As a health coach, it’s completely vital for me to encourage those I work with to visualize where and how they want to be, physically and mentally.

But unfortunately, sometimes the problem with envisioning your best life is not the vision itself, but the thought of doom that can come with it: “This is…impossible!”

And it is impossible – if you want it all by next week.

Now, before you think I’m hell-bent on crushing the very last gasp of your interest in creating a fulfilling life, I’m here to tell you that anything is possible with the right amount of time.

It all begins with subtle adjustments in your daily life that you wouldn’t expect to have an effect.

Below are five suggestions that I really believe can help move towards feeling better in your body and mind:

1. Drink lemon water first thing in the morning (before your coffee!)
Not only does it hydrate you in the morning, but it helps with digestion, weight loss, and regulating appetite. It also helps neutralize your body’s pH balance to be more alkaline, which promotes healthy cells and prevention of sickness.

Now, I often tell my clients to do this, but it’s trickier than it seems. Somehow, drinking that glass of water in the morning just doesn’t happen!

Building and creating a lifestyle you love starts with simple steps, and this is a great one to try.

To make drinking citrus water even easier, invest in a handheld citrus squeezer. The fact that you are working less to get the juice out increases your chances of drinking it, and every little thing helps.

2. Keep your favorite cookbooks/recipes out in the open where you can see them
It’s tempting to tuck them away in a nice orderly cabinet in your kitchen, but if they’re out of sight, they’re out of mind.

Many of us need that extra push of inspiration when it comes to making a homemade meal, so if your collection of food porn (a.k.a. books + magazines) is out in the open, you just might be encouraged to take a peek and see what’s possible for dinner.

In my experience, this is mainly due to one major reason: being presented with a limited number of choices allows you to have enough energy to move forward with the task of making the actual meal! You won’t be exhausted by infinite choices thanks to the hundreds of food blogs out there. Plus, you get the added bonus of a tactile experience of turning real pages with beautiful images and laid-out recipes that you don’t have to print out.

3. Set aside at least half an hour per day of screen-free time
Choose any time of the day to give yourself this time that includes no TV, computers, and phones. Turn off all alerts (except maybe your ringer, in case of emergencies)! Hide your phone if you have to!

This distraction-free time is pure gold. Whether you’re doing laundry, going for a walk, or having a real eye-to-eye conversation with someone you love, designated time away from your screens, allows you the space to decompress and free your mind.

4. Break a sweat
It doesn’t have to be in a gym. As long as you’re doing something to get your heart rate up, you’re on the right track. Have you tried jump roping for 5 minutes? What about jumping jacks? Or a mini-trampoline.

If it sounds like I’m taking you back to fifth grade P.E. class, I am. Back in the day, we all spent so much energy just running around. I miss those days. But being active doesn’t mean having to invest in a gym membership, it just means adding movement. Cleaning the house, chasing the cat (or dog), doing push-ups – they all count.

5. Say one nice thing to yourself every day
It’s insane how effortlessly we criticize ourselves. We pick apart what we do and mull it over for hours (and sometimes days). Yet, we gloss over our accomplishments + wins, both big and small.

We underestimate the effect our negative inner dialogue has. You may feel it’s egotistical to say, “I handled that tricky situation at work today really well”, or “I’m an amazing cat-mom!” (okay, that’s mine, but you get the idea), but reminding yourself that you are capable of creating a positive impact in the world, is not self-centered. Your inner cheerleader is giving you a well deserved high-five! So, whether you say it to yourself or write it down, just do it. You’ll be glad you did.

What do you think? Is there one listed here that you find a total piece of cake or challenging?
Whether you do one or all five for every day of the work week, you can’t go wrong. I’d love to hear how these impact you, if at all.

Here’s to your daily win!

xo
Catherine

Photo by: Dominik Martin