How are your New Year resolutions going?
If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Statistics suggest very few realise their good intentions: about 1 in 3 have given up already (January is not over yet!) and fewer than 10% are likely to see their resolution through to year’s end, according to an American study.
Behaviour change spokesperson for Queensland’s free healthy lifestyle program My health for life, Marg Hergarty, says an ‘all or nothing’ attitude has a lot to answer for.
“So many people rush into resolutions in a burst of energy but without much thought and then it fizzles,” she says.
And that’s not great for building confidence or motivation. How easy it is to fall into the ‘why bother’ trap after failing before…
What’s needed is a change in mindset, a shot of positivity.
Marg recently shared the following handy tips for successfully changing behaviours around health and fitness:
- Change the language. We can be a bit flip about New Year resolutions. If you’re serious about making positive changes, think in terms of goals.
- Make those goals specific. Write them down—you’re immediately more accountable—and monitor your progress.
- Break a big goal down into bite-sized steps to make the ultimate target achievable.
- Enjoy yourself while pursuing your goal. You need to have fun!
- Seek support to make the changes.
Just as the My health for life program provides 6 months support to Queenslanders wanting to improve their heath and minimise their risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease, laughter clubs are community-based gathering of people intentionally seeking more joy, positivity and laughter in their lives.
If you want to stress less, think more positively, laugh more readily, be a bit more playful, and do some light cardio exercise that’s fun, laughter yoga may be the activity to tick your boxes—and a laughter club the place to head to achieve your goals and be supported.
Read about key benefits of laughter yoga, the practice that blends playful laughter exercises with deep yoga breaths.
Find details of laughter club locations in Queensland.
This link is for laughter club locations elsewhere in Australia.
SKYPE laughter clubs also operate across all time zones worldwide.
Here’s to a joyous 2018 for you. To start you off on this happier, brighter, healthier year, try smiling more. A smile is a laugh that is waiting to burst!
(c) Heather Joy Campbell 2018
The Happydemic’s founder Heather Joy Campbell is a certified Laughter Yoga teacher and global ambassador for Laughter Yoga International. Brisbane-based, she facilitates laughter wellbeing sessions in workplaces, aged care centres and communities, leads a community-based laughter club and trains laughter leaders.