Hey there goal-getters! 🚀 Ready to rock this new year with all your grand plans? But hold on a sec, ever noticed how our motivation takes a nosedive as January cruises along? It’s like, “Hey, where did all that excitement go?”

Don’t sweat it! We’re all in the same boat of trying to keep good intentions afloat as January gets real, so, cut yourself some slack!

I’m all about those baby steps. Set those small goals, my friend! Crushing even the tiniest tasks gives you a boost that feels like a victory parade. 🎉 And guess what? It’s all about that daily grind. Make your goals a part of your everyday routine. Like, so ingrained that it becomes your second nature. Smooth sailing from there! 🌟

If your goal is to eat healthier meals and snacks: 

• Embrace healthy shortcuts. Pre-chopped produce, frozen and tinned fish, beans, chickpea pasta, etc., save time and boost nutrient value. You may also want to invest in tools that save you time and energy like a slow cooker / pressure cooker(I have this one), a chopping device, and a powerful blender (this one was an investment but worth every damn penny, considering how much use it gets).
• Does stuff get lost in your fridge? Keep clear containers of the stuff you want to eat at eye level or in easy reach. I love glass Pyrex containers for this. 
• Trying to use healthier ingredients? I love Thrive Market for finding better prices on my favorite healthy pantry staples and snacks. Using it has literally saved me almost $1500 since I started using it in 2022. 
• Consider a meal delivery or meal kit service for busy weeks. A few of my favorites I’ve tried are Hungry Root, Green Chef, Sun Basket, and Daily Harvest (some I tried as free samples, some I continued to buy myself). I also have a few clients who love Factor and Trifecta. 

If your goal is to move more: 

• Bake movement into your everyday life. I use a walking pad that fits under my desk so I can get steps in while I work. I also feel like it helps me focus better. Instead of buying a standing desk, I just purchased a stand for my laptop that’s helped me maintain good posture. 
• Keep the gear you need in easy reach. For example, make sure you have easy access to a mat, sneakers, weights, resistance bands or whatever you use. I like to work out in the living room with my cats in the morning, so I keep all my exercise stuff in there. I keep a HappyLite in there too that I turn on when I’m working out before the sun is up to help keep seasonal affective disorder at  bay. 
• Embrace micro-workouts. You don’t need to work out for hours each day to see a change in your body. If you’re crunched for time, focus on short bursts of movement which are shown to improve health. For example, did you know that moving after meals reduces blood sugar? And that a 2-4 minute workout is good for the heart? Micro-workouts are so impactful that studies like this one have shown that “a 10-minute workout three times per week increased endurance by nearly 20 percent and participants had increased insulin resistance at the end of the study.” Read here for more on micro-workouts’ health benefits and here about their impact on your metabolism. 

If your goal is to sleep better:

• Pick one element of good sleep hygiene to focus on at a time. Maybe you start by finding the optimal temperature in your room, by keeping your phone away from your bed or by keeping lights and clocks out of sight at bedtime. The National Sleep Foundation offers some really helpful tips on how you can achieve quality sleep here.
• Consider supplementation. Always check with you doctor before starting a new supplement, but a few that can be really helpful for sleep to ask about are magnesium glycinate, calcium (if you already take it, try taking it at night), tart cherry juice (or tart cherry extract in capsule form), pharma-GABBA, and L-theanine. 
• Write down whatever is on your mind at the end of the day or if you wake up in the night. 

I hope you find these tips helpful. Most of all, I hope you remember that small goals can have a big impact on your overall wellness. I’d love to know: what are your goals for the year? Feel free to share them with me via Instagram @jesscording or leave a comment.