20 Sustainable Changes You Can Make For a Happier and Healthier Year
A lot of new year goals and intentions involve changes to one's health. That can often mean trying a diet, new workouts, or establishing a new habit. All are great, but we need to make sure these changes are SUSTAINABLE!
Making improvements to our health means making lifestyle changes that will benefit our overall wellbeing for the long run. I'm not saying if you have a goal of drinking green smoothies every day, you have to do that the rest of your life because "its a lifestyle." But I am saying that the intention behind it, being to take better care of your body, is what creates those lasting changes that we enjoy doing! When we come from a place of love and start with practical, smaller changes, we create a ripple effect of other improvements in our life.
Instead of making "all-in" goals that will leave you disappointed and discouraged in a month, there are plenty of small steps you can take to make lasting change! If you haven't already, I suggest taking inventory of the areas of your life you'd like to see grow over the next year. Do you want to eat more whole foods? Find movement you love and look forward to? Open up spiritually? Connect with and make new friends? Free write from your heart and see what comes up!
Once you have an idea of the areas where you want to grow - start coming up with actionable, realistic steps towards each one. Remember, wellness goes beyond being physically fit and the way you eat, it also includes your mental health, your connections, and so much more!
Here are 20 things you can do to be your happiest and healthiest self this year:
Practice gratitude. List 3-5 things you're grateful for each day (I love doing this in the morning to start the day off on a positive note!)
Get fresh air / in nature daily. Nature is healing for our entire being. Have you ever had a low mood, went outside for some fresh air and almost instantly felt a shift? Imagine what regular exposure outside can do for you!
Drink more water. Staying hydrated, especially first thing in the morning is very important! Aim for drinking half of your body weight in oz (ex. 150 lbs / 2 = 75oz). Try using a clear bottle or jar so that you can clearly see how much you've been drinking.
Focus on connection and being intentional. Even in times where we may not be able to physically be together, it's still important to connect with others! Connection is a basic human need and it's vital for both our mental and physical health. Thanks to the internet, we're able to connect better than ever - call, text, FaceTime, Zoom, have distanced outdoor visits.
Have more dance parties with yourself / housemates. Turn on uplifting music and start dancing! Take a break from your to-do list, put on music while you cook dinner, or do it anytime - just have fun! This is such an easy way to shift your mood, get your body moving, and let loose.
Add more color to your diet - aim for variety. Whole foods are full of nutrients and make us feel our best. It's all about finding balance, but a great first step is to try adding more color into our meals! By adding more fruits, vegetables, and color we are able to add a variety of nutrients that help care for our bodies.
Stop over-apologizing. Have you caught yourself apologizing for something that wasn't your fault? Someone bumps into you, it's entirely their fault, but YOU are the one saying sorry? Over-apologizing is a habit that often comes from people pleasing, perfectionism, feeling uncomfortable, and as a learned reaction. By limiting this habit, when an apology is actually necessary, it's seen as more sincere. Notice your feelings / thoughts, question if an apology is needed, rephrase.
Read and learn more. You don't have to be in school to learn new things! It's great to stay curious and there are so many ways to keep learning - podcasts, books, videos, and courses are great options.
Unfollow / mute accounts that don't make you happy or inspired. Social media can be a toxic place if we don't set boundaries for ourselves. To make it a more positive and intentional experience, follow accounts that bring joy and inspiration! Go through your following list and if anyone doesn't excite you or gives a negative vibe - unfollow or mute. You don't need that energy in your life!
Make a list of things that make you happy: do more of those regularly. This is what I call my "high vibe toolkit." You probably have a mental list of things that make you happy, but if you have them written somewhere (I recommend your notes on your phone), then you have a quick reference! Whenever you're having an off day, go to this list and do at least one thing to help boost your mood.
Stick to a daily routine. This can be a morning or evening routine, maybe both if that's what you prefer! But having a routine in our day creates some normalcy with a constantly changing schedule. Each day can look different with tasks and to-dos, but having a routine to start or end the day can keep us grounded!
Don't take away foods, focus on adding more nutrients. Diets can often include taking out entire food groups that are labeled as "bad." While we should concentrate on finding balance, limiting our consumption of inflammatory foods, and increasing nutrient dense foods, we shouldn't feel restricted! Instead of taking away or aiming for less calories, focus on adding in more nutrients. Try adding one nutrient dense food each day!
Establish a sleep schedule, 8+ hours a night. For our health, it's recommended we get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. This time is vital for our bodies to recover, repair, and prepare for the day ahead. It doesn't matter what time you go to sleep or wake up, but making sure these 8 hours are filled with quality sleep is important! Try setting yourself a schedule and sticking to it, see how you feel, and adjust until your schedule becomes more natural.
Try a new recipe each week. Keep things interesting in the kitchen and get excited for your meals! You can find so many recipes in books, on social media, blogs, etc. Try new things, and maybe you'll find your new favorite recipe!
Clean and organize your space. There's truth that a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind. Little things such as picking up after yourself throughout the day, making your bed in the morning, and following a cleaning schedule are all great ways to ensure your space stays clean and organized! If you need some organizing inspo, check out my sisters professional page!
Time block your tasks and take breaks in between. Some people do better working straight through their tasks, but a lot of us need a break for our sanity! Write out your top five tasks by level of priority and after you finish each one, take a break. Either step aside to breath, stretch, walk, or dance!
Practice positive self talk and affirmations. Negativity and limiting beliefs are low vibe, but far too common. We can change these habits! Practicing daily affirmations and positive self talk helps us rewrite these stories we have learned to identify with. The way we speak to ourselves matters and the more we practice, the easier it becomes for our brains to be in a positive natural state.
Move your body every day in a way you love. Movement looks different for everyone, it's all about finding what you enjoy most! This could be lifting weights, doing yoga, pilates, hiking, walking, etc. There are so many great ways to celebrate what our bodies can do. Try different things until you find what gets you most excited! Aim for at least 15-30 minutes of movement a day.
Establish a meditation practice. Take care of your mind and soul as much as your physical body. Start meditating and finding quiet in your day to become more mindful, aware, and connected to yourself. Not sure where to start? Here's a list of steps to get you into practice!
Journal. This can seem really daunting, but it doesn't have to be complicated! Make a bullet journal, write out stories and visualizations, manifest, rant, whatever you want it to be. You can find great prompts online or you can just free write. Getting your feelings and thoughts out freely is VERY therapeutic!
There are a lot of other things we can do to care for our overall well-being, but this list is a general overview of places to get you started!