Celebrate Every Small Lifestyle Change Toward Improving Your Health
We often look at “getting healthy” as this momentous task. From cardio to daily greens to mindfulness, there’s a zillion steps you can take in the right direction, but which ones make the most impact on you?
We’re lucky to live in a time when wellness is a popular pursuit, but every day we learn something new that we can be doing to achieve pristine wellness.
What a picturesque life we would live if we could meditate 20 minutes a day, sustain a daily (and challenging) workout regimen, turn off our phones for days at a time, eat a raw food diet, and spend time in nature with friends on a weekly basis. This image of wellness may be pretty and inspiring, but it is two dimensional—we only see the highlights and the end result.
We’re not meant to walk around like fitness models in a magazine, laughing at celery as we stuff it into a juicer. Wellness is a journey that takes all sorts of twists and turns for every individual who sets foot on their personal trek. It’s not picture-perfect, but if you focus on celebrating the small wins instead of only the big end result, it can be a whole lot of fun.
Small Health Wins You Never Thought to Celebrate (But Probably Should)
Wellness is about finding that balance between growth and gratitude. If you find that you are feeling a little lopsided and over-focusing on everything you want to change, look for ways to celebrate the small wins instead. Positivity is contagious, and recognizing what you’re doing right leads to more wellness wins. Every step deserves to be celebrated, so do it—celebrate each one.
So, what’s a small wellness win? There are thousands, and they’re different for everyone. It all depends on the way you see the small changes you make to improve your own health.
Take a few moments throughout the day to brainstorm how you’ll change your lifestyle to be healthy, or try celebrating some of our favorite wellness wins.
Going To The Gym, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
You can find a bunch of reasons to skip the gym, but when you stick to your routine and push through the temptation to do anything else, that’s a win. Choosing to exercise on the weekend or after a long day at work refreshes your perspective on getting your body moving. Instead of a chore, it becomes a priority.
Foregoing The Snooze Button
Hitting the snooze button is a dangerous indulgence. It messes with our sleep cycles and gives us false hope that we’re actually going to get more sleep. Choosing to get right up instead of prolonging the wake-up process is a small win that has a major impact on your energy for the rest of your day.
Choosing Tea Over Coffee
Coffee is synonymous with a morning routine, but too much coffee can cause jitters, restlessness, dehydration, and other health issues. Swapping your morning cup of joe for a piping hot mug of tea once in a while gives your body a break from that daily caffeine. Or even if you’re not up to trading in your morning coffee, swap your afternoon cup for an herbal tea instead—that’s worth celebrating too.
Taking Your Supplements
Who knew consuming your daily nutrient needs could be so difficult. While eating your leafy greens and other whole foods is an excellent start, supplements like essential vitamins, minerals, and protein ensure you are nourishing your body with everything it needs to function and repair itself. If you took your multivitamin this morning, give yourself a high five.
Taking an Allergy Test
Taking initiative about some difficult health symptoms is a huge win. If you’re worried about your reaction to certain foods, taking an allergy test can give you more insight into how your body is responding to certain foods and environmental factors. Simply making the appointment is a win in itself.
Ask Yourself How Your Feel
The world is full of stimulation and distractions, making it way too easy to move through the day without ever checking in with yourself. How are you feeling today? Have you taken a moment to ask yourself what you need to feel your very best? It might be an ice-cold glass of water, a walk around the block to clear your mind, or a reminder to yourself of how much you have to be grateful for. Taking a few seconds to pause, check in with your emotions and determine how you feel allows you to reconnect with you: the human.
Eating in Solitude
When is the last time you sat down to a meal with no TV, no phone, and no company? Eating in solitude can help you recharge and be more mindful of your food. If you can take 30 minutes to eat your lunch in the park or go out to dinner by yourself, that’s a major win for your mental health.
