Hey guys!
I’ve been doing a lot less mindless scrolling these days, and dedicating more time to do the simple things I love — like journal, read and even re-evaluating my life around technology. At the end of the day, we co-create the environment we’re in, what we choose to do with our free time and what we expend our energies on.
Instead of focusing on body based healthy habits, I want to share with you 5 awesome, NON-DIET based, healthy habits I’ve taken on. Hope you’ll join me!
Protect your energy - … Especially the energy you have when you start your day!
I’ve been thinking so much about social media lately and the insane amount of time we waste mindlessly scrolling on Instagram. I used to start my day in bed like this: snooze a few times, scroll through Instagram and then begin my day. Sometimes my head would spiral into comparison mode (no one should start their day off like this) and mostly I just wasted precious time. Going down the rabbit hole that is Instagram can be soul sucking energy.
Now, I wake up without looking at Instagram and don’t respond to emails or texts until I’ve taken care of me. I feel more refreshed and happier.
Starting Journaling - I know this sounds cheesy but there are so many benefits. Something magical happens when thoughts get transferred from mind to paper. Below are two ways you can go about doing this.
Stream of Consciousness Journaling - This is a great tool to alleviate stress and improve your mental health. The key is to write down any thought that comes to mind. It doesn’t have to be a complete thought or sentence. This is a no-judgement where you can write how you’re feeling, from what bothers you to what excites you.
Allowing your thoughts to flow gives you space to increase self-awareness and improve your creative potential. Ever take long hot showers, zone out while reflecting on things and suddenly a new idea/different perspective pops into your head? This is the magic that often happens when we self-reflect.
Gratitude Journaling - This is a favorite of mine and helps cultivate mindfulness. Start anywhere from listing 1-3 things that you are grateful for. I know people who do this exercise every night but I’m usually wiped by then, and so I like to do it every morning while drinking coffee. (New habits are formed when it works with your schedule, not against it!)
Writing what you are grateful for helps you gain clarity on what’s important in your life, shifts the focus to what you have rather than what you don’t.
Move Your Body in any direction, however you want. If dancing is your thing, turn up the music and dance! Yoga? If you can move your body you can do yoga anywhere. #truth. If you’re new to it please message me, I’m happy to share virtual recs and studio recs in NYC! If you want to try classes, you can Google “free Classpass trial in (your state)” to test it out!
BUT here’s the catch: Instead of focusing on an end goal (weight loss, toned arms, abs) can you consider shifting the focus to feeling GOOD?! The best exercise is the one that you enjoy and it will bring out the feel-good endorphins!
Breathe - Yup. This is probably the most underrated advice out there but it’s probably the best advice I’ve ever received and I’m sharing it with you.
Whenever you feel tension, anger, sadness, stress, nerves and anxiety, I encourage you to return to your breath. Breathe in deep belly breaths and long exhales 3x and see what happens.
And because getting really great at what we do means practicing it not only when times are tough, but when things seem “easy, ” I’m going to encourage you to breathe deep belly breathes when you are doing dishes, standing on a crowded subway, walking up a flight of stairs, sitting at your desk. Can you relax a little? Release some tension in your body? Stress contributes to inflammation in the body so anytime you can let go and release is a gift to the mind and body.
Set the Scene for a Restful Night - OK. Be honest. Think about how many times you pick up your phone in a day, how many hours you spend staring idly at a computer screen at work, TV screen at home, and phone screen for all other hours in between. AHH!
Our brain and bodies can pick up cues from the environment. Any lights or electronics keep the brain wired. Sleep is such an underrated healthy habit to cultivate. I recommend turning off the electronics, dimming the lights 30mins to 1 hr before you sleep. You can use this time to read, journal, or better yet, spend time with yourself or your partner ;)
