Today we dive into one of my favorite topics: habit building.

Yes my friend is a real expert in building habits, and I love studying, reading and implementing new habits into my daily life to improve my life.

These 10 Simple Healthy Habits That Will Change Your Life are some of my favorite habits that I have implemented in my daily life that have significantly impacted my energy, mindset and health.

1. Make your bed in the morning
I picked up this habit from Tim Ferriss after reading his book The Four Hour Workweek. It may not seem like much, but making your bed in the morning can give you a small sense of accomplishment and set you up for the rest of the day. This simple task can also trigger a series of other good decisions throughout the day. So be friends in bed!

2. Develop a morning routine
It can look different for everyone. Maybe it’s for you to practice yoga every morning, keep a journal over a cup of coffee, or maybe take some time to sit down and have breakfast with your family.

Either way, a morning routine will give you time to yourself to start your day off with the right boost and energy. It may also be the only time you are alone all day, so enjoy it!

3. Schedule time to exercise

Our busy schedules make it easy to miss the workout you want to do after work. Instead of planning to work out when you “have time,” schedule your activities into your calendar.

Exercise is essential for a healthy body and brain, especially when you spend most of the day at a desk. Taking time to exercise will not only help you stay more focused throughout your workday, it will also help improve your sleep, energy and stress levels. (I like to incorporate time for exercise into my morning routine.)

5. Drink more water

PLEASE! Most people don’t drink enough, but water is important for our mood, immune system, and overall health. Staying hydrated with lots of water (no sugary sodas, water) will greatly affect how you feel.

Drink a full glass of water in the morning to rehydrate and keep a reusable water bottle on your desk to hydrate throughout the day. Are you tired of water? Spice it up by adding a slice of lemon or orange, mint or fresh cucumber!

6. Begin meditation practice
Don’t worry; meditation may sound a bit intimate, but taking at least a few minutes each day to sit, breathe, and be still can substantially impact your life.

We live in a world where we are constantly stressed and activate stress hormones, which can negatively affect our health. Taking time to breathe and meditate will help you de-stress and signal your body that you are safe.

If you’re new to meditation, start with just 1 minute of deep breathing each day or try a guided meditation app like Headspace.

Keep your space organized.
Ordered space = organized mind. Keeping your space clean and organized will put your mind at ease. Keeping your area organized also makes it easier to see what resources you have and saves time in the long run. (No more endless searching for that notebook you know you’ve stored somewhere!)

7. Express gratitude
You can express gratitude by saying what you’re grateful for out loud or by writing it down in a journal. (I love the 5 Minute Journal) Expressing gratitude has been shown to change your brain chemistry to focus more on the positive things in your life, become more mindful, and give more to others.

8. Use visualization
I recently started incorporating this habit into my daily life after watching a documentary on Food Matters TV. If you envision a future situation, your mind will record it. (Basically, we can trick our brains into believing that the problem already “happened.” Isn’t that great?)

I’m not saying that the idea of ​​riding a unicorn on Mars will actually happen, but using this technique is a great way to overcome any limiting beliefs you may have about yourself and move you toward your goal.

9. Get your daily dose of nature
Are you feeling stressed and anxious? GO OUT. (but like a total misfit… don’t walk the streets of Times Square.)

Spending time in nature can instantly restore energy and relieve stress. Nothing is more peaceful and natural than spending time among the trees and basking in the sun.

I incorporate this into my morning routine and take my dog ​​for a walk on the forest trail every morning before starting the day.

10. Make time for downtime
Life can be busy; trust me, I know. But as the saying goes, we are not here to pay the bills and die. So don’t forget to take time to do things that make you happy.

Make time for a lunch date with friends, a hike in the mountains, or a trip to Thailand that you’d like to take. Give yourself permission to enjoy life.

Have you ever started a fitness program and then stopped? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Many people start a fitness program but may stop if they get bored, don’t like it, or the results are too slow. Here are seven tips to help keep you motivated.

1. Set goals
Start with simple goals and then move on to long term goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It’s easy to get frustrated and give up when your goals are too ambitious.

For example, if you haven’t exercised in a while, a short-term goal might be walking 10 minutes daily, five days a week. Even short workouts can have benefits. An intermediate goal could be walking 30 minutes five days a week. A long term goal might be to complete a 5K run.

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. A greater amount of exercise will yield more significant benefits. Try incorporating strength training for all major muscle groups into your fitness routine at least twice a week.

2. Make it fun
Find a sport or activity you enjoy and vary the routine to make it enjoyable. If you don’t enjoy your workout, try something else. Join a volleyball or softball league. Take a ballroom dance class. Visit a gym or martial arts center. If you like exercising at home, look online for videos of different types of exercise, such as yoga, high-intensity interval training, or kickboxing. Or take a walk or run in a local park. Find your hidden sports talent or interest.

Remember that exercise doesn’t have to be boring, and you’re more likely to stick to a fitness program if you enjoy it.

3. Make physical activity a part of your daily routine
If you’re having difficulty finding time to exercise, stop making excuses. Plan your workout like any other important activity.

You can also do physical activity throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther away from the store. Walk up and down the ledges watching the kids play sports. Go for a walk during breaks from work.

If you work from home, stretch, walk, or take the stairs during your breaks. Or do squats, lunges, or sit-ups. Take your dog if you have one. During your lunch break or while watching TV in the evening, pedal a stationary bicycle, walk or jog on a treadmill, or do weight training.

