By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Most of us will make New Year’s resolutions, everything from doing better at our job to the proverbial promise to get more exercise.
The past year has been filled with stress and anxiety in dealing with the pandemic. Beth Akins with Horizons Mental Health Center says that this year's resolution may need to be more mental than physical.
“So maybe it’s learning some mindfulness techniques or some relation techniques,” Akins said. “Or, instead of exercising to lose weight maybe it’s exercising to reduce anxiety.”
Still, choosing exercise as part of your resolution can be beneficial emotionally and not just physically.
“Oftentimes we set that New Year’s resolution . . . 'I’m going to exercise because I’m going to lose 50 pounds,'” Akins said. “But maybe this year it could be, 'I’m going to exercise because I want my overall health to be better.'”
If you break that resolution, and most do within 10 days, don’t sweat it and try again.
“It’s only a failure if you fail to try,” Akins said. “Give it a try and, if you don’t like it, that’s fine, but at least you’ve given it a try and that’s a good thing.”
Akins stresses that making a resolution often means breaking certain habits and that those don't come easy.