change of pace
New Year, New You. The phrase gets bandied about every January, as a prompt to take stock of where we’re at and endeavour to make resolutions that count in the coming months. Often that leads to pressure to overhaul our whole life and make sweeping changes that, let’s face it, are unsustainable. “I’ll lose weight, save more, eat better, swear less….” Does that sound familiar? It does to us!
But it’s not a bad thing to strive for something. The trick is to set goals that will empower instead of discourage. Experts advise using a SMART method; this means setting goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Timed. So, instead of saying “I’ll lose weight,” give your plan more focus. Say, “I’ll lose five pounds by February 28 by having a fruit smoothie for breakfast instead of a cheese croissant.” It’s a simplistic example, but you get the idea. Other tips? Write down your goal, make a plan for achieving it and then tell someone so you are accountable.
By starting small, chances are better you’ll meet your target, and be encouraged to do more. Not all objectives need to be completely life-changing. Opting to eat one vegan meal per week will probably be more successful than attempting to go meatless cold turkey, if you will.
In this issue we’ve got tons of inspiration for making small adjustments that will have a ripple effect in your everyday life. We have stories on the beneficial effects of vitamins on your body (“Take Your Vitamins,” page 18, and “Vitamin D & Immunity,” page 48), ways to avoid financial missteps (“Turn Financial Frowns Upside Down,” page 42), how to go greener with your skin-care products (“12 Ways to Make Your Beauty Routine More Eco-friendly,” page 22) and, of course, delicious, healthy recipes to savour featuring everything from oranges to lentils to bok choy. We hope you find as much incentive for making manageable changes in this issue as we did in putting it together. Here’s to a bright new year!