5 Steps to a Happier, Healthier New Year #QuakerPopped Plus GIVEAWAY! 2/9

Well, it's 2013 and we've all survived the Mayan Apocalypse. Since we're all still here, that means it's time to think about new goals for the New Year! I have been thinking pretty hard about how I can get off to a good start, and ways to make sure that 2013 is a great year for me, both physically as well as in my personal life. There's always room for improvement, right?

Here are 5 things I am committing to do this year:

1. Try and get 8 hours of sleep every night. Now that my youngest kids are toddlers, I really have no excuse for these 20 hour days. No one is getting up every few hours to eat anymore. So it's high time that Mama actually catches up on some much needed sleep. It's so important to be well-rested, and actually helps keep a person healthy! So this year, I will be sure to really make it a point to go to bed at a decent hour. (Sorry, Facebook!)

2. Exercise more....Okay, at all. I am not going to lie...I don't like exercise. I never really have. Anything that makes me sore and sweaty definitely isn't my cup of tea. However, if I ever want to get fit and tone my body that has been altered due to back to back pregnancies, I will have to get more active. So this year, I plan to go for walks, do some Belly Dancing DVD's that are collecting dust on my shelf, and maybe even learn to ice skate. Hey, if I can make exercise fun, perhaps I can stick with it!

3. Have regular date nights with my husband. With 2 toddlers and a teen in the house, it's not always easy to have alone time with my husband. Let's face it: It's hard to enjoy time as a couple when you're parents to small children. There always seem to be little people wanting to snuggle or use as a human jungle-gyms. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but usually by the time the kids are all tuckered out, so are we. So this year, I am setting a goal of 2 date nights per month. Just Dan and I. Alone. With no kids.

4. Work on my extreme shyness. I am horribly, awkwardly, almost painfully shy. Meeting new people puts me into a state of panic, and I am always very self-conscious. Last year, I got to go on 3 blogging-related trips, and while it sure was fun, I was a nervous wreck. I need to really start reaching out more socially, and allow myself to make new friends. The more often I do so, the less difficult it will be in the long-run! I have another trip in April, so we shall see how it goes! Just hope no one bites, haha

5. Make more sensible snack choices. Okay, so while I do tend to eat healthily for the most part, I do have my vices. (Cheese, cheese, and more cheese.) We don't really eat out much, and I do cook just about everything from scratch. But I do like having some low calorie, low fat snacks available for when the munchies strike. One snack I am loving right now are Quaker Popped snacks. These delicious, nutritious snacks come in 14 mouthwatering flavors like Cheddar Cheese, Apple Cinnamon, and Vanilla Creme Brulee, just to name a few. So whether I am craving something sweet, salty, cheesy or savory, these popped rice snacks really hit the spot, and my waistline doesn't have to suffer.

What 5 small steps are you taking toward a healthier lifestyle in the new year? Are you planning to drink more water? Perhaps you want to focus on more fruits and vegetables versus meats and carbs. Tell us how you are planning a healthier lifestyle in 2013, Focusing in being mindful and stressing less; exercising more? Does changing up your snacking habits fit it? Quaker Popped Rice Snacks are a great way to do this!

Quaker® Quakes® are now Quaker® PoppedTM – a new name for the snack made with the delicious goodness of whole grain brown rice and corn and a great snacking solution.

Reply below for your chance to win a year’s supply of Quaker Popped Rice Snacks and $1,000 gift card to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker. I received product in conjunction with this post. The opinions and text are all mine. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. See Official Sweepstakes Rules