this reflected in the mirror. Don’t expect miracles overnight in terms of new body composition (that will come in time), but one great way to get a better perspective is with a few new outfits.
A cute athletic top or two will make you more eager to get active. A new work skirt will help get your mind right for the office. And some new lingerie or bodysuits will make you like what you see in the mirror even more. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant purchase or break the break.
But owning a few new items will make you feel your best, day in and day out, and naturally build self-confidence in a way that will translate to the workplace, in relationships and in virtually every other aspect of your life.
Living Your Best Life in 2020
Once you make a few small changes and boost your confidence, you’ll undoubtedly feel excited about taking back more control of your life and start accomplishing some of your biggest goals for 2020. The little things really do add up quickly.
By being a bit more active, retraining yourself to focus on specific tasks, and introducing a bit of new style, you will quickly see how much of a difference a few new, better habits can make. The time for planning is over. Start doing — now — and the results will start showing in no time.
