If your 2025 New Year’s resolution was to improve your health and well-being, and you have not made as much progress as you had hoped, it is not too late to refocus your efforts. Here are some things to consider:

Review your list of health goals:

Maybe your plan was to eat better, be more active, be more social, or just feeI better and more energized. So, make a list, be specific, and establish a timeline. And bring this plan with you when you go for your annual wellness visit. 

Plan your care visits: 
Make a list of the care appointments you will need this year, but have not yet scheduled. This includes your annual wellness visit, screenings, dental and vision appointments, and vaccinations. Then start making those appointments. Care providers may be able to schedule appointments months in advance, which may offer you more scheduling options. 

Prepare for your appointments:

Jot down notes on how you’re currently feeling, any concerns you have, and your health care goals. By doing this, you can help ensure that you remember important information to share with your doctor, which can help make the most of your time together.

Catalog your “medicine cabinet”:

Prepare a list of all medications you are taking. Don’t forget to include all vitamins and supplements. Share this with your primary care provider at your annual wellness visit. Also, take care in disposing of expired or unneeded items. Go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration site for some tips.

Review your benefits:

In addition to covering wellness visits, tests, medicines, and other medical care, see what other benefits may be included in your health insurance plan that may help you meet your health goals, including gym benefits, mental health support, and financial support for food and other necessities.

Research more health information:

Ask your care provider for information, specifically around topics that were discussed during your visit. Go to your health insurer’s website for educational and benefits information. Search the web for health and care information from “trusted sites,” which may include academic medical institutions, health departments, and health-related non-profit institutions.

Check In with yourself quarterly:

Take out your “health goals” list and your care provider’s health recommendations. Have you made progress toward these health goals? Perhaps you wanted to address dental or vision problems, lose weight, exercise more, or focus on your mental health. If you have made progress, keep going. If not, it is not too late to start toward reaching your health goals. 

Research suggests that small, sustainable changes may lead to continued improvements in health. No matter where you are in meeting your 2025 health goals, every day offers a new opportunity to refocus on your health and wellness.