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#1 Life Habit to Happy & Healthy

Vacations & Mini-Retreats - vacations whether long or short, like a 1-4 day mini-retreat are one of the best ways to achieve your happy & healthy. Studies have found that you'll gain the most health benefits with vacations that last a minimum of 1-2 weeks. The health benefits of a 5-7 day vacation can last up to 45 days after returning home. One study found that longer trips can decrease stress & improve sleep, and benefits can be felt up to 5 weeks later.

What can you do every day to help maintain a happy, positive outlook? You need daily health boosters. Take at least 1 hour every day during your work week just for YOU. Start with 2-3 minutes of deep breathing to release negative feelings, bringing your inner self into a peaceful state. Now do at least a 30 minute activity to get your heart rate up. Then, stretch for 5+ minutes to feel calm and satisfied. Trust me - you'll start looking forward to this time.

As for mini-retreats: if you can getaway 2-3 times each month, like to a friends house for girl time, a day at the beach, or a wilderness hike a couple hours away - you'll be able keep life's stresses under control and be your best happy & healthy.

Vacation Health Benefits

• Stress - the first morning away with no alarm clocks abruptly reminding you about the daily struggles with are GONE. This makes a huge and positive impact on your mental outlook.

• Mental health - it's not long before your mind & body start detangling & releasing tension. You'll find yourself more focused & relaxed and your mood lifted. Vacations help you produce more "happy hormones". Check out: Make Happy Hormones.

• Sleep - after several days on vacation, you're sleeping better and feel more rested. Your mind uses sleep to declutter & empty out. With a few good night's sleep, you'll probably get your happy back.

• Physical health - with all the walking you're doing on vacation, you'll start to feel lighter, stronger, and more confident - possibly even regaining your childlike enthusiasm. Your body is getting energized.

• Heart disease - after 1 to 2 weeks your mind & body are healing & starting to function properly. This results in lower risk for heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

• See my blog: Vacations are Health Bombs.

Here's the key: when you're Healthier - you're Happier. And vice-versa.

Get a Pet

Get a pet like a guinea pig, bird, dog, or whatever suits you best. If you want their company with you on lots of adventures, get a pet like a dog. Pets are proven to help lower stress/anxiety, lift your mood, and provide loving companionship. That's a triple WIN, WIN, and WIN. Read: Pets Improve Your Life.

Get Outdoors

The outdoors has more fun options and provide extra benefits like fresh air & vitamin D (sunshine) which will lift your mood & literally brighten your day. Plus, there's more opportunities to meet new people in the big outdoors. Light early in the morning helps your body set it's internal clock. Choose activities that you love, but make sure it's a healthy balance between physical activities that get your heart rate up and relaxing activities that calm your mind and rest your muscles. Check out: What's Always With You?

Try Something New

Try something new each week like a new food, activity, or new place to visit. This could also include conquering a fear, an exercise goal, or making a new friend. When you accomplish something new - you'll feel confident, empowered, and happier.

Improve Eating Habits

Believe it or not, eating healthier helps both mind & body. Eat whole foods, less sugar & salt, and stick with healthy fats & carbs. Avoid processed foods which clog arteries & digestion. Many foods are designed to give you that immediate "feel good" feeling....but it quickly wears off leaving you feeling gross & wanting more. Manufacturers do this to create a food addiction, so you'll buy more of their products.

It's OK - have a couple "cheat meals" during the week. Enjoy a cheat meal & desert within a one hour sitting. Within 30 minutes of eating, get up a walk for 15 minutes so your body doesn't create more fat cells. If you love deserts - eat healthier versions using dark chocolate with a protein + healthy fat. They're yummy.

Be a Kid Again

Be a kid again and enjoy the simple pleasures - play to your heart's content. And don't worry about looking like a dork!

Rest When You Need It

It's risky & harmful to keep pushing yourself to exhaustion. Your mind & body must get the rest it needs, or you could end up in the hospital.

Take an hour, or afternoon and read a book in the sunshine, sit quietly and watch the ocean waves, have a calm floaty down river, or go big and take a nap. Take time for YOU every week - refill your tank and recharge.

Throw Out Negative Thoughts

If you don't want a stressful situation or frustrating person to take you captive, then take action. Take control & turn the negative into a positive. Ask yourself, what if this frustrating person is trying to cope with a very difficult situation? Offer to pray for them, ask if they need help, and be kind. It might just be what they're crying out for.

