As we enter the second quarter of this year (which is racing by), I wanted to review how the first quarter of my year has gone. Although it was off to a really frustrating start and lots of obstacles, I have learned to be more patient and to trust the Universe. This is in part due to the wellness habits I have cultivated over the years and maintain right through every year. You see, creating lasting wellness habits is easier to maintain than New Years resolutions. Resolutions are limited and based on a one year deadline, not on creating lasting change. Most people also make too many resolutions that are impractical or unrealistic. As a result, studies show that most New years resolutions fail by February. Does that sound like you? Then I would like to share how I cultivated and maintained lasting wellness habits.
Wellness Foundations
Research shows that successful behavioural changes occur during times of novelty (e.g. New Year) but I believe it comes out of neccesity. Change happens when you reach that point where you have grown tired of your own self-sabotaging bullshit. It is at this critical juncture that we choose to develop new good habits that propel us forward or cling to our bad habits that hold us back. This choice becomes the foundation on which we build our lasting wellness habits. We also have a tendency to overcomplicate the wellness journey. But the best results come from focusing on the basic wellness foundations:
- Clean Eating
- Regular Exercise
- Yoga & Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Sleep Well
Invest in Your Wellness Habits
[mailerlite_form form_id=0]Your wellness journey is a
Asanas
There is so much that I can say about yoga and meditation, but lets keep it simple. These practices changed my life. After ignorantly refusing to try either for years, I started yoga in 2015 and meditation followed shortly thereafter. Quickly these practices became a part of my regular daily routine and it felt strange when I didn’t practice. Even as life gets busy and when we travel often, I try to make time for yoga at least a few times a week and short daily meditation sessions. I recently started using the Yoga Design Lab Combo Mats and it has really enhanced my practice. They have redefined yoga mats by combining a mat and towel into one beautiful designed product. Not only are these mats gorgeous, but they are environmentally friendly as well. Their mats are made from recycled plastic bottles and natural tree rubber.
Pranayama
Just like with yoga it took me an embarrassingly long time to try meditation or even implement mindfulness. These, in particular, are practices that are so simple they seem deceivingly difficult. However, as soon as I started meditation I realized it was something I thoroughly enjoyed and truly needed in my life. Being mindful at all times and regularly practicing meditation positively affects every aspect of your life. While testing wellness products, I tried the Komuso Design Meditation Breathing Necklace. Inspired by the Japanese Komuso Monks, the necklace helps you achieve the perfect exhale. This ‘shift’ calms the nervous system, slows the heart rate and reduces cortisol levels to relax the mind and body. I am a nervous flyer so I tested the necklace while flying to Mauritius last month and it really helped me to calm down and even relax a bit.
Beauty Sleep
Getting enough sleep is not just about beauty (but it helps), it is vital time our body needs to reset. When we sleep our body has enough time to regenerate and heal from the damage and stressors we experienced while awake. Getting enough sleep is such an important wellness habit and luckily, there are ways to optimize our rest. I tried out the organic Avocado Green Pillow recently and am quite impressed with the quality. This non-toxic pillow made with organic cotton is both eco-friendly and provide great support for your neck. I combined it with a silk pillowcase from The Silk Lady for the optimal sleep experience. A silk pillowcase is the perfect item for beauty sleep and luxurious comfort. It benefits your skin and hair and even delays the ageing process as you sleep. When used together these items will help you sleep well again.
edh
Alternative Therapies
I am a big believer in alternative therapies and natural remedies of all kinds. This makes up a big portion of my wellness habits as there are many alternative healing techniques. My goal for this year was to incorporate more Aromatherapy into my life. I was well aware of the benefits but never stuck with it permanently. Besides adding essential oils to my detox baths or burning inscence during yoga, I did not utilize the therapy fully. This all changed when I started using personal essential oil diffusers from MONQ. I am absolutely in love with these portable diffusers and use them daily.
MONQ is based on scientific reserach and was developed by an orthapedic surgeon. The therapeutic air comes in a variety of lovely blends to provide targeted aromatherapy for specific issues. The new MONQR flip open case is chargeable and can be refilled with new pods as needed.
Want 10% off your first purchase at MONQ? Follow any link to the MONQ website in this article and your 10% discount will automatically be applied… YAY!!!
