If you want to develop holistic lifestyle habits, then you need to consider all parts of your physical, mental, and emotional being, while also taking into consideration your spiritual wellness and your environment. A person living holistically makes sure all their actions contribute towards making their lifestyle healthy and productive. The following are some holistic lifestyle habits that you may want to incorporate into your own life.
1 . Start ‘Eating Clean’
Preparing your meals at home will help ensure your food is devoid of unwanted chemicals and preservatives. To eat clean, simply start by reading all the labels and focus on whole, unprocessed foods. You probably are already aware of how many foods are not ‘clean.’ However, being label conscious is a great start.
If you walk around the ‘real’ food shopping aisles, you are doing yourself a huge favor. Skipping fast food and pre-packed processed foods is a wise step.
Have you ever noticed that fresh and natural foods are typically on the outside aisle of most grocery stores, while the processed foods usually fill up in the inner sections? Try walking through the outer areas first and only go into the inner sections for specific food items you are looking for at the end. You’ll realize how much of your food you can get from the outside aisle alone.
2 . Build Positive Relationships
Negative relationships can be, and are, toxic. These types of relationships can potentially ruin your emotional and psychological health, which can affect your physical and mental well-being.
It is completely normal to experience a quarrel or difference of opinion with someone. If things are happily resolved, then it is normal to have disagreements and differences. After all, no two people are the same. However, if their negativity towards you is always there, and is emotionally upsetting, then these types of relationships are toxic. Therefore, steer clear from people who do nothing but bring you down, and for your own health, it would be better to remove yourself from their life. You may have a toxic relationship with a family member or loved one, which makes it harder to let go of this relationship, but sometimes it’s best in the end for your long term health and happiness.
If you don’t, your health will suffer, and they will suck your happiness and energy away from you. Instead, focus on building positive relationships with positive people and watch your happiness and success grow.
3 . Protect Your Environment – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reducing waste and recycling has been the lifestyle principle of environmentally conscious individuals for years. They take care of their environment. They are not wasteful. Start by reusing plastic bags, if you aren’t already, and buy goods that are in environmentally friendly packaging. Wherever possible, reduce waste, reuse an item, and recycle. By doing this, you can help create a safe and sustainable environment for yourself and future generations.
4 . Allow Yourself to Grow Intellectually
You may be allowing yourself to grow in some areas of your life, but are you allowing yourself to grow intellectually? For example, are you staying in an unsatisfying, boring job where you don’t have to think? If so, enroll in courses and take your skills and knowledge to a higher level. If you do, you can open doors you never thought possible.
Challenging yourself is one of the best things to do for your health and happiness. By overcoming a challenge, you will feel accomplished, product, and happy, which releases positive endorphins and can improve your mood and view of yourself. It’s not just about challenging yourself in the workplace but also in your personal life. Challenge yourself to learn a new language, try a new sport, meet new people, or travel to a new place.
5 . Connect with Like-Minded People
Life wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t connect with other people. It’s what we humans do. Therefore, take the time to connect with like-minded individuals and make sure they positively influence your life. Connect with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and ways of life, and you might even learn a thing or two about the world, people, or just how you want to live your life. At the minimum, you may just have a few interesting conversations that help you see the world in a new way.
6 . Be Physically Active
Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for the holistic well-being of an individual. It not only ensures physical health but also promotes mental and emotional wellness. Neglecting physical exercise due to a busy schedule can lead to several health problems making it imperative to prioritize it.
From jogging, swimming, or cycling to practicing yoga, Pilates, or even dancing, there are various activity options to choose from. Finding an enjoyable and sustainable activity that best suits your interests and lifestyle is key.
By engaging in physical activities, you are not only granting your muscles, bones, and other bodily parts some necessary movement; but also boosting your immune system, improving your overall mood, and reducing stress levels. So, it is essential to make physical exercise a daily practice, even if you only have 15 minutes.
7 . Relax Your Mind for Mental Health – Meditate
Everyone appears to have stress in their life. Many people claim they thrive on stress and drama, and/or if you are a workaholic, you don’t give your mind a chance to wind down. This is not good for you. You have to take the time to slow your mind down.
Many people are not aware of how powerful and beneficial meditation can be, and many people feel they don’t ‘fit into the meditating niche’. However, it is not just for eccentric individuals or the baby-boomer hippy. It is for anyone and everyone.
Being still, in mind and body, allows your entire being to harness the power of silence. Do you want to be a better decision-maker? Meditate. Do you want to be better in your career? Meditate. Do you want to improve your relationships with others? Meditate. Yes, all these things can be achieved through meditation, and these are just a few of the benefits.
Practice meditation and you will never be the same person again. As with all these habits you will improve your life no end!