Resolve to add in the New Year

We’re officially in the New Year, which means many of you will be looking to improve your lives in some way with a New Year’s Resolution.

Resolutions typically center around losing weight, being more active and cutting out a certain habit. While improving your physical health is always a positive, New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to be about cutting things out.

When considering a New Year’s Resolution this year, think about ways you can improve your life by adding things.

Give back

Opportunities exist year-round to offer a hand to various organizations and individuals in the community. Events, food and clothing drives, fundraisers and other causes all require countless hands and hours to be successful. Just an hour or two of time can provide a major boost to not only those who organize an event, but to those who benefit from it as well.

Volunteerism doesn’t have to be limited to organized events. It never hurts to offer a hand to a neighbor in need. Yard work, snow removal and even taking the trash to the curb can be difficult for some. A gesture of help benefits both the neighbor or friend and you.

Pick up a hobby

Adding exercise to a daily routine is an extremely common New Year’s Resolution. Countless opportunities for that exist within a recreational setting in the community.

For your resolution, vow to hike some of the area’s beautiful, well-kept areas regularly, bike a set number of miles on the Rolling Prairie Trail and jump into basketball or pickle ball games at the Franklin Wellness Center.

Physical activity has multiple benefits to not only your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well. Franklin County has multiple resources to combine exercise with fun, so what better time to start exploring those than now?

Travel Iowa

Franklin County and the state of Iowa are full of natural wonders and attractions that sometimes fly under the radar in the umbrella of vacation destinations.

Natural areas along the Mississippi, Iowa and Missouri Rivers provide unique geological sites, breathtaking views and top hiking spots. Iowa’s major lakes are great for fishing and recreational activities. Iowa has also jumped on the national radar recently with its brewery and restaurant scene throughout the state.

Do you have a weekend where you aren’t sure what to do? Pack up the car and venture out to one of Iowa’s premier destinations and see what the state has to offer. Most of these trips don’t even require a two or three day commitment and can be done in a matter of hours.

These are just a few examples of resolutions that can not only improve your life, but add a sense of accomplishment, activity and purpose into your lives. Along with that, these resolutions help the community, the county and the state.

Whatever resolution you chose – or don’t – the Hampton Chronicle wishes all of its readers a safe and Happy New Year.