3 Health Habits I Wish I Had Started Earlier
Creating healthy habits requires trying different things and noticing what works and what doesn't. It is perfectly fine to try something out for a while and decide that it's not for you. The following 3 health habits are things I have been doing consistently for a year or longer and feel have positively impacted my overall health and well being. Give them a try and see how you feel!
1) Meditation
This one has truly been a game changer for me. I began meditating about 6 years ago and have tried many different styles and techniques. I have even used meditation for various goals, such as relieving anxiety, feeling more confident, preparing myself for a big change, visualizing what I want for the future and learning to be more present in the moment.
Meditation is a practice and, like all new skills, it requires repetition.
The first time you sit down to meditate your mind will likely be going nuts, reminding you of all the things you could be doing instead, creating excuses for why meditation isn't for you and trying to convince you that this entire thing is pointless...
Don't be discouraged!! If you attempt to create to a daily meditation practice but find yourself falling off it after a few days, just pick back up and start again.
My favorite meditation apps are Headspace, Insight Timer and Waking Up.
Headspace uses simple metaphors and cute cartoons and to explain how meditation works. It also guides you day by day to deepen your practice with specific prompts and periods of silence.
Insight Timer is great because it is basically a library of meditations that you can choose from. It allows you to bookmark and save as your favorites and also has different categories to choose from such as "guided", "sleep" and "music".
Waking Up is for those who are really want to dive deep and explore the different dimensions of consciousness. Waking Up also includes short videos, interviews and additional resources to educate you about meditation.
2) Warm Lemon Water in the Morning
I simply squeeze half of a small organic lemon into a glass then fill it half with boiling water and half with cold water. Voila, warm lemon water! Drink it on an empty stomach before any food or coffee.
Some benefits include:
Aids in digestion
A good source of Vitamin C which may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
Helps protect cells from damaging free radicals
Supports weight loss
Improves your skin
Helps prevent kidney stones
3) Daily Gratitude
There is something to be grateful for every single day. What you focus on you train your brain to find more of. Make it a daily practice of writing down or mentally reflecting on all of the blessings in your life and soon you will find that there is even MORE to be grateful for!
I like to begin the day by writing down at least 3 things I am grateful for and end the day by sharing with a loved one 3 things I am grateful for that day. It could be as simple as the sunshine, a perfectly ripe avocado or a kind word from a friend.