part 1: Four habits that have changed my life
As a Certified Holistic Health Coach and entrepreneur, the habits in my daily life have evolved. Some larger than others, some more transformational than others too. Ultimately, habits are what make up our lives, they are who we are. I challenge clients to ask themselves: does this habit support or inhibit my health and wellness? It requires self-transparency and can be awfully thought provoking, but undoubtedly valuable to the change process.
Below, I highlight four of the habits that have, without a doubt, facilitated my evolution as an entrepreneur and have completely amplified my health and wellness too.
Getting into the mindset and personal development space has been a significant driving force in my business and in how I operate from day to day. I begin my day always with gratitude, and have really leaned into utilizing affirmations and intention setting as a part of my morning routine. It is one of the many habits I have that raises my vibration and keeps me motivated and directed in what I do all day long. This practice, from a health and wellness perspective, is huge. We so easily dismiss the importance of our mental health on our physical health, something that grinds my gears beyond measure. By bringing our attention to our thoughts and actively practicing mindfulness, we are able to generate awareness around our emotions and our present being. Thoughts are powerful. From the mind-body perspective, the thoughts we have, have a direct impact upon our physiology. This connection is important in considering whole body wellness. We can be eating the right foods, exercising, and getting enough sleep — but if we aren’t willing to do the work inside our minds, we will only ever make it halfway. Consider how you might integrate more of this practice — mindfulness, journaling, gratitude, meditation, breath work, and more — for the sake of optimal wellness. It truly is transformational.
Clarifying supplemental needs! HUGE! I spent years taking supplements with little to no understanding of why I was taking them, or without questioning the integrity of the product itself. This is something I see so often in the work I do with clients — taking supplements ‘just because’ and truly not understanding why, what it is, or if it is even necessary (more often than not, I find that it isn’t.) Learning about your body and your needs is so incredibly valuable when identifying which supplements are most relevant to you. I find that in order to fill nutritional gaps in our daily routines, supplements can be a powerful addition to a well balanced diet. We just aren’t getting enough of the necessary micronutrients and minerals from our food supply. It’s unfortunate because nutritional deficiencies permeate the American population and this could be contributing to a series of health concerns and symptoms that you may be experiencing. You don’t have to do this alone! Consider getting guidance from someone who is certified in this area. Click here to schedule a call if you’d like to connect on supplementation support.
The 5am club is my ABSOLUTE favorite club! I can’t emphasize it enough. My morning time is so sacred to me and I attribute so much of who I am, both personally and professionally, to the time I spend each day before the sun rises. Regardless of what time you wake up, I find there to be a few criteria that are essential for best supporting your wellness. Stay consistent with the time you decide to rise. This can sometimes be challenging on the weekends, but sticking within a 30 minute window can really help to support your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep overall. Additionally, giving yourself ample time in the morning is essential. If you’re waking up for you 8am meeting at 8:01am, this is a problem. Do some good for your stress levels and nervous system by giving yourself adequate time to rise and even devote 30 minutes to an hour to spend time doing something for you — reading, exercising, journaling, getting creative. It is amazing the power that this can have. Don’t snooze! Even if you think you’re getting another 7 precious minutes of sleep, you’re actually seriously impacting your mood, energy, and overall productivity for the remainder of the day.
I have really knocked alcohol down on my list of priorities and it has been everything for my physical and mental health. I found there were more costs, than there were benefits, and decided something had to change. I no longer enjoy drinking like I once did and more importantly, my hangovers have come to debilitate me the next day (even after one drink). I wasn’t necessarily drinking a lot, but definitely in a more casual way, instead of reserving it for special occasions, vacations, etc. It disrupted my life more than it brought value and I no longer had space or energy to entertain it. It now is reserved for special occasions or events, and even then, I limit myself to 2-3 drinks at most. This has changed my life in such a positive way and I am certain it will for you too. I see a progression in this ‘sober curiosity’ movement and I am so excited for it. I think, as a culture, we’ve collectively normalized alcohol as just a part of being American, being an adult, etc. However, when we really start to look under a microscope at the impact this has on physical and mental health, it truly brings no value.
If you would like to work on improving your health and wellness through habit development, let’s chat. Follow the link below and stay tuned for part two.