Eating ALL Produce Before It Goes Bad
Sometimes the week zooms by, and by the end, you’re left with some wilted kale, a questionable onion, and a takeout container of white rice in the back of your fridge. But other times, you charge through your produce and leave nothing to waste. You plan your meals, buy only what you need, and cook up those nutrient-rich foods into every meal. That, my friend, is a win worth celebrating. Eating all of your produce minimizes waste and we’re super your body is feeling full and great after those good-for-you foods.
Bringing Your Lunch to Work
We’re all busy, and it’s unrealistic to cook all three meals every single day. But on the days you bring your lunch to work, you should be giving yourself a round of applause. By bringing in a lunch instead of buying one or skipping the meal although, you end up saving money, are more likely to make healthier choices than if you go out, and, if that’s the case, your body and your brain with thank you for the health-conscious choice you made to help get through the day.
Drink Water When You Wake Up
Our bodies naturally become a little dehydrated after a full night’s rest—8 hours of sleep without water and a night full of healing. The best thing you can do for your slightly dehydrated body is get liquid in your system as soon as you wake up. Drinking water first thing in the morning rehydrates your body and can boost your energy for the entire day. It only takes a minute to chug 8 oz, but it can completely change your morning.
Signing Up for a Workout Class That’s Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Maybe you have been going to the gym at the same time and hopping on the same treadmill for months. You’re comfortable, the routine is familiar, and it’s what you’ve always done, but it’s also healthy to switch it up sometimes. Shaking up your exercise routine and cashing in on a Groupon for a new class can get you excited about something new and force you out of that workout routine rut.
Workout with a Friend
Skipping the after-shifter vent sessions and inviting a friend along to spin class is a win-win-win! Not only are you choosing fitness over booze and negativity to reset, but you are boosting endorphins rather than replaying the annoying series of events at work with a confidant. There’s also something special about completing a physical challenge with a friend or loved one. Grab a bite to eat afterward to get in some conversation, and celebrate your fitness win together.
Adjusting Your Posture
Most of us are hunched over a computer for hours on end every single day. Take a moment to pay attention to your posture, stretch it out, and realign your spine. Stand up and stretch your neck towards the ceiling. Throw on a jacket and take a walk with good posture around the block. Just taking this time a couple of times a day can help you build a better posture habit and realign the way your body will naturally hold itself.
Finishing a Book
There are so many great books to read, and it’s easy to pick up one and then get distracted by another before you finish the first. In fact, collecting unfinished books is a common bad habit (at least among the people we know). Reading a book cover to cover is a fantastic accomplishment, and it feels amazing. It’s a great testament to your perseverance and focus, plus you're sure to gain a handful of new knowledge from the words you read. If you finish a book, be sure to celebrate your marathon to the very last page. And how about an extra win? Hand over the copy to a friend to enjoy too!
Bringing a Water Bottle Out With You
Bringing a water bottle with you wherever you go will actually remind you to drink more water. There’s some truth to that out of sight, out of mind concept after all! Taking your water bottle into a meeting or in the car with you as you tackle some errands can make a huge difference in your hydration. And if you choose to use a reusable water bottle, think of all the single-use bottle waste you’ll be preventing. The power of suggestion is real!
Stepping Out for Lunch
It’s so easy to stay glued to your desk all day. But it’s extremely important to step away, reset, maybe even get a walk in, and remember your day is about more than what you accomplish at work. Schedule time away from your office and to step out for some fresh air. It’s amazing how a little time away can be so energizing.
Choosing Healthier Snacks That Feed Your Afternoon Energy
Those afternoon slumps don’t have to be a thing if you choose snacks that feed your body fuel instead of weigh you down. Pack up some natural foods that are packed full of good-for-you ingredients. Rowdy Bars are our favorite choice when it comes to energizing our afternoons. Our snacktime bars are loaded with gut-healthy prebiotics, are gluten-free, and are 95% organic. And with 4 delicious flavors, you’re sure to find a favorite!
Go You!
Big leaps toward your wellness pursuits start with those small, daily habits. Take the time to celebrate those small wins. That positivity plays as big a part in your wellness routine as exercise and diet.
