By Laughter is the best habit incorporated easily into your life.
Breaking habits and setting new, healthy ones can be extremely challenging, but not impossible. Sticking with the new habit for a month will ensure you have allowed your body enough time to adopt this, and make it less likely to revert to your old ways. Small habits make a world of difference, as well as that little bit of planning, will lead to great success.
7 daily habits for a long and health life
- Become more active on a daily basis. This is added to what you do for exercise. Walk, cycle or run wherever you can, whenever you schedule the time. Walk to work, the dog, coffee shop or supermarket. Use your feet as much as you can during the day. Walking is one of the best form of incidental exercise, which counts for our daily caloric expenditure. It’s also great for young, old and injured people. Getting out in the fresh air makes a huge difference.
- When eating your meal, start with the veggies first, then protein, while finishing the carbs (if you have any room left in your stomach). Be mindful of how full you are and stop. Eating more veggies means more consumption of fiber, signaling the brain to stop eating. That means weight loss for you, as well as the health benefits.
- Skip the sugar in your coffee and other food items. Better yet, get rid of all forms of sugar, apart from stevia. Take note how different your moods and overall clarity of mind are. What about how your clothes fit? Ridding yourself of these refined sugars will put you a step ahead of the rest.
- Have a good laugh with friends and work colleagues. A laugh and joke are all part of connecting with the people, and making life a but more light hearted. Take the time to laugh, joke around and go out together, forget about the problems in your world. Connecting with people provides us with special moments to cherish and hold close to us.
- Cook at home more often. Use nourishing ingredients, pick your own veggies, herbs and meats. Make your favourite recipes and take left overs to work with you. It’s extremely heart warming to prepare your own meals to feed your body. If you don’t know how to cook, use a service that gives you the recipe and food via a delivery. Start small, and enjoy the creative process.
- Practice gratitude. Every day before you go to sleep, think of 3 things you are most grateful for, no matter how small. It could be that free coffee you got, or a friend listening to you in your time of need. There is so much we could be grateful for. This just enhances our magnetism for achieving even more abundance. Practice it today, and see your life changing.
- The art of forgiveness. When we keep emotions, hurt and anger within us, it causes disease and prevents us from reaching our full potential. Forgiveness is not about letting the other person off the hook. It’s to allow ourselves space to acknowledge what has happened, the hurt, pain and anger, that resulted, then giving our thanks for what it has taught us and letting go. No, it’s not easy, but when you begin to forgive, you will gain part of yourself back that was bundled up in emotional disarray. What has this got to do with quality of life? How do you enjoy life when you hold yourself back because of fear, hurt, anxiety and disappointment? Don’t allow situations or people to take your happiness, bursting to come outside and shine onto others. Now that is living your true and healthy life one in fact.
I do believe that it’s not all about food and exercise when it comes to leading a longer life. Sure, these are key factors, but we also need a lot of ‘soul food’ and work, such as time spent laughing, outdoors in the sunshine, practicing gratitude and forgiveness. There is so much more to good health, and a lot of it comes from within.