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10 Easy Changes You Can Make to Be More Mindful of Your Body and Health.

 

Your energy levels and mood shift daily, so it’s rational that how you feel about your body changes too.

One day you wake up cheery, and the next day, you go in search for coffee in zombie mode.

Fortunately, there are a few changes you can make every day to take care of your body better and love it more and more.

  1. Keep a Journal.

Your body carries around a boatload of stress. Let it go, and let it flow through your pen to the page.

  1. Take a Walk.

Many people spend most of their time indoors, either at a desk or at home. It’s a good idea to get outside to lift your spirits and enjoy a change of scenery by taking a morning or evening walk.

  1. Pick up for 10 Minutes Daily.

Does clutter tend to pile up by the end of the week or month? Can’t find time to fit cleaning into your schedule? Pick up after yourself for 10 minutes every day. It adds up, and when you schedule in time to clean up, you have more time later to focus on other meaningful tasks in your life, such as self-care.

  1. Don’t Touch Your Phone Before Bed.

You need your beauty sleep to wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Get your eight hours with a solid bedtime routine that doesn’t include scanning through your phone in bed. A change in your sleep pattern can alter your circadian rhythm and affect your sleep quality. Stop use of all smartphones and electronics, especially with a blue screen, at least an hour before bed.

  1. Tell Yourself You’re Beautiful.

Most of the time, negative thoughts raid your mind. When was the last time you told yourself you’re beautiful?

Practice defusion to dispel and restructure negative thinking into a more positive frame and accept your true beauty. Thoughts, like many events in life, come and go. You don’t have to think at length about things or act on them.

  1. Stand up Straight.

How’s your posture? You have poor posture if you sit hunched forward with your buttocks out. Good posture engages your core muscles and pulls your shoulders back into a neutral position. Your shoulders should be in line over your feet and knees.

Use a lumbar support pillow to assist, and place a sticky note on your monitor to remind yourself of what to do. Standing up straight improves your posture and confidence, preventing backaches and injuries.

  1. Drink a Glass of Water.

Coffee may get you through the day, but do you drink too much? Start the day with a tall glass of water. Sometimes, when you think you’re hungry, you’re really thirsty. Participants in one study drank water when they were thirsty but not hungry only 2 percent of the time.

So, drink a cup of water to satiate yourself, and if you’re still hungry 15 minutes later, then eat.

  1. Dress up for Yourself.

Dressing well affects your self-esteem. One study followed elderly women in nursing homes, and these senior women reported experiencing higher confidence levels when they dressed nicer than normal. That may mean wearing colors and sentimental items that make you feel happy, not necessarily buying a new Gucci purse.

  1. Tasty and Healthy Small-Plate Snacks.

Are you so busy you forget to eat? Spoil yourself with a few of your favorite, healthy small-plate snacks, such as grapes, cheese, hummus and pita chips.

Some people feel better when they spread their meals out into five smaller and more manageable portions instead of relying on three larger ones throughout the day. Work with your body and your schedule to lead a happy and healthy life.

  1. Schedule Nonworking Time.

You schedule birthdays and meetings, but do you make plans for nonworking time? That should be a priority too, or you will burn out. Don’t let stress turn into physical symptoms. Schedule nonworking time to rest or engage in a meaningful activity.

Use the above 10 tips to make small changes each day and appreciate your body more. Modern lives are busy, but that doesn’t mean you should skip out on taking care of and loving yourself. Making time for self-care is one of the most important things you can do for your overall well-being and sense of peace.

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Kate Harveston

Kate Harveston

Kate Harveston is a freelance writer and blogger. Her work focuses on health and culture. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found curled up in her hammock with a book or exploring the city for trendy coffee shops. You can visit her blog, So Well, So Woman to read more of her work and receive a free subscriber gift!
Kate Harveston