It’s easy to envision your ideal life, but much harder to figure out the daily steps it will take to get there. While your optimal existence seems like an end goal, it can be transformed into the entire journey. Empowering yourself to make lifestyle changes can give you the health and wellness boosts you’re looking for, permeating into all aspects of your life. Learn how to holistically change your life by focusing on bettering your lifestyle in key ways.
When you picture the best version of yourself, you imagine each aspect of each day going well. In reality, it’s more advantageous to be resilient. Enhancing your well-being holistically will allow you to cope with anything life throws at you. Managing your physical fitness, health conditions, and emotional states can give you a beautiful canvas on which to paint your perfect life.
Perfection doesn’t look the same for everyone. Find your unique blend of perfection. This may include starting your day with a morning ritual to set the tone for whatever else happens. Being able to roll with the punches is a key aspect of holistic wellness. You can bounce back from illness more easily, cope with stressors more effectively, and manage interpersonal relationships more smoothly. Above all, you can experience life more meaningfully. From start to finish, try to incorporate the following healthy habits into your mindfulness practice each day.
Your breath is the center of your well-being. Keeping tabs on your respiratory wellness will have positive effects on your quality of life. In your home, simply adding air filtration can help alleviate allergies, reduce headaches, decrease respiratory distress, manage chronic pain, stave off autoimmune complications, promote better sleep, and increase your energy. Allowing yourself to literally breathe easily can make life easier to navigate.
Stretching exercises like yoga can aid healthy lung function, as well. Even patients with coronary artery disease showed an increase in lung function and diffusion capacity when incorporating yoga regimens into their routines. While you can’t control what illness may befall you, you can take preventative measures and even reverse or pause negative effects. Healthy respiratory systems allow you to exercise more frequently, think more clearly, and sleep more restfully.
Circulation is another essential aspect of your health to keep an eye on. The ability of your heart and circulatory system to pump blood throughout your body is responsible for keeping you alive and healthy. Instead of taking this automatic function for granted, you can work to keep your circulatory health in check. Poor circulation can lead to many bodily discomforts like chronic inflammation, pain, and fatigue.
If your cells aren’t able to get adequate oxygen, they will have trouble processing nutrients and will die off more quickly, unable to regenerate as fast as someone with good circulation. This can also lead to more stored fat, greater susceptibility to illness, mood swings, and decreased cognitive function. It’s clear why lifestyle changes that affect circulation can help you feel better, overall. Try incorporating cardio, hydration, massage therapy, hot/cold immersion, deep breathing, and dry brushing into your regular routine to improve blood flow and enhance holistic vitality.
Moving your body is beneficial to almost every aspect of your health. Mindfulness involves a keen awareness of your body. Movement that facilitates that is great for your holistic well-being. For example, some yoga benefits include:
It’s clear how interconnected each of your lifestyle habits is in keeping all of your body’s systems healthy and maintained. Keeping a holistic overview of how you are feeling allows you to be deeply connected with your mind and body, allowing for mindful movement. Incorporating yoga into your daily routine can help you understand what your body needs while enjoying the added benefits.
To achieve holistic health, you likely know that you must incorporate physical activity and good nutrition. A nourishing diet keeps all of your systems functioning properly, allowing you to fully engage in these lifestyle changes. Try eating mindfully by:
The way you change your diet should be in line with your values as well as your overall health. If you have underlying conditions, you may need to adjust your diet to reflect your specific needs. Consult your doctor or dietician to figure out how to best nourish your body, and listen to your body when you are engaging in mindful eating practices. If done correctly, healthy eating can give you more energy and brain function to keep up with the other lifestyle changes you’re making to optimize your health.
Holistic lifestyle changes will have a compound effect on your health. Try incorporating one new habit at a time, giving yourself grace, and focusing your efforts until that habit sticks. Celebrate your progress and relish in the new, healthy lifestyle you are building for yourself.
By Katie Brenneman