6 Habits That Lead To The Best You

Life can be difficult, and without getting a firm grip on your well-being, there’s every chance that you’ll fall into a state of being in which you don’t feel fully thriving. This is especially the case when we enter true adulthood, when the optimism and physical resilience of our youth tend to give way to life pressures, reduced energy, and more physical ailments. 

Having a go-with-the-flow attitude towards life can be recommended in a ‘think of the big picture’ kind of way, but on a day-to-day basis, it’s much better to take control and gently guide yourself in the right direction.

Happily, that’s often much easier than many people think. Even a few small chances can lead to big improvements in physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In this post, we’ll run through some easy-to-enact habits that can have a huge impact, especially if you combine them and have a little patience. Make the following part of your life, and you should notice that you feel better than ever in a month or two. 

Start an Exercise Routine

Starting an exercise regime is one of those things that seems unwanted/difficult/unnecessary before you get underway. Once it’s part of your life? You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. It offers a near-endless list of benefits, and all it really requires is some time, effort, and a little bit of money.

Once you’re exercising, you’ll find that:

• You have more energy
• You’re in a better mood
• You sleep better
• You have more confidence
• You look better

You’ll also be helping to keep a long list of chronic health issues at bay. If you’ve never exercised, then start small. You’ll be more likely to quit if you tell yourself it’s something you need to do three times a week until the end of time. Start by committing to just a month or two to get started. If you still don’t like it, then you can quit — but we’re pretty sure that, by the stage, you’ll have begun noticing the benefits and will have no problem quitting. 

Do Yoga

We could have included yoga under exercise, but we decided to make it its own category. While it’s linked to exercise, it offers different benefits and broadly serves a different purpose.

For one thing, yoga is fantastic for keeping your body nimble and flexible, which is something many people struggle with as they get older. It’s also a calm and relaxing activity that can do wonders for putting some space between you and whatever life difficulties you may be facing. Don’t have the confidence to join a yoga class? Follow along with a YouTube tutorial at home until you feel more confident. 

Prioritize Mental Wellbeing

Did you know that there’s been a steady increase in the rates of depression and anxiety since 2019? Job insecurity, longer working hours, spending more time online, and global politics have all created an environment in which more people than ever are struggling with their mental well-being.

Prioritizing your mental well-being, rather than taking it for granted, can significantly boost overall enjoyment of life. With a healthy mind, you’ll be more likely to pursue your goals, look after yourself, and be a good friend/partner/citizen. How you look after your mental wellbeing will depend on your specific situation, but remember that no matter what you’re going through, there’ll always be a solution, and it doesn’t need to break the bank.  From online therapy that takes insurance to starting an at-home meditation/breathwork practice, there are plenty of budget-friendly ways to support your mental health. Even engaging in volunteer work has been shown to improve mood. 

Set Time Aside For Nature

Did you know that 80% of Americans live in an urban environment? While this offers advantages like greater convenience, more job opportunities, and more culture, there is a downside — and that’s that many people spend less time in nature than they probably should.

The great outdoors offers more than recreational activities. It can also do wonders for your mental well-being. Even spending fifteen minutes in a green space can lower anxiety, while spending two hours in nature each week can significantly lower feelings of depression. Aside from all those benefits, it can also just be fun — it can be highly enjoyable to spend a day hiking in the great outdoors with friends, after all.

Elevate Your Relationships

We could have used ‘nurture your relationships’ for this heading, but there’s an important detail we have to mention. You can nurture your relationships if your current relationships are already healthy and good for you. But if they’re not? Then it might be time to elevate your relationships — that is to say, find people who will support you on your journey towards being your best self.

They say, after all, that we’re the average of the five people with whom we spend the most time. That’s not an exact science, but it’s broadly true. If you spend time with people who drink a lot of alcohol, then you’re more likely to drink alcohol. If you’re around negative people, then you’re more likely to be negative. And, even worse, if you’re around people who put you down/make you feel less than you are, then you’ll have an extra hurdle to overcome to become the best you. It’s healthy — and recommended — to review how your relationships impact you. If it’s not as positive as you like, then it might be time to find a new tribe. 

Limit/Eliminate Bad Habits

We’ve included a lot of things that you can do to become a better version of yourself. But sometimes, what you don’t do can have just as big an impact. Saying goodbye to habits you don’t like/aren’t good for you, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or spending too much time online, can be a massive boost to your self-esteem and confidence. It shows you that you’re not a slave to your habits — rather, you alone decide how you live your life.