January 2026 Health Tip

by Joyce Renee Livsey |  January 1, 2026

 
As we step into a new year, remember this: Our bodies are a gift from God, and caring for it is an act of stewardship, not perfection. We don’t need a huge overhaul to make a big difference—just one small, consistent step at a time.
 
One way of re-setting is to set SMART goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for the following:
 
Specific
If your goal is to exercise more, make it specific. Consider a goal of “walking for 30 minutes every day, for example.
 
Measurable
A goal to lose weight is too vague, but “losing 10 pounds in 12 weeks” is a measurable goal that you can track.
 
Attainable
An attainable goal should be relative to your current fitness level. If you have not exercised consistently in years, start with exercising 10 minutes for one week, increase to 15 minutes, and so on. 
 
Relevant
Relevant goals are those that pertain to you and are tailored toward your life, health, and fitness needs. Changes in eating habits are pretty relevant to us all, and we have talked about them repeatedly.
 
Time-bound
The final component of SMART goals is to set a specific period of time within which you plan to achieve your goal. Although there’s no hard-and-fast rule on how long your time frame should be, most SMART goals should aim to take 1–3 months to achieve.  
 
Intentionally increasing our time with God is an immeasurable goal. Whispering short prayers throughout the day, thanking Him for small things as they happen. Ending our day by giving thanks to Him.