Today we want to share 10 ideas on the best habits of fit and healthy people. It is our belief that developing good habits goes along way to creating a fit and healthy life. Check it out and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.  We wrote about how to make a plan for your best healthy life here

Habit #1: To Exercise or Not? Answer - It Is Not an Option - Healthy people get exercise on a regular basis. They rarely wonder if they should go to the gym or not, they just go. Their WHY keeps them inspired each and every day. They work out with gusto, some because they love it, and for some, it is simply necessary for good health, a great body, disease prevention and overall well-being.

Habit #2: Moderation - Healthy people understand moderation. They don’t eat whole bags of chips, and they do not regularly eat junk food or unhealthy sweets. They have accepted that these foods are not conducive to their health and they are simply not a regular diet choice.

Healthy people enjoy an occasional indulgence, however, instead of eating a whole slice of cake, they eat one or two bites. Some may occasionally order French fries, but it is only on a rare occasion.

They pay attention to portion sizes and avoid mindless eating that can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Their typical diet is filled with life-affirming real organic foods that support their health, improve their energy levels and prevent chronic disease.

Habit #3: Setting Priorities - Health-conscious people know how to set priorities. They don’t look for excuses to skip a workout, instead, they make those workouts a priority, even if that means skipping an evening out, or postponing some other activity that interferes. Exercise always takes priority on their daily schedules. In fact, their workouts are scheduled just like any other important event in their lives.

Habit #4: Goal Setting - Healthy people set goals that they wish to achieve. Whether it is to maintain a certain weight, or to lift a certain weight, or to improve some aspect of their fitness and health level, they set goals and plan what needs to be done to achieve them.

Habit #5: Set Time for Relaxation - Healthy people set aside time for relaxation and plan activities that help them to de-stress. They understand that self-care is not only about the things you do, but also about things you don’t do. Too much work, the hustle and bustle of life and everyday tension that results from a busy lifestyle must be counteracted with enough relaxation so that stress does not become an impact on good health.

Healthy people understand that relaxation is a reset button and they take the time to push that button regularly.

Habit #6: Stay In Touch With Their Bodies - Healthy people are in touch with their bodies. They pay attention to what their body and their mind needs as they strive for optimal health and wellness.

Habit #7: Social Relationships - Healthy people strive for healthy social interactions and interpersonal relationships. They know that their emotional state and overall fulfillment plays a key role in their health.

Habit #8: Sleep - A big part of self-care is getting enough sleep every single night. Health conscious people strive to do so because it helps them to be healthier and function at their very best throughout the day.

Habit #9: Hydration - Drink water - drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Aside from flushing out harmful toxins from your body, it can also get rid of excess heat. In addition, enough amounts of water can also help you maintain your weight, prevent constipation, even help you think better.

“You’re not sick; you’re thirsty. Don’t treat thirst with medication.” Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

Habit #10: Breathing - Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or tired? Need to add a little calm and relaxation into your day?

Well... lucky for us there’s a way to bring calm to our bodies - and it’s all about how you breathe. In fact, you can energize or relax your body just by changing the way you breathe.

Pranayama helps correct poor breathing patterns that can help pull your body out of “fight-or-flight” mode. It helps you to relax and feel more balanced.

Lay down with your back on the floor (you don’t have to lay down, but it helps). Keep your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart, and feet on the ground.

With your mouth slightly open and your tongue just behind your teeth, inhale slowly, feeling your chin raise ever-so-slightly toward the ceiling. Breathe in for 6 to 8 counts, nice and slowly.

Next, exhale through your nose for 3 to 4 counts (half as long as you inhaled), slowly returning your head to its starting position.

In just a few breaths, you will notice your thoughts start to slow down and your body begin to relax.

This form of breathing helps relieve anxiety, anger and agitation, and even sleep disturbances.

How About You?

Start where you are. Meaning pick one habit idea and practice it until it becomes your healthy habit. Then pick another habit idea and practice it until it becomes your healthy habit and so on down the list.

Over the course of the next year improving your habits you will begin to see a new you.

Share your thoughts in the comments below

Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you.

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I’ve heard is said that at any given time in our society that 10% of the population has vibrant good health and about the same has sickness meaning this 10% is under doctor’s care. In the middle is somewhere in between. Not good health or bad health.

There does seem to be a common belief that we have no control over how we feel, and many say that their illnesses are normal because they run in the family. This is simply not true. You and I actually have more control over how we feel than we believe. There are some very common things that we can do to move toward that top 10% who have vibrant good health and you may be surprised that it is not as challenging as you may think.

Here is an idea/plan for health and fitness first

Eat Well To Live Well With Life-Affirming Foods

There are many, many diets on the market today! The spectrum spans from vegan to paleo, raw food to blood type diets and so much in between. I feel the reason there are so many different types of ideas for eating for a healthy lifestyle is that there are so many different types of people on this earth who eat.

At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to experiment with any of the ideas that you may feel would be best for you. I can tell you over the years that I have tried many different diets from a vegetarian diet, blood type diet and finally landed on a Paleo-ish diet.

The reason I say Paleo-ish is because a few years ago I realized that gluten and wheat, were not serving me in the best way and I eliminated them from my diet. I have since learned that many people don’t do well on these foods, so that is something for you to think about.

You see having the awareness to see and feel what works it the most beneficial thing you can do as you go through change. When you are experimenting with a type of diet or way of eating see how you feel.

For example: when I attempted a vegetarian diet, I was hungry and tired all the time and I just kept gaining weight. Yet I continued eating this way for months and months because I had heard it was “supposed to be healthy”.

So, when I began eating a paleo-ish diet I found for the first time in my adult life I was not hungry all the time.

I was thinking clearer, and my energy improved in a way that afternoon naps were no longer a necessity for my life. It was remarkable.

Yet if I hadn’t done the years of experimenting, I wouldn’t know if it were the right way for me to eat. The other thing that has happened to me that for the first time I think in my life food is an amazing experience, the flavours are outstanding and it is fun to enjoy good quality food, eating at my own dining room table. Even the odd evening when I don’t really feel like cooking, there is something that can be whipped up that fits my needs and tastes excellent.

 Eat Well

 The most vital thing that we do is to eat 1 ingredient foods, veggies, fruits. dairy (again if you can eat dairy and be sure that is it organic), beef, lamb, pork (pastured is best without question) same for poultry, wild fish, nuts/seeds.

