DAILY ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO FEEL GOOD AT THE END OF EACH DAY

There are times - sometimes days, weeks and even months - when we are simply going through the motions of life. As you can imagine, just going through the motions can make you feel as if you have not accomplished enough or as if you have not contributed enough value to yourself, your life, your goals and those around you. From my experience, there have been times when I have sat back and really wondered and asked myself what I have accomplished as of recent. Sometimes I can easily come up with many things (big and small) that I feel good about and other times I feel as if my list is pretty dry, even when it's really not! I believe we consistently add value to ourselves and others every single day but I also feel that we often forget to remind ourselves about those accomplishments and we can also forget that we have a lot of control about the good in our lives.  

Taking your life day-by-day and having small wins everyday will amount to so, so much. This is why it is so important to do some checks and balances as frequently as you can - below are a few ways you can do just that:  


each day is a blank slate


Remember to start each day with a fresh outlook on life. Whatever happened the day before is now in the past and cannot be changed. All we can do is work towards becoming better today than we were yesterday, making better chioces and being more present. 


keep yourself informed


Taking in information gives you the opportunity to learn something new every single day. You can pick up a book and read at least 15-20 minutes each day, you can listen to a podcast or read an article. In short, making an effort to expand your mind and learn new things can you only help you become a better and more well-rounded person. Definitely something worth giving yourself a pat on the back for! 


make healthy choices


Making the right choice can sometimes be hard because we all know how easy it is to stray a bit. But choosing the healthy lunch and dinner options, putting your phone down so you can get an extra 45 minutes of sleep and being conscious of staying active throughout the day are all healthy choices we can make for ourselves every day.


do something for someone else


Being conscious of those around you makes it easy to find ways to add value. This can be a sincere and heartfelt compliment, it can be anticipating a need and helping when you can. The point is that when you do something for someone else not only will they appreciate it but as long as you do it from the right place you will also appreciate yourself for the good deed. 


make notes


It is so important to make note of your accomplishments – they can be a mental note or run down at the end of the day or if you are anything like me, you would write down the little things and the big things you have achieved. For example, I use my planner pretty much every day and I write down the things I have accomplished that day. I think I would probably feel embarrassed to let people read my accomplishments (sometimes I make sure to put down that I gave myself a little manicure!) – the point is that if you do or finish something you have been meaning to do it is worth keeping track of. It almost feels like I am keeping a diary of sorts!

I know that this list can seem daunting but once you consistently begin incorporating these habits soon enough you will start to feel good at the end of your day.  A lot of this is about looking at the bright side of life, the good things that happen every day and the good choices we can make.

Do you actively remind yourself of the positive things you do for yourself and others each day? Share how and what you do below!

3 EASY WAYS TO WIND DOWN AND DE-STRESS AFTER A HECTIC WEEK

I think it is safe to say that we all have very busy lives with never ending to-do lists but some weeks feel much busier and hectic than others. I have had that feeling more often lately than usual and I have gravitated to the following ways to wind down, de-stress and clear my head. Doing these types of activities is great to do at least once a day (even if it’s only for 10 minutes) but I know that it is not always possible. Whenever that is the case then I highly recommend you do something to de-stress at the end of your workweek.

Now, I’ll go into a little tangent here on alcoholic beverages. I have family and friends whose idea of de-stressing is having a glass of wine or a stronger drink and that’s it. Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, BUT, that should not be the only way you allow your mind and body wind down and de-stress. We need to allow ourselves to wind down in a peaceful and regenerating. Now onto the 5 easy ways:


Go on a walk


Take a stroll around your neighborhood; go to a park or along the beach (if you live near one, lucky, lucky you!) Also, I know it is hard to let go of our phones but try to leave your phone behind from time to time and just enjoy your walk and be present.  I know I probably do not have to go into to a many reasons walking is good for you but as a quick refresher walking is great to help you lose weight, good your heart, is a good way to boost your vitamin D intake and last but not least it is a great mood booster.


Bring out your inner child


Grab yourself an adult coloring book and color your heart out. There is something to simple yet magical about zoning out and coloring. Another hidden benefit of this activity is that it will help you increase your levels of concentration and we know we can all use some of that! I have had my coloring book for about 6 months and have pulled it out about a dozen times and when I do I cannot stop – I literally have to be pulled away from it.


Pull out a good book


This is an oldie but a goodie – reading is good for the soul at any time. You can read a book, a magazine, a newspaper. The only caveat here is for it not read from a screen  (unless you are using a kindle or e-reader) – reason for this is since the majority of us are in front of screens for work almost every day we really should give our eye a break and do some old fashioned reading I’ve mentioned before that I try to read every night before bed, sometimes I get into a good kick and stay with it for a few weeks at a time and other times I get sucked into the YouTube rabbit hole! But I will say that I read a lot more nowadays than I did a few years ago and I have also learned so much from the books I have read.

How do you allow yourself to unwind and de-stress after a busy week? Do share below!

9 EASY WAYS TO BE A HEALTHIER (AND HAPPIER) PERSON

I believe that being happy and being healthy are two things that go hand in hand. There are habits we carry with us day in and day out – some of them are good for us yet some of them are really bad for us.

