One of the resolutions at the top of most people’s lists is to get healthier! This is such a common desire, and consists of many variations and incarnations from eating better to exercising more and beyond.
Having spent the majority of my life studying, practicing, teaching, and sharing health and wellness both professionally and personally, I have pretty much seen it all when it comes to getting healthier, and the tried and true methods for failing to do so.
In the spirit of wishing you all a very happy and healthy new year, I am sharing with you my top 5 wellness tips for getting and staying healthy in 2019! You’re welcome …
1. Shift your mindset. This is your secret weapon for making any lasting change in any area of your life, and is definitely true for health and wellness. How you think about health largely determines how you will embody health. If you think of healthy practices as chores you must endure to look and feel good in your body, then you will always find it difficult to enjoy doing them. And, if you don’t enjoy doing them, you probably won’t keep doing them for very long. Why would you? But shifting your mindset to one that feels more supportive of what you’re trying to do can make all the difference in the world. Shifting your thoughts toward how delicious it feels to stretch your way out of bed in the morning - what a luxury it is to languor in the expansion of your limbs as you’re greeting the day, undulating your way out of bed and into your morning - is a much more enticing way of thinking about exercise, because it doesn’t seem like exercise. It seems like something delightful you get to do, rather than something unpleasant you have to do. Training your mind to focus on how incredibly delicious fresh ripe sweet juicy fruit tastes during your morning meal is much more appealing than thinking about how sad you are that you ‘can’t have' your favorite greasy biscuit for breakfast. The first thought puts you in a state of getting to do something you like to do, something that is truly enjoyable. The second just has you missing out on something you want. There’s nothing to look forward to, you’re just stuck in this sad situation and feeling somehow punished for some undefined crime. Shift your mindset from thinking that health and wellness practices are restrictive obligations to recognizing them as wonderful treats you get to experience that have wonderful benefits attached to them, and you will find that you are much more likely to continue showing up for these practices consistently and joyfully.
2. Add more good things. Introduce more of what will support your health. Again, this is about focusing on the abundance of goodness that comes from health and wellness rather than restricting anything. The more health-supportive practices you add into your lifestyle, the less room you will find for some of the things that don’t serve you so well. But even if you find room for all of the things, at least you are now balancing those destructive (or less healthy) practices with things that feel good and support your efforts, so you’re still making progress.
3. Move your body variably and consistently. It’s hugely important to move your body on a regular basis. If you don’t, it gets stiff, tight, or weak. It’s also important to move your body in a variety of ways. This keeps your muscle memory on it’s proverbial toes, and improves your agility, your reflexes, and your range of motion. It also ensures that you are not over-developing one particular postural pattern that can lead to injuries and pain down the line due to accompanying compensation factors. So, change up your movements, and move often.
4. Stay hydrated. Most people are dehydrated. Some mildly so, some worriedly so. Dehydration can cause a whole slew of unpleasant side effects such as muscle pain, dry skin, sinus issues, toxic overload, and monster headaches. Keep purified water, herbal teas, and diluted juices at the ready throughout your day, and sip on them often. Caffeinated beverages and boozy drinks are super dehydrating, as are eating cooked foods. So, the more of these things you consume, the more water your body requires. Get to chuggin’! (Water, that is!)
5. Sleep it off. Sleep is always on the top of any wellness list, and for good reason. During deep sleep is when our body gets to go into deep healing mode, repairing and revitalizing anything that is functioning at less than optimal levels. The ‘when’ of sleep is less important than the quality and quantity of sleep. Log your hours if you need to, but be sure you are getting a consistent amount of deep, sound sleep every single day to stay in top form for everything this life throws at you. Think of it as your super power. And use it well.
Should you find yourself needing a little support and/or assistance getting your wellness plan in order and in gear, I’ve got you covered. Message me to set up a chat around how I can help you implement your wellness goals in a way that guarantees success for you.
Wishing you beautiful health and vitality, blissmakers! xoxo