 We cook our foods at home (this has been a challenge for me and the benefit is I am becoming a much better cook because of this commitment to cooking at home, we buy organic produce that we go to the farm and pick up each couple of weeks ( amazing tastes and flavours by the way).

I heard this saying, “eat fresh to live fresh” and a philosophy we live by.

So definitely I strongly recommend learning how to cook in your own kitchen and a way to do this is to find a cookbook that serves your needs.

Begin by picking 3 recipes, continue to make them until perfected then find 3 more and so on. You will become an expert in the kitchen doing this.

 Now some may say that this is a lot of work. Yes, it is. However, with planning and creating a system of cooking it is totally doable for your better health.

 Yet, remember that there are many ways to eat and you must find the way that feeds your body, your mind, and your soul!

 If you are looking for a Paleo Cookbook we recommend The PaleoHacks Cookbook – you can check out it here - https://bit.ly/2YaUujZ

Move Well With Movement As Medicine

Get moving because it matters for your health. There are two different things to think about here. Good Health & Moving for your Fitness:

 One is movement and that could be walking each day. This is one of the simplest ways to get in movement as medicine practice and definitely vital for good health.

 The other aspect of the proper movement is moving for fitness. Being strong for a lifetime.

 Strong bodies, strong minds is a lifetime plan!

 So, fitness could look like bodyweight exercise, lifting weights, moving kettlebells, or you may enjoy Pilates.

 Yoga could be a great addition to your fitness week.

 The point of the proper movement, exercise, and fitness is consistency!

 Do some every day and realize the benefits are accumulated over your lifetime. Figure out a way to make it fun, challenging, empowering and most of all an activity you will do most days of the week.

 I really enjoy kettlebell training, HIIT training, lifting weights, stretching, going for walks, hikes in nature, and find ways to include it in my lifestyle daily.
​
 If you are looking for a home workout recommend The Home Workout Revolution and you can check it out here - http://go.earlytorise.net/SH1X

Proper Sleep

Sleep is really the forgotten health ingredient and is a huge health issue today for reducing stress and anxiety.

In fact, I heard a while back that if we just focused on better sleep most of the health issues people suffer from today would just go away! That is how important sleep is for better health. Remember better sleep, better health, less stress, lose weight.

Tips for Proper Sleep:

 Get to sleep by 10:30 pm. Wind down prior to this time. Going to bed at 10:00 and falling asleep at 11:00 doesn’t count. Physical Repair is between 10:00 pm and 2 am. After 2 am the immune/repair energies are more focused on mental repair, which lasts until we awaken.

 Minimize the exposure to bright lights, (fluorescent lights, at least 2 hours before going to bed.)

 Sleep in a completely dark room.

 Avoid the consumption of stimulants (caffeine, sugar, and nicotine) after lunch.

 Be very mindful of desserts at dinner containing alcohol, sugar and or caffeine again these might stimulate and cause trouble sleeping.

 Eat balanced meals, particularly at dinner.

 Drink plenty of water, dehydration causes the body to feel stressed and the stress hormones are awakening hormones.

 Exercise. This will help you sleep better at night. Do be aware of the time of day you train, intense training after dinner can increase cortisol levels making it hard to get to sleep.

 Consider moving electrical appliances in your bedroom to the other side of the room from the bed.

Have a Support System in Place

Change can be a huge challenge and if you don’t have the support system in place to succeed it just won’t happen. And I know this is true because I could not have made all the changes I have made without my partner and the support system that we have in place!

So, find someone to support you on your journey to health. Connect with me and let me know how you are doing with this one and let me know how I can support you on this journey.

When we really think about it, our journey and the wisdom in that journey is the gift of learning how to live with health first and really begin to realize that we are not destined to live with the poor health or the illnesses of our family or friends. If we begin to look at improving health, fitness, sleep, eating well, the journey will be triumphant!

One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to know your WHY!

It really does start with getting absolutely clear on YOUR WHY.

WHY do you want to feel better, move better, sleep better and live your best life?
It really is that SIMPLE! And sometimes if it sounds simple, we make it hard and unachievable!

Why do you want to gain your health and fitness?

What drives you to succeed at this goal?

How will it feel for you to achieve better health and fitness?

Write this down and really feel it! See it in your mind how it will feel once you achieve your desired health. Once you do that then gain the knowledge you need to have success with your health and fitness and find the support from people who are around you or find NEW people to support you.

This is how important support is for your good health.

I began this journey many years ago and can share from my experience that finding my health began with being with my mother in the hospital where she had fallen and broke her hip. I knew that evening that if I didn’t make the changes necessary to move toward health, I would be my mother’s poor health in the years to come.

That vision of change has fueled me all these years and continues to fuel my health and fitness goals today.

What is your WHY to gain clarity with your health and fitness first plan?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. 

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Motivation works best when it comes after the action has already started. If that’s the case, then what can you do to get motivated?

1. Start by doing something. Anything. Any action itself inspires motion.

How do you do that?

By using the momentum of a project that you're already engaged in, you're able to use your current forward motion to encourage you to keep going. It's the difference between the ‘carrot' and the ‘stick.'

In the old classic analogy, to move a donkey forward (donkeys being stubborn creatures) you have two choices. One is to use a stick. In this case, the ‘stick’ is the old way of motivating ourselves, where we try to force ourselves into action by throwing a lot of “You must do this now” statements at ourselves.

But in starting action first, we now switch over to the ‘carrot’ or the reward. This method of motivation is much more positive because you’re looking at the fact that you’re already doing something and asking yourself to keep going. Think, “Hooray for you, look at how much you’ve gotten done today, let’s see how much more you can do!”

I learned many years ago the idea of “Just Show Up”. For example, if you are someone that does not enjoy going to the gym then your first action step is just show up at the gym.

Once you walk through the door you can leave because you achieved your desired outcome.

Yet, what might happen for you is you might do some exercise. You may get on a treadmill or lift some weights. And if might feel good.

Then just show up again tomorrow. Over the next few weeks of giving the “just show up” idea a try you may in fact have created a new habit of going to the gym.

The problem is, sometimes action alone isn’t doing it, and we’re still forcing ourselves along.

That’s where the second method comes into play.

2. Act ‘As-if”

The idea behind this method is simple – you act like you’re already motivated, and amazingly, you’ll feel motivated. Act as if you are already on the road to improve your health and fitness.

