Looking local to keep New Year's resolutions

Christmas is just a few days away, and it is looking like we will indeed have a white Christmas. I have never been a fan of the holiday season and have found it ironic that such a large portion of my job is promoting "Montana's Christmas Village." Don't get me wrong, Christmas day itself is my absolute favorite, but I would cheerfully do without the urgency and haste leading up to it. I, instead, look forward to the week between Christmas and New Year, where everything (and everyone) magically slows down.  

For years I tried to make that betwixt week productive but have finally accepted it as a time to take stock and re-calibrate for the year ahead. With that comes resolutions. We all make them. Many, if not most of us, end up breaking them. Regardless, let's take a look at the top seven New Year's Resolutions and how local Bigfork businesses can help. Who knows, maybe having the resources right next door will help you succeed?  

Eat healthier:  37% of respondents said this was their number one goal in the new year. Luckily, Bigfork Harvest Foods is an amazingly stocked grocery store serving our community. We also are fortunate enough to have Max's Market, an organic market & specialty store focusing on sustainability. Prefer dining out? Check our Montana Bonfire and Stone Hill Kitchen's locally sourced, farm-to-table options.

Get more exercise:  Tying with a healthier diet was exercise. The facilities, and trainers, we have in Bigfork are second to none. There is no initiation fee at Montana Athletic Club and, the cost of membership is less than that pastry you buy each morning, (hey, you said you wanted to eat healthier!). Need an extra push? Add a trainer like Cord Prettyman with Absolute Workout or visit Curative Yoga for a holistic mind, body, and spirit experience.  

Save money (or more money): Oh, what we didn't learn in school! Chance, Adam, or Tara at Edward Jones in Bigfork would love to sit down with you for a no-cost financial fitness check. Or maybe this is the year to teach your children about savings. If so, Park Side Credit Union has teen savings accounts, pays for grades, and offers a free financial literacy program.  

Focus on self-care:  Treat yourself with regular massages from Penny Capps Massage. Perhaps it is time to update your hairstyle? The Parlor Salon & Spa or Swan Highway General Store & Barbershop are happy to help with that. Or, with your new MAC membership, you can enjoy one free month of their massage chair or tanning. Whatever it is, you deserve it. 

Read More:  It is time to renew your library card at ImagineIf Library in Bigfork and join more than 30,000 active cardholders. Your library card will get you access to more than one-million titles, and you can even sign up for it online. Or visit one of Bigfork's more elusive stores, Bay Books and Prints, filled with Montana books and authors.  

Learn a new skill:  Get in shape and learn something new at the Two Rivers Pickleball Club. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the US, and the Jewel Basin Center is world-class. Or head next door to Grizzly Lanes and knock down some pins while honing your bowling skills.  

Meet new people/make new friends:  Network, network, network! This is the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce's specialty. We invite you to attend one of our monthly networking events. They are the second Thursday of every month and are the perfect opportunity to meet business professionals and community members while catching up on community events. (Head over to Bigfork.org/events for the schedule.)

The Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors, volunteers, and staff would like to wish all our members and community a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for all that you do to Support Local Everything, and here's to a prosperous New Year!