Ready or not, spring is right around the corner and will be here before we know it. In the spirit of continuing to slay 2019, why not take the changing seasons as a chance to develop some new habits? Here are five healthy habits you may have not thought to develop this spring.
1. Listen to Your Body
Our bodies are powerful and intricate, and they deserve to be taken care of. In fact, they are excellent communicators. Hunger, pain, even exhaustion, are all sensations that communicate to us what our body needs. For something so fascinating and capable, it’s time we started listening to what it’s telling us. This spring is the perfect time to learn to be more in tune with your body. Fuel it with the right nutrients (see point number two). That stomach ache isn’t just karma coming back to bite you. Allow it to get adequate rest. That may mean learning to say no when your body is begging for a break or even investing in a new mattress because the only you have been sleeping on for 10+ years is causing you pain. Just like we shop for the right size shoes, so should we shop for the right mattress for our body type and sleeping style. After all, we spend one-third of our life in bed. Whatever it is your body needs, don’t be so quick to ignore what it is telling you.
2. Lose the Sugar
I know, the thought of avoiding sugar is a scary one. But if we commit to listening to our body this spring, you’ll realize it’s begging for a break from sugar. Sugar can cause bloating, inflammation of the joints, acne, and can even effect your mood. Yet, sugar is a major part of our daily routine, even when we don’t realize it. Making the decision to cut as much of it from your diet as possible can yield some incredible health benefits. Losing weight, glowing skin, and a boost in energy levels are all great side effects of dramatically lowering your sugar intake. It’s not an easy process for some, but it’s an incredibly worthy journey to take.
3. Social Media Detox
Most people know there are many ways to cleanse and detox our bodies, but how about our minds? A social media detox might be for you. If you’ve never considered one before, it’s actually really simple: you take an inventory of the time you’re spending on social media sites – all of them, not just Facebook – and you dial it way back. Just step away from your accounts for a week or so and focus on more productive endeavors. This doesn’t have to be a “forever” change, but you might find that taking a break is way more enjoyable than staying plugged in.
4. Try Morning Meditation
Meditation can be quite practical and relatively easy to incorporate into your life. You can start by taking five minutes every morning to simple sit comfortably and practice. It’s surprisingly easy to get the hang of – all you have to do is give it a shot, and you’ll have a healthy habit formed in no time. You can even use a smartphone app to help stay on track!
5. Give Intermittent Fasting a Shot
Finally, you might consider changing the time that you eat and the time that you fast. Did you know that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and even lower your risk of developing diabetes? It’s a great option for anyone hoping to breeze through spring while developing healthy habits to last them a lifetime.
Start spring off strong with these five habits and kick your productivity and health into overdrive!