It’s kind of like making yourself smile when you’re not happy, only to find out once you’re smiling that you’re feeling happier.

Together these two tools will motivate you even when you're not feeling inspired initially.

Remember that action is the key.

So, act first – the motivation will follow.

You’ll be amazed at the difference.

Share your thoughts in the comments. ​

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A survey once showed that the number 1 resolution that most people make on New Year’s Day is to lose weight or get fit. The survey also went on to show that this very same resolution was the one most often broken by end January or February.
 
So why are people not able to keep at it? Where did the initial excitement go? Why have they wasted money on an expensive gym membership but stopped going?
 
The answer is inspiration. Many think that they require motivation to stay on track when in fact they must be inspired from within to achieve the health and fitness goals they say they want to achieve.
 
In the beginning, there is the initial excitement of starting something new. The future seems happy with a healthy, toned body.
 
However, once the excitement dies down, and people realise that results are not coming fast, they lose interest and it all becomes mundane and even unpleasant.
 
I have listed a few ways to help you find your inspiration to keep on keeping on. When the going gets tough, these tips will keep you going. When you don’t see the results as fast as you want, these methods will give you the patience and persistence to forge ahead.

• Write down WHY you want to lose weight, get fit, build muscle, get, and stay health etc. Define YOUR strong WHY. Keep asking why until you get to the real truth. Why do you want to get fit? Because you want to feel better and lose weight Why? So, you look good, have more self-confidence and have more energy? Why must you look good and have more energy? So, your self-confidence improves because you look good, and you feel your body is vital and energized. THAT is the why. To feel amazing and self-confident. To feel energized each day. Keep digging till you get to the truth.

 

• Find a training partner so that each of you can encourage each other when one of you is down. This is how I began exercising years ago. A friend and I joined a gym together. We had a plan that we would work out together and we did that for over 2 years. It was an amazing experience for me for so many reason, we had a lot of fun and I was able to change my body from being overweight to being in the best shape of my life at that time.

 

• Do NOT stop. If your schedule was very busy on a certain day and you do not have time for a one-hour workout, do not just skip it and feel guilty. Do a quick 10 minutes of push-ups and squats. Or maybe skipping for 15 minutes. A quick workout that leaves you gasping for air. It will make you feel better and more energized but more importantly you will feel inspired because you did not quit.

 

• Recognising when you ate something that wasn’t in your plan but carrying on. Many people get sidetracked on their diets and once they do, they just give up on it and eat whatever they want. Understand that this happens to all of us once in a while but it’s not over. Tell yourself that it’s ok and be sure that you enjoyed every single bite in that moment. Just because you gave in to temptation and had a slice of pizza does not mean you should finish the whole pizza. Tomorrow is a new day and you have the opportunity to begin again with your plan.

 

• Keep your workouts exciting. My plan includes walking, sprinting, lifting weights, stretching. There is variety every day. Do not let your training become monotonous and predictable.

 

• Listen to music while training. It beats listening to your panting and gasping. Change your music often too. Music that is upbeat, catchy and with fast beats.

 
All of us go through periods when we are feeling down or just not in the mood. It is perfectly normal. The key point to note is that if you’re not in the mood for a long workout, just do a short one.
 
Never stop and never give up. Read your “why” that you wrote before, whenever you just feel like quitting. Remember your “why”, and then get back on track.
 
What inspires you to keep going?

Be sure to get in touch with us if you have any questions or we can help you.
 
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“Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind and spirit – the realization that everything we do, think, feel and believe has an effect on our state of well-being.” – Greg Anderson

How you look at your day is a big part of living with wellness for your best life!

Living in our modern world, you most likely know what it feels like to be over-scheduled and maybe not feeling as well as you would like!

You know what it feels like to care of others more than you do for yourself. You know what it feels like to put yourself last because someone who depends on you needs your time.

I know this firsthand being a live in caregiver for many years!  There were many times I saw how vital it was for me to improve my wellness and take some time for me!

Sadly, I learnt this a little too late. You see I burnt out taking care of my mother. I ended up getting sick and could not get out of bed for three weeks. It was not pretty, and it was at this time that my mother had to move into a Long-Term Care Home. It was a stressful time for sure and definitely a sad time for me.

Below are some ideas that I have learned since my mother passed away on how I could have improved my mindset, wellness and well-being to take better care of myself during my time as a live in caregiver.  

You know what it is like to work hard all day and come home to take care of responsibilities at home, too, right? 

Or you work hard at home all day and still your work doesn’t end just because the sun sets.

Being on emotional and psychological overload has become a way of life for us modern humans. We modern humans are strong and can handle a lot, but sometimes in the cycle, seem to lose sight of the fact that that in order to keep giving to those we love we have to recharge, and center ourselves again.

The following wellness tips can help you improve your day and you’ll discover that when you feel better mentally, physically and emotionally, you feel better all over.

Tip #1 – If you’re overextended, ask for help. If you feel like a mouse chasing the cheese and the cheese keeps four steps ahead of you, then you’re doing too much. It’s normal to want to handle responsibilities without wanting to ask for help. But when you’re too busy, that can lead to feelings of stress or burning out. And this is definitely something you don’t want to have happen to you.

Tip #2 – Get rid of negativity. If you have relationships that are bad for you, it’s time to cut ties. Surround yourself with positive people – people who will nourish you and support you. Let go of past emotional hurts and anything that ties you to a negative experience.

Tip #3 – Just STOP! As a modern human, you are so busy, so on the go that you never just stop and do nothing. Even on days off, you’re busy doing something that you feel has to be taken care of. Give yourself time to stop. Take off – be unavailable to everyone but you. Meditate, get involved in yoga or something else that relaxes you. Find a way to experience joy each day.

Tip #4 – Take part in activities that you enjoy. We often let go of what we enjoy doing. We push it off to the side because we don’t feel we have the time. Make time for the activities you love.

Tip #5 – Physical health, including eating life-affirming real foods, good sleep, and daily exercise, is closely tied into mental well being. Make sure that you are taking care of yourself through learning and creating home cooked meals, getting plenty of good rest and exercising daily.

Tip #6 – Unload your burdens. Don’t carry around stress inside. We all need an outlet to talk about the things that bother or upset us. Talk to your friends, a therapist, or even use a journal to get out the things that give you a heavy mental load.

