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10.9.14 Healthy Me, Better Year Update: Bethe Almeras

My mama always told me that I was “whole hog or none,” meaning I am really gung-ho about something and then I throw in the towel. And as much as I hate to admit it, this has often been the case when it comes to healthy habits. I have been guilty of trying to get healthy by changing everything at once and being super intense, only to crash after a few or several weeks and chuck it all, falling back into not-so-great habits.


That’s one of the reasons I love the Healthy Me, Better Year Pledge — it is forcing me to take small steps and focus on self-care, versus driving myself crazy trying to change everything at once and going to extremes, which I know never ends well for Ms. Whole Hog or None. (Thanks, Mama.)

So I’ve picked several small things I can do over the course of this school year to improve my overall health and wellbeing. My approach to the Pledge was to pick a few things and do at least one of them every day. If I do two or three each day, then that’s just a double gold star for me. Because what I decided is a cornerstone for self-care is being kind to myself; not being overly judgmental of myself as I strive to be healthier. No reason to throw in the towel on the whole day because I didn’t do X or Y, because I can do Z and it’s adding to my overall health as well. Does that make sense? Somehow, it does in my brain.


Bethe’s Healthy Me, Better Year Hit List

  • Choose foods and drinks that nourish me
    • Here’s what I am doing: More water, less coffee; lots of fruit, which is not always my go to.
  • Sit alone with eyes closed for 5 minutes, focused only on my breathing, because high stress levels affect my wellbeing
    • Here’s what I am doing: Doing more like two minutes…for now.
  • Make time for fun! I will take at least 10 minutes in my day for laughter and joy, wherever I find it!
    • Here’s what I am doing: Truth be told, this is an easy one for me; I am all about laughter! Plus I have two cats that never cease to crack me up with their antics. In fact, they are also the best thing in my life for reducing stress. A little petting, cuddling and purring eases my mind after a stressful day.
  • Move my body for at least 15 minutes every day
    • Here’s what I am doing: Sometimes I take a walk, other times I throw a miniature dance party in my office and just bust-a-move.

As the year goes on, I may add another one or two things to my list; I will keep you posted.

I would love to hear how your Healthy Me, Better Year Pledge is going! Shout out your success stories, tips, ideas and even frustrations in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter. And don’t forget to tag your posts #NewSelfie1415.


Happy, Healthy Cheers- Bethe