When you hear the word wellness, does your mind instinctively shift to exercise and food? There are so many other aspects of your human experience that need tending to.
Your emotions, for example, how do you regulate them?
Your mental health? How do you deal with daily situations? How do these situations affect your mental state?
Your self-care routines? Do they exist? How do you care for yourself and sustain your energy?
"Wellness is a feeling; it’s a sense of wanting to do what feels good for you."
In last months blog I wrote about how I was feeling burnt out as a yoga teacher. How I built my energy up by taking some time for myself. It's all linked.
We are bombarded by images of health and wellbeing, and what that's supposed to “look” like. Wellbeing doesn’t have a look, it’s more of an inner feeling or knowing.
In my yoga classes I always encourage students to do what's best for them. I say "you are your own best teacher" and you can apply this to life too.
You know when you feel your best. Yes, this might show up in a physical way, but it doesn’t have to be you lying in a hammock by the beach in a smaller sized bikini.
Wellness is a feeling; it’s a sense of wanting to do what feels good for you. This could be anything from going for a run, to eating a nutritious meal or sitting in meditation. These are all very different images.
I've found myself feeling out of sorts recently, as I try to find a routine of wellness and self-care that works for me. I do a lot of things that feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally. But, I struggle with consistency and I’m sure I’m not alone.
What has worked for me in the past is introducing small changes and layering them into my routine. I like to break the changes down into 3 categories. Self-care, managing stress and promoting healthy routines.
Life can be overwhelming most of the time, so I like to start with small achievable goals and if I do more then it’s a bonus.
Make a list of your own ideas under each category and put your list somewhere that is visible every day. Even introducing 1 element will make a big difference to your daily experience.
Let’s get organised!
When it comes to planning and organising I’m usually the go-to person in my group of friends. So I thought I’d help you to get organised to move into this new mindset with a fresh perspective.
I’ll share 8 easy habits that you can introduce to improve your wellbeing.
You can introduce these habits in any way you choose. Maybe, start by introducing 1 change this week, and take it from there.
Self-care
“the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health”
Ask yourself: “What do I need right now to feel cared for and healthy?”
8 easy ways to improve your wellbeing
Self-care habits
1. Eat nutritious food
This might sound like such a simple concept. The act of cooking and eating a nutritious meal doesn’t happen as often as we’d like.
According to a survey conducted by British Nutrition Foundation; “62% of Britons have made a change to their diet to get healthier over the past year."
Read more about the survey here
What is 1 small thing that you can change that might make a big difference? One way to improve your well-being through nutrition is by committing to include at least 1 thing that you know will make a difference to you.
2. Engage in exercise
This could be anything from a walk after dinner, to a weekly run or yoga.
Choose something that you enjoy and will look forward to. This way, it is less likely to feel like a chore or effort.
Try my 15-minute Mindful Yoga practice for a mindful boost of movement.
3. Drink water
Your body looses water throughout the day, through your skin, when you breathe and when you go to the toilet.
What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated?
Regulates body temperature
Keeps joints lubricated
Prevents infections
Delivers nutrients to cells
Keeps organs functioning
4. Have a cup of tea
The act of making tea can be a mindful one. You could utilise this as your moment to yourself.
Mindfulness is focusing your mind on one thing at a time. By focusing all your attention on making and drinking a cup of tea, you are present.
This kind of self-care practice can help you shift your mindset and boost your mood. Which, in turn, spills over into other aspects of your life.
5. Sit in the sunlight
Sunlight is essential for your health. It generates the production of Vitamin D, which helps regulate the amount of calcium in your body.
This supports bone health. Sunlight also lowers blood pressure, and promotes good mental health.
It also makes you feel like you're on holiday for a moment, added bonus!
Stress:
“a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstance.”
6. Remove something that is causing you stress
Is there something in your life right now that is causing you stress? Could you consider removing it?
You could leave this free space for something else to enter naturally. You could replace it with something else that brings you joy.
One good example is how you start your morning. You might start by waking up and picking up your phone, I know this is true for myself.
For a while I removed this habit from my routine and noticed a big shift in my mental state and productivity.
The trick is to tell yourself that you will wake up in the morning and do X, before you go to sleep. X could be meditation, or make coffee, or stretch. Anything that doesn't involve picking up your phone.
Create a “before I pick up my phone” routine for your morning.
"Your morning routine should include things that fill your cup, and this will look different for everyone."
Promoting healthy routine’s:
A healthy routine is a routine that adds to your wellbeing and reduces your risk of physical, mental and emotional illness.
7. Morning routine
How you start your day makes a very big difference to how the rest of your day will play out.
Your day should start in any way that best serves you. It doesn’t have to start with exercise, you could meditate, stretch, journal, or do some breath-work. We are not all wired the same way, so find what works for you and make a habit of it.
Try this 15-minute Morning Yoga session if you would like to introduce yoga into your morning routine.
Your morning routine should include things that fill your cup, and this will look different for everyone.
8. Evening routine
How you end your day is just as important. How do you wind down and prepare your body for rest?
More and more people are settling into the idea that rest is something that's needed in order to function and progress.
An evening routine is a great way to make a habit of getting yourself ready for rest.
Introduce this 10 minute Bedtime Yoga | Yoga for Better Sleep to your evening routine.
Try it for a couple of days this week and notice how you feel.
Bonus Tip - Sleep
Getting enough sleep is a big part of my self-care routine, are you getting enough sleep? A great tool for sleep is Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra helps you to “file away” and absorb the events of your day into your long term memory storage. Try out a my Yoga Nidra for Sleep here.
Quick tip: Remember to switch off auto-play so you don’t get woken up by the next video.
To end, a reminder
The 8 easy ways improve your wellbeing are:
1. Eat nutritious food
2. Engage in exercise
3. Drink water
4. Have a cup of tea
5. Sit in the sunlight
6. Remove something that is causing you stress
7. Morning routine 8. Evening routine
Which one will you introduce today?
I encourage you to introduce at least one action to into your daily routine. Notice if it makes a difference.
Please continue to be gentle with yourself and know that you are exactly where you need to be.
Love and light
Eliza
xxxx