Tip #7 – Live your passion. If you feel stuck or you feel like life is passing you by – or this isn’t what you signed up for, change it. It’s never too late to chase a passion you have. You might not be able to pack up and move to Paris today if that’s your dream but take smaller steps to reach that goal if that’s what you want.

Now normally my go to practice for improving my mental/emotional wellbeing as well as physical is I exercise daily either by getting out for a walk, running hill sprints, lifting weights and stretching.  The vital thing to keep in mind with exercise, intense exercise to be specific is you must be sure that you are not too stressed already. If this is the case it might be better to slow down and simply go for the walk and save the intense workout for another day.

Sometimes exercise for me is about the meditation of slow movement and sometimes it is about high intensity interval training!  

Either way this practice has been hugely beneficial for me!

What 1 tip do you feel will help you improve your mental wellbeing?
 
Share your comments below!

Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. 

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Most likely more than most people are getting. I have heard it said that sleep is the forgotten Pillar of Health.

Many years ago, I was listening to a podcast with Robb Wolf and in that podcast, he stated if most people just got more sleep and better quality sleep we would be healthier. Period. (Read more from Robb Wolf on sleep here - https://robbwolf.com/2014/02/13/importance-good-night-sleep/)

So, if we just paid more attention to getting more sleep and better-quality sleep, we would feel better.

Lack of quality sleep can cause stress! And that is not good. Did you know that 8 out of 10 people see their primary doctor because of stress related health issues? Crazy important to pay attention to our sleep.

The amount of sleep that a person requires varies as they age. Newborn babies, for example, require anywhere from 12 to 18 hours of sleep per day. While an adult can manage on only 7 hours.

The biggest thing to understand is that there is no magic number when it comes to sleep. Sleep patterns are as individual as your personality.

The quality of your sleep is often more important than the actual number of hours. OK read that again! The quality of your sleep is often more important than the actual numbers of hours.

Your mood and energy levels are a good indication of sleep deprivation.

People who do not have quality sleep are at more risk of being involved in a car accident, are at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Plus, many people find that they gain weight when they do not sleep enough for long periods of time.

So how much sleep does a person need?

Consider this:

The best way to determine just how much sleep you require is to pay attention to your body. Note things such as what kind of mood you are in, are you feeling more hungry than usual and how much energy you have.

Pay attention to how many nights per week that you do get enough sleep. If this number is low, then you may want to look at your sleep habits and make some changes.

Quite often having a warm bath or shower before going to bed can make a huge difference. Drinking coffee or alcohol too close to bedtime can be a huge issue for a good night’s sleep. In fact, it is best not to drink coffee after 2pm at the latest if you find coffee is causing you issues with your sleep!

One of the best ways to realize the quality of your sleep is to keep a sleep journal!
Each morning make notes on last nights sleep quality.

After noting your sleep habits for a few weeks, you will be able to determine just how much sleep your body requires.

Tips for quality sleep:

 Sleep in a completely dark room – either use black out curtains or a eye mask
 Get to sleep before 10:30pm on a regular basis
 Vigorous exercise at least 3-4 hours before sleep time
 Eliminate coffee, alcohol in evening if you find it is causing issues with your sleep quality
 Eliminate sugar (desserts) in the evening if they are causing sleep quality issues
 Take a technology break at least 1 hour before bedtime
 Dim the lights at least 1 hour before bedtime

How much sleep does a person need?

It depends and only you will know what the right amount for you is.

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help.

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There are many articles written every day about using exercise for better health. And some even discuss using exercise/movement as medicine. Now, what the heck does that mean, right?

Well here is what I have felt and now continue to learn, exercise, fitness, will transform your health and as David Katz, MD says “Lifestyle is Medicine.”

Now in my mind that is powerful! And exercise can no longer be simply something you will do in the future, well think about anyway. You must take action to transform your health, your life and today is the perfect time to begin.

We really need to get up and get moving to have a lifestyle transformation!

Here is what I have learned so far about why exercise is so vital for your lifestyle transformation.

 exercise reduces stress (the topic of stress comes up every day, and especially now as we live through this global pandemic, so stress is a big deal)
 if you are not participating in exercise/movement right now, begin a program as an experiment to see for yourself how much better you can feel
 exercise makes a difference for a healthy heart
 exercise is the first of the 6 pillars of wellness according to David Katz, MD
 physical activity affects longevity
 physical activity affects quality of life
 anyone can exercise anywhere (short bursts of exercise) even if you are living is a small space
 “if a women diagnosed with breast cancer increases her exercise activity she decreases her risk of death by 45%” Lisa Alschuler, ND

Loving your body and engaging in a regular exercise work-out plan is a fool-proof way to a healthier you. Physical fitness is your body’s ability to do tasks and leisure activities. It is your body’s capacity to withstand stress, endure and perform certain tasks under certain circumstances.

Exercise talks about an over-all focus on the body – the heart, the lungs, the muscles, and the other organs of the body. Your body’s fitness is dependent on your physical limitations and capacities as well as your lifestyle – the food you eat and your daily habits.

Remember not to overdo your exercise. A daily walk may sound good, but a daily session of hundreds push-ups and squats may do more harm than good to your muscles.

Space your physical activities such that the body is used to a variety of physical activities, ranging from the simple to the more complex, from cardiovascular exercises to strength exercises. Two to three work-out sessions for a week is a good way to start. As you progress in your activities, you can now increase the frequency or duration of your exercises.

(The Home Workout Revolution is the program we suggest- http://go.earlytorise.net/SH1X)

Of course, keeping fit and staying fit means listening to your body.

Allow your body to adjust with each change in routine and exercises. And most of all, never be discouraged.

Take note, achieving the health you want is not an overnight miracle.

A physically fit body means lesser chances of acquiring lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease or even cancer. It also spells a more active and alert mind, improved ability to cope with stress and more reserved energy for your daily activities.
And let’s not forget a more confident YOU!

How do you see exercise for great health?

Have you been able to implement an exercise program for your great health?
​
Share your thoughts below!

Be sure to get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you.

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PPS – If you are not sure on an effective exercise program be sure to check out The Home Workout Revolution – complete with instruction videos for your lifestyle transformation exercise for great health success! Learn more about the fitness program we have in our own exercise toolbox. http://go.earlytorise.net/SH1X

I have always thought of myself as a person that has a high level of Mental Toughness, this is something that I have worked on consciously over many years of my life!

