Looking for inspiration for a New Year's resolution that will leave you feeling fulfilled rather than guilty? Ireland’s leading women in wellness share the goals they’re setting themselves for the 12 months ahead.
Kathryn Thomas, TV and radio presenter and owner of Pure Results
I’ve three main goals this year. The first is to plan our family holiday time properly this year. I’m a real Last-Minute Mary which means we never utilize our holiday / downtime as efficiently as we could. So forward planning is key in 2023. I also think having a few trips in the diary, whether they are staycations, a day out or a week in the sun will become little milestones of joy if and when I’m having a bad day. I want to read more books which I have already started, I’m dedicating 30 minutes every night to bedtime reading. It’s more enjoyable than endless scrolling and I’m currently enjoying Munich by Robert Harris. I want to spend more quality time with the people I love too – I’ve convinced 2 of my friends to join me on my Pure Results Weekend Retreat in The K Club taking place the 28th and 29th of January. My family is my world but my friendships are so, so important to me and just like family, they need to be nurtured. We have all spent so long apart over the past few years, this year birthdays and special occasions will be marked.
Adrienne Murphy, co-founder of Flowstate
Writing and visualizing goals is an integral part of my life. As I work for myself, creating goals is one way that I hold myself accountable and they very much help to give me focus for the year ahead. At the beginning of each year, I categorize my goals into personal, wellness and fitness, relationship, business, and financial. By doing this, I find it easier to create a roadmap that will allow me to get there and achieve each goal. For me this year is about taking risks in all areas of my life, taking on new challenges, saying YES to opportunities without letting fear hold me back, and finally, enjoying the journey that goes with this, because this really is the most important part.
Laura Dowling, pharmacist, aka @fabulouspharmacist and founder of fabÜwellness
I think it is important that if we set goals, they should be realistic. I have a habit of writing long lists of ‘to-dos’ and then feeling guilty when I don’t achieve them. Goal number one for me is to stop doing that! 2022 was a very busy year for me – I left my full-time position as a supervising pharmacist in April and launched my new business, fabÜwellness, in May. As a result, I have been extremely busy, so in 2023 I will definitely be setting goals to squeeze in more me-time and more family time. I have already started by walking my children to or from school. I have three boys – 14, 11, and 9 – and I find it difficult to get one-to-one time with them so by walking them to school I can have ‘the chats’, as we call it. I also want to read more. I cannot remember the last time I read for pleasure or actually finished a book and I miss it. A friend gave me Marching Powder as a gift a year ago – my goal is to finish that by the middle of February. If I manage to do the above, get my exercise in (essential for my mental health), and launch exciting new products to add to the suite of fabÜwellness nutritional supplements I will be on the road to achieving my goals.
Pat Kane, founder of Reuzi
2023 will be all about integrating self-care into my daily life, staying on top of my mental health, and getting adequate sleep. Maintaining optimal health isn’t only good for our well-being, it also affects our ability to achieve our other goals. I strongly believe that by becoming the best version of ourselves, we set ourselves up for success in everything we do. My ultimate 2023 goal is to stick to a consistent fitness regime. We have a small gym set up at home, but I haven’t really paid it many visits… Paraphrasing Dua Lipa, let’s get physical!
Catherine O’Keeffe, founder of Wellness Warrior, creator of the Menopause Success Summit and author of All You Need To Know About Menopause, out February 2023
I am a huge believer in goal setting but may be different in that I have regular goals – weekly and monthly – so it’s not just an annual exercise. I find setting goals gives me direction and focus. I love nothing more than sitting down with a blank page and drawing out all my ideas and then I keep them right in focus; on the wall and in my journal so that I’m reminded daily. One of my key goals for the year ahead is my bone health so that has made me focus on a DEXA scan in January, followed by an established exercise routine for the months ahead that will really focus on improving not only my bone but also my muscle strength and health.
Niamh Ennis, author and Transformation Coach and Lead Coach in the IMAGE Business Club
This year instead of chasing goals I’m chasing feelings. I’m spending this month thinking about just how it is I want to feel in my friendships, in my career, with my health, my finances, and in myself. Then I’ll consider what specific steps I need to take to help me feel that way. Think of how you want to feel in each area of your life as your goals with soul. This time last year, I focused on realizing a lifelong dream to get my first book published. Holding it in my hands in November felt just as amazing as I imagined it would; so it will come as no surprise that my soul goal for this year is to write my second book. I’m on a roll!
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