You’ve made resolutions in the past, but maybe not every year. You’re feeling hesitant to consider making a resolution this year because your own experience reminds you that you were not very good (or "firm") at keeping the previous resolution.
Yet, you still desire to make positive changes in your life. A Cancer Healthy™ change would be to pay attention to the food we put on our plates and into our bodies, get regular exercise, maybe even break a sweat and de-stress! Wow, all that just makes me stressed!
But you still would like to do all of that. You really, truly would. So if a resolution doesn’t work, what will? First of all, give yourself a little grace and compassion and figure out where it is humanly possible to start down a path to even a slightly healthier you. Yes, you deserve to feel good. You will ease WORRY and FRUSTRATION by taking ACTION. Action is more promising. Action goes beyond a resolution and implies a process, not an "all or nothing" approach.
The American Institute of Cancer Research offers a personalized wellness plan to help you get started and keep going with simple daily steps that can become new healthy habits. The free iTHRIVE Plan is an online platform that creates recommended Action Steps in five key lifestyle areas:
- Diet (healthy choices)
- Movement (strategies to reduce inactivity)
- Environment (how to make a home healthier)
- Rejuvenation (stress management)
- Spirit (value-based living)
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How the Plan Works
You begin with a 10-minute survey that determines your ability, experience and knowledge in the five key areas listed above. A plan is developed that identifies your strengths and where you might need assistance. You then choose two action steps to work on at one time.
You will receive a reminder email to work on a daily activity related to your chosen action steps. Every action step is designed at a level that suits you, based on your strengths report, as there are beginner, intermediate and advanced action steps.
This is a fabulous tool, not a resolution, to help you find new ways and to be able to take ACTION to improve your health and reduce your cancer risk. The iTHRIVE tool will help you heal from cancer treatment, reduce risk of recurrence and achieve optimal wellness. I encourage you to register for this free program — take the first step at www.aicr.org/cancer-survival/ithrive/.
