2017: A No Resolution New Year

2017: A No Resolution New Year
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

This time each year, so many of us set New Year's resolutions. We aspire to be healthier, get in better shape, and possibly change our appearances. Making resolutions is easy to do. What's more valuable may be the daily dedication to a fitness practice, one that gives so much more than it takes. Lowering stress, regulating blood pressure, boosting your mood - these are just a few of the ways staying fit, rather than getting fit - qualify as self-love. This new year, let's forget resolutions and take a moment to reflect on just how far we've come.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to set goals and work toward them. But the beauty of a new year is that it also allows us to look back and recognize milestones we've achieved already. What if we saw the New Year as a time to appreciate all that we've done since the previous year, and the progress we've made?

Maybe 2016 was a year of learning more about yourself, or you moved to a new city, got engaged, quit a harmful habit, received a promotion at work, or even just reconnected with an old friend. The point is that it is important to recognize the positives that came out of the past year. Look at the strides you've made to becoming the person you hope to be. The beauty of humanity is that we have a desire to keep moving forward, to improve the quality of our lives and the lives of others. Take a break and look at where you are today. Give yourself kudos!

Once you acknowledge your own accomplishments, take a moment to recognize the progress people around you have made. Give them the good old pat-on-the-back for working hard all year long. Spread the love and cheer for the new year!

Judi Sheppard Missett created the original dance party workout and started the fitness revolution that became Jazzercise. Today -- more than 45 years later -- Jazzercise is one of the world's leading dance fitness companies, offering a program that continually evolves with new beats, new moves and new classes. As Founder and CEO of Jazzercise, Judi Sheppard Missett leads a team of more than 8,300 franchisees teaching 32,000+ classes each week around the world. Jazzercise is a pulse-pounding, bass-dropping fitness program that gets results...fast. Customers can incinerate up to 800 calories in one 60 minute workout and choose from a variety of classes including Fusion, Core, Strike, Strength, Flip Fusion, Interval and Dance Mixx. For more information, visit jazzercise.com.

Go To Homepage

Popular in the Community

Close