Self-care is not frivolous; it’s absolutely essential to an incredible life. When you fill your cup first, you can give to others authentically and deeply. Working with a health coach helps to improve lifestyle outcomes. Coaches partner with and support new ways to approach daily life challenges. Making small daily changes to your routine will build up over time to create habits that stick and improve your overall quality of life. Use these tools and start noticing the miracles that appear in your life.
Begin your morning with a large glass of water to hydrate your body and mind. A large glass of water by your bedside or sink helps the habit stick. Our brains are made mostly of water, overnight we become dehydrated and our brains feel sluggish as a result. Adding this small daily ritual will reap big rewards related to your daily energy reserves.
Journaling: Spend 5-10 minutes every morning freewriting what’s on your mind and setting an intention for the day. Expressing simple thoughts of gratitude is a very effective way to allow a positive mindset shift for your entire day.
Morning Meditation: Start with one minute and build your way up. You might love it, and you’ll likely feel massive shifts in your ability to focus and become more mindful and present with yourself and those you love, care for, and interact with daily. Meditation does not have to be complicated, it can simply be a time of stillness and quiet that you allow yourself before your day unfolds.
A Morning Walk: Going for a brisk walk first thing in the morning helps get your body moving and your joints lubricated. This gentle exercise also exposes you to a good dose of natural sunlight that can greatly improve your body’s circadian signaling. While you’re walking be sure to shake out your arms and legs and even bounce a little if this feels good to you, your lymphatic system will be much more effectively primed for detoxification with this added movement. Bonus move: Take your shoes and socks off (yes even if it’s cold) and ground into the grass or earth in your yard or on a walking path. Grounding barefoot with the earth or on the beach appears to improve sleep, is pain-reducing and anti-inflammatory, and even improves heart rate variability.
Aligned Exercise and Daily Movement: Find an exercise that’s truly enjoyable, invigorating, and relaxing for you. The important detail is that you move your body throughout the day…and you move it often…and you move it consistently. – and this is especially cool if you’re the type who doesn’t have time to exercise. The fact is that even little, tiny doses of movement sprinkled in during the day add up to make an enormous difference when they’re consistent over time.
Dry Brushing: Using a natural bristle brush, begin at your feed and brush dry skin in quick upward motions. Best done after you enter your shower, keeping a small basket away from water sources so it’s nice and dry. This daily ritual greatly improves circulation and helps lymphatic fluids drain which allows for added detoxification of toxins and elimination of any excess stored body water. If you don’t have a dry brush you may find a hot towel scrub will be a nice alternative, scrub your body firmly in gentle circles, always make circles toward your heart and go lightly near sensitive areas.
Cold Water Exposure: Turn your shower into a mini spa experience by exploring the benefits of a cold blast of water for the last 30 seconds of your daily shower. The goal is to introduce the body to an added “hormetic” stress, this is the type of stress, like regular exercise, that your body thrives on to maintain added resilience and enhance your metabolism. This experience may seem unpleasant or difficult initially but eventually, your body adapts to the sensation and at this point consider working your way up to a longer intermittent blast of cold water, up to 3 minutes is fantastic!
Massage: Ask your partner or a friend to give you a shoulder massage or make an appointment with your favorite masseuse. The feeling of touch from another is an important way to make connections with others as well as a therapeutic way to break up tight muscles and facia. This simple act will help you wind down calmly at the end of a busy day, signaling the body it’s time to relax and rest.
At WellCentric Health, we strive to create an individualized plan for each of our clients that will allow them to thrive and achieve their overall health goals. Working with our Health Coach and Nutritionist Mishell Gallio allows our clients the time and space to peel back the layers of their health and wellness journey. Contact us for a complimentary consultation to explore your unique goals and to learn what we offer to help you achieve them!