No matter how busy our schedules might be these days, putting aside time to focus on our health is not just important, it’s a necessity. One can survive without eating well, exercising, and relaxing, but one cannot truly thrive. If you are looking for ways to recommit to your health, both physically and mentally, here is what you need to know.

Mindful Eating

Often, we eat what is convenient, what tastes good, and what is fast. Without time to invest in cooking healthy meals, what else can we do? However, this can lead to issues such as obesity and depression. Mindful eating is one way to fight this behavior. Eating with intention can transform our relationship with food. Eat because you are hungry, not because you’re looking for a distraction or trying to fill an emotional void. You should choose food you like to eat, but also food that is good for your health. Part of this is learning how to stop eating when your body is satisfied, not when your plate is clean. Remind yourself that no matter how tasty your dish is, this is not your last time to enjoy it. You will eat it again, and there is no pressure to finish every crumb. By all means, eat the food you truly love -- just make sure you don’t overeat it.

“Me” Time

No matter what, you should try to set aside time for yourself each day to unwind. Relaxing entails anything you find particularly soothing. It might mean sipping a cup of herbal tea while listening to calming music. Relaxation might mean treating yourself to an at-home spa day. You can get a face mask, or make one yourself since most require what many of us keep in our fridges. Turn off all of your technology; no phones, no tablets, no computers -- just time for yourself. Also, you might even try a hot rock massage. Anything healthy that you enjoy can be indulged as a way to let go of worries and stress.

Daily Exercise

Unfortunately, most American adults do not get the amount of physical activity we need to support good health. Inactivity can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even issues with mental health. Every week, we should engage in moderate exercise for about 2.5 hours. That’s anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes a day. If you are pressed for time, there are still ways to get your daily allotment in. One fantastic way to get your exercise done quickly is called interval training. It consists of short bursts of activity and giving that exercise 100 percent of yourself. It combines weight work and aerobics, which is great for your heart and health. You can also do more little things throughout your day. Park farther away from your work and do a little extra walking. Find time to do brief stints of exercise, such as squats while your shower heats up, or lunges while your dinner cooks. Every little bit adds up.
 
Commit to Sleep
 
Sleep is vital to our well-being, and you need more than you probably get. The average adult needs roughly seven to eight hours a night to stay on top of their health. When you don’t sleep well, you may find yourself feeling hungrier, tired, sick, and may have a difficult time focusing on any given task. Not only does this make it harder to work, but it also makes driving downright dangerous. If you curtail your sleep for extra time to work, socialize, or even exercise, you may be doing your mind and body a disservice. Instead, stick to a sleep schedule, not only to ensure you get eight hours but to help your body fall and stay asleep.
 
The importance of these things cannot be overstated. Eating well, sleeping enough, working out, and taking time to relax are all essentials to feeling great each day. Now is the best time to dedicate your days to yourself, and living your best life.

Are you feeling low or just thinking negatively?  If you are, I think this article will help you to feel better and start living a happy life.
 
A lot of times, we start feeling low or thinking in a negative way out of habit.    What I mean by this is, if we start to have a few bad days, we might say, “I’m having a bad day, or I wish I would not have a bad day.”  This is a negative affirmation and just a negative way of thinking.  It might be true; you might be having a bad day, but when you say this, you are actually creating your world.  What do I mean by that?  I mean, when you say the negative affirmation, “I’m having a bad day,” you might actually be creating more bad days in your future.  You must learn to turn these negative affirmations or negative ways of thinking into positive affirmations.

A great way to look at this is, a negative affirmation will create negative results, but a positive affirmation will get you positive results.  So, it only makes sense to start thinking in a more positive way, so you can always be manifesting positive results.
 
First, let’s change “I’m having a bad day” into a positive affirmation.  You might say, “Yes, I’m having a wonderful day. I love and approve of myself.”  Can you see the difference? One affirmation is negative, and the other is positive.  It’s not a hard process, but sometimes, it’s very hard to change your thinking.  If you have been thinking negatively for a long period of time, your mind will automatically want to go back to thinking in a negative way.  This is normal, but you must be willing to change your thinking.

If you are having a hard time and you notice yourself thinking in a negative way, just say, “I no longer need those thoughts. I am now thinking in a more positive way.”  You might have to say this over and over again, but over time, you will start being a more positive person.  What’s happening now is, your mind is so used to thinking negatively, it will be hard to change your thinking.  But it is possible; it just might take longer than someone who has only been thinking in a negative way for a shorter amount of time.
 
Be looking for little changes.  If you have been thinking negatively for months or years, you will start to think in a negative way again.  This is normal because you have been thinking this way for so long.  But be looking for little signs that thinking in a positive way is working.  When you have a good day and you think this might be working, you are on the right track, and you should be totally happy.  It’s ok if you go back to thinking negatively. No one changes his or her thinking overnight.  It will take time but don’t give up.   When you notice you are thinking in a negative way, just change your thoughts to be more positive.

This process might take 90 days, especially if you have been a negative-thinking person for a while now.  Just don’t give up, and in return, you will change your whole life.  Your thoughts are creating your whole life right now.
 
People sometimes think, with this process, they will feel good every day.  That’s not the goal; the goal is for you to feel positive and happy most of the time.  In life, we sometimes feel bad or low. This is very normal. Don’t try to be happy all the time, especially if you are going through a rough time.  What’s not normal is thinking in a negative way for long periods of time or being depressed.  With this being said, I believe you can change your whole life with affirmations and positive thinking.  But if you are feeling depressed, the first step is to talk to your doctor and ask for help.  Sometimes, people don’t want to talk with the doctor about feeling depressed, but you must remember there is nothing wrong with asking for help. 

Remember, you can do anything if you just think you can.  Thinking positively will result in you getting positive results.