5 R's to Redesign your life in 2023

As we welcome another year, many of us make resolutions and commitments to live a better life, usually one that is healthier than the year before. I am reminded again of this conversation from a few years back and the five steps we can take at the start of a new year to redesign our lives.

In adding an evidence based lens to the importance of the power of the R’, I researched all of these and found evidence to support and validate the importance of each one. It occurred to me that sharing this important viewpoint is the perfect way to start a new year and inspire other physicians and caregivers – who selflessly take care of others but often neglect their own health – to set a pathway for continued health and prosperity in 2023 and in the years to come.

In short order, the five Rs include: Rest, Reflect, Release, Reset, Restart/Reboot.

REST

There’s a reason why rest is number one on this list: rest is a critical component to living a healthy lifestyle no matter what age or stage. Proper rest, including ample sleep, rejuvenates one's body and mind, helps with mood regulation, increases our ability to learn, fight illness, and is associated with a myriad of other health benefits. To read the supporting evidence about sleep and how it impacts your health, check out the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute .

REFLECT

Reflection is characterized as “the intentional attempt to synthesize, abstract, and articulate the key lessons taught by experience.” Research proves that continuing to reflect before doing makes us more productive, healthier and ultimately happier. From a professional stance, learning from our mistakes makes us more effective learners and problem-solvers. There is a lot of clinical evidence around the art and science of personal reflection; here is a Harvard study worth reviewing. For a tangible resource to begin to implement this into your daily life, I have found great success in using the Ten Percent Happier App .?

RELEASE

According to Rabbi Ingber, releasing is the most important of all. Forgiveness and the “release” of grudges frees us of negative emotions that can hold us back and also damage our health. Consider how forgiveness can lead you down the path of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. As the wise Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.” Clinically speaking, “holding onto” negative feelings can also contribute to higher blood pressure which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. Stress management is so important to overall health, Dr. Stacey Rosen and I dedicated an entire section of our new book, Heart Smarter , to this topic.

RESET

Much like our phones and computers that often force us to power down and “reset” from time-to-time to unfreeze the screen or make things work more efficiently, we too need to reset – yet we often do not. This can lead to serious consequences on our mental and physical well-being. In a 2014 New York Times article , Daniel J. Levitin, the author of The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of information Overload, describes the need for avoiding overload and the importance of hitting the reset button in your brain. If you’re not already compelled to reset, you will be after reading this piece. As we deal with life's daily challenges, a personal reset is vital to being our best selves. It’s especially important after the release of negative emotions (the third R!). It may be that you need to take a daily walk, cherish your weekend time or actually power off your smart devices each night. However you choose to reset, know that even a little bit of powering down goes a long way.

RESTART/REBOOT

It’s quite possible that after you’ve rested, spent time reflecting, releasing and resetting your brain, you may realize that you’re not fulfilled or truly happy with your life choices. That is when you may need a total reboot. Changing course and starting a new chapter can be overwhelming and scary, however one R you don’t want to face is regret. Regret of not taking care of yourself, or the regret of not chasing your dreams can haunt you for a very long time. Decide what needs rebooting in your life and make small changes that lead to bigger changes. Don’t wait until it’s too late—or worse—live with regret. Life’s too short.

After I shared the “5 Rs” philosophy with two of my co-workers, they enlightened me about two additional Rs that could be very valuable to our health. While I suspect we could find many others, I’d like to mention these two by way of their suggestion (thank you, Bernice and Debbie!), and those include: Relationships ( the importance of the human connection )?and Resiliency.

The evolving evidence in? medicine supports the fact that life without authentic relationships is not only meaningless, but also unhealthy. So nurture your relationships – the one with yourself, your loved ones and your co-workers – and make it a point to let others know how much they mean to you. Finally, be resilient. Life’s difficulties can sometimes knock you down. It’s your ability to be flexible, agile, grateful and resilient that gets you back up.

I hope these insights help you find your path to a happier and healthier life in 2023, and beyond.