Creating a strong mind has been really important for me because there has been so much stress in my life as a live-in caregiver, extreme family conflict over the past 20 years.

Because of this I have made it a point to develop good habits and I do believe this is a part of my mental toughness for sure.

A few years ago I spent time learning at The Evolution of Medicine Online Summit is has me thinking of this idea of mental toughness to live a life where you have Lifestyle as Medicine.

Creating great habits where the 6 Pillars of Well-being are lived easily and effortlessly!

Living in a way that honors the 6 Pillars of Well-being actually for the most part allows you to have Lifestyle as Medicine because you are exercising/practicing movement as medicine, eating real organic food/eating life-affirming foods for your best life, not smoking, getting good quality sleep, meditating, practicing breath work and connecting with those people that you love!

Over the past 17-18 years of my life without even knowing at first these habits had a name I began this journey of change.

One little change at a time, even when it was super difficult, I stuck with it. Today I believe this is a lifetime journey because there are always things we can improve in our life!

“𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥.” – 𝐑𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧

So, my question today is, do you know that the level of your mental toughness is directly related to your habits?

Actually, not many people are aware of this. Instead they think that being mentally tough is something you were born with. It is not, you can develop and improve your mental toughness in all areas of life!

A habit is a routine that you follow each day, almost without thinking. No one has to tell you to brush your teeth each morning, it is a habit.

How high would you say your mental toughness is? Answer the following:

• Do you give up on exercise when it gets tough?
• Do you find excuses for everything?
• Are you stuck losing weight regardless of what you do?

If you answered yes to any of these then your mental toughness needs working on.

When you allow excuses to stop you, you are only hurting yourself. It is not really your lack of motivation or willpower it is your lack of mental toughness.

When you have mental toughness, you do not allow obstacles or excuses to block your way. Instead you commit to work through regardless of any circumstance.

The easiest way to improve your mental toughness is by developing your habits. Pick one thing that you want to become a habit and work on it. It only takes about 21 days for a habit to become ingrained in your mind. That really isn't that long now is it?

If you want to reduce your weight with those last 10 pounds but haven't given up your daily sodas yet.

Get tough mentally and stop drinking them so you can reduce those last few pounds to feel better. I do know that this can be very challenging because many years ago, almost 25 years ago in fact I was drinking pop/soda by the bucket each day. At that time, I was 100 lbs. overweight, and had many health challenges.

Now what I had to do was find a positive substitute that I could replace the sodas with and at first it was bubbly soda water, then ultimately it was pure, clean filtered water that now has been my daily habit for almost 18 years. It was tough in the beginning, but by sticking with it, the habit was created! And by sticking to the idea of creating good habits I was able to reduce my weight by 100 lbs and my health and energy improved.

Another example is wanting to run in a but you haven't yet. Identify what it is that is stopping you and think about how badly you want it. If you want this with all of your heart and soul you will achieve it.

This means you will have to find you WHY with clarity. You will then find time to fit in your training runs and this will fill you with a sense of accomplishment.

What all of this boils down to is how determined you are. To succeed all you need is the perseverance to keep on going. This means scheduling and planning out your runs/fitness programs/real food daily meals and putting the tools into place so that you succeed.

To become a mentally tough person you need to be willing to stay true to yourself. This entails not going off track or getting right back on track if you find yourself derailed and be willing to find a way to get things done.

So, my question today is, do you know that the level of your mental toughness is directly related to your habits?

I believe so and it would be great to hear how you developed your habits through your mental toughness in the comments area below.

What mental toughness exercises do you practice regularly?

Be sure to share your thoughts and ideas on how mental toughness develops good habits below. 

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“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” - Confucius

“Mindset Matters”, right? The mind is such a powerful tool and one that is often underutilized by many people. If you are not satisfied with life a change in mindset might be in order to live your best life.

As we navigate the “global pandemic” waters I am hearing more comments about how mindset matters and it is especially vital in tough times. Making changes to live the life you really want may be a challenge however developing a mental toughness will help.

It really is so easy to blame others for not having what you want in life. This really boils down to our outlook and attitude and combined this makes up the level of mental toughness in life. Being tough mentally doesn't mean you are a big person with large muscles!

No, instead it means that you know exactly what you want out of life and are prepared to go after it. You have passion and commitment to do the work necessary.

So how do we develop our attitude, increase our confidence levels and get that mental toughness?

Start by considering the following ideas:

1. Gratitude - Always be grateful for what you do have in your life. Stop concentrating on what you don't have. Negative thinking uses up a ton of energy, so why not put your energy into positive thinking instead? Be grateful for what you have, and I have heard it said there is always something to be grateful for.

2. Connection - You can improve your outlook by surrounding and connecting with positive thinking people. Find people that have the same goals as you and spend time with them. Their positive energy will rub off on you and you will start acting and thinking in a more positive way. Now, right at this moment in time you might say I can’t be with other people. If that is the case find like minded people online and connect with them.

3. Affirmations - Change your mindset by thinking positive thoughts each day. It can help to use positive mindset quotes and affirmations, find ones that you like and start using them daily. Thinking in a positive manner can help to relieve your stress. Stop thinking about things that could go wrong. Instead focus on how they can turn out better than you expected.

4. Nature - Fresh air can really help improve your mind. It is so easy to spend too much time inside at your computer. Make time to get outside and take advantage of the natural sunlight. It can do wonders for your body, mind and spirit.

Consider the one idea above that you can begin right now to improve your mindset. Allow yourself to lean into what you can do to develop the mental toughness necessary to live your best life.

Mindset Matters, right?

Let us know your thoughts below.

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I had someone ask this question many years ago and I took some time to find an answer on this.

It was really surprising to me that I easily found quite a bit of information in all my resources on nutrition. There is quite an abundance of good solid info on nutrition.

Nutrition Defined: the study of foods, their nutrients and other chemical components, their actions and interactions in the body, and their influence on health and disease.

In our Holistic Lifestyle business, we coach our clients with the philosophy that - "Only life defends against death. If you want to live, eat foods that support life". Now Gregg Braden calls these kinds of foods, “life-affirming” and I feel this is a great way to think about food.

Real food and organic is best. Thinking about real food as the highest quality available.

Nutrients: substances obtained from food and used in the body to promote growth, maintenance, and repair.

