Break the bad habits!

We know it’s super easy to fall into a perpetual cycle of late nights, fast food, sugary snacks and overuse of technology and TV. We get it, these things are extremely tempting, not to mention pleasantly distracting, and before you begin to feel even the slightest bit guilty, don’t worry, we’ve all been there. The great thing is, if you’re reading this article it’s likely that there’s something within you that’s ready to make some simple adjustments in order to make room for more happiness and healthiness in your life, or it may even be that you’re checking to see which of these 6 things you’re already including in your life, which in that case, good for you!

Living a healthy and happy life isn’t something that just happens to us, it takes practice and perseverance and begins with a willingness to be happy. As Buddha would say ‘happiness is a choice, not a result’.

There is no one formula for happiness, it’s about seeing what works for YOU, but there are definitely a few things that if you begin implementing on a daily basis, can really begin to improve the quality of your life!

Let’s take a look at a few habits of healthy, happy people and see what we can begin to implement in our lives today.

They have a daily routine

As you may have read in some of our previous articles, incorporating healthy habits and practices in our everyday life can be hugely beneficial to our lives. Check out our article, 7-day mind and body detox,  which explains some of the ways you can start your day, for example, journaling, yoga, brisk walking in the fresh air and meditation practices.

People who live healthy, happy lives will usually have some sort of regular practice that they stick to every day. These practices require conscious and consistent effort, in the knowledge that the more you practice good habits, the better you feel.

They don’t sweat the small stuff

Healthy and happy people trust that things are always working out for them and don’t let conditions have power over them. They let things go, don’t take things personally and are solution orientated. They also put time into self-inquiry and question their thoughts to ensure that the thoughts and judgments they have about themselves, others and their lives are serving them in a healthy way. Healthy and happy people think thoughts that make them feel good, appreciating their life as it is and the people around them.

No matter what the situation in our lives, we can always choose to change our perspective to one that is more pleasant. Healthy and happy people choose to look at problems as opportunities and will always make the best out of a ‘bad’ situation.

  ‘When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change’

– Wayne Dyer.

They eat real food

Healthy and happy people will usually prepare their own meals and have a well- balanced, nutrient-rich diet. When we begin to love ourselves more, our desire to look after our body increases, to the point that it becomes very easy to avoid sugary, processed foods because we know and feel the harmful effects it has on our bodies.

In our article 7-day mind and body detox, we list some simple and nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner meal ideas for you to try.

‘To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.’

– Buddha

They express their feelings authentically

Happy and healthy people are not afraid to express how they feel and honor the emotions that arise at any moment in time, without judgment. They communicate with everyone they meet openly and honestly, living and communicating from the heart.

Healthy and happy people also have people close to them who they trust and with whom they are able to show their deepest selves. Isolation can be one of the biggest contributors to unhappiness; as human beings, we need connection and to feel a sense of belonging. Life becomes so much more enjoyable when shared and experienced with others.

They exercise in the fresh air

Happy and healthy people move their bodies and make sure they enjoy regular lungfuls of good clean air. Our bodies are designed to move and just love it when we take them out in nature on long brisk walks or give them a good workout. Why? Because it gets our blood pumping and our heart beating. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells throughout the body and helps our bodies and brains function properly, which in effect lowers the risk of illness and disease. Exercise is also an excellent mood booster, so next time you’re feeling a little down in the dumps, go for a walk outside or to an exercise class and just witness how much better you begin to feel!

They get enough sleep

It’s no surprise that happy and healthy people are well rested. Getting a good sleep means going to bed relatively early, sleeping through the night for about 7 to 8 hours and waking up early feeling refreshed. We all know what it feels like to have a restless, disturbed or short sleep; we feel groggy, irritatable and our body feels tired. Let’s face it, we know we’re not at our best when we’ve had an inadequate amount of sleep. But lack of sleep goes way beyond the feeling of tiredness and a low mood; it affects the way our whole body operates.

While we sleep our body literally repairs itself; as our blood pressure drops, blood flow moves to the muscles to repair tissue, our hormones are regulated, our immune system is recharged, our metabolism is steadied and energy is restored to the body and brain. So, without a sufficient amount of sleep, we become prone to all sorts of physical and mental ailments. 

In fact, there is so much information about the effect sleep has on our body that we will be posting an article soon, which will go into a lot more detail about what happens to our body during sleep.