Small Healthy Changes That Can Have a Big Impact on Mental and Physical Health
Many people believe they are simply too busy to make their physical and mental health and wellness a priority. They often mistakenly think that there isn’t enough time to focus on exercise, cook healthy meals, reduce stress, or practice self-care. If that sounds familiar, here are a few tips to help you start and stick to a head-to-toe health overhaul.
Clear the Tension
For those who spend more time at home due to quarantine, work, or both, the surplus time stuck indoors with family can lead to family stress. Laundry, schoolwork, tension, and negativity pile up. Before you can even begin to change the quality of your health, you have to change your space to be a place of hope and healing for your whole family.
Start by decluttering to open up your physical space. Box up a third of the decor in a room and move it to storage. Set a calendar reminder every three months to rotate your decor. If six months go by and you haven’t wanted to pull out that vase, picture, or statue, consider adding it to a donation pile. Invest in furniture that doubles up as storage. If you are too busy to keep your work, kids’ assignments, mail, and other clutter, store it somewhere that is out of sight but still easily accessible.
Next, declutter your emotional space. Let go of negativity and replace bad energy in your home with cleansing rituals and prayer and by practicing open and honest communication. Each day, open the windows (if it’s cold, five to ten minutes will do) and let fresh air circulate throughout your home. Keep a few crystals in each room, like citrine and amethyst, that balance energy and open us to love and insight.
Practice Meditation
A regular meditation practice can make a huge impact on your overall health and well-being. Start by waking up 10 minutes earlier every day and sit in silence. Sit in a comfortable chair, close or lower your eyes, and focus on your breath. Thoughts will come and go, but try not to let them distract you from finding stillness in your mind.
Don’t feel discouraged if it’s hard to sit still or not think at first. Commit to 10 minutes of meditation a day for 30 days, and you will notice a difference. If you can, try to meditate for 10 minutes in the morning and again in the evening. Over time, as your busy schedule allows, work toward increasing your meditation time in 5-minute increments.
Meditation helps relieve stress and tension. Research shows that when we meditate, our heart rate and blood pressure lower. We’re able to let go of past hurts and move through challenges and into growth. Most importantly, meditation helps us focus on gratitude, which can boost our mood and keep it elevated throughout the day.
Join an Online Yoga Class
Yoga is often called a moving meditation. This ancient practice has the power to transform minds, hearts, and bodies. Yoga will rejuvenate your body and transform your mind — and you don’t need to sit for hours on a cushion or twisted like a pretzel to reap the benefits.
Once or twice a week, take 30 minutes to practice gentle hatha yoga, vigorous vinyasa, or a healing seated yin practice. You can find free videos for all kinds of yoga practices on YouTube. If you want to support local businesses, many yoga studios offer live online classes. There are also many online subscription platforms, like Gaia, AloYoga, and more.
Practicing online either with a class or a video can help you stay committed to your health goals. You set a deeper commitment to participation when you reach out and join a yoga community, even online. Just 30 minutes once or twice a week is enough to see improved posture, flexibility, and muscle mass, as well as reduced anxiety and anger.
All too often we try to make too many health changes happen and they are just too time-consuming to stick to. Making small changes doesn’t mean you aren’t making major progress — it can actually mean the opposite.
If you need free resources to help you on your health journey, Crystal Reiki Wellness has free blessing boxes, posters, Chakra and Archangel charts, and more. Reach out to co-create a more in-depth and personal plan.