Foods like protein powders, packaged processed foods have a lot of additives, preservatives, coloring, emulsifiers, synthetic flavors, stabilizers and all sorts of things that create what Paul Chek calls random energetics and often linear inputs.
Most foods people eat today cause the cells to behave in ways that do not create interconnectedness or harmony between the cells, glands, organs and/or systems of the body.

Optimal nutrition provides harmony with the body.

The 6 Classes of Nutrients are:
1. 1.Carbohydrate
2. 2.Fat
3. 3.Protein
4. 4.Vitamins
5. 5.Minerals
6. 6.Water

Yet when I went to look for the definition of Diet it was not so simple. There were pages of info on the many, many different kinds of diets, however, no definition of simply what a diet is.

So, I went to Wikipedia and found this: In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism.

This may be why we are so confused about what foods to consume for great nutrition?
The diet vs nutrition question is out of whack!

Way too many people are focused on a diet, maybe the latest fad that might seem like a quick and easy fix to what ails you rather than on looking at our food intake from a nutrition viewpoint.

As I wrote earlier in this piece and other posts I have written over the years, my feelings are Real Organic Foods, cooked in our own kitchen are the only choice for your best life.

Organic fruits and vegetables, locally grown when possible.

Protein sources that are raised naturally in the field as mother nature intended. Grass fed and finished beef, pastured chicken and pork, wild seafood etc.

Diet vs Nutrition does not need to be confusing!

Enjoy real organic foods for your best life!

It seems to me that the issue around our topic today is that most individuals today don't cook at home!

Most eat a quick meal, and not real foods.

The easiest way to remedy this is to begin learning how to cook by picking 3 recipes and make them until your skills are good at those 3 recipes, then add 3 more.

If you are looking for great recipes to help you become a cook, we suggest you DISCOVER THE HAPPY SIDE OF HEALTHY…ONE RECIPE AT A TIME.
Eat More Burn More isn’t a diet. It isn’t a new health craze. It’s a way of eating healthy and delicious food that is GOOD for you. Food you can feel good about putting in your body. Get it here: http://go.earlytorise.net/SH2p
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Now is the time to begin eating real organic foods cooked by you in your kitchen today!

Finally, put the Diet vs Nutrition question to rest.

Are you giving your body life-affirming foods?

Be sure to get in touch if we can help you. 

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If you want to be a more positive person, sometimes it just takes appreciating the good that is already in your life. This can be done by expressing gratitude.

Here are some different ways you can express gratitude every day.

1. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫

IF you want to be more grateful for others and show your gratitude, be an active listener. This means not just hearing what someone says, but really absorbing what they are telling you. Don’t use your phone when someone is talking to you. Look them in the eyes and take in what they are telling you. This is active listening and shows the other person that you care about what they have to say.

2. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥

One way many people like to show gratitude is by writing it down in their journal. This is something you can do every day, by writing down at least one thing each day you are grateful for. Some days will repeat, which is okay! Other days, there will be a specific situation that you appreciate. It is okay to just be grateful you woke up and have your health, that you have a job, or something as simple as eating one of your favourite things.

3. 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮

Remember to tell people when you are grateful for them. Whether they have done something to help you, gave you a compliment, or were just there for you, this is a good reason to show your appreciation. A simple thank you is enough, but when someone goes above and beyond, really tell them how much you appreciate them and that you are very thankful to have them in your life. This little gesture means so much to the person receiving the gratitude.

4. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐫

If you don’t want to write down all the reasons you are grateful in your journal, try creating a gratitude jar. You can use small pieces of paper to write down one thing you are grateful for each day, fold it up, and put it in the jar. This is a fun activity you can do with your family as well, helping everyone to be more grateful. It is also a great gift for others, where you can personalize an empty jar for them and give them paper and pens to use for the gratitude jar.

5. 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬

You can also express your gratitude through your actions. You don’t always have to be vocal about how much you appreciate someone else and how they have improved your life, but instead, show them through how you help them. Volunteer to help them with a big project, show up when they are going through a rough time, and invite them to spend time with you. When you go out of your way to be there for other people, they can feel your gratitude.
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Share how you express gratitude below

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Like a computer, our brain can only hold so much information at one time. Usually, that involves thousands of subconscious decisions every second, our brain constantly feeding our body information it needs to keep the blood pumping and the body moving.

But that can also include thousands more conscious thoughts as well, decisions and choices we make every day that race across our mind like the Indianapolis 500.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐩?

If you're like most people with an active mind, those thoughts can be overwhelming at times. It's hard to move past those thoughts and find a sense of peace that comes from a still mind, but one of the best ways to clear your head is by utilizing a brain dump.

A brain dump is exactly as it sounds: you take the thoughts that are in your head and dump them onto another storage device, like a journal or a piece of paper.

The brain can only process a fraction of what's inside your brain at any one time, so removing them from active memory to a place where you can see and recall them at any time helps the body feel relaxed and increases your productivity.

No longer are you worried about what you're going to make for dinner, now the only thing that matters is the task at hand.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐭

The benefits of a brain dump can be enormous. For instance, you'll regain a clarity and peace of mind that may have eluded you. You'll feel more in control of your life, you'll regain some of those still thoughts that were missing from your life, and you might even attain a deeper level of sleep and relaxation. Moreover, your productivity will skyrocket now that you have all the extra space and freedom to think about what you need to think about.

If you've never done a brain dump before, it's remarkably easy, although may take some time to get the hang of it. Grab a journal or notebook and begin to write the words that come to your mind freely and quickly. Don't worry about grammar or word choice or even spelling, just put whatever comes to your mind on the paper as fast as you can. Depending on how full your mind is, you may end up with anywhere from one paragraph to ten pages, but no matter what, get those thoughts out of you!

In creative writing, this process is called rewriting.

Authors use it all the time when they encounter a mental block because it removes the hesitancy and subconscious biases that may be blocking perfectly good words from coming out on the page. In life, it's no different.
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There may be feelings and thoughts we have that keep us from being the person we know we need to be. In this case, utilizing an effective brain dump is not only extremely helpful to get our work on track but vital to keeping our life in balance.

Share your thoughts and ideas on the idea of a Brain Dump with us in the comments

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When you are busy creating new habits to improve your health, fitness and life, remember that you can have a new habit for each area of your life. You don’t have to be restricted to just healthy habits or just regular daily habits. There are many different types of habits that will benefit you greatly.

Where Do You Want To Focus?

