5 HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS FOR 2020

  1. FRESH AIR

Fresh air can be so refreshing, a way to cleanse and uplift us. With the yucky weather it’s less appealing to get outside, and health/mobility issues may prevent us from getting much in the way of exercise. You don’t need to go for a 5k run every morning. There are more manageable ways to make sure you’re getting just a little fresher, cleaner air into your lungs and body.

Get outdoors

The great outdoors is the best place to start. Preferably around grass and trees rather than polluted high-traffic roads. Surround yourself with nature and immerse yourself in its calming, grounding properties if you’re able to.

Open windows

Let the air cleanse your home by cracking open the windows every now and then. Again, it’s not ideal if you live where there’s air pollution and traffic or when the weather is bitterly cold, but it can help freshen things up and help prevent mold in your home, too.

  1. DRINK UP

We’re blessed to have access to safe drinking water. Adequate water intake is important for everyone, but if you’re someone who maybe doesn’t quite get enough then it’s a great healthy habit to get into. Even just a little more towards the ‘recommended 8 cups’ a day is a good place to start. To note, guidelines suggest males aim for 3.7L and females 2.7L of fluid daily.

  1. LET IT OUT

Consider finding yourself an outlet if you don’t already have one or are in need of another one. Built up emotions, the sense of an unfilled potential, all needs a way to just ‘let it out’.

It could be anything and it’s a completely personal thing, so you may need to try a few before you find something you enjoy that works for you. Blogging, writing stories or poetry, sketching/painting/crafting, exercise (if manageable), walking, gardening, singing… anything that ignites a little spark and allows you to express yourself.

Let a little colour into your life and give yourself an outlet. Ideally you should feel a sense of achievement, value and purpose, too.

  1. LAUGH MORE

Laughter is the best medicine. Okay, so it may not replace pharmaceuticals any time soon but it’s definitely good for the soul. Find that inner child and sense of fun, that free spirit that stresses a little less and laughs a little more.

  1. BE MINDFUL

Our busy 21st Century living means we seem perpetually busy and connected, never quite able to turn off or slow down, at least without a bucket of guilt hitting us in the face.

When we’re always ‘doing’, we can find ourselves looking back and wondering where the time has gone.

Or perhaps we’re always so busy worrying about life that we forget to live it.

Within the chronic illness community, mindfulness and/or meditation can be very beneficial for many in managing pain and illness and the myriad of symptoms that may be experienced. It can be as little or as much as you like, several times a day or once a month. Whatever works for you, wherever you’re most comfortable. There are apps and books and websites for tips should you need support to help you focus and get the most out of it.