Small action steps can make a big impact on the overall quality of your life. Here are 20 things you can do to improve your health and happiness this year.
20 Tips to Improve Your Health and Happiness
1. Drink more water.
An easy resolution to incorporate into everyday life, drinking more water will help you feel better all-around. A general recommendation is to drink half of your bodyweight in ounces of water a day, so someone who weighs 140 pounds should shoot for about 9 glasses of water a day.
2. Wake up with the sun.
Take advantage of the quiet, peaceful morning hours.
3. Create a morning ritual.
A morning ritual is something you do every day as a part of your morning routine. Establish a healthy morning ritual to increase your happiness and productivity throughout your entire day. Need some inspiration? Check out 7 Morning Rituals for a Healthy Life.
4. Find a spiritual practice.
Meditation, yoga, going for walks in nature, painting, singing…. these can all be spiritual practices. Find something that you can do by yourself, for yourself to be more connected with yourself.
5. Declutter.
Declutter your home, your closet, your office, your computer. Sell or donate what you no longer need. Getting rid of “stuff” can be really freeing.
6. Create a vision board.
Visualization can help you tremendously to create the life of your dreams. Create a vision board to help you visualize what you want to accomplish.
7. Listen to podcasts.
Acquire knowledge (or just be entertained) on the go. You can find a podcast on almost any topic of interest.
8. Read more.
Go to the library. Take out some good books. Read. Get inspired. 4 Must Read Books to Read in Your Twenties.
9. Get more physical activity.
We all know the importance of regular physical activity, but for some reason or another, most of us just don’t get enough. Make this your year to enjoy physical activity. Join a new fitness class, take up skiing or snowshoeing, start walking on your lunch break… just move.
10. Spend more on experiences than things.
It may be one of the greatest secrets to happiness. Accumulate memories, not more stuff.
11. Journal.
Writing in a journal can be very therapeutic. It can also be a great learning and self-improvement tool.
12. Surround yourself with positive people.
Whether we know it (or like it) or not, every person that we interact with influences us in some way or another. Positive people make us feel joyous, energetic, and encouraged, while negative people make us feel drained, exhausted and just down. It may be difficult to cut negativity completely from your life, but you can choose to spend less time around it. Choose to spend your time around those who help you grow.
13. Create a stream of passive income.
Passive income is regular income which needs little or no effort to maintain it. Some examples include rental property, e-books, investments, stock photography sales, etc.
14. Create a to-do list every evening for the next day.
Increase your productivity by making a list of the top things you set to accomplish.
15. Practice gratitude.
Every day, notice and reflect on the great things in your life. You’ll experience positive emotions, begin to appreciate the simple pleasures once taken for granted, reduce stress, and open yourself up for more great things to come your way.
16. Take action on the big things you want to accomplish.
What are the biggest things that you want to accomplish this year? Lay out a plan to accomplish them! All too often we get caught up doing the small tasks, that we lose sight of the big goals. Check out my post Getting to the Important Things.
17. Experiment in the kitchen.
Have fun in the kitchen. Try new healthy meals. Make a recipe book with your favorite creations.
18. Create an oasis.
Where do you spend the most time? Your home? Your office? Your car? Make it a place you love to be.
19. Start a blog.
A blog will make you reflect, and you’ll learn more about yourself. You’ll have your own piece of “internet real estate,” and not to mention, the opportunity is there for passive income. Check out 10 Reasons to Start a Blog and How to Start a Blog in 2017.
20. Do more of what makes you happy.
You only have one life. Spend more time doing what brings you the most joy.