By Emily Gratopp, MS, ACC, ACTC, Extension Educator in Lancaster County
What was the most exciting or fulfilling part of 2024? What is most hopeful as 2025 begins? What needs to be prioritized to foster growth, peace, vitality and whole-person wellness? Reflecting on these questions is crucial before 2025 swiftly gets underway, and all sense of newness fades into routine. Reflection enables intentional living, the cornerstone of a fulfilling life.
In 2024, the Nutrition Education Program (NEP) achieved remarkable impact. The team of seven served over 16,000 people, including 500 New Americans in a dozen languages, taught 120 adults to manage hypertension, grew 2,000 pounds of vegetables for food pantries, distributed 2,400 fresh meals, improved 51 policies and environments for healthier practices and empowered young leaders to establish a free Soccer for Success (SfS) club for youth. These efforts reflect the program's commitment to equipping limited-resource families for the healthiest lives possible.
Which efforts were most fulfilling? That depends on who you ask. A parent of a youth participant shared, “Our kid now makes sure there is water and milk at meals, we have started taking daily walks and we sit at the table together for meals.” An adult participant in the hypertension class reflected, “I just learned I have high blood pressure. This program taught me to measure my blood pressure at home, which helped me communicate with my doctor for a more accurate treatment.”
A young adult SfS Coach Mentor said, “The kids in this program don’t have access to other sports. This is a safe place for youth to make friends, have trusted adults to talk to, learn teamwork and hard work and get physical activity. Being the adult a kid trusts means a lot to me and shows how important what we do is.”
These testimonials underscore the transformative power of investing in health and well-being. They also serve as a reminder that programs like NEP succeed not only by addressing immediate needs but by building a foundation for long-term growth, resilience and fulfillment. As 2025 begins, the challenge and opportunity lie in scaling this impact while embracing a holistic approach to wellness.
The year ahead invites a renewed focus on whole-person health — a balance of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social dimensions. Whole-person wellness fosters resilience, purpose and vitality. Physical wellness encompasses proper nutrition, exercise and sleep. Mental health requires stress management, self-awareness and emotional regulation. Spiritual health connects people to their values or faith, offering hope and meaning. Social health cultivates relationships that provide support and connection. Together, these dimensions enable individuals and communities to thrive.
As 2025 begins, ask: What needs to be balanced to achieve whole-person health? Which element — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual or social — needs more attention? What would it mean to experience greater social connection this year?
To make 2025 the best year yet, give time and space to reflect on the past, dream about a balanced and fulfilling future and, most importantly, set intentions and action steps to make it happen. Whole-person wellness is a lifelong journey, but 2025 offers a fresh opportunity to live intentionally and thrive in all dimensions of life.