By Kristen Donia

It’s January, the season of fresh starts. Many of us are trying on New Year’s resolutions for size. The New Year is a great time for new beginnings. With a new decade upon us this year as well, it’s easy to see why people often see the new year as an opportunity to institute positive changes in their lives as a whole.

Choose Carefully

Perhaps you’ve heard or even felt, the effects of a New Year’s resolution that didn’t exactly work out. Habit experts say that it takes 66 days for a new habit to form. And that’s because it can be difficult to stick to a big life adjustment. Starting off with an easy habit, makes our chances for success greater. Which is what lead me to something of an easier commitment to myself this year.

Doing this not only encourages the mind, but it also benefits the body. A full body resolution? Sign me up. All you have to do? Walk 10-30 minutes a day. It sounds simple enough. The walking part is easy. Smartphones, watches, and timers can keep track of the details for us, which makes that part a no brainer.

Learning Adventure

During your time on the path or road, you can listen to music, talk on the phone, or catch up on your favorite podcast, the options really are endless. Setting aside this time for yourself, you decide how to fill it. Maybe you’ve wanted to learn more about a certain topic, now you have created time where you are being active and have the chance to dive deeper into what you’re interested in. Essentially you’re learning and being active at the same time. And, all you have to do is walk.

Health Benefits

 Walking 30 minutes a day has been shown to boost your immune system, move your lymph, prevent heart disease and high blood pressure. All that just from walking. Plus, it’s completely and totally free. If you are looking for more of a challenge you can find a location that has lots of hills, or if you are looking to take it easy, try starting with 5-10 minutes of walking a day.

Developing healthy habits that help us take care of our bodies is up to us, no one else. Plug into your favorite tunes, process life, listen to an audiobook that could change your life, this is your time. All while you are putting one foot in front of the other. We are capable of so much, more than we often believe. All you have to do is start somewhere.