I am most definitely not an authority on wellness and still have a long way to go in terms of my wellbeing. But I wanted to share my own experience and what has worked for me. You will notice I have not really mentioned healthy eating as this is something that I am still working on and trying to achieve myself. However, it is important to remember that wellness is a journey, it takes time to cultivate habits. Your focus should be on long-term results instead of short term fixes.
I would like to thank Yoga Design Lab, Komuso Design, Avocado Green Mattress, The Silk Lady & MONQ for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions are my own!
How do you maintain your wellness habits?
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I am obsessed w all of these wellness tips. Thank you for sharing! XO
cathclaire | fashion, lifestyle, travel blog
http://www.cathclaire.com
So glad you like them!
Really awesome post I use essential oils to help me sleep better plus I exercise 6 days a week.
Yes, essential oils really improve sleep quality.
I so enjoyed reading this, especially since I resonated with your views on wellness and change! I’ve also become a fan of aromatherapy in the past year, essential oils have now become a part of my daily routine- whether I add them to candles, beauty products or my own home cleaning supplies.
I am so happy to hear that this article resonated with you! 🙂
I really enjoyed this post! I’m a yogi and love seeing others spreading the love and how It has helped them!. Beautifully put together with lovely graphics
Thank you so much for your kind words.
I am all for wellness and healthy eating! Truly life changing!
Briana
https://beyoutifulbrunette.com/
It really is! 🙂
Those tips are so worthy! I started to apply them recently!
Thanks so much! I am sure you are seeing some great results!
I love this post! I have to maintain a wellness routine as well, otherwise my entire day is thrown off! I try to practice yoga at least every other day, even if for only 15 minutes of stretches. I am very interested in the meditation breathing necklace…will look into that later! Also, I should get an Avocado pillow as well! I’ve been using my Bamboo pillow for 2 years & my husband just got the Avocado one & I think he’s sleeping better than me now! Ha! We also have the Avocado mattress, but I think I need a much firmer one.
Thanks for sharing! Please check out my wellness tips on my page when you have the chance!
Thanks so much, I am glad you enjoyed the post.
Yes, I definitely recommend an Avocado pillow but combine it with a silk pillowcase for best results.
The meditation breathing necklace has made such a big difference in my life.
Will definitely check out your website too!
Wow – you mentioned so many products I’ve never tried before! I need to up my wellness game and try that breathing necklace! I also love all the valuable tips you shared in this post, and I can’t wait for more!
Thanks so much, I’m glad you like it and that I inspired you to add more wellness to your life. The breathing necklace is amazing – useful in every situation.
I definitely agree about sleep. I have to go to bed at a certain time as well or I don’t feel well.
Yes, I have a night time routine to help me fall asleep easier as well. It’s very important.
Wow, thank you so much! I love all your ideas. This article has tons of great information, so I’m going to save this one! I love learning more about yoga and meditation and have been trying to practice them daily. Great read! Melissa
Awww thanks, Melissa, I’m so glad you like my article and ideas. Good luck with your yoga and meditation practices, they make such a big difference.
Love these topics!
This is such a great post! I totally agree with the right pillow and doing some relaxing yoga.
I love this list! It’s very comprehensive. With the current state of things, it feels extra relevant. I’m definitely referring back to it to make sure I hold myself accountable.
Loved your ideas. I’ve been curious about the pillow myself and it was helpful to see someone else tried it and liked it.
I love reading wellness tips! I love to meditate right before bed, it calms me. I do feel a difference when I don’t meditate as often. I see it in my sleeping patterns. The more I meditate, the more calmer and productive I feel. Thanks for sharing.
Yoga has definitely helped me maintain a wellness foundation throughout the year. I haven’t gotten into aromatherapy yet but I will look into it now! Thanks for this great article.
I love this article! Great habits for anyone to cultivate in their life! My fiance and I have incorporated yoga in the morning and night, as well as a 10-minute meditation before bed. Adding this on top of all the other wellness habits we have has helped calm our anxieties and de-stress.
Great read. It can be so hard to maintain emotional wellness all year long and I think this post really helps break down the process of maintaining good habits and the correlation between habits and happiness.