5 Daily Healthy Habits That Are Worth the Effort (And One That’s Not)

If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly on a quest to improve your life. I’m always reading books and blogs looking for the next way to make my life happier, simpler, healthier, more productive….you get the idea. 

In my quest for self-improvement, I’ve tried it all. And through it all, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. 

Here are my top 5 daily habits that are totally worth the effort (and one that I wish I had never wasted my time on). 

Meditate:
Just 15 minutes of daily meditation is enough to reduce stress levels, improve sleep, boost focus, and help prevent long-term memory loss and cognitive decline. I also find that it helps me stay centered throughout busy days and offers a much-needed mid-afternoon break. To get started, I recommend taking 5 minutes every day to close your eyes and sit without allowing yourself to be distracted. Slowly build up to 15 minutes over the course of a few weeks. It takes time, but you’ll get there. 

Read:
When was the last time you sat down and read more than a quick article (like this one)? In the fast-paced world of social media and constant distraction, we’re slowly losing our ability to focus on large tasks for more than a few minutes. By taking some time every day to read a book (or listening to an audiobook), you can train your brain to focus and be more impervious to distractions. It’s been a total game-changer for me. I recommend reading books on mindset or things that you’re interested to learn about. 

Fill up on H2O:
Of course, you know you should be drinking more water, but it’s hard - especially when we’re at work. It’s common to sit down and stay there for hours. So I’ve taught myself a little trick. I consistently drink water throughout the day and force myself to stand up every few hours for bathroom breaks. Not only am I getting more  H2O on a daily basis, but I’m getting some built-in mini exercise breaks.To get started, get a glass or aluminum bottle you love and keep it filled with icy, fruit-infused water. Once your body starts to crave water, you won’t need the fruit or the ice. 

Heres one that aluminium and the filters water if you are out and about without a filter.

Give up Plastic:
This one is close to my heart. I already try to do my best to live consciously. I try to eat organic as often as possible. I’m very careful about the products I use on my skin and those I give my son. And I believe in doing as much good for as many people as I can. It’s one of the many reasons I rediced to sell Pink Seed Co. products in glass bottles. If every company did that, we’d make a MASSIVE impact. But I know that plastic is hard to avoid and requires a lot of focus and intentionality. To get started, simply stop using plastic bottles and straws (as these are some of the worst environmental offenders). Eventually, you can invest in glass jars for storage, cloth alternatives to plastic bags, and more. 

Follow your passions:
My big passion has always been to help others live cleaner, healthier, more conscious lives. Thankfully, my father had a similar passion, which is why we created our business Pink Seed Co. Every single day, I get to spread my message of loving your skin, saving the planet and doing as much good in the world as possible. This fuels me and lifts me up, and I am SO grateful that I get to live this life. What’s your passion? It doesn’t have to turn into a business. But you should make a point of working toward it every day. Maybe it’s a hobby you love or a book you want to write. And then email us and tell us what it is! Even if you’ve never told another soul or if it feel like the dream is too big, we want to help cheer you on!

What to Skip:
I promised one habit that’s not worth the effort, and for me, that was juice detoxing. Don’t get me wrong, I love some fresh juice! Especially when some veggies are involved. But giving up solid foods in lieu of an all-liquid diet to flush the body of toxins was just not for me. Fad juice detoxes can be dangerous if you’re not in proper health, and they starve your body of vital nutrients like fats, protein, and important vitamins. I do a smoothie in the morning but its got much more nutrients in it than just fruit and veg.

I’m a firm believer in the 77/22 rule. It’s a rule I made up that basically means I try hard 77% of the time, give myself slack 22% of the time, and don’t even stress about it the last 1% of the time. Juice detoxing takes a 100% commitment that I don’t believe is sustainable or practical. 

When you start making these small changes, you’ll begin to see dividends in other areas of your life. Making small changes to habits that are holding you back will show you that you really ARE capable of shifting your life and living more consciously. And let me tell you, when you really dig in and do the work to do more good in the world it feels SO INCREDIBLE.

What are your favorite daily habits to create a happy and healthy life? 

Heres some more mindfullness tips for you