10 Simple Healthy Living Tips For Whole, Holistic Health & Wellness
You deserve to be at peace and in good health every day!
lzf/Shutterstock You must take care of yourself in each area of your life and honor yourself.
A best friend is someone who loves and cares about you. So, becoming your own best friend is a lifelong journey of inner discovery.
You are learning each day about yourself and what you need to develop: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
How do you get started? How do you become your own best friend in health and wellness?
Here are the 10 ways to healthy living that will open the doors to becoming your own best friend.
1. Nurture your physical side.
Taking care of yourself is a must. No one knows you better than you know yourself.
The physical side of your life includes your diet and exercise program, your environment, and the people you surround yourself with.
2. Do not neglect your diet.
The food you choose to eat affects your entire body and state of mind. Blood sugar and hormone levels really go array when you're not eating appropriate foods.
Leave the processed food at the store and spend most of your time shopping for lean meats and fruits and vegetables. Many people call this the "caveman" diet.
Essentially what this means is to only eat food that is natural and comes from the ground, a tree, or an animal.
Processed foods can leave you feeling tired, lethargic, and some are even addictive. Listen to your body after you eat certain foods and research what works for you.
3. Drink enough water.
Do not negate the very real power of water. It keeps you adequately hydrated and you can't survive without it.
Are you drinking enough water each day? A good rule of thumb is to drink eight glasses of water daily.
Drinking a glass of water before a meal also helps curb your appetite. Sometimes, when you think you're hungry, you're actually thirsty.
Choose water over other beverages due to its health benefits and the fact that it does not have any calories.
4. Have an exercise program.
Fitness experts are now saying we need to be active every day of the week for at least 30 minutes. If you can't do seven days, then stick to five.
This can be as simple as cleaning the house, mowing the yard, or organizing the garage. The point is to get your body moving in some fashion every day of the week.
You will have to find the right balance and type of exercise for you.
5. Sleep.
For many people, sleep is the one thing that they neglect most often. You think you can make up for sleep loss when, in fact, it's very difficult to do.
On average, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Try to go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.
6. Create an environment of physical refuge.
Your physical environment is the space in which you live and spend your time. It needs to be a place of refuge after long days at work — a place that you look forward to being and a place to recharge your battery.
One thing worth mentioning is that clutter carries negative energy.
Take a walk-through of all the rooms in your home. What are a few things in your home environment that are necessary, loved, and cherished?
Keep only these things and allow the rest to be recycled by giving them away to friends, family, or Goodwill.
Be willing to let go of things you no longer cherish or use. In this way, you help someone else and you clear your house and life of negative energy.
7. Surround yourself with the right people.
Who are the people that represent your circle of influence?
Take time to evaluate each of your relationships for reciprocity. What this means is that every relationship is a give and take: a 50/50 partnership.
Are your relationships healthy and growing or are they stagnant and unfulfilling? Can you have a conversation and improve on these things, or is it time to let a relationship go that may be unhealthy for you?
Can you set healthy boundaries with others and say "no" when you cannot fulfill certain duties or expectations? Do you feel guilty when you say "no?"
Also, how do you feel around these people?
In Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss, Ph. D. describes how we pick up on other people’s energy fields and take on their energies. It can, in fact, even make us ill.
It's also interesting to note that your intuition is at play when you don’t feel at ease with someone. Sometimes, it's a warning that this person may be unhealthy for you to be with.
Take the time to listen to your intuition and don’t be afraid to honor the feelings you experience.
8. Deepen your primary intimate relationship.
The significant other in your life can help you fly to new heights or could possibly take you to your lowest lows.
There’s no replacement for a good selection process when you are choosing your mate. This person should be your best friend and biggest cheerleader.
If you're already married, make time for your primary relationship and find things to do together.
If you're single and still looking, take the time to look at each aspect of your life as we are discussing today and see how a person might fit well with you in each of these areas.
9. Ensure you have a good career fit.
A job that you don’t like can be a real drain on your energy levels. That's why it's so important to find what you feel is your true purpose for being here and finding the job that fulfills you.
Take the time to find a good career fit because it will affect all other areas of your life.
10. Forgive the past.
If you're honest, you probably have something from the past that you'd like to forget.
Once you can forgive, you can look back and thank those people for all the lessons they gave you.
You, especially, need to be willing to forgive yourself for your very human errors and lack of certain knowledge that maybe you didn't have at the time.
Forgiveness unlocks the key to your future.
Becoming your own best friend impacts all the other parts of your life. To become your own best friend, you have to honor yourself and those around you.
Dr. Jodi Walker has been a Women's Wellness Coach and Trainer for the past 15 years. To learn more about her and her coaching, visit Coaching Cafe Club.