Building healthy habits with a clean slate and a commitment to mind and body health is a worthwhile endeavor that can reap physical, mental, and emotional benefits down the road. Spend a little time thinking of how best to approach your goals and develop a specific, attainable agenda to help increase your odds for success. Today, Holy Grounding has some tips to get you started on the right path.

 

Clean It Out

Start right by cleaning and decluttering. Open your windows, air out negative energy, clean top-to-bottom, and donate or dispose of high-calorie and low-nutrient snacks. Make a commitment to clean eating and plan to visit your local farmer’s market or health food store on a regular basis. According to Women’s Health, fresh fruits, produce, and whole-grain food items should be at the top of your list. The internet is chock-full of recipes designed to make you look and feel better. Pick a few simple ones to start with and build your foodie repertoire from there.

 

Change Careers

Have you become stagnant in your current career? Fortunately, you can use your skills and set yourself up for freelance work by posting your services on online job platforms. Some self-employed business ideas include becoming a freelance interpreter, writer, virtual assistant, or social media consultant.

If you’re looking to take control of your life and finances, starting a business is one of the best ways to do so. While you can, of course, learn to run and grow your business as you go along, it’s a much better strategy to start strong, armed to the teeth in knowledge. Pursuing a formal business education — better yet, an MBA — will help you grasp business concepts like marketing, accounting, leadership, etc. so you can better apply them, making it the most clear-cut way to access. The same applies if you’re going into a highly specialized field, like IT or education.

 

Create an Exercise Routine

Making exercise part of your regular daily routine and scheduling it just like you would any other important appointment increases your odds of being able to stick with it. Maybe that means you get on the treadmill first thing in the morning or take a brisk walk in the evening after dinner. Perhaps a gym membership or personal trainer can help you stay focused and on track. Choose a form of physical activity that you enjoy and will actually have fun doing. According to Runner’s World, playing uplifting and invigorating music while you exercise helps you perform better, and you’ll soon start to look forward to the routine. Remember, physical activity isn’t just good for your body — it’s also good for your soul.

 

Manage Mental and Emotional Health

Part of being healthy from head to toe involves being in good mental and emotional shape, as well as in good physical condition. Consider adding mindfulness to your personal care routine. Yoga is a good way to combine mental and physical health into one activity. Focused breathing, meditation, or recitation of positive affirmations can help you get and stay centered. This can be especially helpful if you have a large household and relatively little time to yourself to regroup on a daily basis. As with your physical health, make mental and emotional health a priority on your schedule.

 

Make Your Routine Enjoyable

One way to make a new habit stick is to enjoy what you’re doing. This might mean joining an online or group fitness activity where you can virtually interact with other people, or make cooking healthy meals a family affair. Maybe you prefer communing with nature when weather permits. Download a trail-finding app for locating scenic walking and hiking paths in your area. The more you can integrate and reinforce your new healthy habits — and the more fun you have along the way — the greater the likelihood you’ll be able to incorporate these new routines into your life.

 

Making a mindful, holistic commitment to increase positive energy and decrease anxiety, as well as improving your physical, mental, and emotional health are gifts you give yourself. Living well and feeding your body, mind, and soul is a good way to position yourself for success.

Holy Grounding believes in empowering women to live balanced and purposeful lives. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! Amy Walton is a multi-certified coach who so strongly believes in cultivating healthy habits. She lives in coastal Virginia where she can be found hiking, lifting weights at one of her city’s wonderful recreation centers, or teaching yoga. She also devours at least one cup of berries each day!

This article was written in collaboration with Leslie Campos of wellparents.com. Connect with Leslie at leslie.campos@wellparents.com.