Reset, refocus, and shine bright!
Published: January 10, 2025
By Miriam Swanson
Pou Tiaki Taiohi ā Motu (Child and Youth Director)
Kickstarting the year with healthy habits can feel overwhelming, but our Child and Youth Director Miriam Swanson at Pathways and Real has an approach to make it easier.
It’s all about starting small and staying consistent.
Keep reading to discover a simple approach that can help you create healthy habits for your wellbeing.
Start small and stay consistent
The start of a new year offers the opportunity to consider, and potentially reset, our lifestyle choices.
It can be tempting to make grand resolutions, but it can be just as easy to let these intentions slip if we expect ourselves to make massive sweeping change instantly.
Why small changes work
One solution is to set your intention towards healthy habits to improve your wellbeing—and then adopt the ‘Do One Thing’ (DOT) Approach. Refer to the D.O.T list for an example of what you could add.
DOT encourages making small changes, one at a time.
You pick a DOT based on what’s important to you, do it consistently and allow the habit to grow.
It’s said that it takes an average of two months to form a habit!
Progress, not perfection
These little steps can lead to improved wellbeing.
Embrace the journey, understanding that it’s about progress, not perfection.
It’s about progress, not perfection — Miriam Swanson, Pou Tiaki Taiohi ā Motu (Child and Youth Director).
—This story was first featured in Harikoa magazine (issue 1, 2024).
