Happy New Year!

Tis' the season for New Year's Resolutions...

If you want to make a  New Year's Resolution, but haven't thought of one yet, don't worry, there is no rush!  In fact it is more likely that you will succeed with your goal if you have adequate time to think about it and a plan to achieve it than if you make a quick decision and are not completely invested in it. 
So, even though you may not have thought of one by January 1st, it doesn't mean you cannot still set goals for yourself for 2011. 

Here are some steps that you can take to make achieving your goals easier:

1. Break your goal down into smaller, manageable steps.
2. Reward yourself when you meet one of the smaller ones- Try to avoid rewards that may sabotage future successes.
3. Talk about your goals- you can share your goals with your friends, family, co-workers, blogs, etc.
4. Focus on the benefits of success- imagine all the benefits of achieving your goal and what you have to look forward to when you accomplish the big goal.
5. Keep a diary of your progress- this will be a nice reminder of the hard work that you have done to accomplish your goals.

*Remember, that there may be times where you feel that you've been steered off course, but don't dwell on those moments and don't count that as a failure, just redirect yourself back onto the path of achievement and chalk it up as a temporary setback! 

Stay Positive, Have Fun and Bask in the Glory of your Successes!

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/24/34982/why-do-most-new-years-resolutions-fail.html

Biggest Loser MINNESOTA Challenge

In January Minnesotans will have the chance to show off their healthy behaviors in the form of a friendly competition! The Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota will launch The Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge. Participants will earn points for losing weight, being active and eating healthy foods. Along with the competition, participants have the opportunity to participate in the Pound for Pound Challenge, where every pound of weight pledged is a pound of groceries that will be delivered to a local food bank.

Registration begins January 7th and all teams must be registered by 11:00pm on January 23rd. 
The challenge begins on January 24th and will end on April 15th. 

For more information and to sign up for a reminder notification visit: MN Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota

Wright County Trail and Bikeway Planning is Underway

Wright County is starting work on a County trail and bikeway plan and they want to hear your thoughts, suggestions and priorities.  The trail and bikeway plan will be a long-term guide to trail and bikeway policies, routes, connections, construction and maintenance.  Making sure that future trails and bikeways meet resident needs is a high priority!  

Please take a few minutes to complete the Trail and Bikeway Questionnaire. The questionnaire can be found by clicking on the link: http://wrightcotrailsbikeways.questionpro.com/

Your participation will help foster active living, improve connectivity and identify priorities for the future.   Community input meetings on the Trail and Bikeway Plan will be held in early 2011.  Specific meeting dates and locations will be determined in January.  Check back on the Wright County website http://www.co.wright.mn.us/ for updates!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing Everyone Happy & Healthy Holidays!   

‎"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.                              Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude."

-Denis Waitley

Want to add a finishing touch to your gift giving this year?
Why not throw a couple pieces of fruit in stockings... you can spruce them up by adding eyes, nose, and mouth to give it a little "character."
Has your co-worker been wanting to use an exercise ball as an office chair?  Suprise them by having it already blown up waiting at their desk when they arrive at work!
Feel like you need to bring a gift to the host of the party?   Create your own simple fruit basket! 
Donating to a toy or clothing drive?  Try including toys that will get the kids active and/or include tennis shoes and warm winter clothes so the kids can get active!

 

 

Community Gardens

Community Gardens - are any piece of land gardened by a group of people. Live Wright supports community gardens because of the access it provides to nutritious foods.  One of the goals of Live Wright is to provide an easy way for everyone to get fresh produce.  Community gardens are one more way that people can get their fresh locally grown produce. There are many reasons that people participate in community gardens.  Below are a few of the benefits of community gardens:

• Improves the quality of life for people in the garden
• Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
• Stimulates Social Interaction
• Encourages Self-Reliance
• Beautifies Neighborhoods
• Produces Nutritious Food
• Reduces Family Food Budgets
• Conserves Resources
• Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
• Reduces Crime
• Preserves Green Space
• Creates income opportunities and economic development
• Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots
• Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections

*For more information visit  the American Community Gardening Association

With the help of SHIP/Live Wright grant funding the following community gardens have been developed and are available for those interested in getting their hands dirty and growing some goodies! 




Buffalo Presbyterian Church Community Garden

 

Buffalo Presbyterian Church Community Garden  has a successful 1st year to boast about!  They have grown and donated over 160 lbs of produce to the Buffalo Food Shelf!!

Resurrection Lutheran Church Community Garden has had the good fortune of many helping hands to create and maintain a community garden on the church property.  This garden is not only for church-members but the community is also invited to purchase a plot to grow some fresh produce of their own.

Community Garden Club:  Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Community Education will be creating and maintaining six community gardens.

Buffalo Community Garden has gotten the land prepped and ready for it's big debut this spring!!  The garden will have 12 plots and the opportunity to plant a "row for the hungry," which would designate produce to be donated to those in need.

Who or What is Live Wright?

Live Wright is part of Minnesota's Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP). 

OK...so what is SHIP? 

SHIP is an integral component of an overall health care reform initiative passed during the 2008 Legislative session.  Minnesota's health reform aims to simultaneously improve the health of Minnesotans, improve the patient experience and address the spiraling costs of health care in our state.

OK....so what does that mean?  

In short - The goal of SHIP is to help Minnesotans live longer, better, healthier lives by reducing the burden of chronic disease. 

OK...so how are you doing that?

Counties in Minnesota were given funds to implement change in their communities.  Wright County's Community Leadership Team, Live Wright, is comprised of community representatives of local hospitals, clinics, schools, businesses, government agencies and other health partnerships working toward the goals and objectives of SHIP

SHIP funds are being used to change policies, systems and environments to better support healthy behavior, while utilizing evidence based strategies and health promotion in 4 settings: Community, Schools, Work sites & Health care.  "Making HEALTHY choices, the EASY choices."