The way we see the world is merely a reflection of what is happening in our minds and bodies. While we cannot control what happens out there in this great big world we can choose to find the good in it. But, in order to be somewhat successful at that we must first start with taking care of ourselves mentally and physically.

The list below is things you incorporate into your life that will bring more wellness and happiness into your life.


Have a glass of water


Start your day with a glass of water. This simple act will re-invigorate and energize you’re your body from the inside out. You will feel better almost instantly and have the energy to start your day off on a positive note.


Go outside


Make it a point to intentionally breathe in some fresh at least once a day (weather permitting, of course!). Taking in fresh air can be done by taking a walk in a park or a trail or maybe even just sitting in a park – that is the easy part.

The most important part is to do it intentionally, meaning, that you are fully present with your surroundings and that you cherish every breath you take.


Reduce stress


Find your stress reliever a do it whenever you need to reduce stress. I have two stress relievers – cleaning and yoga.  Yes, cleaning. Whenever I am feeling somewhat stressed or feel my mind cluttering up with all sorts of things I need to do I turn to cleaning. There is just something about a freshly cleaned home and good smelling candle that give me the space and clarity that I need.

The second is yoga, I do yoga at home from time to time but if I am ever really feeling stressed I do like to go in to a yoga studio. The calming environment and soothing music does the trick for me.


Get some sleep


Make sleep a priority and always strive to get the amount of sleep your body needs. Some people only need 5-6 hours while other need 8-9 hours of solid sleep – I fall right in the middle of that and need somewhere in between of 7-8 hours a solid and good quality sleep every night. Making sleep a priority means that you back track the start of your day.

For example, let’s say you need to be at work by 8AM and it takes you 30 minutes to get to work – that means you need to need to leave your house by 7:30AM. Now, let’s suppose it takes you an hour to get ready – that means you need to get up at 6:30AM. This means that you need to be in bed and ready to sleep by 10:30PM at the latest.

Which means you need to have everything on your to-do list checked off for the next morning by 10PM. This will allow you 30 minutes to wind down and get mentally ready for bed.


Exercise


Getting your body moving (aside from eating healthy) is probably the most obvious way to be a healthier person. There are many benefits to exercise and one of them is getting your blood flow moving which helps your internal organs do their jobs. 


Eat mindfully


Eating mindfully is one thing I am working on. While I know the importance of focusing on JUST your food while you are eating I can sometimes find it difficult to put my phone away to not be distracted by YouTube videos, shows or podcasts. Eating mindfully is about relaxing yourself while you are eating and savoring whatever you are feeding your body.


Stand more often


For those of us who sit for long periods of time at work it is very important to stand up and walk around throughout the day – I find this especially important after eating lunch.


Relax


Taking a few minutes here and there to relax your mind and body will only have great benefits. I do this by sitting down and reading a book for 20 minutes or so and I know that relaxes me and gives me that little break I need on a busy errand filled day.


Choose happy thoughts


Think happy thoughts – I know, easier said than done. But your mind is a muscle you need to work on a train and over time the not-so-positive thoughts will become very few and far between. 

What healthy habits do you have now? And which are you working on incorporating into your life? Do share below!

4 REASONS SPENDING ALONE TIME IS REALLY GOOD FOR YOU

We live in a truly exciting world of constant interaction with either the physical people around you or the people you converse with online. The constant interaction is not only fascinating and eye opening but it can also be draining, exhausting and destructive to your mind and body. While I love spending time with my family and friends and building connections while perusing social media sites and blogs – I know that every now and then my mind and body needs some alone time. Everyone’s definition of alone time varies and the length we each need will also be different.  My alone time is not very long because I do not feel like I need to completely detach myself for long periods of time – my alone time is usually between 3-4 hours every month or so. Some people find that detaching themselves from everything and everyone is more beneficial if they do it say once a year for a couple of days and take a quick solo getaway. Whatever strategy you think works best for you is the one you should try.


Recharge


Time alone is great opportunity to recharge - as mentioned above the constant interaction we have nowadays is exciting, eye opening and fun but it can also be exhausting. And I truly believe that in order to be fully present during your times of interaction it is super important to allow yourself some alone time to re-charge and re-group your mind and your body by slowing all of the everyday craziness down.


Creativity


Some of the best jolts of creativity have come to me while having some alone time while listening to good music, doing laundry, cleaning or even running errands. Alone time gives your mind a chance to wander off and think freely which will always invite our dear friend creativity to come sweeping in!


Balance


Again, with so many things going on in our lives at any given moment it can get a little crazy and hard to keep things in perspective. Time alone allows me to take a step back and re-prioritize and re-strategize the things that need to get done and the things I want to get done. This is a great way to keep yourself in check and not overload yourself with things you need to do and want to do. Learning how to balance out your life will probably be one of the best gifts you can give yourself!


Productivity


When I spend time alone doing things, like running errands, I get so much more done than if I were to do the same things in the company of other people. While, yes, it is a lot more fun and entertaining to do things with others, sometimes time is of the essence and doing things alone will not only tremendously boost your productivity it is also really healthy for you too!

Are you spending quality time with alone? If yes, what activities allow you to recharge, find creativity, find balance and become more productive?