Fit Community Into Your New Year's Resolutions

The New Year is a time for new beginnings, and a natural time to reflect on the way you live your life. The YMCA — a leading nonprofit that promotes youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility — encourages individuals to make resolutions that help themselves as well as the community they live in. Below are five New Year's Resolutions the Watsonville Family YMCA recommends for 2012, along with some suggestions from Watsonville Patch: 

1. Live Healthier – Achieving greater health and well-being is all about taking small steps. Take care of your health by eating nutritious foods and being physically active each day – experts recommend 30 minutes of daily physical activity for adults and 60 minutes for kids. This can be achieved throughout the day by incorporating physical activity into your daily routines (i.e., taking stairs instead of elevators, walking instead of driving, etc.) The Y offers many fun opportunities for individuals and families to be active. Click HERE to learn more. 

Watsonville Patch recommends: Working out doesn't mean you have to spend money on a gym membership. If your budget is tight, you can still stay in shape by walking or running with a friend, or taking your kids to a park in the community to play basketball, frisbee, catch or any other sweat-inducing activity. Check out this guide of Watsonville's City Parks HERE. 

2. Volunteer – Doing good feels good, and giving back to our community benefits everyone involved. Volunteering also provides individuals the opportunity to meet new people and to develop new relationships. Find an opportunity in your community that you may enjoy, such as cleaning your neighborhood park or distributing food at a local food bank. You can also volunteer to coach a YMCA youth sports program, or join the Y’s Strong Communities Campaign, helping raise funds to provide financial assistance for families and children in need.  

Patch Recommends: Read about several different volunteer opportunities in the county HERE and HERE

3. Help Inspire Children and Teens, Be a Mentor – Children and teens often need to seek guidance from caring adults they can look up to. By nurturing our youth, we can help them strive to accomplish success and reach their full potential. Use your experience and talent to help youth realize who they are and what they can be. Call the Watsonville Family YMCA to find out about mentoring opportunities at the Y, or find a child in your life that you can help bring out the best in themselves.

Patch Recommends: Get involved with Contigo, a free gang and drug prevention program for youths and families in the Marinovich neighborhood. Read more HERE. Drug addiction in youths is an increasing problem in the County. Being a good influence and positive role model for children and teens is extremely important and helps to make a difference. Knowing about the various resources in the community for youths struggling with addiction is also important. Click HERE for a list of youth services in the county. 

4.  Learn Something New – Step out of your comfort zone, have fun and grow by exploring personal interests. Is there a group fitness or creative writing class you’ve always wanted to take? Try something new that you’ve always wanted to do, to build your spirit, mind or body. Find opportunities at the Watsonville Family YMCA.

Patch Recommends: Zumba classes combine salsa, merengue, and reggeton while also getting you into shape. Check out the class schedules at the Ramsay Park Family Center HERE. Callaghan Park Cultural Center offers Hula dancing classes, read more HERE. 

5. Spend Time with Family and Friends – Socializing is good for your well-being and spending time with the people you care most about really helps strengthen meaningful relationships. It also helpful to have a community of people you can reach out to during times of need. So, try to carve out time each month, depending on your schedule, to connect with family and friends, and to get involved with community organizations, such as the Watsonville Family YMCA.

What are your New Years Resolutions? Share them in the comments!