My Top 10 Essential Habits
The greatest wealth is health.
This timeless quote (attributed to the Roman poet Virgil) is as true today as it was in ancient Rome. In my opinion, I think he totally meant all things physical self care, wellness, productivity, positivity, and mental health, because they’re all key to living our healthiest lives!
I believe the best way to ensure we’re prioritizing health and self care is to align our vision of mental and physical wellbeing with our everyday habits. Consider this post your basic primer for self care, with 10 cornerstone habits for everything from physical wellness, positivity, and productivity.
With each habit, there’s also a corresponding action step to give an idea of how to seamlessly integrate it into your everyday routine. Remember here that consistency is key – practicing small, simple habits will have a cumulative impact on our physical and mental health. So, let's take that vision of our ultimate wellbeing, and align it with the everyday habits that will get us there.
Let's begin!
Movement
Movement is something I crave; it gives me energy, provides a rush of endorphins, and makes me feel in-tune with my body.
As you all know, my favorite workout is P.volve. I absolutely love it because it’s low impact, but it still gives you strength and feminine definition. I aim to do it at least a few times a week, and always finish my workouts with stretching to lengthen and release tension.
Depending on my schedule for the day, I’ll either do an at-home workout or a walk to get some fresh air. Even if I only have time for a simple morning yoga flow or walk around the neighborhood, that’s still a success in my book. No matter the type of movement, they’re all beneficial for the mind, body, and soul.
I also just recently wrote about my favorite rest and recovery methods if you want to check that out for some inspiration for rest days.
Action step: Move your body! It’s also helpful to find where movement best fits into your daily routine, whether it’s a morning stretch to wake up the body, a walk on your lunch break, or a group class after work.
Healthy meals
Each time we eat is a chance to nourish our bodies. I try my best to focus on eating natural foods that provide essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. We really want to make sure we’re eating balanced meals to nourish our body, so we can have boundless energy and that coveted healthy glow.
Here are some examples of what I eat to stay healthy and energized
Fruits and Vegetables: I love having a smoothie for breakfast to start off the day with an abundance of nutritious fruits and veggies.
Protein: I heard that we actually don’t need as much protein as we think, so tbh I don’t worry too much about it. As a longtime vegetarian, I eat flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, vegan protein powder, and tofu.
Complex carbs: My favorites include oatmeal, potatoes, and whole grains.
Healthy fats: I literally couldn’t live without avocado and dark chocolate (Hu is the best!); I have them both every single day.
Action step: Prepare a balanced, healthy, and colorful meal for yourself!
Hydration
I know this piece of advice is common knowledge at this point, but the power of drinking more water is SO real!! I swear it made my skin look much more glowy and dewy, and it also increases mental clarity. To be specific, I aim for two to three 32 ounce bottles per day. You can also try some fancy hydrating elixirs to spice up your water intake; I personally like to add a splash of lemon and apple cider vinegar or make a cup of herbal tea. You can also make infused water with berries, cucumber, mint, pineapple – be creative!
Action step: Keep up your water intake throughout the day to ensure you’re getting the right amount for you to feel your best
Sunscreen
I feel like sunscreen deserves its own point because it's that essential! Everyone from my dermatologist, my esthetician, skincare queen Lauryn Evarts, and my mom (who looks YEARS younger than her age) all say that sunscreen is the #1 priority in any skincare routine.
Action step: I think it’s pretty obvious, but wear your sunscreen! (Every day. Even if there’s still snow outside like there is in New England)
Relaxing shower and skincare routine
I’m very specific about my evening routine. I turn on the soft, warm-toned lights to set a peaceful mood in the bathroom. I turn on my chill playlist, take my shower, do my skincare, and get ready for bed. I also like to take this time to do at least one extra special thing that makes me feel beautiful and like I'm truly taking care of myself. Whether it's deep conditioning, a hydrating face mask, lymphatic massage, or something else just that little bit *extra*. I find this is a perfect way to combine self care for the body and relaxation for the mind.
Action step: Take your time doing your evening self care routine. Do something special every day to make yourself feel beautiful and pampered, like the goddess you are!
Plan my day
I think of planning as self care because we’re making sure we’re staying on top of our schedule and priorities, as well as making time to take care of ourselves. (Plus, it's very relaxing for me!)
My process is pretty simple: each evening, I’ll review my Google calendar for the coming day. Then, in my notebook or notes app, I’ll write an overview of my schedule, including:
Events, appointments, meetings
My priorities and important deadlines
To-do items
My workout
Self care
The next morning I review this and try to follow it as best I can! Ed Mylett says that keeping these plans and promises we make to ourselves is the #1 way to build confidence. This goes without saying, but obviously I’m nowhere near perfect with this!! Just striving to be more consistent every day :)
Action step: Plan your day – keeping in mind a balance of work priorities and self care!
Learn something new and be inspired everyday
If I had to pinpoint the impetus for my personal development journey, it would be inspirational books and podcasts (namely The Success Principles and The Ed Mylett podcast.) They’ve been so powerful for me because I’ve learned new concepts and mindsets that have fundamentally changed my life.
Action step: Find a podcast or book that uplifts and inspires you
Self expression and emotional release
I briefly touched on this in my post about rest and recovery methods. I encourage you to find that activity that allows you to express yourself and release your emotions. It could be journaling, a heartfelt conversation with a loved one, or an artistic hobby.
For me, it’s writing! Most days I write, whether I’m journaling, writing a blog post, or just have a random spark of inspiration and am writing in my notes on the go. Writing allows me to express myself, reflect on and process emotions, and just be imaginative and get my ideas out. I especially love journaling about what I’m grateful for, which brings us to the next point!
Action step: Find your activity that you LOVE that allows you to express yourself and release emotions
Gratitude
You guys know I had to touch on the life-changing power of gratitude! A mindset focused on gratitude is scientifically proven to make us feel happier each day, and as a result creates that lasting positivity that we all desire. I can also personally attest that gratitude has made me more resilient by helping me to find things to be grateful for, even in undesirable circumstances.
Essentially, the more you acknowledge your blessings, the more you will recognize and receive them in your everyday life. There are endless ways to practice gratitude, you can:
Have a gratitude journal
Acknowledge what you’re grateful for in your mind or to a loved one
Do a gratitude meditation
Be mindful and present in the moments you experience joy
Action step: Approach each day with gratitude. Soon, it will become a natural part of your mindset
Extend love to yourself and others
As simple as it may sound, I love to tell my family, friends, and anyone I interact with that I appreciate them. No matter who it goes out to, a compliment, thank you, or just a little extra kindness goes a long way in uplifting someone and making their day! (Which makes us happy as a result. It’s a win-win!)
We also need to ensure we extend the same love to ourselves, too!! Self love makes us glow from the inside out and allows us to emanate that confident aura. Go show yourself some love, babe!
Action step: Tell someone you love them or give someone a compliment to make their day – and extend that same love to yourself, too!
I hope you enjoyed reading, and that you can use this as inspiration as you cultivate your own personal wellness habits and find the routine that works best for you. Remember that taking time to care for our mind and body allows us to show up better for the people who need us, and for the world as a whole. When we practice these good habits consistently each day, it has a cumulative impact – one that we can both feel through a sense of inner harmony, and see through the sparkle in our eye ✨
