Though the time for new year’s resolutions has long since passed (and many of them have now been abandoned), you may be considering setting yourself health and wellness goals for the rest of the year. Whether that means you want to train up to participate in a sporting event, or challenge yourself to introduce new ingredients to your kitchen – there are plenty of things we can do to embark upon a truly transformative wellness journey.

However, it’s important to remember that change will always be a little difficult. There will be days when you lack motivation or drive or times when you feel as though the goal you set yourself is too far away to ever reach. While you cannot banish these doubts entirely – it’s important that you find a way to get yourself back on track and work towards your goals with a positive mindset.

With that in mind, here are six easy ways to start putting your health and wellness first. 

1. Remember that you don’t have to do everything alone. For example, you could get a workout buddy to hold yourself accountable. When another person is waiting on you to do something with them, you’re less likely to cancel or skip the session, meaning that you will stay motivated when working towards your fitness goals. 

2. Download apps designed to promote wellness in all forms – whether they guide you through quiet meditation and contemplation or provide you with workout routines to follow. We spend so much time on our phone nowadays that it only makes sense to make it part of your journey. You can find some great app recommendations from health and wellness entrepreneur Dee Agarwal here. 

3. Identify areas in your life that are causing your stress – be that your relationships or work – and put the appropriate coping mechanisms in place to reduce or eliminate it completely. While certain stress may be unavoidable, changing the way you approach the situation can positively affect your mental health. 

4. If you’re about as far away from a Michelin-star chef as you can be, don’t try to become a culinary whizz overnight. Focus on simple, healthy recipes that will fill you up and allow you to build up your skills before moving onto more complicated recipes. 

5. Find small ways to keep moving throughout the day, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting behind a desk. For example, you could take a short ten-minute walk on your lunch break or try out some desk exercises and stretches.  

6. Remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health and that the two are often interwoven more than you initially think. As a result, you should try to speak openly and honestly about how you feel – whether you confide in a friend or loved one or a therapist. Bottling up emotions, though it may seem like the easier option, will not help you resolve issues and will only lead to more problems further down the line. Remember, you are not alone – and there is always somebody waiting to listen and support you.