What is the Difference Between a New Year's Resolution and a New Healthy Lifestyle Change?
- Brainz Magazine
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 13
Krystal Walden is the Founder/CEO of KRYSTAL SPA®. She is a former World-Class and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Track Athlete with a Master of Science in Gerontology from the University of Southern California (USC).
At this time of year, most people who have set New Year's resolution goals have fallen short or given up. However, this is not another article about how to create or maintain your New Year's resolutions. This article is about achieving a new lifestyle change to live longer and healthier for a better life!
You might be thinking, "What is the difference?" Well, there is a considerable difference between the two approaches. A New Year's resolution tends to become a quick fix, encouraging you to create abrupt plans similar to quitting a habit of "cold turkey." A new healthy lifestyle change tends to evolve into a practice of health and longevity, encouraging you to create a plan that gradually develops and enhances your quality of life with the mindset of longevity instead of a one-time short goal.
3 fundamentals for a healthy lifestyle change
Focusing your ambition on a healthy lifestyle change with determination and persistence is essential and imperative. Your journey starts with motivation, a plan of care, and milestones.
Motivation
The spark of interest in a healthier life often comes after your doctor's visit. People visit the doctor for multiple reasons, such as fatigue and weakness, aches and pains, inactivity and immobility, illnesses, and chronic diseases. The doctor's examination, body scans, and lab reports guide the urgency of your care plan and lifestyle change.
Plan of care
A healthy lifestyle can improve your respiratory, circulatory, digestive, nervous, reproductive, lymphatic, muscular, and skeletal systems. You must seek advice from your primary care physician, who can guide you based on your physical health and history. From there, consult with health and fitness experts to guide you throughout your plan of care.
Milestones
The notable healthy lifestyle changes result in the improvements and outcomes of your breathing and oxygen levels, heart rate and blood pressure, digestion, sensitivity and stimulations, production and procreation, detox and cholesterol levels, and muscular and skeletal motor functions. The basic foundation for achieving these milestones is the ability and willpower to meditate, eat natural whole foods, water intake, and exercise your heart away.
How do you start enhancing your health with 3 essential focus points?
It is vital to identify the conditions of your mind, body, and spirit. Better health starts with body awareness in the present moment! Take a brief moment and ask yourself the following questions.
“Is my breathing shallow or deep?”
“What causes my stress and tension?”
“When does my body feel uncomfortable?”
“Where are my physical pain points?”
“Do I have limitations with my movements?”
The practice of body awareness allows you to notice and feel all of the sensations throughout your body, promoting attention to the parts of your body that need your tender loving care the most for better health. Here are the basic focus points that will help you become more self-aware by using your breathing patterns, the way you sit, and the way you stand.
Breathing
The breath is a major component of life! It is the driving force for the function of your entire body. Your breath starts the pathway to your brain, which is responsible for stimulating your nervous system for movement. Your breath also starts the pathway to your heart, which is responsible for blood flow for organ function.
Take a slow, deep inhale through your nose for a count of 5 seconds. Hold your breath for 2 seconds. Then, with control, slowly exhale out of your mouth for 7 seconds. Repeat 10 to 20 times to strengthen your lung capacity and take precious moments to feel the sensations through your body.
Sitting
The sitting position brings attention to how you hold your body while sitting in an office chair, on the couch, or in the car, to name a few. Take a moment and notice where you are placing your feet and knees. How much are you tilting your chest and spine in front or behind your hips? How much are you shrugging your shoulders towards your ears?
Sit in a comfortable and stable chair. Place your feet flat on the ground. Bring your feet, knees, and hips apart. Shift your body weight from right to left until you feel that your weight is distributed evenly on both glutes. Lift your chest to straighten your spine. Relax your shoulders down from your ears and lift your chin to keep your neck straight. If needed, lean your spine back and use the back of the chair to support your neck and spine. Take 5 deep breaths. In this moment of stillness, how is the health of your skin, brain, lungs, heart, stomach, and pelvis?
Standing
Standing can be a complex phenomenon. Take a moment and notice how your feet feel against the ground. Do your ankles and knees feel stable enough to support your legs and hips? Do your hips feel stable enough to support your spine and shoulders? Does your neck feel stable enough to support your head?
Place your feet flat on the ground. Shift your body weight right to left, forward and backward, until your weight is distributed evenly through both feet for balance. Keep your legs straight, with your knees and hips aligned with your ankles, to maintain your balance. Lift your chest to straighten your spine. Relax your shoulders down from your ears and lift your chin parallel to keep your neck straight. Take 5 deep breaths. In this moment of stillness, how is the health of your bones, joints, and muscles?
Practice makes "almost" perfect
You are a remarkable human being, and perfection is not required. Stay patient, persist, and practice these self-awareness tools. You must learn your body first to change your unhealthy habits for longevity successfully. Being aware of your body's vulnerabilities and strengths. Take action now to learn more tools and tips for your new healthy lifestyle change and youthfulness. Contact Krystal Spa for a vital one-on-one health and fitness session with our renowned experts.
Krystal Walden, Master of Science in Gerontology
Krystal Walden brings to the health and fitness spa 25+ years of experience as a competitive athlete, offering her unique fusion of athletic gifts and accreditations. Krystal specializes in helping individuals (from beginners to athletes) get back in touch consciously with their minds, body, and soul. She strongly emphasizes body awareness and alignment for maximum injury prevention and recovery. With the kind of strength, flexibility, balance, and compassion that Krystal possesses, there is no doubt that she will meet her goals to enhance the global image of how to live a stronger, healthier, and balanced lifestyle.