Can't Go Outside

If the weather is preventing you from going outside, no worries. Try indoor rock climbing, an art project, or a hot soak in the tub.

Don't Isolate Yourself

One of the worst things to do is isolate from others - it's especially harmful to our mental health. Social media is also isolating. Work on "in person" relationships. Did you know God created Eve as a companion for Adam?

Create opportunities to laugh, love, and live to your best happy by engaging with others. People who isolate often have high stress jobs, and will sometimes self-medicate to feel better, which just makes the problem worse.

Isolation can also cause the brain to change, potentially leading to further mental health damage. Without support from a social network - it's easier to spiral down, increasing symptoms of stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and more.

Exercise & Physical Activity

Many people are afraid of exercise. It doesn't have to be hard or boring. Did you know that healthier people are happier people? Get at least 30 minutes of exercise or physical activity 5-6 days/week. Exercise boosts physical, mental, and emotional health. Even walking briskly is good: Walk to Live a Better Life.

Stretch after exercising. Breathe in thru your nose. As you begin stretching a muscle, breathe out thru your mouth. With each exhale, stretch a little farther. You want to stretch each muscle you worked for 15-30 seconds.

Stretching helps restore your muscles & you're less sore the next 2 days. Breathing deeply brings in extra oxygen & relaxes you - more great health boosters.

Volunteer

Volunteering boosts your mood, making you feel satisfied. During my many years of volunteering, if I started out tired & not in the mood, I'd leave leave feeling recharged & content. Giving financially is good, but volunteering your time benefits your health, and the best part - it helps someone else.

Play or Listen to Music

Music is a mood booster. Even if you're feeling sad or lonely, it can be comforting. If you're skilled with an instrument - then make your own music. For a little happy boost, sing along with your favorite tunes.

Be Thankful

We can always find something everyday to be thankful for. Here's one: "I'm thankful for a job because it pays for my vacations". If a challenging situation presents itself - view the difficulty as an opportunity to learn a valuable lesson or new skill. Even when I'm thrown off course - I'm amazed at the little treasures I've found (people, place or thing) by being thankful for it. A thankful heart will keep you above the situation, looking down at the difficulty instead of being crushed underneath it. Thankfulness keeps you more positive, happier, and healthier.

Meditate or Pray

Meditation & prayer can bring you comfort, lift your spirit, make you feel safe, make you feel loved, provide answers, provide motivation, and give you strength. It also restores your sense of inner peace, rejuvenating your soul.

Better Sleep

Your body & mind need 7-9 hours of quality sleep. If you can't fall asleep or stay asleep - read my blog on tricks to sleep: Lack of Sleep Makes us Looney Tunes.

Bonus Life Habits

1. Alcohol, Caffee, Drugs - avoid prescription or over-the-counter drugs and illegal drugs including THC/marijuana. Limit alcohol and caffeine intake. All of these substances can negatively impact a mental or physical health issue, and can mask or irritate your feelings further.

2. Big "To Do" Lists - Life is full of things to do....over and over again. Don't look at the whole list and freak out. Just pick 2 or 3 things that are most important and do them. The rest can wait. Don't you feel relieved?

3. Electronics - when you're taking a time-out to restore your happy & health, don't bring electronic gadgets with you. Unplug and only use your phone for emergencies.

4. Excessive TV - Harvard's 2023 study says that watching TV excessively, 4 or more hours/day is related to greater risk of developing brain-based disorders like dementia, depression, and Parkinson's disease.

5. Feeling overwhelmed - even if it's with a trusted friend or health professional, PLEASE ask for help.

6. Frustrated, Upset, Stressed - Before saying or doing something you regret, walk away. You need prayer, meditation, and deep breathing to restore your calm. If you're focused, 5 minutes will do the trick. Later, write down ways to prevent that type of situation and avoid the situation from escalating. Or, avoid it altogether.

7. Vacations - before going on vacation, clean & organize your house and leave enough groceries in the fridge for a couple days. Coming home to piles of laundry & a dirty house can zap your happy mood and give you anxiety over the things you have to do before returning to work. Also, pack extra clothes for 1 day, a little makeup or guy stuff, and a book in your carry-on bag in case your luggage is delayed.

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