Are your 2022 resolutions still worth pursuing this midyear?

Here’s why it’s still worth it and how you can make them happen

MANILA, Philippines – By now, you have either accomplished some of your 2022 resolutions or have abandoned a few of them. However, some resolutions are too good to let go of, especially those focusing on your health and wellness. 

A healthier lifestyle is a commitment and one that’s often too difficult to keep. With less than half of a year remaining, there are still things we can do to accomplish our health goals if we have the right mindset and motivation to make them happen. 

Read on to see how you can achieve them. 

1. Revisit and revise your goals

Before anything else, you must revisit the plans you made last January. Then ask yourself: Have you accomplished what you wanted to, or have you ever taken steps towards some of your goals? If you haven’t, what makes it challenging to progress on them? 

Once you know the answers to these, you must change your plans accordingly while remembering to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

By doing this, it will become more seamless to incorporate your goals into your daily routines.

2. Rethink your approach to health

When speaking of health, we often box the conversation to the physical aspect. But it is more than just that.

Health covers many facets that one needs to have a happier and better quality of life. We need to go beyond and embrace holistic health, which covers our physical, emotional and social wellbeing. 

3. Revitalize your physical health

Following the idea of setting SMART goals, here are the simple physical health resolutions you can start pursuing as early as now: 

• Less screen time: Studies suggest that gadgets affect our bedtime and even decrease the quality of our sleep. Keep track of your screen time, disable notifications at night, or leave your phone out of the bedroom to help lessen your screen time. 
   
• Get moving: After years of isolation, it’s about time you rediscover the beauty of the outdoors by doing physical exercises. Start small if you must and set lower step goals or have a short workout session. The key here is to be consistent. 

4. Recharge your mental health

Mental health is just as important as physical health. After all, when we want to be healthy, we should aim to have a sound mind in a sound body. Here are simple ways you could do to look after your mental health: 

• Discover what makes you happy: List the places, people and activities that make you happy. Try including as many of these in your daily life to boost your mood constantly.
   
• Practice affirming yourself: Avoid being too hard on yourself and don’t compare yourself to others. Take your negative thoughts and self-criticisms and reframe them into constructive action points. This can be helpful to your mental health.

5. Recover your social wellbeing

Studies suggest that socially healthy people enjoy substantial health benefits. After years of isolation due to the pandemic, there are things we can do to rediscover the value of our social connections. Here are a couple of them:

• Expand your circle: Make meaningful connections with old and new people, like friends, colleagues, etc. 
   
• Reach out to keep friendships close: Regular contact is essential for maintaining close friendships. Whether it’s for opening up a problem or you simply want to catch up, a simple “Kumusta ka?” can go a long way. 

6. Remember your ‘why’ 

In the process of pursuing a healthier lifestyle, you may encounter bumps and frustrations. If that happens, you will always go back to a simple question you need to have an answer to: “Why?” 

The answer here is simple: Investing in your health is worth it. 

Investing in your health gives you more energy and the freedom to do things you love with your family. Likewise, living healthier means you can have a lower risk of developing many illnesses, which means you have a high possibility of enjoying a longer life with your loved ones. 

Overall, being holistically healthy helps you feel in control of your life. It saves you from fears of medical emergencies, allows you to not only survive but thrive, and most importantly, secures a bright future for you and your family.

Watch Piolo Pascual’s message to his younger self as he shares how important self-care is. 

Complementing your best efforts toward a healthier life, Sun Life can be your partner in helping you and your family to plan ahead and be prepared in case of any medical emergencies. Here are some health protection plans that can help you have peace of mind:

• SUN Fit & Well is a comprehensive health protection plan that offers clients with critical illness and life insurance benefits until age 100. It also has a preventive wellness benefit where clients can avail of special access and privileges to premium workouts and various wellness activities. 
   
• Sun First Aid Plus is a health insurance plan which is ideal for health emergencies. It provides hospitalization, accidental death, disability and life insurance benefits. You can even get up to 75% of what you have paid for at the end of the 10-year coverage period. 
   
• Sun ICU Protect is a severity-based health insurance plan that enables you to live a healthier life and provides you a safety net during life’s critical moments. It ensures that your financial health is well-taken care of should any life-threatening conditions happen.

Life is brighter when your health and wealth are secured. In all your health aspirations, you can rest assured that Sun Life is here to be your trusted partner in life.

For more information, visit www.sunlife.co/SLPIH.