Research shows that prolonged periods of sitting can negatively affect your health, even if you do the recommended weekly activity. If you sit for several hours a day at work, take regular breaks during the day for exercise, such as walking. B. drinking water or standing during a phone call or video conference.

4. Put it on the paper
Are you hoping to lose weight? Increase your energy? Sleep is better? Dealing with a chronic illness? Write down your goals. Seeing the benefits of regular exercise and writing down your goals can help keep you motivated.

Keeping an exercise journal can also help. Write down what you did during each workout, how long you worked out, and how you felt afterward. Recording your efforts and tracking your progress can help you work towards your goals and remind you that you are making progress.

5. Join friends, neighbors or others
You are not alone in this. Invite friends or colleagues to exercise or go out with you. Exercise with your partner or other loved one. Play soccer with your kids. Arrange for neighbors to take a fitness class at a local gym or work out virtually via video.

Reward yourself
After each exercise, take a few minutes to enjoy the good feeling the exercise gives you. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise.

Extrinsic rewards can also help. When you reach a more distant goal, treat yourself to a new pair of hiking boots or a new song while you train.

7. Be flexible
Take a day or two if you’re too busy to exercise or don’t feel like exercising. Stay calm when you need rest. The important thing is to get back on track as quickly as possible.

Now that you’ve got your enthusiasm back get moving! Set goals, have fun, and give yourself the occasional compliment. Remember that physical activity is lifelong. Check out these tips if you feel your motivation is slipping.

Fitness gets a lot of attention, and for a good reason – good physical health can prevent diseases such as heart disease or diabetes and help you live a long independent life. What is often overlooked, however, is mental fitness – a healthy, strong mind that allows you to face life’s challenges and opportunities.

The importance of a fit mind

It is a common belief that the absence of mental disorders means a person is mentally healthy and emotionally healthy, but according to Rachel O’Neill, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, this is a dangerous misconception. “A person can certainly experience periods of stress, discomfort, sadness, or anxiety without meeting the criteria for a mental disorder,” he said. “Mental health is a process, and like physical health, it is an ongoing process of maintaining mental and emotional health.”

Not surprisingly, moments of exam or stress can be the final test of mental fitness. Speedy recovery requires significant mental strength and resilience when overwhelmed by major life events. The benefits of mental fitness mean that we can use our mental abilities to the fullest, which allows us to be more creative, make the most of opportunities and deal with stressful situations more easily and with less anxiety.

So what can you do to improve your mental fitness?

1.Focus on one thing at a time

Multitasking is worn as a badge of honor, but too much multitasking is unhealthy. Practice attending. As you walk, be aware of your surroundings – the weather and birds. When you spend time with friends, listen carefully to what they say. Turn off your phone and try to forget the current to-do list in your head.

2. Take time to move your body

“Physical and mental health go hand in hand and should not be looked at in isolation, because poor mental health can lead to poor physical health and vice versa,” says Kimberly Leitch, a therapist at Talkspace, based in New York.

Mental health is a process, and like physical health, it is an ongoing process of maintaining mental and emotional health.

Like drugs used to treat mental illness, exercise can increase brain serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels. It grows and normalizes neurotransmitter levels, which ultimately helps us feel mentally healthy. Other key benefits include: improved mood and energy, reduced stress, deeper relaxation, increased mental clarity, learning, insight, memory and cognitive function, increased intuition, creativity, confidence and enthusiasm for life, and improved health and social relationships , increase self-esteem, Respect and enhanced spiritual connection.

3. Give yourself a daily “mindfulness break.”

Say O’Neill, take a minute or two each day to relax, connect with your body, and assess how you’re feeling. “There are a number of great apps that can help you incorporate structured mindfulness exercises, or you can develop exercises that work for you.”

Just one week of short daily mindfulness meditation practices has produced significant increases in alertness, energy, and stress levels. Research shows that these benefits are more than subjective: Study participants experienced a marked decrease in stress-driven cortisol and an increase in their immune system. They also show improvements in visuo-spatial processing, working memory and executive function – critical mental skills that help you get things done faster.

4. Make time for “self-care.”

Give yourself an afternoon or evening to do something you really enjoy. That could be working out, reading, watching your favorite series – basically, going out on dates with yourself for fun just for you.

5. Set boundaries and stick to them.

Living in a success-oriented society has its advantages. But there are also downsides like burnout, which is a real problem when trying to have it all: a fulfilling career, Instagram-worthy time with friends, and a happy family life. Remember that sometimes it’s okay to say no. Set boundaries in your professional and personal life as much as possible, so you don’t overdo it.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Seeking help is often the first step to getting and staying healthy, but it can be difficult to know where to start or where to turn. It’s widespread to feel insecure and wonder if you should try to work it out alone.

Remember that sometimes it’s okay to say no.

“But simply put, there’s never a wrong time to seek help,” says O’Neill. “Talking to someone about your thoughts and feelings can always help you gain insights that may be helpful in your life. When you’re going through a stressful period or feeling angry, irritable, sad, or a little frustrated, seeking professional help to manage these feelings can be a good call.

Mental fitness doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Taking a few minutes daily can make you feel better and think more clearly. Remember that relaxation is as important in mental training as more intense activities such as memory or physical exercises.