10 Healthy (realistic) Habits that can change your life!

1. Create a Morning Routine

- set a positive stress-free tone for the day . I love watching the sunrise, drinking a cup of tea and then making a filling, nutritious breakfast , I know it seems super simple. However it's little moments like these that truly set the tone for my day :)

2. Get moving!

- whether its dancing around the kitchen while you are waiting for your coffee or hitting a gym session, walking to work, running around with the kids or taking the stairs .. your body will THANK YOU!

3. Journaling

- journalling can be an essential tool to help you reach goals and also increase your mindfulness. Personally I have found it has helped with controlling intense emotions. Take 5-10 minutes out of your day to write day 5 things you are grateful for, current personal/emotional/physical goals,

4. Healthy Eating

-no one says you have to be a kale eating, smoothie drinking, health wiz. Start small, implement one new recipe into your week, swap the sugar-coated cereal for oats or a nutrient packed muesli, try a meat free Monday option or even just add one extra piece of fruit or veg into your diet a day. One step at a time is all it takes.

5. Write a TO-DO List!

- if you're an all round stress head like me, you will definitely benefit from this one. This step is great, especially when trying to avoid little stresses, that can lead to big stresses. I don't just jot down my grocery list or calls I need to make. I write things as simple as, "wash hair," "breathe," and "smile." Sometimes we get SO caught up in important work, or assessments that we forget to truly stop for a moment and take a deep breath. I also find this helps me when I'm having an off day, I like to feel accomplished so, if I can put a big tick next to "Wash hair," it makes me feel slightly productive.

6. Drink more water

- simple but true! Did you know drinking just one cup of coffee can dehydrate your body almost 1L of water (varying from individual to individual of course). Try incorporating tea, soups or fruit infused water into your diet to increase your H2O intake.

7. Disconnect

-you have heard it before of course, trust me I know. In this day and age, disconnecting is not an easy thing to do as so much of our time is consumed by electronic devices and social media. However I have found that decreasing my screen time has a ultimately allowed me to be more present in my day, I am able to self reflect and truly connect with myself and the environment. As much as I love to use social media (particularly Instagram and Pinterest) as a distraction, it is truly important to check in with yourself and allow yourself that break from the digital world.

8. Practise Meditation

-hear me out here... a lot of people when they hear the word meditation just think ahhh no. At first it really is quite odd to sit in complete silence with yourself, your emotions, thoughts and feelings. To actually just stop and do nothing, it is something that our mind tends to resist. However training the mind through meditation is training in awareness which can fundamentally transform your perspective on life and your overall wellbeing.

1 Minute Meditation:

Take a deep breath

Breathing in through the nose,

Breathing out through the mouth

Breathing in feeling the lungs expanding,

Breathing out feeling a sense of letting go.

Breathing in to feel the body getting fuller,

Breathing out to feel the release of any tension your body was holding onto.

Breathing in feeling alive and awake,

Breathing out feeling muscles relaxing.

Breathing in that sense of fullness,

Breathing out all that unnecessary tension.

9. Stay Positive

- Trying to be optimistic does not always mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means trying to focus your energy on the positive as much as possible and this can become easier surrounding yourself with positive people. Looking for the positive in a negative situation may sound cliche, but appreciating these positives can offer a great mood boost. To find your silver lining, self reflect, sit down with yourself and ask, how have I grown from this situation? are my relationships stronger now? have I developed a new perspective? what am I proud of about the way I handled this situation?

10. Read or Listen

- Swapping the mindless morning Instagram or Facebook stroll for a self-love book or self-motivation podcast is a step I would NOT miss. This simple swap is a habit that I have now incorporated into my mornings or afternoons that has not only helped me to increase my self efficacy but also my overall motivation and productiveness. If reading or listening isn't really your thing, youtube has a wide range of self-help/motivational videos that are also available.