Celebrate Yourself in 2010

Now that we're two weeks into the New Year, how are you doing with your resolutions? Did you fall off the wagon already? Have you been berating yourself for failing to fulfill all your goals in just two weeks?


A new year is another opportunity to review our lives and change stuff that doesn't work. On the other hand, it can also represent unwanted pressure. Why do we need a new year to celebrate ourselves? Can't we make positive changes anytime?

We sure can! A new year is just a date on the calendar. The journey begins with you. To succeed, you need to be ready to face the road and move forward. In the meantime, life is meant to be lived and enjoyed.

Beating yourself up because you didn't lose 10 pounds yet or you haven't found that dream job isn't going to change your life. Living each day with a sense of joy and fulfillment will bring you closer to your goals.

I am reminded of Suze Orman's advice to put people first, then money and then things. We tend to handle our lives backwards. Here are a few tips for a healthier, happier lifestyle in 2010 without all the unnecessary pressure:

1. Get a physical. Visit your doctor to determine the condition of your current condition. Take blood and urine tests to check your sugar and lipid levels. Get weighed and find out exactly where your health stands today instead of speculating.

2. Get moving. Walk, swim, pop in a 10 minute DVD (I love The 10 Minute Solution) but start to move everyday. You don't have to make a major commitment to workout an hour a day or join the gym. Start by taking 10 to 15 minutes to move everyday. Play basketball, go swimming...you can even dance to your favorite song in the living room!

3. Review your food supply. Are your cabinets, refrigerator and freezer filled with junk food and comfort foods? Get rid of them! Only keep healthy foods around and that's what you'll reach for. Whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean meats and dairy with little or no processed foods are best. If you like goodies, get fresh baked goods or make them yourself rather than buying cakes or cookies with ingredients you can't even read.

4. Live, laugh, love. Get out of the house to live, laugh, love. If you live alone, there are many ways to get out and socialize at all ages. Join a library program or book group, get involved in your church or community center or call a friend or family member you haven't seen in awhile. Love and laughter relieve stress and enhance our creativity.

5. Get creative. Write, paint, draw, play music, mold clay, crochet...get creative in some way. You don't have to be good at it. You're not trying to sell a work of art to a museum. Just have fun!  Remember when you were a kid with a new box of Crayola crayons?  Relive that moment!

Rather than making resolutions, learn how to live better in 2010. Make everyday matter instead of just going through the motions. You'll look and feel better than you ever did before...and that's Venusity!