- Sleep — Many studies have shown that at least 8 hours of sleep a night can do wonders for our bodies. It’s during the deep sleep that our cells are repaired, our brain is rewired, our heart relaxes, and our bodies re-energize. Sleep wisely.
- Meditate — Many individuals find meditation overwhelming, myself included. However, meditation at its root is simple and the benefits are ample. All that we are asked to do is be still. In the stillness we should allow our thoughts to emerge and disappear. It’s through this practice that we can learn to clam our mental chatter and eventually learn to select relevant thoughts. A strategy I use to encompass meditation in my life is by waking up 5 minutes prior my usual wake up time and dedicate this time to simple meditation.
- Exercise — At least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise a week will keep our hearts healthy and metabolism robust. These exercises can be simple stay at home routine and can be done at any time of the day. Our heart needs to be challenged in this manner to maintain its cardiovascular health.
- Food — Conscious eating is the key to being healthy. There is no need to calorie count every morsel we put in our bodies, however what is important is to be selective in what we eat. We should eat more vegetables, fruits, white meat, fish, and less of processed foods, red meats, and sugary treats. The cells in our bodies are made of a lipid bilayer therefore its important to stay away from the fat-free fad. We should ingest fat, but must be selective in what kind of fat we are consuming; butter, olive oil, vegetable oil are all good choices. In addition, it is also important for our cells to be hydrated so we must make sure we are drinking plenty of water. It’s important to remember that what we eat is what we become.
- Relationships– Studies have revealed that individuals who are engaged in fulfilling relationships in their lives live longer. Although the number of social interactions we engage in may be of importance, what truly matters is the quality of our relationships. Thus, we should consciously build healthy and meaningful relationships in our lives.
- Work — It doesn’t matter what kind of work we are doing, we may have our dream job or something less invigorating, what is important is to bring our best. When we start bringing all of ourselves to our work, our mood will shift, we will be happier, and eventually will be able to navigate ourselves to better opportunities.
- Play — There is a right time to work and a right time to play. One may have noticed life is a balancing act. We start getting ourselves in trouble when we forget to balance every aspect of our life. Playing feeds our soul, boosts our mental health, and is vital for our well-being.
- Solitude — Its important to develop a solitude muscle. It’s during this time that we can reflect on our day, think of all things we are grateful for, and enjoy our own company.
- Self-love — Our lives are often busy doing things for others and showing others how much we love them. However, what’s really important is that we don’t forget ourselves in the process. It’s important to take care of our selves in every way possible. We have to fill ourselves up first before we can offer any of our selves to others.
- Break the routine and do it often — Life is more interesting and creative when we don’t follow a set routine. Its vital to break those rules we have made for ourselves in order to step out of our comfort zone. Through this behavioral change we will allow ourselves to enter new experiences, and make our lives more fulfilling and dynamic.
Originally published at www.huffingtonpost.com on August 20, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com