To Inspire:

Welcome to 2025 and welcome to the season of New Year’s resolutions. Articles recommending the best resolutions to make have been inundating email and social media for the past couple of weeks. My favorite resolution list arrived in my email early January 1, titled “65 Achievable New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Keep.” Sixty-five! However unrealistic that might be, I do think the new year is a good time to take stock and consider some changes, so, here are six (not 65) things you can do as we move into this new year that can have a big impact on your life.

Prioritize sleep. Make an effort to get high-quality sleep. A lack of sleep can lead to memory problems and more. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go to bed earlier, there are other ways to improve your sleep quality. Pay attention to your caffeine intake, exercise more, and put down your phone or tablet at least 60 minutes before bedtime to allow your brain to wind down.

Drink water. Water is essential for almost all bodily functions, including lubricating joints, pumping blood to the heart, and regulating body temperature. Staying hydrated in especially important because as we age our urge to drink – called thirst perception – tends to diminish. Generally, you should shoot for four to six 12-ounce glasses a day.

Learn something new. Learning new things improves cognitive function and slows decline. Try new food, see the ballet, or visit someplace you’ve never been. Meet new people – take a class – learn to paint or dance. Learn to play an instrument. Join a club to meet people with similar interests. All these things can help reduce risk of memory loss, lower stress levels, and are fun!

Move more. You don’t have to commit to an hours-long workout to see benefits. Walk a little bit each day. Take the stairs sometimes. Walking is the easiest way to get active. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, improves longevity, and reduces symptoms of anxiety. And any workout helps keep your brain sharp.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness – Set a goal that works for you to do acts of kindness. It could be one a week or once a month and it doesn’t have to be a big deal: write a note to a friend; phone a relative you haven’t spoken with for a while; pick up an extra treat at Starbucks and drop it off at a neighbor’s house. These are simple acts and take very little time – but will touch that other person’s heart – and yours too!

And finally – as I will never stop beating the drum of reading more – Read books. The benefits of reading for older adults are well established. Reading provides significant cognitive stimulation, helps maintain memory, improves focus, reduces stress, enhances analytical thinking skills, and can potentially delay the onset of cognitive decline associated with aging. We’re not in school, so there are no rules on what you read. Read what interests you – history, fiction, memoirs – whatever. Read physical books or digital books or listen to audio books. Just read.

If six things seem like too many to work on, pick one or two. The real goal is to keep making little changes in a positive direction that will make your great life even better. Wishing everyone a wonderful 2025!

Written by Michelle O’Brien, Manager of Marketing & Communications