By The Best Way To Stay On Top Of Your Health Is To Chip Away At It Every Single Day.
“Happiness is the highest form of health.” — Dalai Lama.
If you have suffered from health problems during your lifetime, you will know how vital good, sound health is. But, unfortunately, even a minor sniffle can leave you unproductive and demotivated to take on the day. My philosophy is straightforward: sound health is the key to achieving all you want and leading the best life you possibly can. I’m not one to go about life half asleep or with aches and pain. Those symptoms bring anyone down and inhibit your line of focus. However, incorporating some simple ideas will help you constantly stay ahead of the health game by making health a priority.
Method One: 80% of the time, eat whole-foods
I see eating as the 80/20 rule of life. You can’t be too strict, yet you’re not going to let yourself lose and eat out the fridge in one sitting. My rule of thumb for a great life is to eat nutritious foods for 80% of your time. Focus on whole foods such as vegetables, healthy fats, protein and small amounts of high-quality carbohydrates. The best diet to incorporate in your life is the Mediterranean variety, for its abundance of vegetables, quality seafood and the odd glass of wine. This plan has a deficient intake of animal protein and dairy — focusing mainly on fresh vegetables and low caloric sources of seafood. Remember as well, that fat isn’t bad for you. Olive oil, avocado and nuts are part of a nutritious diet and help our bodies to regulate metabolism and keep weight gain at bay.
Method Two: Control and minimise stress in your life
Minimising stress can be tricky, and external sources of stress aren’t in our control at all. The only good news here is that we can easily control our minds and how we react to stress. Several things can help you deal with stress, such as deep breathing, meditation, or lifting weights. In addition, I love to take a walk whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or burn some beautiful essential oils on my burner. Sometimes igniting all the five senses in something can immediately lower your stress and anxiety levels. Try out a few things and find something which resonates well with your personality.
Method Three: Get rid of negative people in your life
What if those negative people are related to you in some way? A massive level of energy is used to try and detract from their negative comments and actions. I know this situation very well, and it has left me drained and lacking self-confidence because of someone else’s unkind words. Over the years, I’ve not developed a thicker skin but an armour around me that deflects anything said to me that’s derogatory. The thought that always goes through my mind when a negative person lashes out is always the same; Their words will cause adverse effects on them more than they will to me. I genuinely believe what we do and say to others comes back tenfold. Perhaps this is similar to Karma, and I think it is accurate. As long as I stay true to myself and treat others with respect, someone else’s opinion of me doesn’t matter at all. You don’t have to let their opinion of you cloud your sunshine.
If you achieve all kinds of things in the material world, but you lose your health or peace of mind, you get little or no pleasure from your other accomplishments. Brian Tracy,
Method Four: Find a way of working out & do it every day (that you enjoy)
Finding an exercise you love and want to perform is not hard. You don’t have to be a gym freak to enjoy a perfect workout. All you need to do is look for an exercise that helps combat stress in your life and gives you some relief from the school of hard knocks. Embrace something that lights you up, increases your fitness, strength and endurance levels. If you can constantly push and compete with your own self, then be sure every day will become a joy in discovering something that you hadn’t yet known about yourself.
Method Five: Have a few close friends you can turn to
I’ve never been one to have hundreds of friends — but instead have a few close and precious friendships I’ve nourished over the years. Loyalty in friendship is critical, and sticking with those who have supported and loved you through the good and bad times is one of the biggest blessings you can ever encounter. So hold those people close to you — always prioritise checking in with them regularly. Life can get in the way, but don’t let it stop you from being a valuable friend.
Method Six: Look inwards regularly at your happiness metre
I tend to slacken off with this one, which happens when I’m overworked or overstretched. Some days you may wake up suddenly overpowered by unhappiness and not quite realising what it could be. Taking the time to reflect on what’s going on inside by asking yourself a few questions will help you to uncover the hidden message:
Ask yourself:
- Why do I feel this way?
- What happened recently to set me off
- What have I stopped doing for myself that used to help me during these times
- What can I do about this right now?
Please write it down or put it in a secret spot that only you can find. It’s important to be discrete with anything that may come up so that you feel comfortable uncovering what it is. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” Buddha
Method Seven: Take regular breaks
Working non-stop and never getting out of your chair for a break is exhausting. It creates stagnant energy and leaves you feeling lethargic, and eventually, it will be tough to keep focusing. I bet that anyone stuck in a chair probably doesn’t drink any water either. The same goes for vacation — we all need some time away. To unwind and take a break from everyday life, we need to switch off regularly, or burnout will eventuate. You don’t have to take hours away from your desk — start with 15 to 30 minutes. Then, get outdoors, explore and go somewhere new. As for a holiday, what about a long weekend? Taking a Friday or Monday off gives us an extra day to rest and recuperate. It will make a massive difference to your level of energy and overall happiness.
Method Eight: Sleep as best as you can
I should follow what I say here, but I don’t get enough sleep, in all honesty.I love to get up super early to get through the things I have to complete that day.The silence and peace the mornings bring are precious for me.If you can get by on 5 hours of sleep, accept that. Some people need more. Maybe having a sleep in over the weekend is enough for you. Do the best you can, and try to rest when your body calls for it.
Method Nine: Have an animal in your life
Animals make my life better- and the lives of many other people around the world.All my animals (two male dogs and a male cat) made life entertaining and loving during the lockdown.My cat helped me through my mums last days of life and when she passed away. He was very loyal to me, filled with love and hugs when he saw me crying or stressed.My dog is always up for a belly rub and hug. When they look at me, my heart fills with love and gratitude. Animals make my day brighter, and they will do so for you too.
Method Ten: Spend most of your working hours on something you’re passionate about
Spending more than 8 hours a day doing something you hate is torment.If you can’t do the thing you love now, are there some aspects of your current job that you can grow to love? Maybe it’s the people, the conversations you have or your colleagues. If you love what you do for your customer or clients, the happiness will radiate through you and your work. It will become second nature to go the extra mile for those who support you — and then, in turn, you will always get self-satisfaction and more opportunities back. For me, health is about many aspects going on in your life.If one is off balance, then a level of disharmony will become present.We can’t always get the balance right, but trying our best is the first step.Knowing what makes us happy in many aspects of our life, points us in the right direction to make better decisions for our health and life.