The concept of improving your mental, physical, and emotional well-being can seem pretty vague, but actually, it’s a lot more achievable than you might think. In many cases, individuals can push themselves significantly forward simply by committing to strict habits for enough time for them to begin having an effect.
It’s not about changing everything about your life. It’s about making a series of relatively straightforward changes, which, when grouped all together, can have a hugely positive impact.
If you’re ready to begin your self-improvement journey, this page is for you. Take on board the suggestions we’ve put together, and there’s a good chance that you feel better than ever within a matter of months.
Commit to Regular Exercise
Regular exercise can have a transformative impact on a person’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
Most people focus on the physical benefits, since that’s the one that’s so obviously evident. Yet, while it’s true that you likely will have a better shape after several months of exercise, the real value lies in the effect it can have mentally and emotionally. Rigorous exercise helps to lower stress levels and boost mood, and it also helps to build the discipline required to make positive changes in other aspects of your life.
Committing to a lifetime of going to the gym is hard/impossible. Committing to a few months is manageable. Once those six months are up, you can quit and never look back if you want — but we suspect that, by that stage, you might just be fully on board with everything that exercise has to offer.
Rethink Your Intake
Your overall well-being isn’t just influenced by what you do; it’s also impacted by what you consume. The beginning of a self-improvement journey is a good opportunity to take a look at what you’re putting into your body and assess whether it’s going to push your well-being in the right direction, or if it’ll hold it back.
Common habits, such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and eating fast food, can have a negative impact not just on physical conditioning, but also on mental and emotional well-being. Even seemingly innocent products, such as coffee, can increase the production of cortisol (the stress hormone).
Replacing those habits with products that have been shown to have a positive impact on the body can make a significant difference, not only helping to boost relaxation/reduce stress, but also making it easier to do other good-for-you habits (like the ones on this list).
If you’ve been drinking alcohol as a way to relax, then look at finding an alternative option. CBD products, such as oils and gummies, are increasingly popular with people looking for healthy ways to lower their stress levels — and there’s also some evidence to suggest that it might help curb cravings for alcohol and nicotine. Other good-for-you products to include in your diet include fatty fish, leafy greens, and calming teas, such as chamomile and lavender.
Spend More Time Outside
Studies are increasingly finding a link between spending time in the great outdoors and improved overall well-being. One study found that just fifteen minutes in a green space could lower anxiety levels, while another found that spending two hours in nature each week (either in one sitting or in smaller chunks) had a significantly positive impact on stress and depression.
With many of us living in urban environments, accessing nature isn’t as accessible as it might have been in the past, but it’s also not impossible. Taking a bit of time and effort to organize a weekend hike with friends can be very much worth it, especially since you’ll be combining the benefits of nature with the benefits of spending time with your friends, which is also a highly effective stress-buster.
Start Your Morning With Cold Showers, Breathwork, and Meditation
Great things rarely come easy. There are times when you have to push yourself to do something that you really don’t want to do.
One of those things is cold showers. It’s not a nice thought, but starting your day with a cold shower really can pay off — not only will you be instantly awake, but you’ll also be encouraging endorphin release. Plus, jumping into a cold shower builds discipline, and at some point, you simply accept the cold, which is a pretty zen way to start the day. Once you’re out, round off your morning routine with breathwork and/or meditation. Those three can be a powerful tonic for enhancing your overall well-being, and once you’ve started, you’ll likely find that it becomes a staple of your routine.
Want to unlock greater wellness?
Listen to our friends over at the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast to unlock your best self with Dr. John Lieurance; Founder of MitoZen; creators of the ZEN Spray and Lumetol Blue™ Bars with Methylene Blue.
How to Take Ownership of Your Mental and Physical Health