happy 2016!

i'm not much for new years resolutions, but i am all for taking moments for reflection from time to time, taking stock of what is good and what hasn't been good, and making plans for the future. i mean, i think that anyone who knows me even a little bit knows about my plans. i've got lists, plans, calendars, and my brain is always hopping to the next thing. but i'm also making plans to try to keep in the present moment. to be healthy. to live and long and good life, day by day.

i was thinking about these things on a long car ride yesterday, and then just a few hours after that, i ran into this little article. i liked it. as a health care provider in primary care, i wanted to print it out and start handing it out at the end of every visit as a homework assignment. as a person, i am reminded to take these simple and healthful rules to heart. here they are (straight from the article, culled from mountains of evidence, and tested in every day life):

1. get enough sleep
2. move your body all day
3. eat well, mostly plants, and not too much (also, dump the sugar)
4. interact socially
5. take time to reflect on what you are grateful for

so i'm going to keep working on it all. sometimes i'm going to need reminders, like the little video posted below. and i'm putting it right here in the blog because i want to save this, but i also want y'all to know i'm grateful for you. i'm grateful for the joys and experiences that i share here on the blog. i'm grateful for my friends and family, and the meaningful real world interactions i get to have. happy new year, everyone.