10 actually sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? But I think it’s human nature to pick out the ones you feel drawn to; there’s no way you’re going to introduce all of these into your daily life, but I’d be thrilled for you if you did! Try for 3-5 at least and observe the impact they will have on your mental and physical wellbeing.

It’s important to remember, that creating new habits is as hard as breaking bad ones, so you really need to see them as GOALS. Set/fix a time each day that you are going to implement these new habits, just as you would any other appointment or commitment that involves other people. DO NOT leave it to chance, it simply won’t happen – I’ve done it, I know!  Give yourself at least a month and by then you should be seeing such obvious benefits, you won’t want to go back. 

1. Go to bed earlier.  Prioritise Sleep. Set yourself up for 8 nourishing hours by going to bed a bit earlier (especially in the Winter months). Try getting into bed by 9.30 and having a half hour wind down – either listening to a gentle podcast or music, or reading/listening to a book. Being asleep by 10/10.30pm is honouring your body’s need for rest and repair. 2 hours before midnight is more restorative than 4 hours after. 

2. Drink more water. Yes, we know we should and it sounds obvious, but water really is the key to remaining energised and supporting our organs. Make up a big jug at the beginning of the day with lemon and rosemary or cucumber and mint (or whatever combo suits you) and drink it throughout the day. The additional flavours will not only add extra health benefits, but will make it more appealing.

3. Stretch. Check out my article on How to Make Stretching a Daily Habit and kick start everyday with a gentle 5 minute bedtime stretch routine. It’s the most wonderful way to wake yourself up and prepare your body for the day ahead. I defy anyone not to feel the immediate benefits of stretching. It improves blood flow, energy levels, posture and mobility. It’s not just important, it’s essential.

4. Exercise. Oh no, exercise everyday?! Yep, everyday. But, it only needs to be for short bursts of between 10 and 20 minutes, with lots of general movement in between. Find something you enjoy doing, (I often just dance around the kitchen to get my heart rate up and increase my step count) not something you dread. That’s the key to longevity!

In addition to that, get outside in nature for a brisk walk, run up and down the stairs 10 times, throw in some star jumps or skipping – anything that gets your heart rate up and body activated so that you stimulate your lymphatic system and flush out those nasty toxins and metabolites that contribute to so much of our muscle aches and tension.

5. Read. I know that sounds like an odd one – ‘how can reading make my life better?’ you may be thinking, but I promise you, it can. It’s a very calming and soothing thing to do and will pull your attention away from your phone and all the noise associated with it. It will improve your concentration and stimulate creativity, so even if you only read for 5/10minutes each day, you have given yourself permission to be still and focus on something nourishing. 

6. Be Kind. Have you ever really thought about kindness and how often you are kind to others and to yourself?  Dr David Hamilton suggests we try keeping a log for one week to raise our awareness of any acts of kindness we show or receive. Hard to imagine, but there are proven health benefits to being kind, so it not only benefits the recipient, but you as the donor. 

7. Eat Well. Thinking of food in terms of functional medicine can really help change the way we eat. You are what you eat, whether you have truly acknowledged that yet or not. Take time to really think about your diet and the variety of foods you eat. So many of us have a more limited diet than we realise, but there is a lot of joy, not to mention health benefits, to be found in introducing new foods, herbs and spices into your diet. Delicious meals can be created in 30 minutes. Embrace vegan dishes too – it’s complete nonsense that vegan food is dull because it’s anything but. Try this:

Every weekend plan your meals for the following week based on the time you have for prep and any fitness training you may have scheduled.

Ensure there is a good level of all food groups (never cut one out). 

Reduce your portion sizes – nearly all of us are over-eating at meal times. 

After 4 weeks of planning various meals, you should have the beginnings of a nourishing food diary. If you have no idea where to start, then talk to me about a personalised food diary and monthly planner which I will work with you to design and implement, based on your lifestyle, tastes and individual dietary needs.

8. Take a Probiotic. I cannot stress this enough. Most of us are blissfully unaware of the role our gut plays in our overall health and how our gut bacteria is constantly compromised by pesticides, free radicals, viruses etc. So protecting your gut means protecting your health. A probiotic following any illness or use of antibiotics is essential (GP’s will be prescribing them before too long, the UK is just slow on the uptake) but taking a 30 day course, 3 to 4 times each year will ensure you maintain good gut micro biome which act as a coat of armour against inevitable threats to your health.

9. Get Organised. Do one thing on your To-Do list each day. We all have lists, don’t we? But so often a list can get so long, we don’t know where to start. So, just aim for knocking off one small task each day, whether that’s a phone call, an email, dropping off the dry cleaning – all these little things count and ticking off a task is a natural mood booster (scientifically proven!) Tackle the bigger ones at the weekend, but make sure you schedule the time into your diary to do it, otherwise it may never happen! Give yourself credit for little achievements too, this will motivate you, rather than feeling defeated by the greater tasks.

10. Expressive Yourself. By that, I mean, give yourself time each day to do something that expresses who you are and induces some kind of emotional reaction in you. I choose music and writing to tap into my feelings and creativity, but I have clients who like to cook, knit, paint or sing – these are all simply joyous and bring us back to ourselves, which, in a world full of distractions, chaos and pain, is surely worth making time for?

If you would like help re-organising and re-shaping your daily life, then just holler. I’m right here, and yes, it does cost money to have a Life Coach, but the rewards are priceless and life just feels that much easier with support and encouragement. And if money is an issue, then I will work with you to see what you can afford, so please don’t be afraid to ask.

Don’t wait for La Dolce Vita, go create it.