It’s January, which means New Year’s resolutions are in high gear. Here are small, simple changes that will help set you up for health and career success in 2025.
Do you want to feel healthy and live an inspired life? While most of us would answer yes, it's important to remember that achieving a goal is a process that unfolds over time. It's also helpful to recognize the difference between setting goals that yield joy and success, and setting goals that yield disillusionment.
A key to achieving our goals is having the ability to move through life situations rather than stopping when we encounter difficulty and allowing ourselves to be stuck. Resolutions — or rather, new beginnings — should be experienced as possible instead of futile. Unfortunately, there is the tendency to devalue small actions and believe that change only happens in big, single steps. This is neither true nor accurate, and it can defeat us before we begin.
If, for example, you're a home cook who has been thinking about attending culinary school for a while, the first step toward achieving that goal might be looking at culinary school programs, reading about culinary career opportunities or attending an online or in-person open house to learn about admissions.
Research suggests that incremental efforts yield longer lasting benefits than setting enormous goals with outcomes in the very distant future. (Far-off goals require "baby steps" that keep you moving toward the goal.) In the case of culinary school, that means taking individual actions over time that add up to enrollment, graduation and a career.
In terms of physical- and mental health-based resolutions, here are some small actions for your consideration in 2025.
1. Allow yourself to sleep more. Honor the body’s need for deep relaxation that enhances our overall sense of wellbeing. Going to bed a little earlier is more conducive to waking up energized than sleeping in the next day. Try farmers’ hours: early to bed early to rise. You might just like it when you feel greater vitality. Making the most of sleep patterns includes turning off computers and cell phones before getting into bed. Looking through social media while in bed – a habit we might think doesn’t make much of a difference – keeps the brain active and engaged rather than allowing us to slow down, let go of the day, and come to a restful place. Give the mind some time to unwind, disconnect and turn more inward.
2. Stay hydrated. Drink more water, preferably filtered. There are hundreds of different types of contaminants coming through the tap, even though the water is being chemically treated to be “safe”. Consider buying a water filter. There are a wide variety of filter types and prices. Superior quality water filter systems will have the NSF certification seal. National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) founded in 1944, is an independent, non-government, and not-for-profit organization. Seeing this seal means the system meets the contaminant reduction claim of the manufacturer, the system is not adding anything harmful to the water, and lastly the advertising, literature, and labeling are not misleading to the consumer.
Water filter units can be installed above or below the sink or there are also easy to use pitchers. Depending on space availability, personal preference, and cost it is up to you to decide what works best in your kitchen. Filter units that sit next to the sink are easily adapted to the faucet head. Under the sink units require a little more effort to install. Filtered water pitchers, by far the easiest to start with, only hold about 5 to 12 cups of water which can be limiting if you prefer to cook with filtered water. Still, it's a good start. Once you have a water filter at home, you can fill up a BPA-free water bottle before heading out. Over time you might consider a shower filter too.
3. Buy fresh ginger root. Winter is an excellent time for sipping on warming ginger tea. Take several thinly sliced pieces of ginger root, skin on, and bring to a boil in 2-3 cups water till desired strength of flavor is achieved. Five minutes is usually enough. Sweeten with raw honey, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup if desired. A little squeeze of lemon into the tea is refreshing. You can also try adding small amounts of ginger root to soups, stews, and stir fries for a delicious addition. An unexpected favorite place to enjoy minced ginger is in hot breakfast cereals.
4. Bring lunch from home once a week. You can also start by simply packing one food item from home. Bringing hot soups or stews in a thermos is quick and filling. If you’re already in this habit, try adding another day. Choosing your preferred quality and quantity of food supports your needs better than any store bought prepared foods, and is a great way to save money and get ahead of your financial goals. Packing lunch the night before makes it easier to get out in the morning with food in hand.
5. Commit to preparing home-cooked dinners at least once a week. If you already cook at home regularly, try expanding ingredient choices and cooking methods. It’s easy repeating the same ingredients and cooking them the same way. Being bored with our own food can happen. As the saying goes, "variety is the spice of life." Take a meal-prep cooking class at ICE.
New beginnings start with specific effort and small changes. Go for it. You’re worth it. Happy New Year!
This post was originally published by the Natural Gourmet Institute. Learn more about today's Natural Gourmet Center.