5 Life Changing Habits (that will support you through 2020 and beyond)
This year, Clean Market is resolving not to make any New Year resolutions. It’s not because we don’t believe in intention setting or working towards future goals. Rather, it’s because we believe that it’s the small, attainable actions that amount to the big, long lasting wins.
Too often, resolutions unravel because they reflect lofty goals that are either driven by a little too much holiday indulgence or unattainable goals that set ourselves up for failure.
That’s why Clean Market is adopting a few life changing habits that we can easily implement daily (or weekly or monthly) and that we know will always help transform how we feel. They are affordable (re. free!) and they can be implemented anywhere, at any time, by anyone.
Read on and join us in making 2020, and beyond, our best years yet:
1) Practice Gratitude: If you feel like you’ve been noticing a call for gratitude across your Instagram feeds, email in boxes and in the media, it’s because gratitude works. Taking a moment each day, either first thing in the morning or before bed to jot down or make a mental note of at least one thing in your life that you are grateful for, can significantly raise your mood and help to shift any negative or repeating thought patterns. If you’re having trouble getting started, think of one thing that made you smile that day. Maybe it was something as simple as catching the subway train just before the doors closed or fresh sheets on your bed. Chances are, once your juices start flowing, you’ll realize that there are several areas in your life where you are grateful.
2) Hydrate: Have you ever gone through your day, and then at 4pm, realized that you haven’t had a sip of water? It happens-- especially when we fuel ourselves with coffee, flavored seltzers and other more tempting beverages. Water is the OG detoxifier and so incredibly important for all of the body’s functions. Not only does drinking water help to flush toxins out of our systems, it also improves our digestion, keeps our vital organs working efficiently, enhances performance, leaves our skin looking fresh and glowy and a host of other important benefits. Hunger can also be confused as thirst, so for those people looking to kick start a fitness plan, water is a key element for beating bloat and decreasing misinterpreted hunger cravings. If you’re feeling fancy, add some fresh lemon, cucumber slices and mint to your water for a spa-like version. Sip yourself to health.
3) Move Your Body: When Elle Woods so famously proclaimed that endorphins make you happy, she wasn’t wrong. Movement is beneficial to both the physical and emotional body and a regular movement practice has the ability to reve us up or calm us down as needed. In addition to the positive effects that staying active has on our physical body, it can also help to combat anxiety, fatigue and depression. Our approach to movement is fluid and flexible, meaning that your practice can take whatever shape and form feels best. For some, this is high intensity cardio, running or cycling and for others, it looks like dance, yoga or a long walk outside. Mix it up, try some different techniques and explore with what moves you most.
4) Phone a Friend: it’s important to remember the benefits of real, human communication in a time when it can like everyone is in their own private, digital world. There’s so much value in community and a phone conversation with a close friend can spark positive feelings, new ideas, support, joy and several other positive outcomes. The reality is that, with increasingly busy schedules and more mobility, there is less time and space for in person communication. Bridging the gap with regular phone conversations can reinforce and strengthen the sense of kinship and love that you have for the people in your life who you care about. Chances are, if you’ve been thinking of someone in particular, they’ve been thinking of you as well and will be equally glad to hear from you. It’s a win-win situation.
5) Tend to Your Breath: Our breath is one of our most powerful tools to modulate how we feel (especially during stressful situations). There are so many variables we can’t control in our daily life-- from overcrowded subway cars to anxiety-inducing conversations with our bosses. What we can control is our breath. Regular, deep diaphragmatic breathing (aka taking a deep belly breath) can help to calm the nervous system, lower the heart rate, lower your blood pressure and bring you back to your body during high stress situations. We recommend that you weave a mindfulness practice of meditation and intentional breathing into your everyday. Breathe in the morning, at night, or set a reminder to take some deep breaths at regular intervals throughout the day. Allow inhale, exhale, release to be your mantra.
Cheers to little habits that make way for big shifts!