“This year I resolve to: exercise more, eat healthier, stop procrastinating, make more time for friends and loved ones, etc. etc.” Most of our New Year’s resolution lists have read like this at some point or another and there’s no shame in it, but after years of the same vague, sweeping declarations, it’s not hard to see why resolutions don’t have much staying power past the first few weeks of January.

Exercise more: will you take Fido out for a walk around the block one day more than usual or are we talking about marathon training? Eat healthier: will you invest time in planning out and writing down a weekly meal plan or will you just swing by the salad bar when the mood strikes you? Making successful resolutions is all about specificity: the more involved you are with the “how’s” of your goal, the easier it is to reach them.

While we’re all for the traditional resolutions that aim to improve your quality of life through healthier living and eating habits, emotional growth seems to be something that’s underappreciated. Developing an exercise regimen and celebrating Meatless Monday require persistence, but they’re very concrete ideas. Good interpersonal relationship habits also require persistence (probably the most persistence), but the results aren’t as easily measured as pounds shed or a decreased carbon footprint.

For 2015, we challenge everyone to look inside themselves. We challenge everyone to be a little bit more selfless and active in showing your appreciation for those you care about. Self-reflection is where it all starts and is worth the time. The entire process holds a magnifying glass to every tiny aspect of who you are and once you’ve started there’s no saying that you’re done with it–it’s a lifetime of asking yourself the hard questions, but if you don’t ask them, no one else will.

Once you’ve laid out all your personal dirty laundry–and whether or not you have immediate solutions for it all, having a great attitude, awareness, and authenticity will give room for your heart to lead you. It’s time to shift your focus to all the relationships in your life, from family and friends to significant others. Nurturing relationships and appreciating others starts with endings, and that’s where the difficult work begins:

• Identify who you care about (really). End the toxic relationships in your life–the people who make you feel like less than a person, who make you feel like you’re competing against them for some nameless prize, who manipulate your friendship for their own gains. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s crucial to understand that some relationships run their course and neither party is at fault–be grateful for the time your roots grew together, even if they now grow apart. It’s painful to end relationships, but sorting out who really matters in your life will give you a stronger emotional foundation and concentrate your efforts moving forward.

• Express your love, loudly and often. Many of us think about our loved ones on a daily basis and that’s wonderful, but it doesn’t really serve a relationship if the person you’re thinking about doesn’t know you’re thinking about them–not everyone has the luxury of mind reading! It might start with a small “thank you” or making a spontaneous phone call to catch up. Whatever it is, reach out and let that important someone know that they’re important–love and validation works wonders!

• “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again”. Relationships are work! It might seem crude to put something so layered in such cut and dry terms, but there will be miscommunication and you will make mistakes–make a big enough one and there might be the threat of termination. But with someone who’s truly worth your while, there’s always a hope of a second chance, so be sincere in your apologies, build your bridges together, and continue forward on this weird and wonderful life.

Resolve to take an inward assessment. Stop yo-yo dieting and opt to find forgiveness, let go of bad relationships or whatever it is that you’ve been putting on the back burner. Here’s to a new year, new beginnings, and the pursuit of making more mistakes in order to move forward.

“… So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” Neil Gaiman

Photo: © Suzanne Brendle 2014

Somewhere between the turning back our clocks in November and the tail end of January, the combination of cold weather and less sunshine can lead us off the healthy track. Below are ten practical steps you can take now to make the best of the winter season:

• Wash your hands… properly! It might seem like common sense, but don’t make the mistake of a quick soap and rinse and call it a day (or forget the soap entirely!). Lather up your soap for 20 seconds before rinsing well and don’t forget the underside of your fingernails–germs love hiding there. Frequent hand washing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness.

• Have that Game Night! The hibernation thing works great for bears, but last we checked, people are not bears and staying hidden away at home all winter is not the way to go. Socializing is a powerful mood booster, so whether it’s a coffee date with a close friend or taking a group fitness class, engaging with others is a great way to destress and keep away the holiday blues. Shhh… we secretly love playing apples to apples.

• Winterize your body, mentally and physically. For a season that comes around every year, we still find ourselves surprised by the onset of stuffy noses and sour moods. But there are ways to get a step ahead of Old Man Winter and have ourselves a happy and healthy season, from staying hydrated to being mindful about our mental health.

• Stay on top of your fitness regimen. It’s all too easy to use winter weather as an excuse to stay indoors and curl up with Netflix, but staying active and consistent with your workouts is critical to boosting your immune system and combating the aftermath of holiday feasting. Whether you bundle up for a walk around the neighborhood or roll up your sleeves to give the house a good dusting, make sure to get on your feet.

• Catch those Z’s. It’s true that not everyone needs a full eight hours of sleep to function healthily, but all the precautions you take against the cold or flu will be useless if your body is too tired to even use them. Try some turmeric milk at night if you have trouble sleeping.

• Lighten up. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects millions of Americans and it’s important to seek treatment and not just brush it off as a case of the “winter blues”. If, however, you find yourself bogged down under a mild case of the blahs, getting more light in your life is an easy and effective solution.

• Overcome holiday stress. The holiday season is a time for joyful family gatherings, but it’s important to acknowledge that this isn’t a universal truth. Family relationships are complicated and for those dreading the yearly get-together, there are concrete methods to identify what troubles you and ways to get through it. Watch a Ted talk about unconditional love.

• Check your heating system and make sure it runs safely. Make updates if necessary and install a carbon monoxide detector to keep you and your family safe.

• Travel smart. It’s difficult to stay healthy on a daily basis, but the holidays brings out stress and temptations in spades. Get prepared before you jump on a plane, train, or automobile. Here are tips to get the most out of your holiday season travels.

We hope you’ll make time by checking in on how you’re feeling and take steps toward a healthier you this winter. Let us know your favorite ways to stay healthy during the cold months! We’d love to hear from you.

photo credit: Suzie’s Farm

It doesn’t matter where you are this season–there’s no escaping them. They’re at every family gathering, spicing up your morning coffee run, taking over menus, and even lining office window sills! That’s right: winter squash. From the omnipresent pumpkin (and its trendy cousin, pumpkin spice) to striped and spotted decorative squashes, it’s almost impossible to imagine the autumn and winter months without these tough, colorful vegetables filling our plates and overflowing from market stalls. We put them in our pies, hollow them out and carve them up for spooky effect, roast them, mash them, and stick them in stews. When the leaves crunch underfoot and the air gets chilly, all other vegetables take a bow, because squashes run this town.

The seasonal obsession with pumpkin spice everything always brings in the media and disdainful critics. As we giggle over massive lists detailing gross acts of pumpkin spice abuse, it’s easy to forget that the real thing has star standing in the vegetable world for a reason. Winter squashes are nutrient powerhouses: one cup of baked butternut squash is filled with a vitamins (A, B6, C, and E), as well as magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Pumpkin, butternut, and acorn squashes are some of the most well-known varieties, but there’s a world of winter squashes out there just waiting for some extra love. Check our this list!