Four (4) Steps to Change Your Life & Accomplish More - "This Chick's Life"
- DEVELOP BETTER SLEEP HABITS this year!
You will improve all of these:
Sleep better - Become more active - Get in shape - Read more
Reduce Stress – Meet new people – Learn to be happier
Spend more time with family - Improve your concentration and mental skills
(1) People with the best health and longevity get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily.
No food after 7 p.m. - the digestive process requires energy and will keep you awake.
Limit liquids at night – It takes energy to process water through the blood stream to organs that need it and finally ~ 3hours later to be eliminated by your bladder.
Turn off electronics – Screens including phone, tablets, T.V.s, computers all emit enough light and brain activity to trick your brain into thinking it is still daylight. Try reading a book or listening to music or a sound machine.
Develop a routine – Sleeping well is a series of things that lead to a habit. It might take 3-6 months to develop this habit. But once you can fall asleep on your own, and stay asleep you will see the healthy and happiness benefits for life.
Go to bed at the same time and wake up and get up at the same time all 7 days. You are trying to develop a habit that your body will adjust to automatically.
Regular sleep habits will give you more energy throughout your day, improve your brain’s ability to focus, provide more awake hours to get things done. With the added energy and time, you won’t feel the need to procrastinate as much.
- DEVELOP AN EXERCISE ROUTINE this year!
You will improve all of these:
Reduce stress - Get in shape - Spend more time with family
Learn to be happier -Meet new people - Become more confident and take some chances - Sleep better - Become more active
(2) Regular physical activity helps you sleep, reduces stress, improves mood and develops a stronger body.
Start with 30-60 minutes of physical activity every other day. After 3-
6 months add a day each month until you are exercising 7 days a week - Include weights, stretching, meditation, dance, and aerobic activity on different days. You will sleep better with regular exercise.
Exercise first thing in the morning it will kick start your digestive system, allowing it to process breakfast more efficiently. Exercise done in the morning will release endorphins that improve your mood, improve your body image, make it easier to handle stress, and reduces blood pressure.
Exercising in the morning is the easiest way to maintain this habit. Studies show that exercising in the afternoon is harder to form a habit. It is easier to procrastinate after a long hard day, after work activities make it necessary to change the time, your exercise partner routine will also get interrupted and you have to exercise alone, the stress of the day, hunger, physical fatigue all pile up.
- DEVELOP BETTER EATING HABITS & CHOOSE HEALTHIER FOOD this year!
You will improve all of these:
Start eating healthier food, and less food overall - Get in shape
Spend more time with family - Become more active
(3) You are what you eat. The fuel you put into your body is the energy you will have during the day.
Eat clean non-processed, local food sources like Wildly Tasty Chicken. Reduce sodium from processed foods and do not add salt during cooking. Rinse canned vegetables to reduce sodium intake.
Eat more whole-grain breads and cereals. Aim for at least 3 servings. Limit highly refined cereals such as white bread, pastry, white rice, and sugary cereals.
Eat healthy fats. Choose canola and olive oils and reduce the use of butter and margarine.
Eat at least 1 serving of nuts daily (1 oz of nuts or 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter). Eat foods high in fatty acids daily such as flax meal.
Eat more plant-based foods. Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Try growing your own indoor garden as a food source. Peas, beans, nuts (peanut butter & almond butter), and soy foods are good sources of plant proteins.
Drink a glass of ice-water with lemon on an empty stomach every morning and every night. The body will burn more calories bringing the temperature of the ice-water up to the body's temperature. This is the act of increasing your metabolism. The lemon slices or wedges will detox your body, lower blood pressure and stress, freshens breath, fights infections, manages blood sugar and the list goes on.
STOP drinking pop/soda.
REDUCE alcohol to one (1) day a week. Then REDUCE alcoholic beverages to one (1) drink on that day. NEVER eat while drinking alcohol. Alcohol disrupts the digestive process.
Make shopping, food prep, home garden and cooking a family activity. An improved diet will give you better energy for your workout and result in improved quality of sleep.
Read this article: Growing your own edible food inside
- Develop Better Mental Health and be Happier this year!
You will improve all of these:
Stop procrastinating - Improve your concentration and mental skills
Spend more time with family - Become more confident and take some chances - Earn more money - Become more organized – Reduce Stress – Improve health
(4) Work on breaking the habit/addiction to vaping, tobacco, illicit drugs, or alcohol.
These effect every aspect of your life. They cost money, cause health issues, stress, loss of sleep, inability to concentrate… Drug use can lead to dependencies that can destroy physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Breaking the cycle of addition is one of the hardest things a human being can do. Instead of eliminating and going “cold turkey” try reducing the amount you use or consume. Reward yourself with exercise equipment, clothes, message, gym membership, park pass, day-trip, dinner out, throw a party.
Try one-day a week trading the addiction for a less life-threatening one. If you enjoy gardening reward yourself with a new plant or fire pit or water feature with the money you saved that month. If you enjoy eating out take your family to dinner with the money you saved. Splurge with a candy bar or favorite dessert. Reward yourself with this sweet treat at lunch to help you avoid the more toxic addiction.
The release of "feel-good" hormones from running or high-aerobic exercise will also be a great trade for a toxic vaping, tobacco, illicit drugs, or alcohol.
There will be time years later to trade the addiction of sugar or obsessive exercise for another healthier addiction once you have freed yourself from the highly toxic more life-threatening "drug.
Addictive personalities NEED something to be addicted to! Accept this and every year try to find a healthier addiction.
Choose to see the bright side of life. Before bed make a list of what made you smile or laugh that day, then read it out loud again first thing in the morning. Listen to your favorite music and dance. Laugh. Watch a comedy that you like or listen to a comedian.
Pass on joy and hope to those you work and live with daily. Giving to others by volunteering or sharing makes you happy, feel better about yourself, reduces stress, and allows you to interact with others.
Get help if you feel sad and depressed for extended periods of time. Give your self a break. Life is hard. Bad things happen. Give yourself 24 hours before making any big decisions. Talk through your problems with family and friends. Even if they cannot help you, hearing yourself explain your dilemma to others will help your work through how to solve it.
Develop three (3) sources of support.
Family – Work Family – Spiritual Family
Friends - Hobby Friends – Work Friends
Neighbors – Fellow Volunteers - Church Community
Spend quality time with family or friends often. Supportive relationships build strong hearts and happiness. Practice a spirit of friendship, love, and acceptance. Share a kindness with someone you live or work with daily.
Begin each day with meditation, reading, spiritual renewal, stretching, journaling. First thing in the morning WRITE down what you are going to accomplish that day at work, home, community. This will begin to get you organized and stop procrastination issues. Remember the worst thing that can happen when you try something or ask for something is that you fail and try again, or that someone says, “no.”
It is important to take the time necessary to make health a personal priority in life.