Let’s face it. We’ve all made New Year’s Resolutions that make us feel bad about ourselves because we only stay committed to them for about two weeks. This can ultimately lead to feelings of failure, guilt, and defeat, and cause us to engage in even unhealthier habits as a means of coping.  

This year, commit to making resolutions that actually feel worthwhile and will positively impact your maternal and family wellbeing, not only physically, but emotionally and socially as well. 

To make it easy to remember, I’ve arranged it into a nice little acronym that we can all remember: TACOS. Who doesn’t love tacos?! I suppose we could all just commit to eating more tacos in the new year because that will definitely make us happier, right? Okay, but really, here are five resolutions we can make to improve our overall wellbeing in 2023. 

Take care of your body.

There are a myriad of ways in which you can take care of your body. The thing I want you to remember for 2023 is to move your body in some capacity every day. This could include your favorite workout, a walk in your neighborhood, stretching on your yoga mat, or a dance party in your kitchen. Whatever motivates you to get up and move your body, do more of that! 

In addition to movement, make sure you’re nourishing your body with nutrient-dense foods, which tend to be rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients all essential for your health. Some foods to focus on are eggs, fish, dairy, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. 

*Kick the year off with some gentle yoga and connection with other parents in the great Boulder community. Join us, Tuesday January 24th at 5pm for yoga at the PWCB clinic. Learn more here and RSVP by emailing marley@pwcboulder.com. Space is limited.

Acknowledge your emotions.

Learning to become aware of and acknowledge your emotions will serve you in connecting more with yourself and others. If you’re having a particularly hard day in which you’re feeling irritable or frustrated with how situations or relationships are playing out, take a moment to pause and feel into what emotions may be underneath the surface. Are you feeling sad? Or disappointed? There may be other emotions that are wanting to be acknowledged and by doing so, you will better be able to move through those emotions to arrive in a different emotional state and continue on with your day. 

Conversely, when you notice you’re having a good day and you are enjoying what’s happening around you, take a moment to pause in those instances as well. Recognize the joy, contentment, or gratitude that might be bubbling up for you.

By giving yourself the space and time to acknowledge those positive emotions, you’re inviting in more opportunities to deeply connect with those emotions and the effect they have on your life.

Connect with others.

Social connectedness leads to improved mental wellbeing by decreasing levels of anxiety and depression, increasing self-esteem, and inviting in more empathy for others. When you have a pause in your day, instead of hopping on social media, connect with a friend or family member who brings you joy. Send them a quick text or give them a call. If you’re with a partner, maybe you take 10 minutes to set aside what you’re both doing and you talk about your day or something new you’ve learned.

Be intentional about scheduling time with others and make connection a priority in your new year. 

Opt outside.

Get outdoors everyday in 2023. Even if it’s just 10 minutes. Research has shown that spending time outside can lower stress levels, improve your emotional wellbeing, increase life satisfaction, and improve sleep. This can look different each day.

Maybe one day you go for a quick walk in a local park and another day you take your lunch outside to enjoy. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, try a new hobby that correlates with each season. Make your outside time an especially rewarding experience by grabbing a friend and doing something together, that way you’ve accomplished both the ‘C' and ‘O’ of your TACOS day.  

Sleep smarter.

Can we all agree it would be wonderful if we could get more sleep in the new year? And not only more sleep, but better quality sleep. Here are some helpful things to keep in mind when it comes to sleep:

• Get morning sunlight to promote your circadian rhythm - Exposing yourself to morning sunlight increases your serotonin, which is the precursor to melatonin (the hormone necessary for sleep regulation). Try to get outside within the first hour of waking up. And you’ll reap more from the experience if you don’t wear any sunglasses as your eyes are going to help transmit all of this information to your body.

• Establish a consistent bedtime routine - I know what you’re thinking when I say establish a consistent bedtime routine. No, this is not only for babies and children. Adults greatly benefit from a bedtime routine as well because it helps signal to the brain that sleep is forthcoming. A simple 5-minute routine in which you do the same activities every night before bed will suffice.

• Leave all of the distractions out of your bed - Don’t bring any screens or devices to bed with you. We all know it’s too easy to hop on social media for a quick 5-minute check in only to realize 45 minutes have passed and we are still mindlessly scrolling. Let your mind truly disconnect and relax before going to sleep by disengaging from screens and tuning into yourself.  

In 2023, let TACOS be on your mind everyday. Check in with yourself to see if you’ve made space and time for each of these aspects that will contribute to your improved wellbeing.

To increase your motivation, share TACOS with a family member or friend and try to commit to doing it together. Or share with us on social media and tag @pwcboulder. Everyone needs more TACOS in their lives!

This post was written by Nicki Baumbach, LSW, MPH. Nicki is a Licensed Social Worker and staff psychotherapist at the PWCB with a wealth of experience in maternal and child health.