Resolutions
Before you choose
A guide to keeping your resolution
Moving forward, even slowly, puts your goals within reach.
If you have a motivation to change, a conscious motivation, you鈥檙e more likely to take steps that are hard and require persistence.鈥�Robert Waldinger
Professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Harvard Study on Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies on human happiness and wellbeing
Concentrate on mental health
Whether you’re looking to increase your happiness or start a mindfulness practice, Harvard experts have resources to help.
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Try a mindfulness exercise today
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1. Sit
Sit on a straight-backed chair or comfortably on the floor.
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2. Focus
Focus on your breath and pay attention to things such as the sensations of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth, or your belly rising and falling as you inhale and exhale.
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3. Expand
Once you鈥檝e narrowed your concentration in this way, begin to widen your focus. Become aware of sounds, sensations, and ideas.
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4. Embrace
Embrace and consider each thought or sensation without judging it good or bad. If your mind starts to race, return your focus to your breathing. Then expand your awareness again.
Focus on physical health
Whether you’re looking to better understand food, learn how to get more sleep, or explore the latest studies on exercise, the Harvard community has the research and resources to help.
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Starting can be as simple as finding the right form of exercise
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Walking
Good exercise for people just starting their routine
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Yoga
Perfect exercise for people looking for mind and body benefits
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Dance
Fun exercise for people wanting to practice their moves
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High-intensity interval training
Great exercise for people without a lot of time