What if You Didn’t Wait Until January?

October is one of those months when you can leave the house in a jacket, regret the jacket by lunchtime, and wish you had it back by dinner.

Cool—or cold, depending on who you ask—in the morning. Warm or downright hot in the afternoon. Then the sun goes down and suddenly there's a beautiful cool breeze again.

It's one of the things I love about this time of year.

But changing weather also gives us a good reminder to pay attention to ourselves.

Dress in layers. Keep drinking your water even though it doesn't feel as hot outside. Continue moving. Get your sleep. Pay attention when your body tells you it needs a little recovery.

We sometimes associate taking care of ourselves with big things—workout programs, diets, supplements, doctor appointments—but health is also built through the ordinary decisions we make throughout the day.

October seems to be giving me a very practical lesson in preparation this year.

We went to a football game on October 10th.

We already knew this wasn't going to be a simple show-up-and-walk-in kind of day. The President is attending, and ESPN GameDay will be there, so we're planning for traffic, crowds, security, and extra time getting into the stadium.

We thought we had covered everything.

And then someone remembered to check the weather.

Oh yeah.

There was a hurricane coming in off the Gulf.

Depending on which weather forecast you looked at, we could have pouring rain—or no rain at all and a lot of wind.

So then we added rain gear to the plan.

Isn't that life?

You can plan carefully, prepare for what you know is coming, and then something else enters the picture.

The answer isn't to give up on the plan.

You adjust the plan.

That's true for football games, holidays, and our health.

October Is the Beginning of Something Else

October also means we're standing on the doorstep of the holiday season.

Halloween arrives, and suddenly Thanksgiving isn't far behind. Then come the December holidays, travel, parties, family gatherings, food, traditions, disrupted schedules—and before we know it, someone is counting down to midnight on New Year's Eve.

Some of you already know exactly what you're doing for the holidays.

Some of you may have flights booked, menus planned, and outfits selected.

Others are thinking, "Can I just wear comfortable clothes and stay home?"

Yes. Yes, you can.

There's no single correct way to enjoy the holidays.

But here's what I'd like you to consider.

After the holidays comes January.

And with January come those familiar New Year's resolutions.

Lose weight.

Get in shape.

Exercise more.

Eat better.

Finally take care of myself.

How many times have you made some version of those resolutions?

More importantly, how many times have you told yourself you'll start after the holidays?

What If You Started Now?

We have been conditioned to think January 1 is the day we're supposed to reinvent ourselves.

But your body doesn't know it's January 1.

Your muscles don't know.

Your heart doesn't know.

Your metabolism doesn't know.

And your habits certainly don't know.

So instead of spending October, November, and December moving farther away from how you want to feel and then trying to make a dramatic correction in January, what if you used these months differently?

I'm not suggesting you start a restrictive diet before Thanksgiving.

I'm definitely not suggesting that you spend the holidays worrying about every bite of food you eat.

I'm suggesting something much simpler.

Pick your direction.

Maybe you walk three days a week.

Maybe you start strength training twice a week.

Maybe you finally begin working on your balance.

Maybe you make protein a more intentional part of your meals.

Maybe you drink more water.

Maybe you establish a bedtime instead of falling asleep in front of the television.

Maybe you schedule the physical, dental appointment, eye exam, massage, or other self-care you've been putting off.

None of those things require January 1.

And none of them require perfection.

Train for the Life You're Actually Living

This is why I believe so strongly in the idea of training for life.

We're not training for a perfect week when nothing interrupts us.

We're training for football games and hurricanes.

We're training for holidays and travel.

We're training for grandchildren and careers and retirement and unexpected schedule changes.

We're training for the days when everything goes according to plan—and the days when absolutely nothing does.

Especially as we get older, health isn't simply about what the scale says.

It's about capability.

Can you carry the suitcase?

Can you climb the stadium stairs?

Can you walk through the airport?

Can you get down on the floor and back up?

Can you maintain your balance?

Can you participate in the life you've worked so hard to create?

Those are the questions that matter to me.

Your New Year's Resolution Can Start in October

So here's my suggestion.

Don't make a New Year's resolution yet.

Make an October direction.

Ask yourself:

Where would I like to be by January 1?

Not how much weight you want to lose.

Not what size you want to wear.

Ask a better question.

How do I want to feel?

Stronger?

More energetic?

More confident?

More mobile?

Less winded?

Better rested?

More in control of your health?

Now choose one or two actions that move you in that direction.

Small enough to actually do.

Simple enough to continue during the holidays.

Meaningful enough that three months from now you'll know something has changed.

Because this isn't about creating a perfect October.

It's about creating momentum.

Aging is direction, not decline.

And we don't choose that direction once a year.

We choose it in the ordinary moments—one walk, one workout, one meal, one night's sleep, one decision at a time.

So enjoy the cooler mornings.

Enjoy the warm afternoons.

Put on another layer when the evening breeze comes through.

Go to the football game.

Celebrate the holidays.

Eat the food.

Wear the special outfit—or the comfy clothes.

Live your life.

Just don't forget that while you're making plans for everyone and everything else, you belong on your calendar too.

January will get here soon enough.

Imagine how different it might feel if, instead of saying, "This is the year I'm finally going to start," you could say:

"I already started."

Now that's a New Year's resolution I can get behind.

— Cathy Clements
Longevity Strategist | Train for Life | Aging Is Direction