simple things I keep coming back to because they work

A lot of wellness habits center around spending money…am I right? I fall into the trap all the time of thinking I need that new supplement or membership or gadget. It can totally be helpful every now and then for motivation and who doesn't love an aesthetic bottle of probiotics? I do!

But it’s easy to get hooked on looking for things outside of ourselves and to keep putting off the real work which is a lot harder than simply spending money. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t seek help if you're dealing with a serious mental health issue like depression. Yes, you must trust your gut and ask for (and spend money on) professional help, but this is not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about daily tools that have helped me gain confidence day after day and clear the fog on days where life seems too hard to face.

These are not quick fixes. Give them a few days or weeks and I promise you will see small changes here and there. You will notice it’s not so hard to get out of bed or to think better thoughts. Most importantly, I have found that when I show up for myself and do the things I said I would do, my confidence grows, and with it, my positive outlook on life.

Nothing I’m mentioning below is new or groundbreaking. But I feel like I always need to hear something either so many times I have to try it or in a way that resonates differently than it ever did before. So here I am, hoping to be that for you. Below I listed my favorite free tools and how I use them specifically. I think it helps to see the many ways you can incorporate such basic ideas. I know I tend to overcomplicate so much in my life. These simple easily accessible habits are for anyone. You just have to drop the idea that everything has to be so hard and give yourself the gift of time (because that’s all it really takes) to live a life that feels good.

BREATH

We’re going to start really simple here with the most universal tool we ALL have access to: our lungs. If I could only tell you one thing to do, it would be this. All day long we are unconsciously breathing just enough to get by, shallow short breaths. I dare you (double dog?) to spend 3-5 minutes in the morning, or whenever you can, to close your eyes and incorporate some type of breathing exercise into your everyday life. It doesn't have to be fancy. My go-to is the box breath. Breath in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, out for 4 counts, and hold for 4 counts. Continue it for as long as you can. I’m not sure of the science behind it but focusing on your breath (aka your life force) immediately snaps you into the present moment, into your body, and connects you to the world. You drop whatever story you were telling yourself and you can see the bigger picture, even just for 3 minutes. As you get more and more addicted, try some kundalini breathwork (breath of fire is my favorite).

NATURE

A very close second in my everyday habits revolves around the sun (yes, pun intended). I live in Florida where it’s sunny year round so I know I have an advantage here, but I believe most people have access to nature in some capacity be it grass, the sun, or water (ocean, lake, etc). A typical day for me is to sun gaze for 1 to 2 minutes in each eye during the first hour after the sun rises. I LOVE everything Nadine Artemis talks about when it comes to sun therapy (more about her and her books here). About 3-4 times a week, I go to the beach in the late afternoon after 4pm to soak up some vitamin D, swim in the ocean, and ground into the sand/grass. This isn't always as frequent as I like but when I do it, it’s a huge mood lifter for me. I know you might not live close to a beach but a walk, fresh air on your patio, or hugging a tree are all things we can do to bring in more of nature’s healing.

WATER

Drink water. I know this won’t seem sexy in today’s culture, but I promise you it’s these simple consistent practices that will give you the most benefits because they are so accessible and simple to do. Do whatever you need to do to your water to make it fun and sexy to drink. Add lemon, fruits, honey, chlorophyll drops, whatever. Just drink up.

GRATITUDE

I know, I know, you’ve heard it a million times…and there is a reason why. It works. I’m not talking about fake it ‘til you make it gratitude but true-for-you, feel it in your gut thankfulness. There are times in my life when I didn’t want to find any reason to be grateful, but I promise you there are still reasons. Our brains are wired to find the problems. It’s part of our biology to protect ourselves (see article here about negativity bias). As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, list out 1-3 things. It can be as simple as, I woke up alive or I have both of my legs or I have my sight. I start real basic when I'm feeling low and these incredibly simple gifts we take for granted slowly work their way into strengthening your gratitude muscle.

MOVEMENT

I’m a strong believer in finding what works for you. We are all so different and there are as many forms of movement as there are personalities. Try everything that seems to peak interest. Stick with one thing or rotate through a bunch of things but get that heart pumping, blood moving, and energy going. Even just 10 minutes of stretching, yoga, or a walk makes a difference. You will begin to see the shift and want to incorporate more and more into every day.

Let me know which habit you’ve been wanting to get more consistent with or start but needed a gentle reminder (aka kick in the butt) like this.

Lots of love,

jodi xx