Before creating a new habit, think of where in your life you feel you would most benefit. What area of your life where you don’t focus as much attention as the other areas of your life? Most people have at least one. This might mean you work hard but neglect your health. Or you eat very healthy, but you have trouble saving money. Maybe you don’t get enough sleep because you are always distracted at night.

This can tell you what areas you might want to focus on first before moving on to other habits.

What do You Complain About the Most?
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Another way to figure out where your new habits might start is based on what you tend to complain about. Think about the last time you complained to someone or yourself about what isn’t going your way, or what isn’t working in your life. Do you complain that you are always late to work, social events? What about the fact that your bills are late or your clothes don’t fit? Are you frustrated because you never have enough time to get everything done? These are good signs of where your habits might start.

Choosing Your New Habits

Remember that even if you come up with a list of new habits to form in your life, you still want to start with just one at a time. Even if you have 5 small habits all for the same end result, you want to start with just one of them before moving on to the next.

How do you know it is time to develop a new habit? When the last one you created is something you don’t even have to think about anymore. That is when you know you are ready for the next habit.

Everyone has habits each day of their life, even if you don’t realize it. They aren’t always something you constantly think about. It might be your cup of coffee in the morning, the way you tie your shoes or the way you drive to work. What you want to do now is create new habits that will further improve your health, fitness and your life.

How do you go about choosing new habits? Share your comments and ideas in the area below. 

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Getting organized is not just a good idea because your mom said so.
There are lots of benefits for your health and wellness to being in control and developing a clutter-free lifestyle.

In fact, we started with this idea about ten years ago. I am not sure if this kind of work is ever done however taking action and getting more organized has huge benefits.

Check it out:

1. Less stress

When organized you are automatically less stressed, you know where your keys, wallet, important papers, phone charger and phone are. This has been true for me as I have had some huge projects that I have had over the past few years and because I got them done and are up to date and you complete, I have no need to worry about on-the-spot requests for project updates or meetings. This is such a great feeling.

2. More time

Planning your time and keeping up-to-date means you can allocate time for everything in your life, including downtime.

Being organized means, you won’t get sidetracked or panicked by not being able to find important items. You’ll be punctual and more productive.

3. Ready for the unexpected

You can be prepared for last-minute requests or deadlines because you’re not distracted by untidiness or the mental cloud of not being quite sure where things stand. That is true for everything from planning your child’s birthday party to that big project at work you are overseeing.

4. Better health

Studies have shown that being organized has demonstrable health benefits. Lower stress levels mean lower blood pressure and less body inflammation. Also, your immune system is stronger, and you’re less likely to be at risk of depression. You set up a positive feedback loop that spills over into other areas of your life. Better organization habits lead to better eating, exercise and sleep habits. This has been certainly true for me.

5. Nothing feels overwhelming

Having your life running smoothly, means you’re much calmer and in a better mental position to deal with things. You can look at your to-do list without panicking because you know you can do it. You know that you can tackle the list task-by-task without feeling overwhelmed.

6. More energy

It might seem counter-intuitive but putting effort into planning and organizing your life gives you more energy. You’re less stressed because your mind isn’t obsessing about all the stuff you have to do. When you have a plan, you’re in control and know you can get it all done. If your papers, ideas, and tasks are in order, you can see a way through. Life is no longer a chaotic mystery!

Over the past few years, I have spent a great deal of time getting organized. Some of the things I have dealt with were huge jobs that took a great deal of time and energy to do and at points, I never thought that I would finish. Yet, sticking to my plan, doing the work and staying focused I did finish. And I am now organized. All my ducks are in a row as they say. This has helped me to feel calm, organized and ready for what comes.

Share any ideas on getting organized in the comments below.

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Today I want to share how to get started with your health and wellbeing plan.  Most of us have heard that there are a number of proactive things we can do for our health and wellbeing especially at this time.
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• Eat life-affirming foods – real organic food – home cooked
• Movement as Medicine
• Manage Stress
• And nurture your relationships

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Sounds pretty simple, right? It can be with the tiny changes (I wrote about making change here https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/small-changes-for-big-results) and the right mindset. And yet when we are stress, worried about finances, health, jobs, the world it can be a challenge to make tiny changes and focus our minds on what we can control (I wrote about focus on what you can control here https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/focus-on-things-you-can-control.)

So much about what we are hearing about this coronavirus is we need a strong immune system to be able to deal with this. No matte where our health is right now we can begin to make changes today and begin to see the benefits quickly. This is why it is so important at this time to eat life-affirming foods, real food, organic food cooked in our own kitchens. If you are not in the habit of cooking at home now is a perfect time and if you are in the habit of cooking at home now is the time to expand your repertoire of meals. Both Gregg Braden and Dave Asprey have said that by doing this one thing over the next few months we can see huge changes our health.

Now when it comes to exercise it seems to me that many don’t begin an exercise program because they don’t know how. Meaning if up to this point exercise has not been a habit now can be the time to begin. The weather is warming up, the sun is shining and lovely. So if you are open to beginning an exercise habits check out the idea below.

If you are a beginner starting a new workout program with no experience, we suggest the Home Workout Revolution System – a system we have had in our fitness toolbox for many years. You can see more on this program here http://go.earlytorise.net/SH1X What we like most is this system provides follow along videos specifically for the beginner as well as more advanced workouts as you progress in fitness levels.

Here are my suggestions if you are just getting started workout:

If you have never done any kind of exercise I would suggest start with walking. Put your sneakers on and get outdoors and walk for 20 minutes. This helps you start moving and help you get in the habit of movement as exercise. Getting out in the morning sun is a wonderful way to begin the day and get some sun for all the health benefits and it also helps with your sleep at night.

Walk most days of the week and keep this up for 30 days. Once you have achieved this WIN now it is time to begin to increase your fitness by doing bodyweight exercise (squats, lunges, push ups, plank, jumping jacks). This is a great place to begin because you don’t need any special equipment and you don’t need much space in your home.

The best exercise is doing something that you will enjoy. There are all kinds of exercise videos on YouTube for you to follow.

• Train at least 3 days per week for the first 8 – 12 weeks.
• Train three days a week with a day off between workouts.
For example, the schedule might look like this:
 ⇢ Monday—Workout
⇢ Tuesday—Off-day
⇢ Wednesday—Workout
⇢ Thursday—Off-day
⇢ Friday—Workout
 ⇢ Saturday and Sunday—Off-day
• Do 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise on off-days (walking is super great on these days), but don’t let this workout impair your recovery or limit your performance on the real workouts.
 • Start every workout with this warm-up circuit
 
Let us know if you have any questions. Be sure to get in touch and share your success.
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When you’re exercising and lifting weights, there are many different important factors that will impact on the outcome of your training. There’s the program you pick, there’s your dedication to the training and there’s the amount of time you dedicate to it.

