Eight Essential Practices
I am often asked what practices I would most recommend for people in order to live a healthy and happy life.
Creating goals is a very personal experience and unique to each person and what they want to create, but based on my experience, there are certain resolutions that I think that just about every person could benefit from. The goals below will give you a solid foundation and can be adapted to your specific circumstances and preferences. Try them out!
Strength train. Exercise of any sort is very important and one of the best ways to relieve stress and put you in a better mood, not to mention all of the beneficial long term impacts that come with consistent exercise. But strength training in particular has been shown to have numerous benefits, especially as we age. It helps to increase muscle mass, offset muscle loss, boost your metabolism, strengthen your bones, and prevent injuries. Aim to have at least two strength training sessions per week.
Get outside. If I could recommend one thing to everyone to improve their mental well-being, it would be to get out into nature. Time and time again, studies have shown how healing and soothing being in nature is. It calms us and allows us to be more present, while also giving us a sense of being part of something bigger. The next time you are stressed or in a bad mood, get outside and let nature work its magic.
Create a consistent stress relief practice. Some stress is inevitable (and can even be beneficial), however, being consistently stressed can have a negative effect on your physical, emotional, and mental health. Most of us are so used to experiencing stress that we don’t even notice until we reach a breaking point. Unchecked, long-term stress can lead to a number of health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and depression. There are many simple ways to relieve stress - meditation, taking a walk, breathwork, journaling, dancing, reading, moving your body. Pick one that works for you and try it out the next time you are stressed.
Eat protein. Eating enough protein is one of the best things you can do in order to feel satiated, build muscle mass, and reduce cravings. Not sure how much protein to get? A good rule of thumb is one gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight. You should also try to spread your protein intake out throughout the day and not just have a high protein dinner.
Get to know yourself better. This may sound like a silly one, but getting to know yourself better, how you operate, what you really want in life, your values, your most common patterns, will only make your life that much better. To quote Socrates, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” Try slowing down, getting quiet, and spending some time examining your thoughts, beliefs, and values. Meditation and journaling are great tools in this regard. It will help you become more confident, live more authentically, practice more self compassion, and improve your relationships.
Prioritize sleep. We can often dismiss the importance of quality sleep and think we are able to function just fine on six hours of sleep or less. However, research shows that is not the case and lack of sleep has been associated with a number of health issues, such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep impacts all of your body’s systems and can affect everything from your memory, to how your body regulates blood sugar, to your immune system. In order to be truly healthy, getting quality sleep is essential. Prioritize your sleep and practice good sleep hygiene - stick to a consistent sleep schedule, create an ideal sleep environment, and ditch the screens.
Practice mindfulness. Studies have estimated that people spend nearly 50 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they are currently doing. And those thoughts are usually about something that happened in the past or worrying about something in the future. Mindfulness is all about staying in the present moment and can help to reduce worrying thoughts and anxiety, while also reducing stress, increasing focus, boosting mental clarity, and increasing joy. Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere at any time and is simply the act of paying attention to the world around you and being present to the moment. Try incorporating at least five minutes of intentional mindfulness a day.
Have fun. What do you like to do for fun? When was the last time you did any of those things? I think that when we are setting goals and trying to improve ourselves, we often make it a very serious thing and can forget to have a little fun. Anyone who knows me or has worked with me will probably tell you that one of my core tenants is to have some fun. Think about what you like to do for fun - the big things and the small things - and start making time for them. Having fun is essential for our overall well being and makes the journey so much more enjoyable!
