Does Your Life Need a Makeover?

New Year ~ New You!

Are you getting tired of the “same ole you”? With the New Year approaching, maybe it’s time for a makeover.

As one year draws to an end and another begins, you may find yourself wishing for new opportunities and new ways of being in the New Year.

A Life Makeover could be just the answer.

With the New Year approaching, it’s the perfect opportunity to makeover your life with changes that are uplifting, inspiring and long-lasting.

There are many opportunities for creating your own personal make-over right here on the Eastern Shore. Here are five great ways to get started:

Create a personal vision. If you life has gotten into a rut, maybe it’s because you have lost sight of your personal vision – or maybe you never had one.

Your personal vision for your life is about who you are as a person and who you want to become as you grow and develop. It’s about what you want to do and how you want to feel in the future.

Your personal vision is the dreams you hold for the life you want to have, and what you will strive towards by making and maintaining small changes along the way. Your personal vision will help you to get the most from life, providing a benchmark for making decisions.

If you don’t create a personal vision, you may later find that others have shaped and directed your life in ways you didn’t choose – or want. You can create your personal vision by considering the many facets of your life (spiritual, emotional, relationships, health, career, etc.).

Improve your appearance. Often the decision to “do something” starts with a look in the mirror. When you don’t like what you see, it can lead to feelings of self-doubt in other areas.

Beautiful skin with a healthy glow can be the beginning for your makeover, and you can achieve this easier than you might think.

Beverly Patterson, ENT Practitioner at Chesapeake Bay ENT in Belle Haven, uses fruit-based Glycolic Acid Facial Peels to smooth rough skin and improve the skin’s texture for the client’s she serves, both men and women. When you know you look good, it improves your self-confidence for trying other changes in your life. You can get a free information packet and Gift Certificate when you call 442-7040.

Choose a more healthy lifestyle. Your makeover won’t be lasting if it doesn’t include healthy choices for food and exercise. Simple choices on a daily basis can lead to new feelings of energy and self-esteem as well as increased longevity.

Says retired real estate guru Sharon Martin of Harborton, who walks two miles every day with a support group of friends, “Walking is a great way to start your day. It’s also good for your heart.”

On walking with friends, she comments “it’s important to have good close friends who laugh together – it’s healthy and it’s fun.”

Although Martin walks everyday, some members of the group walk two days and go to the Eastern Shore YMCA on the other days, where they do upper body work with weights. Our YMCA offers a variety of programs that you can use to launch your own personal makeover, with hours to suit most schedules. Call 787-5601 to learn more.

Many people include losing weight as a goal for their makeover. The USDA offers an excellent Guide to the Food Pyramid (download a free copy at http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/pyrabklt.pdf) with simple tips for making it work for you and your lifestyle.

However, Debbie Heffron, a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, and President of Shore Nutrition Counseling in Onancock, finds that some people are overly focused on pounds.

“It’s lifestyle choices that make the difference,” says Heffron, who works with individuals to support them in making healthier food choices and easily incorporating them into daily life. She’ll even come to your home and help you to assess the contents of your refrigerator and pantry. You can reach her at 787-1170.

Resolve to Take Better Self-Care. “Women often don’t take the time for themselves” says Sharone Bailey, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and President of The Center for Life Changes, Inc. in Exmore. Over time, putting everyone else first takes its toll, often resulting in stress, anxiety, depression or general unhappiness.

The start of the New Year is the perfect time for a make-over of your life. By designing the life that you want, you are taking pro-active steps to achieve it. To receive a free copy of “Women – Get Your Life Back”, seven tips for regaining control of your life, call 414-0310.

Simplify your life. For everything that you are doing, ask yourself “why?” If you can’t come up with a good reason – one that is getting you closer to living the life of your personal vision – consider dropping it from your day.

Instead, add simple pleasures that promote a sense of well-being and relaxation. Get yourself organized, remove the clutter, do those things that make day-to-day living less complicated.

Both men and women can benefit from the increased pleasure and self-confidence that comes from a new look and a new way of being. Follow these five tips and you’ll have the perfect foundation for achieving the other goals you have set for your life.

Why not let 2006 be your year for a “New You”? Start your life makeover today and you’ll soon be living the life of your dreams.