Setting My New Year’s Resolutions in the New Smyrna Beach Area

Resolving to get my life on track—eating better, moving more, and focusing on my emotional health—I booked a New Year’s getaway in the New Smyrna Beach Area. With visions of sun, sand, and plenty of healthy activities, I hoped my visit would help me define a path to setting and maintaining some New Year’s resolutions.

Becoming Part of a Community

I’d been wanting to try a yoga class for a while, and what better place to start than in a relaxing beach community like New Smyrna Beach? As I unrolled my mat at Kula Yoga and prepared to focus on calming my mind and body, I could feel tension fading away. By the time my classmates and I were moving through our vinyasas, the sense of a community working together was overwhelming—fitting because kula means “family” or “community” in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, the birthplace of yoga. This is a practice I need to include in my life at home to battle everyday stress. 

Fresh Food for a New Self

With my mind at peace after yoga, I strolled over to the New Smyrna Beach Farmers Market. Running every Saturday, rain or shine, the market features a selection of local vendors selling fruits and veggies, artisan wares, and ready-to-eat food. I sipped a freshly made smoothie from one stall as I perused the homemade jellies and jams at another. I could definitely see myself including more locally grown foods in my own diet—better for me and the planet—so I resolved to check out my town’s winter farmers market when I returned home.

Getting Out in Nature

Of course, being along the Atlantic, I couldn’t let my stay go by without spending some time on the water. To match my intention for slower living and not letting the world go by without noticing its beauty, I opted for a SUP dolphin tour at Paddleboard New Smyrna Beach. Being my first time atop a board, I was a little nervous about falling in, but the guide was so helpful that in no time, I was reveling in the sight of a pod of dolphins frolicking along shore. The tour’s 90 minutes flew by, and I vowed to include more experiences of watching nature at a slower pace in my life.

Channeling My Creative Vision

As I had promised myself that I would foster my creative side more in the new year, I decided to take an art class while in the New Smyrna Beach Area. I sat in front my of easel while the instructor at the Bob Ross Art Workshop and Gallery explained and demonstrated the process of painting a dreamy landscape, using Ross’s wet-on-wet technique. Though I don’t think my final result is ready to hang in a gallery, this experience taught me the importance of practicing to become better at expressing my creative vision.

Sunrise at the Beach

Before my flight home, I woke early to experience the last resolution on my list: to soak in the sunrise. Just before dawn, I made my way over to the beach at the end of Flagler Avenue and sat near the waterline. I dug my toes into the sand, cleared my mind of extraneous thoughts, and watched as the glowing orb of the sun peaked above the horizon. As the rays grew to light the surf, I felt their warmth, both on my skin and in my soul.

By the end of my stay, I had learned several things that I planned to incorporate in my day-to-day life to achieve my resolution to live more intentionally: community, good food, spending time in nature, and exploring my creative side. And what better place to discover these goals than in the sunny New Smyrna Beach Area?