Make the one New Year's resolution that covers them all

This post originally appeared on Starkey.com

Welcome to 2024!

Let’s tell it like it is: One of best things about a brand-new year is that it has fresh start written all over it. If you’re like many, you may be reflecting on challenges or “lessons learned” from the past year that are now guiding you toward changes you would like to make for the new year.

And if you’re reading this, you may have thought very deeply about what held you back from living your life to the fullest—and realized hearing loss played a big part. Sound about right? Then give yourself a pat on the back: You have taken the first step towards achieving the life that you want and deserve in 2024.

So, why not go one step further and embrace 2024 as the year you live your best life—by treating your hearing loss?

Think about all the best New Year’s resolutions you could make—and actually achieve—with the power of better hearing though hearing aids.

You can resolve to:

Spend more time with family and friends

What would life be without the people we care about? Support, camaraderie, and fun are just a few reasons why this is a top New Year’s resolution—made easier than ever through better hearing.

With the ability to hear voices and hold conversations, you'll be more encouraged to make plans with others or accept invites to events you used to place in the “too hard” bucket.

Go ahead, ask your neighbor to join you at the new cafe you’ve been dying to try. Say “yes” to the little one’s concert—and all the smiles and hugs you’ll receive in return.

(Missing out is so 2023.)

Learn something new

Enriching our minds or skillsets is another favorite resolution—and a no-brainer with better hearing in our corner.

Being able to hear an instructor and learn a new skill not only keeps our brain fit, but also brings joy in the discovery of new abilities we may not have been aware of.

Moreover, fresh learnings—which could be anything from pastels-painting to swing-dancing—also provide the opportunity to make new friends with like-minded interests. Talk about a win-win for the new year!

Get in shape

Resolving to increase our physical activities is another popular New Year’s goal, and for good reason:

Exercise can help prevent or delay potential health problems, plus strengthen our muscles so we can maintain our activities autonomously.

Better hearing also supports our wellness by keeping us safe while active. With the help of hearing aids, we gain greater awareness of surroundings and support for our balance and gait.

(And how’s this for a motivator: Today’s hearing aids, Genesis AI, can also serve as your own personal fitness trackers. By connecting them with the My Starkey app, you can do things like count your steps, monitor exercise and engagement, set goals, and more.)

Reduce stress

Let’s face it, we all just want to be happier in the new year, which is likely why lowering stress is a big one when it comes to resolutions. When we can hear, it’s much easier to make social connections—which is a great stress-reliever, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The more we can communicate, the more empowered we feel to spend time with family and friends.

Or join activities like continuing education classes and volunteering (bonus—doing good also feels good, right?). All of these can help reinforce our support network and distract us from challenges when we are feeling overwhelmed.

Indeed, better hearing through hearing aids creates a new world where we are no longer alone—but also where we don’t find ourselves concentrating so much on speech or lipreading that we’re physically exhausted, otherwise known as listener’s fatigue (a form of stress).

Travel more

“Life is short,” as they say—so it’s easy to understand why many would resolve to get out and experience all the world has to offer in the new year. And when it comes to travel, better hearing is the best companion we can have for our journey.

Transportation is simpler and safer when you can hear important information like airport announcements and traffic noise.

And when you arrive at your destination, consider yourself immersed, with the capability to hear moments like waves crashing on the beach. The “calls” of native wildlife. Live cultural performances. And of course, the ever-fascinating melody of different languages around you.

(Did you know today’s hearing aids can act as your personal translators? When you pair Genesis AI hearing aids with the My Starkey app, you can send a foreign language-speaker a translated message in their language and then receive their translated response—streamed directly through your hearing aids.)

Live life to the fullest

All of these resolutions add up to the best new year’s resolution you can make—to make the most out of every moment. And by taking that next step of seeing a licensed hearing care professional and treating any hearing loss you may have, your best life awaits in 2024.

It’s that simple. When you hear better, you live better.

Make it your happiest new year yet by typing your zip code in here and seeing a hearing care professional near you.

Happy New “Hears” from all of us at Starkey Hearing!

Visit Land of Lincoln Hearing to learn more about better hearing health in 2024.