Written by Jessica Wagner
Everywhere you turn, you hear tips about how to be healthy. It can be so overwhelming, especially for a busy woman, to know the right things to do that are ACTUALLY healthy. It also feels like trying to be healthy is a full time job in itself. How is it possible to make time for that? The task becomes too daunting, and we can feel like is has to be all or nothing, but the truth is, there are little steps we can take to add up to big results in our health. Here are a few simple healthy habits for your mind, body, and spirit that anyone can fit into their lifestyle.
- Create a morning routine. How you start your day determines how the rest of you day will go – ALWAYS. This can be as long or short as it feels good for you, but it NEEDS to happen. Even just 5 minutes to yourself to take some deep breaths before everyone else gets your attention can totally change the course of your day. You can try meditating, journaling, scheduling your day, exercising, and more to create your routine to be uniquely yours. Again, it never has to be all or nothing! The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod is a really good book to read if this is a new concept for you.
- Talk to yourself like someone you LOVE! Have you ever stopped to consider how many thoughts you tell yourself in a day? For most people, most of the time, those thoughts aren’t so nice. Typically, this comes from years of societal conditioning that you are not worthy of love, success, fulfillment, etc. It takes zero seconds to catch yourself in a negative thought pattern and change the story you’re telling yourself. It just takes some practice. Positive affirmations can be a powerful tool. Create your own to read each day or find a journal or card deck you love. If you’re a mama, check out Mama Mantras! (jessiwagner.com/mama-mantras)
- Give your belly lots of good nutrition for your first meal. Gut health is EVERYTHING! Ex: Protein shake. Breakfast quite literally means that you are breaking your fast. I typically recommend at least 12 hours between your last meal of the day and your first meal of the next day, but whatever that time frame looks like for you or whatever time of day you have your first meal, you are putting food into your belly after a long period of “fasting.” When we are super busy, the first thing we put into our body often ends up being something we can grab and go. If your first meal is full of good nutrition, it will help your mood, energy, cravings, and so much more. One way to hit the easy button on your healthy breakfast is by having a good protein shake! I love Arbonne’s because it has no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. It’s dairy-free, making it easier to digest, low on the glycemic index, and DELICIOUS! (jessiwagner.arbonne.com)
- Find an energy healer you vibe with. Sometimes you just need a little outside help! Energy healing modalities, such as Reiki, sound healing, access consciousness bars, and many more, can realign your energy centers and channels to feel more balanced in your body. Just like you might go to a chiropractor to get your spine back into alignment, you need a tune up for your energy! You will be much more efficient and productive when you’re in alignment, sleeping better, managing your mood better, etc! Many energy healing modalities, including Reiki, can be performed from a distance without you even needing to coordinate schedules! That’s a busy woman’s dream! Some, like sound healing, can even be accessed through YouTube and other media. (jessiwagner.com/services)
- Drink half your body weight in ounces of water! Get a big water bottle! We all know that it’s important to drink water, but sometimes when you are on the go, it becomes difficult. Find a big water bottle that you love! I’m a huge fan of my HydroJug, depending where I’m going. Otherwise, I keep a sleek 32oz bottle in my purse. The less often you have to fill up your cup or bottle, the more likely you are to do it. Even having a bigger spout can help you drink more water at a time! These small tweaks can help you easily increase your water intake.
- Meal plan! It’s easier than you think! Anyone else just dread thinking about what to cook for dinner every night? If you’re not prepared, it can often lead to spending unnecessary money and making less healthy choices. Taking time each week to plan your meals will save time, energy, and money later! Try starting by looking at what is already in your refrigerator and pantry. Use up what you have before buying new things. You will see simply making sure you actually cook the food you have can save money too! This will also help you get creative with your healthy meals! If you don’t know where to start, Arbonne’s 30 Days to Healthy Living Program can be a great way to learn long term, sustainable, healthy eating habits. You can find tons of free meal plans on Pinterest and other platforms as well. Once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature!
- Unapologetically surround yourself with positive people. Did you ever hear Jim Rohn’s famous quote, “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with?” Well, it is absolutely true. Consider the people you spend time with. How do they influence your mood and your energy? Are they lifting you up or bringing you down? Are they encouraging you to make healthy choices or not so much? You do not owe an explanation to anyone as to how you spend your time. Setting healthy boundaries means that you love and respect yourself, not that you’re hurting someone else. People who love and respect you will understand that.
- Use cleaner household and personal care products. Did you know that everything that touches your skin gets absorbed into your body? There are so many sneaky ingredients in household cleaners and personal care products that can be impacting your hormonal balance, mood, internal pH balance, and so much more. That’s not even mentioning ingredients that have been linked to cancer and dementia. There are tons of DIY cleaning product recipes floating around if you’d like to create your own. If not, check your labels! Some key ingredients to avoid are mineral oil, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, artificial dyes and fragrances, formaldehyde, and petrolatum.
- Move your body any way you can! It doesn’t need to be a full blown workout! In a perfect world, we would all have time and resources (and babysitters for us moms!) to do our favorite workouts every day, but sometimes that isn’t feasible, and you can still get your exercise in! Parking further away in a parking lot to get some extra steps in. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Set an alarm on your phone to get up and do some jumping jacks every 20 minutes. Write post its around your house the do a small exercise every time you walk past. Walk while listening to work calls when possible. There are so many ways to get creative to move your body! Again, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing!
- GIVE YOURSELF GRACE! This is the absolute most important of them all. We are WAY too hard on ourselves, especially as driven women in high demand! We forget sometimes that we are human and allowed to make mistakes and not be perfect. No matter what you are trying to change, it’s going to take time and practice. Forgive yourself if you don’t do exactly what you said you would. You might even need to forgive yourself when you forget to forgive yourself!! Enjoy the journey. Understand that most likely you have a lot on societal conditioning to unlearn that no longer serves you. You are worthy of your own love just as much as everyone else!
Jessi Wagner is a wife, mother of a 5 and 2 year old, and holistic health advocate. Having her master’s degree in counseling and working in the field as a mental health & drug and alcohol therapist for a few years, Jessi felt called to continue the work of serving and helping others to live authentically and love themselves fully but knew it would be through a different outlet. Jessi took a leap of faith in 2018 to pursue her side gig full time, trusting that the opportunities that were meant for her would come. Since then, Jessi has become a Reiki Master, created a deck of affirmations for cards for moms called Mama Mantras, contributed to a best-selling anthology entitled Twenty Won, and will be opening up a holistic wellness center in the fall. With all of the hats she wears, Jessi learned how to fit a healthy lifestyle into a busy lifestyle and is passionate about teaching women to prioritize their own health and happiness in a realistic way.
