Good morning, loves and Happy New Year!
As I sit at my computer this morning sipping my coffee, I am coming up with a list of things that I feel would be helpful to incorporate each month (as to not get overwhelmed) to try and make healthier choices in all areas of my life in the coming year.
I am working on a training program now for my Lip Biz, Illuminating Kisses, and have been brainstorming some amazing ideas for creating the life that I desire. So here is what I have come up with so far in a nutshell:
January: Save more money. Since Christmas is now over, it's time to get back on track! This includes things we might not even consider such as calling the cable company and finding out how we can lower our bill, canceling any subscriptions that we are not using, meal planning and making meals at home as well as (if you are in the work force) packing your own lunch and bringing it with you instead of buying food out.
February: Practice mindfulness. Unplug more, take a day off here and there from social media and regroup. Smile more, a lot more. Savor your food and meals, don't eat on the go all of the time. When around family/friends try and keep yourself present on the current convo instead of thinking about all of the things you "should" be doing. Practice daily short meditations.
March: Get organized. Digitize your documents so that you can let go of paper copies. Purge your home of expired items such as food, medicines lurking around. Pantry, fridge, cabinets...If it is expired, throw it away. No need to keep things that no longer serve you. Also, go through your closets and get rid of clothes you haven't worn. This is a huge one for me as I am a big packrat and still have clothes from high school lurking around. Can you believe it?! It's time to clear out the old and make room for the new, in every way!
April: Take up a new anti-stress activity. Practice a guided meditation, there are many free and powerful ones offered now on YouTube etc. Try a new workout routine that will help relieve stress such as yoga or even taking a walk in nature. It's Spring, so get out there and do some gardening. Even something as simple as buying some herbs and planting and growing them in your windowsill or on your front porch.
May: Incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet. Use a blender or juicer to mix it up a bit and to ensure that you get the proper amount needed for you to be the healthiest you! Keep some healthy snacks on hand and get rid of the sugary snacks. Something as simple as "Meatless Monday" is a good habit to start shifting into eating more real food. Explore new recipes that are vegetarian and vegan based and see what you can come up with that you enjoy eating. There are tons of amazing recipes on Pinterest that I have found to be very easy and very appealing.
June: Value experiences over things. Shift your focus from things to experiences. Get involved in local groups that you are passionate about and use your amazing energy to help better the lives of others. You can even find a lot of them online and do some volunteering from home. My big passion is trying to be a voice for those in the Lyme Community so for me, Non-Profits such as Lyme Warrior are where I choose to focus my energy. Listen to music as much as possible as it awakens the soul and therefore your creativity too! Get out as much as you can in nature and experience life outside the box.
July: Drink more water. This is something I try to incorporate every day but I always need a reminder the importance of it. Especially in the hot month of July. If you are a soda fanatic, try drinking flavored water or herbal tea instead of reaching for that soda bottle. Slowly you can start to incorporate your own flavored water that you can make at home and infuse fruits and veggies into. It's tasty and so very healthy! Also, another way to hydrate are through fruits and veggies such as my favorite, watermelon as well as cucumber, celery and peppers. However you see fit, just add more hydration. I promise you will feel better!
August: Switch up your workouts. If you do not have a consistent workout plan, try finding some apps that offer beginner programs that you can do from the comfort of your home. I love Yoga on Gaia as they offer every level of yoga that you can even imagine possible plus meditations and other amazing and enlightening things to keep my mind active and always learning.Perhaps if you'd rather workout with others, try enrolling in a fun fitness class like kickboxing, spinning, or Zumba.
September: Learn a new skill. Are you sufficient in MS Word but lacking in Excel? (Yes I am speaking from a place of experience as I need serious Excel help) Find an online tutorial that will teach you step by step how to master whatever you feel is in need of help. YouTube is so amazing now as it offers tutorials for almost ANY skill you need some step by step guidance in. It even teaches you how to speak different languages and how to learn to play an instrument! How cool is that??!!
October: Protect yourself. Learn how to create STRONG passwords. One issue that I have had with this is remembering them and fearing that if I write them down, my security would potentially be breached. I've learned that there are apps out there such as LastPass that take care of this issue for you. Be mindful of what you leave out in your trash bins for others to grab. Shred documents instead of throwing in the recycle bin and make sure you don't leave boxes to expensive items on the curb for people to see. Resist broadcasting your every move on social media as this allows people to know when you will be away from your home for an extended period.
November: Control what you put in your body. November begins the craziness of the holiday season which in turn creates anxiety about weight gain, and going into the winter months with some bad habits isn't so good for the emotional state. Try portioning your plate the healthy way by filling it with mostly vegetables and fruits, a little bit of protein and some starch if you choose. Try crowding out the unhealthy foods with more of the REAL foods and you won't feel the need to eat all of the junk if you are filled up with the good! Holiday parties are everywhere so consider eating a little bit of some healthy foods before you go, and that way you won't fill up on unhealthy appetizers and desserts when you are there, but can still enjoy the festivities.
December: Practice generosity. One way to make the holiday season be what it truly is meant to be, is to give to others in need. Make a commitment to volunteer not only now, but throughout the year. Search out organizations that you are passionate about and donate to a charity. Consider the amount of money you'd spend that month on eating out or grabbing that morning coffee from Dunkin, and decide that the money you would spend on that, can go to someone in need this season. Reach out to someone you know will be alone or is struggling this time of year and offer a helping hand, invite them to dinner or offer to assist them in any way that you feel you can. Make someone's life better by just being there.
Wishing all of you a wonderful 2018 and may you be filled with love, joy, peace, too many blessings to count and miracles all around. Take the time to notice and appreciate all of the good!
With love and blessings XO,
Jennifer Navara