If the goal is to have more good days than bad, how can we ensure we give ourselves the best chance as good days from the start?
Adopt more good habits than bad. And when you get into a routine of good habits, like eating well, exercising, adopting a spiritual practice like meditating, and finding love in the things you “have to” do everyday, your days will be happier. And when you feel a bad day coming on, you’ll be better equipped to address it. You’ll know what works for you, and what will help you turn it around.
So what are your non-negotiables? What must you do everyday to ensure you’re happy, living in a high vibration, and putting responsible positive energy out into the universe?
Here are some ideas.
Eat whole foods: A recent study performed in the United Kingdom suggests that eating a diet rich in whole foods — vegetables, fruits, and fish – makes us less susceptible to depression. The people in the study who ate more processed foods were 58% more likely to develop the condition.
Exercise: Get moving in the morning and enjoy the benefits of those endorphins all day. The wealth of data supporting the notion that exercise improves mood is well-documented. But in case you need to be reminded: exercise helps build confidence, provides an outlet, is a good coping strategy, and may even widen your social circle, which is also shown to have positive affects on happiness levels. And this says nothing of the fact that one day it could save your life!
Adopt a spiritual practice like meditation: A 2003 study published in Psychosomatic Medicine showed that medication can lift your spirits and also help produce antibodies against illness. It’s truly a case of mind over matter. Get you head into the right space and you’ll be set for the day. What you think about it what you bring about. And the mood with which you face the world will be reflected back to you in the interactions and the circumstances you encounter.
Find the love: Whether you’re taking the kids to school, pounding out a proposal on deadline or cooking dinner, can you find the love in what you’re doing in every moment? Sing along with the kids to that song they love on the radio – that song they’ve heard a hundred times. Take pride in your writing skills and make that the best damn proposal your client has ever seen. Take the time to plate dinner like a pro. Parsley garnish, anyone? When you live in love, you spread love. And that love comes right back. What you give is what you get.
