10 positive changes to implement into your daily routine

i feel like this transitionary period of winter to spring, for me anyway, is the most difficult. in terms or productivity, happiness, staying on track with a healthy lifestyle and healthy mind... so i've conducted a little list of things we can implement into our daily lives to help! 

get moving

whether you prefer to stretch at home, sweat it out at vinyasa or get your heart rate up at a spin class, be sure to start your day with movement. find something you love and make it a habit, but try to do this early in your day, first thing if you can. it will jump start the day ahead, not only setting you up to make healthier food choices but also increases neural activity. studies have shown exercise has a positive correlation with cell growth in areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

podcasts

less radio and more learning. when you're in the car, try putting on a podcast. something you enjoy and can learn from while you're commuting. some that i enjoy are Secular Buddhism, The Skinny Confidential which is lifestyle based, and of course Gary Vee! Allie Michelle and Raquel have a new podcast up that I highly recommend called Your Own Magic. whatever your poison, there is something out there for you! 

meditate

light some candles or put on a diffuser with some lavender oil or eucalyptus, find some crystals that you feel connected to and lay on the floor or up against a pillow or wall. all you have to do is focus on your breathing; slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. if you need some help, there are videos on youtube, apps on your phone, or just ask Alexa to play some soothing sounds - i personally like birds, light waves crashing, raining thunderstorms or sometimes i'll even put on actual meditative sounds. 

You can do this for 10 minutes or an hour or longer. set aside time in your day otherwise you might not get to it. i shoot for the same time everyday before bed.  just let go, breath, lay on the floor & make sure all your electronics are off (unless your using one for your meditation). 

screenless

i have a rule: no screens in bed. which means no phones, laptops, or television since it disrupts your sleep cycles and can cause sleep deprivation. however i'm implementing a no screens one hour before bed rule for myself has helped immensely with my anxiety. learning to be present is a large aspect of mental health. spend time with a loved one, play a game or put together a puzzle. write down some things you want to start doing or set yourself up for a successful day tomorrow by bullet journaling or updating your agenda. i promise you will sleep better but you will also feel better without screens at night.

start something new

most of us have a hobby or career idea, a place we want to visit that we just keep putting off. why not start taking the steps now to make whatever that 'thing' is happen? if its a vacation, create that savings account and make the decision right now to put a certain amount in from each paycheck. if it's a course you want to take, look up who offers it, costs and what is most feasible with your schedule. want to move? start looking at places, if you are moving far lookup jobs, reach out to them and set up phone interviews, etc. a new perspective and project will give you a sense of purpose, and a little change is always good for self growth.

get organized

with busy schedules, sometimes our environments become mayhem. take some time to get organized, start with one room; donate what isn't used or needed, create an open space, clean up, and once you've done every room, i like to make a cleaning schedule. once a week i do laundry and a deep clean which means moving furniture. every other day i try to vacuum, swiffer, and wipe down all the surfaces in each room like the countertops in the kitchen, the nightstands next to our bed, and the mirror in the hallway.

add some plants

if you don't have a green thumb, don't worry. a simple vase of flowers will make the whole room feel and smell fresh. i will say i love having plants around my home. it's nice to take care of something that just grows into this beautiful living thing. just remember to water it a few times a week, and keep them near sunlight when possible. i like to rotate my plants, so the ones in my bathroom will get put by the big window one or two days out of the week.

eight hours

most Americans in particular, do not get enough sleep. i'm pretty sure no one in manhattan does... but it's essential to our health, brain function, happiness, and productivity. just make it work, whenever you have to be up by, count back eight hours and make that 'bedtime.'

real foods

the first and last isle of the grocery is where you want to spend the most time. think fruits, vegetables, potatoes. then there's things like granola, kombucha, legumes, spreads, capers, olives etc. as a plant based eater, my meals are mostly bowls or wraps.i start with a veggie base most of the time unless it's a pity bowl that i'm craving. anything that i would have to cook or has any processed ingredients i try to avoid. this means making my own granola most weeks, even my own chips using kale, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes. fill your fridge with the goods and head to pinterest or pickup a cookbook at your local bookstore or thrift shop.

spend time in nature

i live in new york, so most of the year it's pretty cold, but it's still important to get outside, even for just ten minutes. getting outside could mean going for a walk, driving over to that park that has an amazing view of the sunset, perusing the farmers market, sitting on your back porch. if it's not feasible one day to get out, try doing your work by an open window, it counts.