Yet, one of the most important factors of all and something that often gets overlooked, is the importance of your thoughts and mindset about your fitness. There are many reasons why how we think is critical for your training, which we will see now.

Don’t’ Make Your Fitness A Chore

Often you hear people talking about training as though it were a challenge or a chore. They talk about how crucial it is to have the ‘will’ to train and to force yourself out of the bed every day, even when you don’t want to.

They talk about ‘no pain, no gain’ and ‘eye of the tiger’.

And that’s all good and well – drive will certainly help you to get to the workout and commit to your training program. But you know what’s even better?

To actually want to go to the workout. To feel as though any time you’re not training is time wasted, to be itching to get there at every opportunity.

This is how all the most successful athletes feel. This is how Arnold Schwarzenegger describes feeling. This is what gives you unstoppable inspiration/motivation and drive to achieve your health/fitness goals.

If you’re going to reach this point, then that means you need to understand why it is you’re training and what it is that really appeals to you about the idea of working out. That means you need a vision and a goal, and you need to be able to feel completely inspired/motivated by that ideal.

Lifting More - Find Your WHY

This same drive and determination is also what’s going to make your actual workouts all the more effective. That’s because you’ll be able to dig deep to find that part of you that’s capable of lifting more, running further and achieving all that you want out of your training.

And to do this, you need to once again be able to tap into the reason for your training and to remember why it’s worth so much to you. My WHY has kept me at my training now consistently for over 20 years. MY WHY has kept me on track to see huge improvements to my health and fitness. At 60-years old I am in better health and better shape today than when I was in my teens. My WHY has created a health and fitness career that has lasted over 20 years now and still as passionate today as when I started. It really does start with your vision and your WHY.

This isn’t just a pep talk: it changes the entire way your central nervous system works. When something really matters to you, your body will do more… and all these things will combine together in order to give you more focus and more drive when you’re training.

Get in touch with us if you have questions and if we can help

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As COVID-19 slowly makes its way around the globe, for many people it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to remain calm and not panic.

We have been told by authorities to stay in our homes in order to prevent spread, but that does not mean that we must go crazy inside and solely focus our attention on what is happening with the world outside.

Now is the time more than ever to limit how much news you watch, especially some of the overhyped reporting that only propagates fear and anxiety. (I wrote a blog post a few days ago about Focus on Things You Can Control https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/…/focus-on-things-you-can-… and I wrote Coronavirus - Ideas You Can Begin Right Now https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/…/coronavirus-ideas-you-ca… )
First and foremost, get updates and facts from reliable sources, and then focus your attention elsewhere.

You can avoid contact with other people and wash your hands more carefully, but your ability to remain calm comes from within. That means you’ll have to take the necessary steps in reducing your stress and anxiety and promoting calmness while the virus runs its course. This is also an opportunity to create a new remain calm from within habit for daily life well beyond COVID-19

We’re going to go over three of the best ways that you can stay calm and centered in times of COVID-19 panic!

Meditation & Mindfulness

So, you’re anxious and stressed as a result of the rapid spread of Coronavirus. If you’ve never attempted meditation or any mindfulness techniques in the past, this is the perfect time to try them out and get some practice under your belt.

According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation can play a huge role in helping you to maintain your mental and emotional health, even benefiting aspects of your physical health.

Here’s what meditation can do for you.

● Greater outlook on life (positivity)
● Increased feelings of calmness
● Greater self-awareness
● Reduced levels of anxiety and stress.
● Improved focus

The best part is: There are plenty of different types of meditation.

If you’re able to focus for long periods of time, you might want to try out guided meditations or visualization techniques (we can recommend you use either of these guided meditations as we use both of these - Kelly Howell’s Universal Mind Meditation II https://youtu.be/z0VyUyuznL0 or Wim Hof’s - Guided Wim Hof Method Breathing https://youtu.be/tybOi4hjZFQ )

When you’re looking to stay more active while you’re quarantined, you can begin a home workout program (we recommend The Home Workout Revolution System – we actually use this program ourselves and you can find it here http://go.earlytorise.net/SH1X ), yoga or Pilates a go!

Finding a Creative Outlet

You might be stuck in the house for the next few weeks, but that doesn’t mean you have to resort to going stir crazy. In fact, that’ll probably only increase your feelings of panic during such trying times!

This is a great time to try out some new (or old) creative hobbies. When you’re focused on building or creating something new, you’re reducing the amount of focus on the negativity surrounding you. That means creativity is a solid way of helping you to relax.

A creative outlet can be almost anything. Here are a few things you might want to try out (if you have the supplies in your home).

● Painting, coloring, or drawing
● Singing or playing musical instruments
● Taking photos or videos of things you enjoy
● Building something with things lying around the house
● Writing
● Puzzles
● Reading something and then writing an essay about it (yes, remember English 101 class?). This is a great way to take your mind off the world’s troubles.

Basically, the goal here is to find an activity or task that requires an intense amount of focus and makes you happy. You won’t even notice that you spent the last hour drawing your favourite cartoon character.

Giving Back & Helping Others

It’s completely natural to be fearful of the unknown but giving back to others can help you to tackle this fear once and for all. When you’re giving back to the community or helping those in need, you’ll be working to spread compassion and happiness rather than fear and anxiety.

With so many people sick or self-quarantined, most people aren’t permitted to leave the home. However, these individuals do still have needs that they now can’t meet on their own.
As long as you’re keeping your distance and not exposing anyone to the virus, you can deliver food and groceries or do things like their yard work. It’ll make you feel good about yourself while also helping those who need it! So, call your neighbours, post something on your Facebook to let those in need know you are available and how to get in contact.

You can’t change the fact that we are living with this situation at this time, but there are things you can do that can reduce your panic and invoke an overwhelming sense of calmness.

By taking advantage of mindfulness, looking for a creative outlet, and even giving back to those who need it, you’ll be able to stay calm and centred, even now for your best healthy life!

What are you doing to calm your mind, body and spirit today and every day? Share your comments below.

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