New Year’s Resolutions in Rural America

A silhouette of a woman wearing a ballcap, sitting in a field at sunset. A silhouette of a woman wearing a ballcap, sitting in a field at sunset.

The new year brings a clean slate of fresh opportunities and marks the reset of a new year. Whether paying off debt, eating healthy, or setting business or career goals, this is a great time to push reset.

Creating New Year’s resolutions is a great way to start the New Year on a good note. However, rural Americans face challenges that differ from those of residents in larger cities.

Jess Pope is wearing a blue button-down shirt and blue jeans, riding a stationary bike to warm up before competing at a rodeo. Jess Pope is wearing a blue button-down shirt and blue jeans, riding a stationary bike to warm up before competing at a rodeo.

Working Out

In rural America, access to gyms with memberships is more challenging to commit to, as they are less readily accessible, and some find themselves driving “into town” to go to the gym.

One solution to this would be creating a home gym experience.

Find or clear a place in the garage, barn, or shop. Then, begin to fill the gym space with the basics. Order at-home gym equipment and have it delivered.

Get started with a space to work out, bags of feed, square hay bales, or even buckets of grain. There are plenty of workouts online. For added weight workout, sub buckets of feed for dumbbells.

Activities that require no equipment are a smart option, too. Running down the county road and back, doing farm chores, and walking fence lines help with overall health and wellness and help get the step count needed for a healthier lifestyle.

A woman with blonde hair is looking at fresh green lettuce at the back of a truck. A woman with blonde hair is looking at fresh green lettuce at the back of a truck.

Eating Healthy

Surely, rural Americans have a family member who lives by the code that “The West wasn’t won on salad.” However, incorporating more vegetables into the diet allows for more nutrients needed to boost the immune system and carry on throughout the day.

Planting a garden with fruits and vegetables in season and eating those crops will ensure a sustainable life while providing nutrient-rich food for meals.

Incorporating meat into the diet adds the protein needed for endurance from sun up to sun down. This could be as easy as adding grilled chicken or beef to a salad for lunch or cooking up a big pot of beef stew for dinner.

A blonde woman standing at a gate, holding alfalfa hay, feeding two brown horses. A blonde woman standing at a gate, holding alfalfa hay, feeding two brown horses.

Finances

Another common New Year resolution is to become more financially responsible.

This looks different across the board. Could this be shifting the budget to pay off farm equipment? Absolutely. It could also be making small, conscious decisions daily to ensure the operation is more profitable.

Maybe it’s even putting back money in a savings account for a rainy day fund. Whatever financial decisions are made, it's always a good idea to review the finances and set a budget going into the new year.

A family riding in an ATV in the pasture looking around. A family riding in an ATV in the pasture looking around.

Technology

Finally, a common rural resolution is to find new ways to adapt to changing times while preserving tradition. With technological advancements reaching even the most remote areas, rural residents may resolve to embrace innovations that improve their way of life while still holding to their values and traditions.

A heather gray t-shirt, conceal carry leggings in black, and women’s hazer print casuals in multicolor prism posed with workout equipment. A heather gray t-shirt, conceal carry leggings in black, and women’s hazer print casuals in multicolor prism posed with workout equipment.