When you look at your life, do you see life, love, potential, excitement, possibilities, dreams, and hope? OR, do you see deadlines, pressures, chores, unfinished tasks, endless responsibilities, and more work than you have the energy to deal with? Most people probably can relate with things from both lists, but more often than not, the second list begins to dwarf the first. Life happens, responsibilities are present, finances are a challenge, children need care and attention, and the list goes on.
As a homeschooling mom of six children, I lived for years out of the “fruit” of the second list. Frustration, exhaustion, pressures, demands, endless running, worries that I was not doing well enough with educating our children, small mountains of laundry patiently waiting to be folded, keeping a family of eight well fed (next to impossible with four teenagers who are never full!), and the list goes on!
Over the years, I have realized that we all deal with difficulties and challenges in life. However, I felt like I was spending my days just trying to survive and keep my head above the water and not drown. Being sick for a majority of my life didn’t help with that process. I was struck by these lyrics from a song called “Thrive” by Casting Crowns: “We know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives. It’s time for us to more than just survive… We were made to THRIVE!”
Let me share 10 Daily things that I recommend that can set you on the road to joyfully transforming your life and health. On this road, in the midst of life’s challenges and responsibilities, I believe you will see more of the things that I listed first! Are you ready to experience more life, potential, excitement, possibilities, and begin to hope and dream again? Let’s GO!
1) Get Enough Sleep! The American Association of Sleep Medicine recommends getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is very important to rebuild the body, detox and cleanse, and give the body time to heal and restore itself. Not getting enough sleep can affect weight management, emotional stress, energy, productivity, and many other factors. Something that has helped to support my body to sleep SO much better is diffusing essential oils while I sleep. These oils help the body to relax and promotes a restful night’s sleep. Two of my favorite oils that are excellent for good sleep support are Lavender and Serenity (Calming Blend). You can also place a few drops of chamomile essential oil on your pillow to promote a good night’s sleep.
2) Eat a Healthy Diet! Just as you would not expect your car to run well without gasoline in the tank, our bodies cannot function properly without the right fuel. The standard American diet (which lives up to its name – SAD) is loaded with sugar and carbs, and is deficient in whole foods which give us the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to build muscle, give energy, keep our immune system strong and healthy, detox, and other important tasks. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, along with quality proteins, healthy fats, and vitamin-rich carbohydrates gives your body what it needs to work at an optimum level of productivity. To learn more about a healthy diet and get some good recipes, contact me for help.
3) Drink ALOT of water!
- Adult humans are 60 percent water, and our blood is 90 percent water.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
- Water is essential for the kidneys and other bodily functions.
- When dehydrated, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and wrinkling.
- Drinking water instead of soda can help with weight loss.
- If plain water is not your thing, try adding Lemon oil, lime oil, or citrus oils for flavor or check out these healthy drink recipes.
4) Enjoy your meals and try to eat without any distractions! Research does show that eating while distracted can lead to increased food intake at that meal and the next meal, in part because it affects our memory of what and how much we ate. Eating while watching TV and digestion are linked as you are unable to process how much and what you are eating. This, in turn, will lead to problems with digestion as your body is unable to properly digest the amount or the kind of food being eaten. It is also important to enjoy your food in a relaxing and positive environment. Stress and negative emotions impede healthy digestion.
5) Enjoy some fresh air when you can.
Stop and smell the roses—or at least walk by some. Those who get outside and breathe fresh (clean) air on a regular basis have been shown to have stronger immune systems than those who stay indoors. This means less illness overall, as your body has an easier time fighting off germs before they invade and take over. Direct sunlight is our bodies’ main source of Vitamin D, which has been known to help fight off osteoporosis, cancer and depression. Even just a few minutes of sun exposure each day can help increase your levels of Vitamin D. Enjoying fresh air and sunshine also help to boost our mood!
6) Find little ways to stay active throughout the day.
- Walk More – If you can’t walk outside where you live, try indoor walking at a nearby mall, or using a step-exercise video at home.
- Stand Up at Work – Try a stand-up desk or simply stand during intervals throughout the day. Experts estimate that standing burns 50 percent more calories than sitting, so a 155-pound person could burn an extra 50 calories an hour just by getting on their feet.
- While You Work – Take a break every couple hours and walk a few flights of stairs. When you’re talking on the phone, don’t just sit there. Stand up, and pace around your room or office.
- Get a Dog – Like walking by yourself, walking a dog can help burn around 200 calories for every half-hour of exercise.
- Clean Your House – A 150-pound person can burn 85 calories per half hour through light cleaning, while vigorous cleaning burns 102 calories in 30 minutes. Use our healthy home-made kitchen cleaner to avoid toxins in other cleaners.
- Cook at Home – Most people don’t think of cooking as exercise, but preparing food at home certainly burns more calories — and usually causes you to consume fewer calories — than eating out or ordering in. Check out these great recipes!
- Trade Drinking for Dancing – A coffee shop or bar is often where friends catch up. Instead of a sedentary get-together, why not switch to an activity that burns calories, like walking, dancing, or a Zumba class with a gab-fest afterward?
- Sneak in Exercise During TV Time – Try some jumping jacks, pushups, or other fat-blasting moves during commercial breaks. Aim to do two sets of push-ups and a round of abdominal exercises during commercials.
7) Eat your vegetables.
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C. Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease.
8) Treat yourself with dark chocolate.
Enjoy your food and never feel guilty about including treats on a regular basis. A piece or two of dark chocolate or a sprinkling of cocoa on your oatmeal are safe and sweet ways to add antioxidants to your diet, but it goes without saying that chocolate is meant in moderation. Try my recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Black Bean Brownies for a delicious and nutritious twist to a traditional chocolate brownie.
9) Renew Your Mind. I love reading and listening to Scripture. As Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Author Carolyn Leaf says, “What you think with your mind changes your brain and body, and you are designed with the power to switch on your brain. Your mind is that switch. You have an extraordinary ability to determine, achieve, and maintain optimal levels of intelligence, mental health, peace, and happiness, as well as the prevention of disease in your body and mind. You can, through conscious effort, gain control of your thoughts and feelings, and in doing so, you can change the programming and chemistry of your brain.” Check out her book “Switch On Your Brain”.
10) Remind yourself of the things you’re grateful for.
Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Keep a Gratitude Journal or find some way to establish a daily practice in which you remind yourself of the gifts, grace, benefits, and good things you enjoy.
Resources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-rest/201607/are-you-getting-enough-sleep
https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/healthy-eating/health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate