Get Good Physical Movement Each Day![]() Exercise and getting your heart pumping is important when it comes to your physical health. How often are you in the habit and good practice getting in movement, and is it something you enjoy? If you only get to the gym or do a home workout 1-2 days a week, you know it’s time to add a little more movement. It doesn’t need to be anything intense but find more ways to move your body every day. Making time for regular exercise is probably best in the long run, and even small changes to your daily activity levels will make a difference. There are things you can do that won't interfere with your schedule and can easily be added to your regular routine. Check out these healthy habits to get you moving more. Take the Stairs We use this idea as often as possible and you've probably heard this one before, and that's because it is a wonderful practice to implement for your good physical movement. Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. These extra steps and the practice of moving the body throughout your day add up. It doesn't take much longer to walk up the stairs, and the benefits you get is well worth it. Starting out can be a challenge if you've been sedentary for a while, so do leave some extra time and go slow. Soon, you'll start to notice that taking the stairs requires less effort. Park Far Away Another idea that works for adding more physical activity to your day is to park far away from buildings entrances. Choose a spot at the far end of the parking lot and prepare to walk to your destination. Use this idea at work, the mall, appointments, and anywhere you drive. The extra steps really do add up and can improve your fitness. What I like best about this idea is I get more movement in my day and because I am far away from the entrance there are fewer difficulties. Move While Watching TV If you're a TV watcher, you've got time for exercise. In fact, this is one idea I use on a regular basis. Walking in place or a mini-trampoline (in the winter I used my mini-trampoline to get more movement in my day) while watching your favourite show or podcast will still allow you to follow the plot of your favourite shows or add to your learning with that podcast. A treadmill or stationary bike will work, as well but they do take up a lot of space. I do weight training and kettlebell training while the TV is as well. Take a Detour There are tons of ways you can add extra steps to your day if you get creative and think outside the box. Just like parking in the far end of the lot requires you to walk further, this same concept works well for indoors, too. At work, you can take the long walk to the restroom instead of choosing the one closest to your office. Even heading to the copier on the other side of the building will help. You probably make lots of short trips that could be lengthened throughout your day. Pick Up the Pace or Increase Your Distance Finally, consider moving a little faster or increase your distance. This small change can really make a positive change for your overall wellbeing. You don't have to sprint, but a brisk walk helps to push you to new levels in your movement practice. Give it a try when walking from the car. You can use this idea when running errands or walking on your lunch break, too. Simply picking up the pace or going further when you walk is a great way to realize the extra exercise benefits. Sometimes I add an extra street or block to my morning walk to increase the distance for that day. See? These simple habits won't really cause you to make any noticeable changes to your daily movement practice. They are however wonderful ways to get big results when it comes to your fitness level and health. So, go ahead and begin the practice of getting more movement today. Share any thoughts, ideas or questions in the comment area below Thanks for connecting. Please Like & Share. Subscribe to our channel here and hit the notification bell to learn about new content. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you Thank You. Wendy Bottrell https://wendybottrell.com Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Join The Free Walking Challenge Today – Free Registration HERE https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm
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Boost Your Brain Power Now![]() Today we all know that having a healthy brain is important for our best life, right? Well, have you ever considered exercising your brain? Today we are sharing ideas to help you with some Practical Benefits of Boosting Your Brain Power Now. Check it out and be sure to share any ideas, comments and questions below. Giving your brain a good workout isn’t quite a simple as going outside and taking a walk. However, many activities will help your cognitive skills and keep you from having age-related memory decline. Start with giving your brain something new and exciting to practice, the more complex, the better. The magic happens from there. Why bother? People who take part in an activity designed to boost brain power experience these long-term practical benefits: You Enjoy a Life with Less Stress Stress is the #1 reason for poor health and productivity. By reducing stress now, you will feel better in your day-to-day life, you’ll live longer, and you’ll have fewer health challenges. We created a video Practice Small Daily Changes That Can Help You Manage Stress that you might find useful here https://youtu.be/0JbuviZtjgI You Find You Experience Fewer Memory Lapses Having a memory which can stand up to the rigors of aging is one of the most important reasons to stimulate your mind now. By the time you reach the age of 85, you stand a good chance of experiencing memory loss – 35% of people do. Putting the work in now builds for better brain power later. There are many ideas to help improve brain power. We practice learning a new language, meditate, exercise daily both lifting weights and walking each morning, eat a real organic food diet cooked in our own kitchen, and get good sleep. For more ideas we found this article for you https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/brain-exercises Your Mood Stays Positive Longer A brain well-fed with interesting stimuli is engaged continuously, meaning there’s a pleasant influx of positive brain chemicals such as dopamine and other endorphins enhancing your mood constantly. You Can Concentrate Better Being able to maintain focus for more extended periods is incredibly essential, especially when you’re planning on staying activity employed past age 65. Making your focus sharper then becomes crucial toward doing so. You Feel More Motivated Motivation leads to productivity. If you want to get things done, you need your brain chugging along to keep your willpower strong. Without motivation, it’s challenging to force yourself to consistently complete tasks. You’re More Creative Raising brain power means raising intelligence levels. With this comes more flexibility when it comes to mental challenges and finding those outside-the-box solutions to problems. You Have Better Reaction Times As we age, we slow down. It’s for this reason why older drivers are forced to give up their driver’s licenses. If you want to pass those driver’s tests and keep your independence, having a quick reaction time is crucial. You’ll Have Less Vision and Auditory Problems Believe it or not, even these areas benefit from challenging your mind regularly. Remember, the crucial thing you need to know in how to challenge the brain is to give it a novel experience, and to ask it to perform complicated tasks requiring deep reasoning skills. Whether you play games, learn a language, or take up a new hobby, there are numerous ways to keep your mind agile. Engage your brain regularly, and you will be experiencing the benefits for years to come. What are The Practical Benefits of Boosting Your Brain Power Now that you use in your daily life? Share any ideas, comments or questions below. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Walking outdoors will help improve your brain power and definitely helps reduce stress. Walking in the morning is best and not only does it feel good, but it helps with your sleep at night and that helps with your brain power. “Research shows that regular walking actually modifies your nervous system so much that you’ll experience a decrease in anger and hostility,” she says, especially when you're going for a stroll through some greenery or soaking in a bit of sunlight. This can be particularly helpful during the colder months when seasonal depression spikes. (source: Here- https://www.geelongmedicalgroup.com.au/2018/11/7-incredible-health-benefits-of-walking-30-minutes-a-day ) Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Join The Free Walking Challenge Today – Free Registration HERE Learn more about us here - https://www.wendybottrell.com/ Check out our resource page here https://www.wendybottrell.com/healthfitnessresources.html Staying Hydrated Make You SmarterThree out of four people are chronically dehydrated — seventy-five percent. Odds are unless you’re thinking about your water consumption a lot, you’re one of them.
To most people, dehydration doesn’t seem like a big deal. Being a little thirsty is such a normal state of existence, symptoms go unnoticed. The sad thing is, this means a dehydrated person might not realize that their brain is not operating at peak performance. The brain, when dehydrated, slows down. Thinking gets harder. Words are harder to find, and memory suffers. There’s a whole list of problems associated with dehydration: 1. Brain fog 2. Lethargy 3. Difficulty focusing 4. Exhaustion 5. Headaches 6. Emotional upset, such as depression and anger 7. Lack of thought clarity 8. Inability to make cognitive leaps or discover creative solutions 9. Difficulty sleeping, meaning the brain never gets a chance to recharge Why Does Water Matter So Much? Brains are already 75% water. That means they need water to keep working correctly. Water is what flushes toxins out and transports the nutrients where it needs to go. You have to keep things in balance so your brain can do what it’s designed to do. In other words, it makes sense to keep drinking. How Much Water Do You Need? There are two schools of thought on this. The first is highly technical. Check the color of your urine when you use the bathroom. The darker the color, the more you need to be drinking water. The specific amount you need involves a lot of factors: age, birth gender, levels of exercise, and quality of diet. If that sounds too complicated, try this formula to at least get you in the proper ballpark: Start with your weight. Divide by two. Take that number and drink that many ounces of water. Every day. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you need to drink 70 ounces of water. Ways to Get More Water Daily
Let us know any thoughts, comments and questions below. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you Stay Fit Without Going To The Gym![]() Today out topic is Here Are 5 Simple Ideas To Stay Fit Without Going To The Gym. We haven’t been to a gym in years and frankly don’t miss it at all. Check out these 5 simple ideas and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s face it, the gym environment (despite the diversity of options for gyms that are present in most places) is not for everyone, either due to personal preference of atmosphere, lack of self-confidence, or possibly simply logistical issues such as time or transportation, but fortunately there are a number of ways that you can stay in shape and get some exercise without ever stepping foot into a gym. Consider the following 5 simple suggestions that provide a workout in an alternative setting. Hiking/Walking If you have been following us for a while you will know that hiking/walking are one of our favourite health and fitness activities that we do most days of the year. We have been daily walking since the spring of 2017 and in one year walked over 3 million steps. It has been one of the fitness activities that has been such a joyful an experience for us. Now, whether you get out in your neighbourhood or go to the park closest to you and walk around for 20 minutes, or you take a day trip to whatever state or provincial park with hiking trails is most realistic for you, or even if you just take an hour to explore your town or city. Consider it taking yourself on a tour of your town which likely would result in you either re-discovering the town that you call home or learning things about your city of which you were previously unaware. Walking and hiking are excellent ways to get some exercise without going to a gym. Anything from a brief stroll to a vigorous hike will most certainly be worth the time and the effort, and you will be happy that you did. Donate Your Time/Labor Volunteering in a community garden, or with a charitable organization such as Habitat for Humanity, or any other activity of the like will not only get you moving and active without stepping on a treadmill, but the sense of accomplishment and reward that your philanthropic activities will yield will make you feel better both inside and out. Turn Cleaning Into A Workout Basically, most weekly or daily household chores (vacuuming, mopping, general maintenance and cleaning) involve a certain amount of physical activity anyway, so why not turn these tasks that need to be done anyway into a work out of sorts? Accomplishing this efficient use of your energy is as simple as putting on your work-out clothes and shoes, turning on your favorite work-out music, and just putting a little more energy into your movements as you get your house chores done. Take Up A Sport That Suits You Most every town and certainly every city has adult league teams that play a variety of sports such as softball, soccer, basketball, etc. Even if you’ve never played a team sport before, there is a good chance that you will find a sport and team that is appropriate for your skill level and physical ability. And you might be surprised at how much you enjoy your new found activity and the comradery of your team mates, as well as you may discover a talent to which you were previously unaware you possessed which, like volunteering, will not only give you exercise and help you to stay fit but will also improve your mental and emotional health. If you find the right sport and the right team to join, it will most certainly be a win-win situation for you Participate In An Obstacle Course This isn’t a fitness activity that we have taken part in however we know a few people that do and absolutely enjoy taking part. Organized obstacle courses are a fast-growing trend in outdoor fitness activities, and there are options for every level of athlete, many of which are also themed which makes them more fun and interesting. Obstacle courses such as Tough Mudder, Zombie Mud Run, Spartan Race, etc. are just 3 of the multiple options of fun obstacle course races that will certainly give you a work out but won’t make you spend time at the gym. SOURCES: http://www.health.com/fitness/10-fun-ways-to-get-fit-without-a-gym#sign-up-for-an-obstacle-course-race http://www.health.com/fitness/10-fun-ways-to-get-fit-without-a-gym#join-a-team https://www.google.com/search?q=obstacle+course+races&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS790US790&oq=obstacle+course+races&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4464j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Be sure to share any ideas, comments or questions below. I’ve written many times about my pure joy of getting out and walking every morning. Walking is a daily practice in my life because it allows me to move well each morning. We would like to invite you to think about walking as a way to practice joy in self-care. Walking helps to release endorphins and is amazing for your mental health as much as your physical health. Walking every day for at least a few minutes, whether you prefer walking alone or with friends or family is a wonderful way to relieve stress. We enjoy getting out in the neighbourhood for a lovely morning walk however getting out on the hiking trails really makes our hearts sing and brings joy to our lives. Walking outdoors will help improve your mood and this alone helps reduce stress and if you can walk in the morning it not only feels good, but it helps with your sleep at night. “Research shows that regular walking actually modifies your nervous system so much that you’ll experience a decrease in anger and hostility,” she says, especially when you're going for a stroll through some greenery or soaking in a bit of sunlight. This can be particularly helpful during the colder months when seasonal depression spikes. (source: Here- https://www.geelongmedicalgroup.com.au/2018/11/7-incredible-health-benefits-of-walking-30-minutes-a-day ) We appreciate that it never seems as if there are enough hours in the day, but it is so important to make a conscious decision to practice moving well, and we believe that walking is the most accessible form of exercise on the planet. Taking care of your mind, body and emotional needs will help you be able to live your best life. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Join The Free Walking Challenge Today – Free Registration HERE https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm Share any ideas, comments and questions below Be sure to connect and let us know how we can help you What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us here - https://www.wendybottrell.com/ Check out our resource page here https://www.wendybottrell.com/healthfitnessresources.html Live A Balanced Healthy Life With These 6 Simple Practices![]() This blog title 6 Simple Daily Practice to Help You Live a Balanced Healthy Life might cause some overwhelm for a few readers today and I will share with you right now it is not necessary to feel that way. You see we believe that making change is about taking tiny steps rather than thinking you have to make all the changes at one time. Yes, taking action is important and inch by inch is a cinch. We wrote about this here https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/how-to-make-big-changes-by-tiny-steps The ideas we are sharing today are to help you take the steps for you to feel happy, joyful, fit, healthy, and productive, with these 6 simple daily practices to your health and fitness routine. These are simple changes to make in your life, and it is one you can go about gradually so you don’t feel intimidated by too many changes all at once. Here are some very simple habits you can add to your routine that help you live a balanced life: Drink Your Water This will not surprise you since we wrote about it in an earlier blog post as one of the pillars of health and wellness. Here is our blog post https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/the-six-pillars-of-health But if you like many other when they begin to commit to drinking more water struggle drinking enough water, here are some tips to make sure you are staying hydrated: In today’s world so many people are dehydrated. It is important to drink 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces of water daily. The definition of Water for me is clear, colorless, odorless and tasteless. I hear a lot that the reason water is not the drink of choice is because people don't like the taste. If you use the definition provided there will be no taste. Water will be a refreshing drink and now the practice will be to learn how to appreciate this in every sip. The easiest way to begin getting enough water daily it to have 1 glass on getting up in the morning, 1 with each meal and snack, that would be 5 glasses of water, 2 with exercise and finally 1 before bed. (That could be an hour before). This simple drinking water plan is doable for everyone, and you can certainly begin getting a success here starting today. No matter the time take your first glass of water now. Now here is what you will want to consider. If you drink no water today, my suggestion is to start a bit more slowly adding water because you will go to the washroom more. The benefit of drinking enough water for hydration is many people mistake thirst for hunger. Therefore, they are eating when really, they are thirsty. If you feel hungry drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If you are still hungry then go ahead and eat. Eat water-dense foods – You can also eat more foods that contain a high amount of water, such as lettuce, watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, celery, and apples. It is also suggested that you add a pinch of sea salt to your water will make a difference for you. Here is an article that you might enjoy for more information on this topic https://paleoonthego.com/blogs/foods/add-sea-salt-to-drinking-water Move Your Body Well The human body is meant to move well every day. If you want to feel happier and healthier, you need to move your body. Remember this doesn’t have to be with a structured workout plan unless that is within your own personal goals. But if you just want to exercise to boost your mood and improve your overall wellness, then any form of movement will work great. Here are some ideas: • Go for a walk every morning (is best to help with better sleep https://www.verywellhealth.com/morning-sunlight-exposure-3973908 or evening after dinner to help with better digestion https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/walking-after-eating ) • Spend some time at the beach or lake • Have a living room dance party • Take a fun dance or fitness class • Practice tai chi or martial arts • Join a friend at your local gym • Do indoor rock climbing • Find a local trampoline park • Start doing daily yoga As you can see, there are many ways to get some exercise in without feeling like you’re doing “fitness”. For some people, they have physique goals or really enjoy fitness, and that’s amazing! But even if you don’t, you can still move your body and get all the same health and happiness benefits. Get Some Sunshine We’ve already written above about getting daily sunshine and the benefits. It does miracles, or at least feels like it. Why do people feel so much happier and more energetic in the summertime? For many people, it is because of all that wonderful, healing sunshine. The sun’s UV rays emit vitamin D, which you can get naturally absorbed into your body simply by being out in the sun. More information for you on the benefits of sun go here - https://selecthealth.org/blog/2020/07/7-health-benefits-of-sunlight Write in Your Journal Journaling is a wonderful activity to add to your daily practice if you want to focus on a balance between health and happiness. It not only helps with your emotional and mental health, but you can often use it to track habits related to your physical health as well. We wrote about the benefits of journaling for self-care here https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/are-there-benefits-of-writing-in-a-self-care-journal We believe that it doesn’t get much better than journaling when it comes to your mental or emotional health. For holistic habits that improve your mind, writing down your thoughts and feelings is extremely beneficial. This can be a therapeutic experience that is easily done in just 5 minutes a day. Some things to remember about journaling: There are no rules – Feel free to write as much or as little as you want, use any type of notebook you have on hand, and don’t worry about your spelling or grammar. Try different methods of journaling – There are many different forms of journaling, including using prompts, brain dumps, stream of consciousness, and daily journaling like writing in a diary. Feel free to experiment with what works best. Express gratitude – Every time you write in your journal, begin to write a few things you are currently grateful for in your life. We wrote Practice Daily Gratitude - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/practice-daily-gratitude-for-the-mental-and-physical-vitality-benefits Do Something Creative Let’s get one thing clear: you don’t have to be artistic to be creative. Even if you weren’t born naturally artistic (most people aren’t), you can still be creative. Think of any activity or hobby in your life that uses the creative part of your brain, such as making or playing music, writing, drawing, or painting, creating things with your hands, assembling things, really anything you can think of that you enjoy. Reassess YOUR Needs Regularly Consider reassessing your needs as part of your self-care routine. This is a habit many people forget, as they are busy trying to be consistent with their daily practices and get as much done as possible. Yet your needs are going to change over time, so it is good to check in with yourself weekly or monthly, consider what practices are improving your life, and which you are not seeing a positive impact from. Remember that your wellness and happiness journey is yours, and yours alone. It must be customized to who you are as a person, your own needs, and the goals you have. While it is great to get inspiration from others, what works best for them might not be best for you. Be sure to share any ideas, comments or questions below. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. I’ve written many times about my pure joy of getting out and walking every morning. Walking is a daily practice in my life because it allows me to move well each morning. We would like to invite you to think about walking as a way to practice joy in self-care. Walking helps to release endorphins and is amazing for your mental health as much as your physical health. Walking every day for at least a few minutes, whether you prefer walking alone or with friends or family is a wonderful way to relieve stress. We enjoy getting out in the neighbourhood for a lovely morning walk however getting out on the hiking trails really makes our hearts sing and brings joy to our lives. Walking outdoors will help improve your mood and this alone helps reduce stress and if you can walk in the morning it not only feels good, but it helps with your sleep at night. “Research shows that regular walking actually modifies your nervous system so much that you’ll experience a decrease in anger and hostility,” she says, especially when you're going for a stroll through some greenery or soaking in a bit of sunlight. This can be particularly helpful during the colder months when seasonal depression spikes. (source: Here- https://www.geelongmedicalgroup.com.au/2018/11/7-incredible-health-benefits-of-walking-30-minutes-a-day ) We appreciate that it never seems as if there are enough hours in the day, but it is so important to make a conscious decision to practice moving well, and we believe that walking is the most accessible form of exercise on the planet. Taking care of your mind, body and emotional needs will help you be able to live your best life. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Join The Free Walking Challenge Today – Free Registration HERE Our resource page is here To learn more about us go here https://www.wendybottrell.com/ Share any ideas, comments and questions below Be sure to connect and let us know how we can help you One Health & Wellness Life Strategy For A Happier You![]() Designing your health and wellness life is to find a balance between all the 6 pillars of health. It is a harmonious balance between health, productivity, mindset, and happiness, all intertwined to make up a joyful and fulfilling life. It seems simple enough, right? Yet it doesn’t always come naturally to people. It is often easier to just focus all your time and attention on one area of your life, but even though that one area is often the most efficient, it leaves out so many other pillars of life and happiness in your life, creating an imbalance. But don’t worry – balance is always possible when you set your priorities, know what would bring you the most happiness, and how your mind and body can work together for optimal health and longevity. You Have Less Stress The more you focus on a healthy balance between your wellness, nutrition, exercise, and other pillars of health, the less stress you tend to experience in your life. This in turn can lead you to being happier overall. Think about how often you feel a lot of emotional stress and burden simply because of your health, energy levels, your diet, or activity. The way you feel can have a very large impact on your emotional and mental health, which in turn leads to more stress and makes it a lot harder to find gratitude in your life. By focusing more on health and wellness, you reduce your stress levels, which then encourages you to feel gratitude and really soak in all that positivity that brings you happiness. Check out our blog post about the 6 Pillars of Health that will begin to guide you in a way to improve your health and wellbeing and live a happy life in the process. https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/the-six-pillars-of-health Be sure to share any ideas, comments or questions below. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. I’ve written many times about my pure joy of getting out and walking every morning. We would like to invite you to think about walking as a way to practice joy in self-care. Walking helps to release endorphins and is amazing for your mental health as much as your physical health. Walking every day for at least a few minutes, whether you prefer walking alone or with friends or family is a wonderful way to relieve stress. We enjoy getting out in the neighbourhood for a lovely morning walk however getting out on the hiking trails really makes our hearts sing and brings joy to our lives. Walking outdoors will help improve your mood and this alone helps reduce stress and if you can walk in the morning it not only feels good, but it helps with your sleep at night. “Research shows that regular walking actually modifies your nervous system so much that you’ll experience a decrease in anger and hostility,” she says, especially when you're going for a stroll through some greenery or soaking in a bit of sunlight. This can be particularly helpful during the colder months when seasonal depression spikes. (source: Here ) We appreciate that it never seems as if there are enough hours in the day, but it is so important to make a conscious decision to practice moving well, and we believe that walking is the most accessible form of exercise on the planet. Taking care of your mind, body and emotional needs will help you be able to live your best life. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Join The Free Walking Challenge Today – Free Registration HERE Share any ideas, comments and questions below Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Healthy Thoughts Practices![]() The actions we practice repeatedly, become the habits we live by. The more you practice it, the more likely you’ll keep doing it in the future. We know that healthy thought practices are important for overall good health, right? The more you think in a certain way, the more you’ll likely keep thinking about it the same way over and over again. Soon enough, it’ll start to consume your day-to-day living. The science behind it is that each thought ignites a chemical reaction in your brain. This reaction then triggers a certain emotion. As a result, your emotions send a signal to your body, and you react accordingly. This cycle repeats itself until you realize you’re not living the life you want for yourself. You can’t even recognize who you are anymore. Marcus Aurelius’ quote rings true here, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.” It’s then that you must decide to make a change. Recondition yourself by recognizing negative thoughts and how they affect your emotions. The act of thinking about your thinking is what psychologists refer to as metacognition (Learn more here https://youtu.be/csJYhiZfNvk ) It’s one of the best ways to find out what’s causing your thought patterns. As with most things, reconditioning your thoughts takes time. Brace yourself for a few bumps along the way but stick with it. You’ll realize it’s the only way to become aware of the link between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviour. Only then will you be able to regain control and live the life you deserve. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve,” Napoleon Hill Share any ideas, comments or questions below. Be sure to reach out and let us know how we can help you. Check out Crystal Clear Mind - Center your mind for spiritual growth. Clarity of thought and clarity of purpose are two things’ people often look for when beginning meditation. With clarity comes insight, which is essentially another word for wisdom. It can be summed up as 'the ability to know what the correct thing is to do in any given situation', something many people search for their entire lives. Set beneath beautiful layers of Native American flute, meditation bells and peaceful nature sounds, Crystal Clear Mind gently brings the mind down into a state of relaxation, gradually taking it deeper into the realm of intuitive awareness. Once this state is reached, your mind will rest in a state of peaceful, contemplative awareness, a state that all seasoned meditators agree contributes to a less stressed, less anxious, healthier mind. Crystal Clear Mind will help get you past the frustration that causes many meditators to throw in the towel and is essential for anyone seeking purer awareness and clarity of thought. Simply slip on your headphones, relax and press play. Here is our affiliate link and helps support our work here - LINK Share any ideas, comments and questions below Be sure to connect and let us know how we can help you What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Let us know how we can help you. Let Your Core Values Guide You![]() So many people give up on their goals and desires way too early in the process of achieving them. Is this something you might be able to relate to? Today we our topic is Let Core Values Guide You For Your Best Happy And Healthy Life? You know maybe you decided you wanted to reduce your weight and yet on day two of the process you are already willing to quit. Maybe if you’re dissatisfied with how your life is turning out, start by finding out why you’re feeling this way. Once you put your finger on the why, it’s time to focus on changing your mindset from the toxic, negative self talks to the optimistic and productive mindset that will help you stay the course while you begin to create your clear WHY and develop the practice of discipline to keep moving toward your desired outcome. We are diving into the idea of living your core values to help you stay on track with your goals. The gift to quitting too soon is you get to realize right away what must change for you. This will help you assess what needs to change, where you can clarify your values and start making plans. Once you find the path that leads to your true self, keep at it. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but if you remain resilient, disciplined and work hard to be clear on your WHY towards your goals, you can achieve much more than you ever thought possible. Create a Life that Reflects Your Values Way back in the year 2000 I took my first life coaching course. To tell you it was lifechanging would be an understatement. In this first course we learned about values. I had never heard of living your values and no one in my life to that point had ever even discussed how important core values are in life or what they were. It was an exciting course and since that day I have made it a point to practice living my values. One reason we’re unhappy is that we’ve strayed from our core values and the goals we set up for ourselves. Even if you never said your goals out loud or wrote them down in a diary, they’re stored deep in your mind. Then, when the life we’re living isn’t getting us anywhere near these goals, we feel anxious and on edge. But, many times, we don’t connect the two things. So, we keep muddling through, making us more anxious and driving us even farther away from our goals and values. Family, friends, and society are another factor that drives a wedge between us and our authentic selves. They all have their own opinion of how we should live our lives, and they’re not afraid to tell us. Repeatedly. Many times, we seem to tell ourselves that it’s just easier to follow along, it's not by the way. After all, they know us better than ourselves, so who are we to doubt them? But the reality is when you carry out another person’s idea of how you should live, it ultimately backfires because you’re not following your true path. When was the last time you took a moment to think about your core values? Have you ever taken the time to seriously consider what your values are? We aren’t talking about something’s monetary worth here–your personal core values, or your basic and fundamental knowing or attitudes that guide your actions, are a huge part of how you live your life. You see, living in a way to honour your values is very powerful. Today I will share with you the way I was able to Clarify my values. If you set aside some time, an hour would be an excellent start so you can do this. Why would you want to take the time to clarify your values to live a healthy and vibrant life? Living your values makes your heart sing! Living your values allows you to honour yourself at a core level. When I learned what my core values are it changed everything when it came to my health and for that, I am very grateful. Understanding and defining your personal values is a major step toward living the life you want to live. When you focus on your fundamental values, you ensure you’re living your life in a way that suits you and all your goals, dreams, and interests. What are some examples of personal core values? There are quite a few personal values out there. Values differ in importance from person to person. In fact, differences in values often lead to lots of conflict and controversy between people! While the importance of different values varies so greatly from person to person, here are a few examples of what some core values might be: • Adventure • Loyalty • Creativity • Empathy • Boldness • Strength • Relationships • Faith • Humour • Happiness • Knowledge • Optimism • Love • Self-respect • Honesty • Status • Trustworthiness • Health • Fitness • ….and many, many more! Personal values can often be described in one word, capturing the essence of larger opinions and feelings about something. For example, if one of your personal values is relationships, it may be very important for you to honour all your relationships in life–romantic, familial, friendships, and otherwise. How do you determine what your true personal values are? Your personal values exist deep within yourself. These values, when measured against how you’re making choices and living your life, help you determine whether you’re living life the way you truly want to live it. Often, your values can be a big indicator of whether you’re following the right pathway in life. These values work in sync with your intuition. For example, when you get that sudden urge that “something doesn’t feel quite right,” consider how the present situation aligns with your personal values. If it clashes with your fundamental values and knowledge, you’re likely getting signals that you’re heading down a path that won’t make your heart sing. Determining your values can feel tricky, but there are ways to narrow down your feelings and best understand where your fundamental beliefs lie. A good way to begin determining your personal values is to look through an extensive list of them; you can find them online and in various psychology and self-help books. Browse this list and determine which values resonate most with you. Don’t spend a ton of time considering each one extensively. Instead, allow your intuition to guide you and quickly highlight each one that feels right to you. Once you have a highlighted list, focus on the ones you marked with more consideration–think about why each of these values stood out to you and jot down a few notes for each one. At this point, you can even take your remaining values and arrange them in a list beginning with the one you find most important. How can you use your core values to live life the way you want? People face tough challenges and decisions every day. However, when you have a good grasp of what your core values are, you’re more likely to make choices in a way that makes you feel confident in your decision-making. For example, after making your list of personal values, keep it handy. The next time you face a tough challenge, pull out your list. Consider each of your options against your personal values–which choice best aligns with your values? Are there any options that seem to push against your personal values? Use these driving questions with your list of values to make an informed decision you can feel good about afterward. By doing this work you now can live your best life! By going through the process to clarify your values will allow you to do things you never have for yourself! Please leave your comments below and share this post if you found value here today. Be sure to get in touch to let us know how we can help you. One of our core values is healht/fitness/moving well/living well. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Introducing Essential Vibes - ELEVATE YOUR VIBRATION TRANSFORM THE WORLD TOGETHER - Essential Vibes is a movement of world-changers, raising their vibration and restoring the planet. ELEVATE YOUR TECHNOLOGY - EMF Protection using Earth Frequency - Unique EMF Protection technology created by infusing the Earth Frequency into jewellery. Learn more about our Holistic Lifestyle Coaching here Learn more about us here Let us know how we can help you. Get Inspired And Motivited For Your Best Life![]() To learn how to create success in any part of your life it is important to first understand the ideas of inspiration and motivation. This is a powerful life lesson and once learned will allow you to use both your inner strength and those outside forces to propel you to reach any goal you desire. Here is what I mean. First let’s ask the question – “So how does inspiration differ from motivation? A recent email conversation with Sam Taggart, founder of The D2D Experts, went a long way in clarifying the crucial differences for me. "Motivation is a push factor," he explained. "It's an outside force that is compelling you to take action, even if you don't necessarily want to. Inspiration, on the other hand, is more of a pull or driving force. It's something that comes from within that gets us to proactively give our best effort. When someone is inspired, they're with you for the long haul." (Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/343666#: ) The term "motivation" is commonly used in ordinary speech to express why someone does something. It is the force that propels human behavior. According to a study by Washington University, "Most people readily acknowledge that motivation is the desire to do something but is it that simple? While motivation can start with a mere thought or verbalization, it must be followed by visible action—and anchored by a clear vision. The natural, psychological, interpersonal, and intellectual elements that trigger behavior are all motivation. Without these things, the thoughts and words tied to a desire for change remain empty and powerless." People's drive and willpower fluctuate for a variety of reasons. If you don’t know your WHY for your goals inspiration will be lacking and every step will be a challenge through shear willpower (We wrote about finding your WHY here https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/implement-the-5-whys-method-to-energize-your-best-life ). Today We want to share ideas to help you stay inspired and motivated so you can accomplish what you set out to do: Find Your WHY Finding your WHY is the most important thing you can do for yourself in any goal you say you want to achieve. One of my mentors taught me that knowing your WHY is 95% of reaching a goal and the how is the 5%. This is exactly the opposite to what most think. Take the time to learn what your WHY is today. If you are going to stick to your health and fitness goals this year, and for your lifetime, developing YOUR WHY will be the most important thing you do so that it is strong enough to stick it out when the motivation cools off, the excitement isn’t there and you’d much rather stay in and watch television instead is vital to your succeeding along the way to achieve your goals. Your “WHY” has to be unique to you. Find whatever that is and use it to push through the hard days! For me, my WHY was seeing my mother lie on a hospital bed for 2 days waiting for a full hip replacement. There was that moment when I realized if I didn’t start to make changes in my life, I was going to be my mother in 20 years. You see, 25 years ago I was about 100 lbs. and had no energy, had already been diagnosed with 3 autoimmune health issues and if I didn’t make changes my life and health were only going to go downhill. I’ve heard it said that if you know your WHY and the how is simple.Be sure to check out our article on the 5 WHY's Method to help you create your unique WHY. Just Get Started Once you know your WHY you do not need to wait for motivation to begin. If you want to work consistently every day, you must take action. Most of the time, procrastination results from having too much on your plate and not knowing why you want to begin. It's difficult not to feel this way when you attempt to address it all at once: but when you concentrate on one or two things at a time, it's simpler to act and not be in the overwhelm. The next thing you know, you are working on your goal consistently and beginning to see the results that you have set out for yourself. Take Tiny Steps Don't let the size or difficulty of a goal cause you to procrastinate. Break it down to tiny steps – and then start with just one of them. We’ve written about Tiny Steps here https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/how-to-make-big-changes-by-tiny-steps Minimize The Number of Everyday Distractions It's difficult to concentrate when there are so many distractions all around you. If you have a goal of living a health and fitness lifestyle and as a part of your plan you decide to get out for a walk each morning, be sure to lay your clothes out the night before and have your shoes ready to put on at the front door. Stay focused to keep yourself on track. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Share any ideas, questions or comments below. We invite you to see our Resources page for our Coaching programs and health and fitness products to help you Want help in your mediation? Brain Power - Super Charge Your Learning Ability - Brain Power music entrains your brain to 12 Hz, a frequency associated with absorbing information passively for recall at a later date. Order HERE - https://bit.ly/3mOrf1h Let us know how we can help you. It completely surprises me when so many people don't realize that the habits that we form show up in our success or failure.
fter all, good health and fitness habits already dictate a lot about our lives. If we, for example, eat large amounts of highly processed food regularly and don’t exercise, we can expect to have physical consequences for our actions. That’s why it’s so important to form good intentional habits so that we can reach our fullest potential. What’s even more interesting is the fact that these same good habits can help us to stay motivated and inspired when it comes to realizing our goals. One of the most important tips we can share with you today is about creating a strong WHY. I've heard it said that knowing your WHY is 95% of success and the other 5% is the how. Check it out here and be sure to share your ideas, comments and questions below. Revisit the reason you’re doing what you do. We talk a lot of your WHY. You can read more about finding your WHY here, https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/…/the-six-pillars-of-health, https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/stay-inspired-tip and https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/three-solid-tips-to-win-with-your-health-fitness-goals When you make goals, you tend to feel that initial surge of enthusiasm for the project. Sadly, this motivation tends to wane over time. Build a habit that forces you to revisit the WHY goal to bring that motivation level back up. For example, if you’re doing something that will benefit a specific health or fitness goal practice each and every day to ensure that stay on track. Be proactive. When I first began my personal health, fitness and weight loss journey way back in the mid nineties I was out of shape, 100 lbs. overweight and my health was heading in a direction that would have certainly caused me huge health issues if I didn’t do something to make a change. I saw my mother lying on a hospital bed waiting for a hip replacement for two days and it was clear to me if I didn’t begin to make different life choices, I would be my mother in twenty years. The very next day I started my new health and fitness practices. I was proactive in my plans. I borrowed a fitness video and did what I could. Each day I just did a bit more exercise. Over time I was able to reduce my weight by 100 lbs., completely change the foods that I ate, and so much more. I made it happen over time and this is possible for anyone looking to get and stay motivated/inspired with new health and fitness habits Be sure to watch the video to the end to learn all the tips we shared today. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. We invite you to join our FREE 21-Day Walking Challenge here Check out our Health and Fitness Resources here 4 Tips To Help You Exercise Every Day![]() When I was working one to one with clients, it was important for them to realize that their regular exercise mindset was important so they would ensure a healthy tomorrow. Sometimes this was a challenge to completely understand for them because they were either very young or maybe even older yet not in good health. Let me explain. Our topic today is 4 Tips To Help You Exercise Every Day To Ensure A Healthy Tomorrow In today’s make busy lifestyle, you must know exercise is good for keeping you healthy, right? Daily exercise combined with good real food nutrition is the best way to stay fit. Mind, Body and Spirit. Of late there has been an increase in awareness about health and fitness among people, due to a huge increase in lifestyle related health problems, such as, the shocking rates of early death in people afflicted with heart disease. However, there is still a large percentage of the population that needs to be persuaded about the benefits of exercise. Did you know that for the first time there are more obese individuals in the world than there are hungry people in the world? Check out this article for more information - https://www.bbc.com/news/health-35933691 Are you among those who need some more convincing reasons to start working out? Ensure A Healthy Tomorrow: 1. Regular daily exercise keeps a check on your weight: Daily exercise maintains body weight. The more vigorously you exercise the more calories you burn. If you are not able to dedicate time for self-workouts or joining fitness classes, choose more active options for regular daily activities. For example, you can take stairs instead of elevators or walk more consistently and move more each day. 2. Prevents future health complications: Are you suffering from high blood pressure? Are you worried about your risk for heart disease? Regular exercise ensures optimal heart health and also lowers cholesterol. In addition to this, daily exercise helps you avert metabolic problems, diabetes, arthritis and certain types of cancer. (Always be sure to check with your primary care person before you begin) 3. Boost your energy levels: Daily exercise keeps your energy levels elevated even after a long day at work. Regular physical activity makes your muscles strong and boosts stamina. Exercise helps to deliver nutrition and oxygen to the blood vessels making your heart function more efficiently. Energy and vitality keep you feeling young and ensure strong and healthy senior years. 4. Manages mood: Taking a brisk walk every day for even as little as 15 minutes is known to boost mood. Studies have found that regular physical activity stimulates chemicals in the brain which can make you happier and reduce stress. Moreover, regular exercise also helps to build confidence and self-esteem. We wrote about this here 5. Regular exercise promotes good sleep: Are you not able to get quality sleep? Or do you struggle to fall asleep? Start doing some physical activity daily. It will help you to get to sleep faster and provide for a higher quality of sleep throughout the entire night. However, your exercise time should not be close to bedtime because it can leave you too energized to get a good night’s sleep. 6. Exercise adds fun to your mundane life: Engaging in daily activities like jogging, running or going to fitness classes gives you a chance to enjoy outdoors and to connect with other fitness conscious people, which can only be a good influence in your quest for good health. It gives you a chance to loosen up and know that you are doing something good for yourself. Look for a physical activity that you enjoy and just do it on a regular daily basis. After some time, you will feel fit, strong and see huge improvements in your body, which, will make it even more fun to continue! We wrote about Play and Laughter HERE The bottom-line is regular fitness is beneficial for your body, mind, and spirit. It makes you healthy and happy. As a beginner, make it a goal to engage in at least 15 minutes per day and keep increasing. If you want to lose weight, you will want to learn more about proper strength training technique and a system that you can implement daily. It is always recommended to get approval from a primary care physician before beginning any health practice, particularly when you have not exercised for a significant amount of time or if you are suffering from any health problems. Regular exercise today ensures a healthy tomorrow and a much better chance at living disease free in midlife and in senior years. Your mind is such a powerful tool and one that is often underutilized by many people when it comes to the area of exercise. If you are not satisfied with how you are feeling, a change in your mindset is in order. So when my clients were being challenged to get into the health and fitness mindset and were finding it really is so easy to blame others for not having the habit of exercise our conversations and coaching would be around finding the way to enjoy regular exercise in their life. It really boiled down to their outlook and attitude. Having the regular exercise mindset did not mean they were a big person with large muscles! No, instead it meant that they would realize what they wanted out of their commitment to exercise and were prepared to go after it. The clients that have succeeded long term with the habit of regular exercise found their WHY and therefore a passion for it. So how do you develop your attitude, increase your confidence levels and get that regular exercise mindset? You can start by using the following 4 tips to help you exercise every day : 1. Always be grateful for what you do have in your life. Stop concentrating on what you don’t have. Negative thinking uses up a ton of energy, so why not put your energy into positive thinking instead? Be grateful that you have the ability to move, exercise and practice good health habits instead of focusing about having to be stuck in traffic on the highway each day. www.wendybottrell.com/blog/100-things-you-are-grateful-for 2. You can improve your outlook by surrounding yourself with positive thinking people. Find people that have the same goals as you and spend time with them. Their positive energy will rub off on you and you will start acting and thinking in a more positive way. https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/5-practices-to-manage-your-energy-to-enjoy-good-health 3. Change your mindset by affirming the positive each day. It can help to use positive mindset quotes, find ones that you like and start using them daily. Thinking in a positive manner can help to relieve your stress and any signs of depression. Stop thinking about things that could go wrong. Instead focus on how they can turn out better than you expected. https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/ways-to-use-daily-affirmations 4. Fresh air can really help improve your mind. It is so easy to spend too much time inside sitting at your computer. Make time to get outside and take advantage of the natural sunlight. It can do wonders for your body and mind. Why not spend some time with your family or friends at the beach or in a local park? There is no better combination that fresh air and fun! https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/walking-for-your-best-healthy-life By using these tips, you will be on the road to a regular exercise mindset that will Ensure A Healthy Tomorrow! How have you found a way to implement regular exercise? Share your ideas comment, questions and successes below! What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Share any ideas, questions or comments below. Want help in your mediation? Brain Power - Super Charge Your Learning Ability - Brain Power music entrains your brain to 12 Hz, a frequency associated with absorbing information passively for recall at a later date. Order HERE - https://bit.ly/3mOrf1h Let us know how we can help you. 5 Minutes A Day For A Healthier, Happier Brain![]() I’ve heard it said that we all want happy and healthy brains. I think this is true. What do you feel about this topic? Do you feel it is possible? Well, did you know doing just one simple thing for only 5 minutes per day can change how your brain works? To optimize your mental processes, you only need to do one thing: Meditate. Article - Promising Links between Meditation and Reduced (Brain) Aging: An Attempt to Bridge Some Gaps between the Alleged Fountain of Youth and the Youth of the Field (source) As you age, your brain undergoes many changes. On a brain scan, you can expect a certain amount of loss of brain matter over time. This shrinkage is what causes you to forget things. It’s why your brain begins to slow down, making it harder to concentrate or remember. Except in people who meditate, this shrinkage doesn’t happen. Various studies have shown a marked change in people who meditate regularly vs. those who do not. Or more accurately, a lack of change. One scientific study used brain scans over eight weeks to discover if meditation changed the brain. While the brains in the control group (non-meditators) got smaller, the brains of those who meditated did not. Studies have proven that those who consistently meditate will see brain growth, reversing damage over time. How do you meditate to get optimal brain health? Make Meditation a Daily Practice The meditation style doesn’t matter, but you need to do it regularly. You only need to meditate for a few minutes a day for there to be a significan impact on brain health. A commitment even a busy person can make. Schedule a Daily Date with Yourself Once the commitment is made to meditate daily, add it to your calendar. Make sure you keep this particular appointment. Protect it. It’s time for you, and you alone and is necessary for your good health. Learn and Practice How To Breathe While there are different exercises on how to breathe during meditation, there is no one right way to do it. The point is to concentrate on your breathing and to allow it to be natural. For some quick breathing techniques to get you started: V-Shaped Breathing Imagine the breath going in and coming out through a V-shaped opening between your eyes. By putting the focus here, you are calming the frontal lobe. This area is where you make decisions, and so it’s an excellent place to put your concentration. Box Breathing Inhale deeply through your nose while counting to four. Hold the breath inside you while counting to four. Let the breath out slowly while counting to four. Repeat four times. Three-Part Breathing Inhale deeply starting with your stomach. Pull the air from there up into your chest. Keep going until it’s in the upper chest by the collarbone. Exhale out of each area. Pay close attention to how the breath feels. Pull yourself into the rhythm and feel the calm. Now is the time to protect your brain. Grow it. Meditate and discover not only an answer to stress but also optimal brain health. You can have a healthier, happier brain. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Share any ideas, questions or comments below. Want help in your mediation? Brain Power - Super Charge Your Learning Ability - Brain Power music entrains your brain to 12 Hz, a frequency associated with absorbing information passively for recall at a later date. Order HERE - https://bit.ly/3mOrf1h Let us know how we can help you. Reset Your Fitness Part 2![]() Last week we began discussing the health challenges of sitting in our blog series titled Reset Your Fitness Practices To Help You Live Your Best Healthy Life and the link to read the full post is here - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/reset-your-fitness-practices-to-help-you-live-your-best-healthy-life Today we are diving deeper into this topic to help you find your own inspiration and motivation to move your body more and move it well on a regular basis for your best healthy life. Are Their Health Concerns With Sitting Too Long That Effect Health? Sitting as a health issue is not a new topic. We know today that the human body wasn’t built to sit all day. Do you know that if you engage in more than 8 hours of sitting, this starts to cause serious damage to your circulatory system? According to Dr. Erin Michos at Hopkins Medicine, once you hit 10 hours or more of sitting per day, your risk of cardiovascular disease increases dramatically. As does your risk of dying from a stroke, this is because your heart isn’t working that hard to pump the blood in your body when you sit. Check out the article here - https://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2015/09/14/sitting-disease-moving-your-way-to-a-healthier-heart And it’s not just your heart which suffers. When you sit all day, your muscles relax, and when this happens, they absorb very little glucose from your blood, and the scientists at Harvard Health have found this to be a leading cause of diabetes. And sitting for long periods of time can also lead to a high risk of obesity, which comes with a whole host of additional chronic diseases that could ultimately lead to death. There is no health when living with the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or other chronic diseases. I Never Knew That Because I Work Out Hard Half An Hour A Day! Unfortunately, Dr. Erin Michos says exercising for thirty minutes each day, then sitting the other 23 and a half hours isn’t going to save you from sedentary related disease. Although high level exercise has been shown in some studies to lower the risks of sedentary disease, this was only true in studies where the test subjects completed 60 to 75 minutes of high intensity activity per day. And this is a lot of exercise to squeeze into a busy work and social life. Dr. Michos advises wearing a fitness tracker. Even if you work out each morning, you may be surprised to find that you spend the rest of the day sedentary, and don’t make the recommended 10,000 steps a day even with your workout. So, instead of trying to make your workout longer and harder, Dr. Michos says it’s simply easier to try and become less sedentary. Action Steps To Implement? We suggest that in order to lower your risk of sedentary related diseases, it’s vital to get up and get moving whenever you can. Of course, this can be difficult depending on your profession. This is why the doctors at Mayo Clinic recommend trying out a standing desk if this is something your boss will allow. And if it isn’t allowed in your workplace, consider standing while you talk on the phone or watch TV. This will help lower the number of hours you are sitting per day. You can also take a timed break for every hour that you sit. The doctors at Harvard Health recommend setting a timer for this so you don’t forget. Also schedule walking meetings, walk to visit coworkers instead of calling, and plan active meetups with friends. Overall, no matter how you look at it, living a life where you spend your entire day sedentary is bad for your health. And although you may work out for half an hour a day, this often isn’t enough to cancel out 8 or 10 hours of sitting. Therefore it is critically important that you make every effort in your life to spend more time standing or walking to lower your chances of developing a chronic health condition. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Share any ideas, questions or comments below. If you are looking for a home workout fitness system we recommend The Revolutionary Turbulence Training System Here for all the details. If you have been following us for a while now you will know we have a passion for Kettlebell Training and recommend this program. Let us know how we can help you. ![]() What we know for sure in this day and age, it’s highly likely you find yourself in the sitting position for most of the day. But did you know that living a sedentary lifestyle is a leading cause of a number of life-threatening diseases? No matter what your profession is, doctors all over the globe agree that it’s time to start moving, or face the dire consequences. Today we have one idea to share with you to so you will Reset Your Fitness Practices To Help You Live Your Best Healthy Life Let's Talk About How Does Sitting Effect Health? The human body wasn’t built to sit all day. And if you engage in more than 8 hours of sitting, this starts to cause serious damage to your circulatory system. According to Dr. Erin Michos at Hopkins Medicine, once you hit 10 hours or more of sitting per day, your risk of cardiovascular disease increases dramatically. As does your risk of dying from a stroke, this is because your heart isn’t working that hard to pump the blood in your body when you sit. And it’s not just your heart which suffers. When you sit all day, your muscles relax, and when this happens, they absorb very little glucose from your blood, and the scientists at Harvard Health have found this to be a leading cause of diabetes. And sitting for long periods of time can also lead to a high risk of obesity, which comes with a whole host of additional chronic diseases that could ultimately lead to death. Exercise & Moving Well Improves Your Health The first reason it is a good idea to revisit your exercise and movement practice is because of how beneficial exercise is for your health. There is no longer a question about this. Sadly, many people only think of exercise as a way to lose weight or tone up, it can be more powerful to look at it as something good you do for your body, your mind and your general good health. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your lungs, heart and cardiovascular health. It is important for the quality of life as we age. Exercise can help with improved energy and vitality to name a few benefits. In addition, using resistance or weight training helps you to become stronger, more flexible, and makes it easier to prevent serious injuries. We wrote more on this idea here - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/life-reset-your-exercise-practice-for-these-simple-reasons What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Join our FREE Walking Challenge Here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Share any ideas, questions or comments below. Check out all our health and fitness resources here - Fitness Let us know how we can help you. ![]() There seems to be a lot of information today on the subject of brain power. A quick search on google brings up 1,670,000,000 results. Whoa, that is a lot of information, yet memory issues and Alzheimer/Dementia continue to increase worldwide. Have you ever considered exercising your brain? Now might be the perfect time to think about this idea and more importantly take action so you don’t become another statistic. Giving your brain a good workout isn’t quite as simple as getting up and taking a walk, yet it can be a good place to begin. There are, however, many activities that will help your cognitive skills and keep you from having age-related memory decline. Start with giving your brain something new and exciting to do, the more complex, the better. The magic happens from there. Why bother? People who take part in an activity designed to boost brain power experience these long-term benefits: You Enjoy a Life with Less Stress Stress is the #1 reason for poor health and productivity. By reducing stress now, you will feel better in your day-to-day life, you’ll live longer, and you’ll have fewer health challenges. We’ve heard it said that 8 out of 10 people go to their primary health provider for stress-related issues. This is why learning how to reduce stress is so important to overall health and wellbeing. We wrote about How to Relieve Stress with Walking here that you might find helpful You Find You Experience Fewer Memory Lapses Having a memory which can stand up to the rigours of aging is one of the most important reasons to stimulate your mind now. If you don’t begin now, by the time you reach the age of 85, you stand a good chance of experiencing memory loss – 35% of people do. Putting the work in now builds for better brainpower later. This is not a health issue that has to be and it certainly is something to begin thinking about right now. Some ideas to help with brain power are learning a new language and exercises that you enjoy like, walking, dancing, or yoga for example. Practice good sleep by getting to bed before 10:30 pm each night, eat well, avoid sugar and highly processed junk food and choose life-affirming real organic foods cooked in your own kitchen and enjoy eating around your dining room table. We wrote about sleep here to help you improve this area of your health and wellbeing. Your Mood Stays Positive Longer A brain well-fed with interesting stimuli is engaged continuously, meaning there’s a pleasant influx of positive brain chemicals such as dopamine and other endorphins enhancing your mood constantly. You Can Concentrate Better Being able to maintain focus for more extended periods is incredibly essential, especially when you’re planning on staying actively employed past age 65. Making your focus sharper then becomes crucial toward doing so. Begin a practice of meditation to help you here. You Feel More Inspired and Motivated Inspiration and motivation lead to productivity. If you want to get things done, you need your brain chugging along to keep your discipline strong. Without inspiration and motivation, it’s challenging to force yourself to consistently complete tasks. And why on earth would anyone want to force themselves to consistently complete tasks. Finding the inspiration for life leads to taking action with those activities that make your heart sing. We wrote about Powerful Ways To Inspire Yourself To Move More here - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/powerful-ways-to-inspire-yourself-to-move-more You’re More Creative Raising brain power means raising intelligence levels. With this comes more flexibility when it comes to mental challenges and finding those outside-the-box solutions to problems. You Have Better Reaction Times Many people believe that as we age, we slow down, and it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s for this reason that older drivers are forced to give up their driver’s licenses. If you want to pass those driver’s tests and keep your independence, having a quick reaction time is crucial. Practice now to keep your brain sharp. We found this article for more information to practiceSeven ways to improve your reflexes here You’ll Have Less Vision and Auditory Problems Believe it or not, even these areas benefit from challenging your mind regularly. Remember, the crucial thing you need to know in how to challenge the brain is to give it a novel experience, and to ask it to perform complicated tasks requiring deep reasoning skills. Whether you play games, learn a language, or take up a new hobby, there are numerous ways to keep your mind agile. Engage your brain regularly, and you will be experiencing the benefits for years to come. Share any ideas, comments and questions below. Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com We invite you to check out our resource page here We invite you to Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence - Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Living in perfectionism is impossible and yet we all have moments where we fall into the perfectionism trap. For some of us, this might happen a lot. For others, it's reserved for those special occasions where we have a project where we can't rest until we get it right. Exhausting, right? Today we want to share 5 Powerful Steps To Help Defeat Perfectionism For Your Best Life
While occasional super-attention-to-detail is okay, it’s when we make perfectionism a way of life that it becomes a problem. Those are the times when we finally need to take charge of our lives and learn how to let go. Use these steps to defeat perfectionism: Start at the Core Why are you so wrapped up in perfectionism? Are you truly trying to become a better person somehow, or are you just trying to impress someone else or meet expectations from those around you? Neither of these reasons is very healthy, and both need to be addressed. Drop the “Should” This is an important step for sure. The moment you start using this word in a conversation, especially regarding your action, you're already driving yourself crazy. Remind yourself you don’t need validation from anyone. You’re good just by being you. Rewrite the Script What are you telling yourself as you throw yourself into perfectionism? Do you think this is the path to success? Or do you have other unrealistic expectations of the outcome? Here's where you switch up your self-talk to get out of any negative spaces and unrealistic outcomes. Drop the Comparisons Speaking of self-talk, just who are you holding up as role models? Has this too become unhealthy, going from "I want to be more like them" to "Why can't I have everything they do?” Wouldn’t it feel better to celebrate where you are right now and all the effort you’ve been putting into things? Show Some Mercy Perfection never allows for excuses. If you can't succeed, you're automatically a failure. By chasing imperfection, you learn the value of self-forgiveness and the ability to let go of your mistakes in favour of embracing the lessons you can learn from them. You wouldn’t think these steps are all so very important at first glance. After all, is chasing imperfection worthwhile? The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" Perfection is what pulls us away from others and gets us so tangled up inside with worry and stress about getting things right; that we negatively impact our mental and physical health. With this in mind, isn’t it time to let go, relax in the moment and enjoy life once and for all? Share any ideas, comments and questions below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com We invite you to check out our resource page here We invite you to Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence - Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Join our FREE Walking Challenge here What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Finish What You Start Tips For Your Best Life![]() Do you ever feel frustrated that you aren’t finishing what you start? Maybe you are setting goals and quitting before you see them through. Well, if that is you this post might help. 15 Tips To Help You Finish What You Start For Your Best Life Check it out and be sure to share any comments, ideas or questions below. Let's face it; sometimes, you do want to finish what you started. Those great big, interesting goals are the things that can change lives when you reach them. So how can you act with persistence and get things done even when the world pulls you in all directions? Tips to Help You Finish Sharpen the Vision It’s impossible to finish anything when you’re not clear what the eventual goal is. Take a few minutes and examine the project you have in mind. Can you visualize the outcome you want? Be Fully Committed Once you have a clear idea of where you're going, ask yourself why you're doing this. What motivates you? What about this excites you? Hold onto these thoughts and make a verbal and written commitment to this goal. And yes, saying it out loud does make a difference! We have written a blog post to help you develop a clear WHY - Implement The 5 Whys Method To Energize Your Best Life - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/implement-the-5-whys-method-to-energize-your-best-life Create Your Space Here’s where you need to set up where the magic happens. Wherever you choose to work, make sure you’ve reduced distractions. Make Temptation Impossible This is crucial no matter what the goal. If you have a project you need to dig into for work, it might be you need to turn off your phone or put it in a drawer for a bit. If you're working on your health, this is where you get rid of the cookies from the cupboard. Make it as difficult as you can to throw off your progress. Organize Do you have the tools you need to start? Now is the time to assemble them if you don’t. This is also a good place to get any research done you might need. Once you’ve got the materials, take a few minutes to create a game plan. What’s the goal for today? What do you need to get done for the next milestone? This must be laid out in simple, bite-sized pieces of work. Set the Stage Do you work better with peppy music? Does it help to listen to an inspiring podcast before you begin? Do you have a mantra or affirmation you use to put yourself in the right mindset? You tell your brain you're ready to work now and get things done by creating a practice before work. Do this often enough, and you'll turn this practice into a trigger that puts you in the perfect headspace instantly, which is important in creating the necessary momentum. Start Early If you can, begin working as early in the day as possible. Studies have shown an earlier start to the day is crucial to success. This is important even if you're not what you would term a 'morning' person. Why? The longer you wait to start your day, the more likely you are to put off beginning until tomorrow. Also, if you jump in early, you're going to feel amazingly productive by lunch. Be Impulsive Once you have everything in place, start without thinking about it if you can. Too often, we stall out because we don't feel ready. Once you've organized your materials or workspace, though, there's no point in holding back. Blast Through for Five Minutes This launch should be quick and fast. Tell yourself you’re just going to test the waters and throw yourself in wholeheartedly. You have a plan. All you need is to work it! Single Task Do not be multitasking when you plunge into this project. You’ll only be distracting yourself and muddying things unnecessarily. Put all your attention on what you’re doing. Find the Flow If you’ve ever been in a flow state before, remember how this felt. Recreate this feeling as you work. Sink into it and enjoy the sensation of everything coming together while the outside world melts away. Keep the Momentum No matter what, hold your momentum even if you don't have a solid flow state. Forward progress is still progress, no matter how slow. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Give Yourself a Quitting Time You can't work endlessly. To avoid burnout, know when to finish for the day. Otherwise, you'll crash and burn, making it harder to pick up again the next day. Set Up for Success How do you want to begin again tomorrow? For example, some writers will write the first sentence of the next chapter before quitting for the day so they can jump right in easily. What would help you? Layout your workout clothes set out materials, and do whatever you need for a successful start the next time you settle into work. Believe In Yourself As you keep working, remember this very important thing: You have everything you need to succeed. Just the very fact you’re working to achieve your dreams makes you amazing. You’ve got this! By putting these ideas into practice, you're going to find it easier to feel inspired, build momentum and keep it to the end of the project. No more will you be distracted by something quick and easy. Instead, you'll be too interested in what's meaningful and significant to you. And when you get there? You can take pride in the fact you've not only reached your goal, but you've mastered diligence once and for all, meaning you have all the tools you need to jump into the next project and the one after that. Now that’s powerful stuff! Share any ideas, comments and questions below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com We invite you to check out our resource page here We invite you to Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Add Walking & Experience The Health Benefits![]() What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Did you know that walking is the most popular physical activity in the world? And the health benefits of walking are many, for example – benefits the heart, can help lower blood sugar, boosts the immune system, boosts energy, improves mood and extends life to name a few. In 2017 I began the daily practice of walking and in one year I walked over 3 million steps. It was an amazing experience that I continue to this day. In fact, I just got in from my daily walk. If you want to get healthy, feel your best, boost your energy, and manage your weight, walking is one of the best forms of exercise to do all that and more. Walking is easy, free (or inexpensive), can be done just about anywhere, and provides both physical and mental health benefits. Keep reading to learn all the reasons why you should be walking for your health. Health Benefits of Walking Here are some of the top health benefits of adding walking to your regular workout routine. The Many Health Benefits of Walking Every Day No matter what your health status, weight, or goals are, there is always a good reason to add walking into your regular routine. If you can, try to walk for at least a few minutes a day, as it has so many different health benefits for you. Walking is Amazing for Your Heart To start with, one of the best health benefits of walking is that it helps to improve your heart health. When you walk, your heart starts pumping more, allowing you to flex those muscles and pump more blood to your muscles. This helps to strengthen your heart and keep it healthy. You will also notice that your cholesterol and blood pressure go down with regular walking, which can also help to improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk for both stroke and a heart attack. You Will Burn More Calories As an added bonus, walking more is going to mean burning more calories over time. The amount of calories you burn depend on a lot of factors, so don’t expect to burn 1,000 calories in a simple, 30-minute walk. First of all, your body and how in shape you are will determine calories burned. This includes your current weight, stamina, and heart rate during the workouts. Next, the speed at which you walk, the terrain, and the incline are also factors to keep in mind. Wearing a fitness tracker is the best way to know how many calories you are burning during your walks, and can help you keep track of your heart rate when your walks change. It Helps with Joint Pain If you struggle with joint pain, from bad knees to arthritis, walking can help tremendously. Walking can help to lubricate your joints, which is going to keep them from being too stiff and sore. Building the muscles in your legs around your knee joint also helps a lot with joint pain from arthritis, which is also another benefit of walking more often. Walking Encourages Other Forms of Exercise One of the more unique benefits of walking is that many people get inspired to try other workouts as well. It is very common for people to start their fitness routine just with short walks. Maybe you walk at the park with your kids, or start a morning routine of walking on a treadmill at home. Before too long, you will notice that you feel healthier and stronger, and want to do more. You try yoga or pilates, join the gym, go for jogs or runs, or start weight training. Be sure to let us know how you allow The Health Benefits of Adding Walking to Your Regular Workout Practice impact you for your best life in the comments below. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us and what we believe in at https://wendybottrell.com Check out our Resource page for more information on our products and coaching here Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Sign Up Here The Driver's Seat Of This Game Called Life![]() We are living in challenging times and yet we don’t have to feel like life is spinning out of control. It was just a few months ago that we did feel that life wasn’t in our control and began to look at ways to make changes to put us back in the driver's seat of this game called life. Today we would like to share our Top 10 Ideas To Get Back In The Driver's Seat Of This Game Called Life, and ultimately, your success. “Most people consider life a battle, but it is not a battle, it is a game.” ― Florence Scovel Shinn 1. Do Something You Are Afraid Of There are two definitions of FEAR that I have heard over the years. 1. False Evidence Appearing Real & 2. Face Everything And Rise. We get to decide each day which means we will attach to our fear. If we accept the first definition of Fear as a major control factor in your life, you let certain fear control you, and this will challenge you to accomplish your dreams! This is why you must face everything and rise to do the things you are afraid of, no matter what they may be. If you are afraid of meeting new people, then put yourself in a situation where you have to do so! When thinking about your health and fitness the same principle applies. Run that marathon, learn to cook at home if you are afraid to learn to do this, play a sport, learn about nutrition or any of the other important aspects of living well. 2. Have A Savings Account Finances are an important part of a healthy life. Many people are just one mishap away from financial disaster. This means that they often can’t do some of the things that they want or take any risks because their finances have control of their life. Don’t let finance control your life any longer, get a savings account and start putting money into it each and every month. This way if a challenge does hit, you will remain in control of what happens next! 3. Quit Social Media Social media is changing extremely fast these days. Social media can be a great tool for keeping in contact with friends, but it can also promote jealousy and feelings of inadequacy. If you really want to take back control of your life, then you need to stop spending time on social media. It will help you to feel better about yourself and more in control of your life. 4. Keep Yourself Organized Getting and staying organized will be vitally important when you make the commitment to live in a more disciplined way. We have found that by being in the driver's seat of our life we are in control. We do know that there is nothing like a little, or a lot of a mess, to make you feel as if your life is spinning out of control. Making every effort you can to keep your workspace and living space clean and organized is a wonderful way to feel in control. Not only will this save you time and energy in the long run, but when someone asks for something, you will know exactly where to get it from—which will put you back in control! 5. Be In Control of the People You Spend Time With Do you constantly find yourself hanging out with people that you would rather not be spending time with? This can definitely make you feel as if you’ve lost control of your life. Remember, you decide exactly how you spend your time and who you spend it with. If someone doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, then cut them out of your life! 6. Exercise It was important to share the idea of getting and staying organized before we shared the idea of exercise here. We know that for many people physical activity can be monumental when it comes to regaining control of your life. This is because what is going on inside the body often shows on the exterior of the body as well. Exercise and physical activity are so important for your overall good health and wellbeing. We believe that daily exercise is great for the mind, body, and spirit. Do physical activities that challenge you and watch how your body begins to change—you will absolutely love the way you feel when this happens! If you are at the point where exercise is a monumental challenge begin with walking each and every day. Join our FREE Walking Challenge and begin to practice moving well. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. 7. Make A Daily Success List Rather than make endless to-do lists that we have been taught to do, consider making a daily success list. What you will want to do is plan your day and then as you go through your tasks for the day no matter how big or small write them down. Whatever you want to do and then do it write it down. This daily success validation list is an idea we learned from a mentor a few months ago. What we have found is our daily inspiration and motivation have been improved. We are getting way more done in our day and yet the most important thing is we feel better about the accomplishments we make by the time we get ready for bed. The point of this idea is to validate every success. This is a way to begin to see more and more successes in your day. The more success you validate the more successes you will begin to see. 8. Learn to Say No It can be difficult in life when someone asks you to do something that you would rather not do but you aren’t exactly sure how to say no. This is why learning to say no is so important when it comes to taking control of your life. If you can say no to something you don’t want to do, this is a powerful feeling which keeps you in control of both the things you want to do and don’t want to do! And saying NO opens life up to all the YESs you are ready for. 9. Go On a Solo Trip For many years in my previous career, I travelled for business by myself. I would spend at least a week a month away on the road making sales calls. At that time I did not know that there are several people out there in the world that have a fear of doing things alone. This keeps them under the control of others as they always have to find someone to go with them when they want to do something. Put a stop to this practice. Do you have a dream trip you’ve always wanted to embark on? Go for it! There is no time like the present and no reason not to do it solo! 10. Consider Every Action In Your Life as a Choice One of the major aspects of feeling out of control is feeling like you didn’t have a say in your life when bad (or good) things happen. To remedy this, start thinking of everything in your life as a choice. This means that nothing just happens to you, rather you have a choice in every single aspect of your life. This will leave you feeling more in control and better able to combat hard times that may come your way. Life can feel challenging when you don’t feel in control of it. Use any or all of the above tips to take back control of your life, and your destiny, today. You won’t regret it, and you will love how you feel once you are back in control. Share any ideas, comments and questions below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com We invite you to check out our resource page here We invite you to Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence - Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Making Positive Changes Simple Questions![]() We write and share ideas on making a change here on our blog and today we continue to share ideas to help you make changes to your health and fitness this year. Maybe you are at the point where you are thinking, That's it. You've had it. You may be thinking that your health and fitness are just not going as well as you'd like. It's time for a change, a Fresh Start if you will. But how do you know where to even begin? Especially if you're still neck-deep in a life you want to escape. It’s simple. You start by asking yourself these five questions: What Are You Looking For? Too often, what we're thinking is a change in our life is nothing more than a dressed-up version of the old. To avoid falling into this trap, begin by looking for real and actual change. Start by asking the hard questions: What do you want out of life? What would you need to do to attain this? What's one positive change which would place you closer to your goal? How Many Risks Are You Willing to Take? Making a fresh start will demand a certain commitment from you, which manifests in how much of yourself you’re willing to put into the project. If you’re not willing to risk a new way of life, or much in the way of change, you’re not going to have much success. This might be a hard thing to read however it is up to you where you begin and how you move toward the fresh start or changes you desire. What is Different About the Goals You’re Proposing If you're looking for a change in your life, there has to be something 'new,' or you're not starting over at all. You are merely continuing what you've been doing all along. What is the thing you haven't done before? This is a juicy question to help you with your health and fitness goals. What haven’t you done before when it comes to improving your health? Or your fitness? Pick one of those new ideas and begin. Plan. Do that now. What Are You Giving Up? A new beginning means something else is ending. What are you leaving behind? This can be a scary thing to think about. For example, when I gave up gluten over ten years ago for my best healthy life it took some time to make this commitment because I knew once I started down this path, how I ate would be forever changed. It was a bit scary, I wasn't sure if I would succeed and what I know now it has been one of the best decisions of my life. Keep in mind the answers to the question don't necessarily imply you need to abandon every aspect of your past. Sometimes we're leaving behind only a small part of our life that hasn’t served our best interest at all. Are You Truly Ready to Let Go of the Past? This last question can be hard because you might not know the answer until you've begun. Every fresh start is doomed to failure if you're weighed down with a lot of baggage from the past. At the very least, though, it helps to have a positive attitude about letting go and are willing to do the work to make this happen. Here is what I mean. So many of us have made attempts to get in shape, lose weight, have more energy and live more vibrantly. If we haven’t successfully achieved our goal, we make it so difficult to begin with a new mindset. In the end, these questions will give you some idea of what to expect as you embark on this journey of letting go. After all, being prepared truly is half the battle. We believe that knowing your WHY is the most important action step you can take to help you make a fresh start and see the results that you desire this year. We wrote a blog post on the 5 WHY’s method and here is the link https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/implement-the-5-whys-method-to-energize-your-best-life This is a powerful tool that will help you answer the 5 Simple Questions to Ask When Making Positive Changes This Year. Share any ideas, comments and questions below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com We invite you to check out our resource page here We invite you to Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Join our FREE Walking Challenge here What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Simple Things Science Says About Alone Time![]() Do you practice alone time in your day? Today we want to share 4 Simple Things Science Says About Alone Time You Might Not Know with you. I’ve heard it said before: we need Alone Time. We know it’s good for us. We enjoy the pampering, the fun, and the way we feel rested and recharged afterward. But did you know there’s some serious science to Alone Time and what we get out of it? Read on to find out some things about what science has proven about Alone Time. Some of these might even be pretty surprising. Alone Time Leads to Empathy The one thing everyone should get out of Alone Time is the ability to understand your own thoughts and feelings. This understanding translates to a difference in our interactions with the people around us. Think about it. When we understand why we act and feel as we do, we gain an understanding of why other people similarly react in ways that look like ours. Now we’re seeing the world through their eyes. Check out more on this here - https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-being-by-yourself-4769939#:~:text=Research Alone Time Makes Us Stronger Ask anyone who dreads time alone what they hate about it, and you’ll find it more often than not. It’s the idea of being alone with their thoughts, which freaks them out. In fact, a study was done where college students were given the choice of being alone with their thoughts for 15 minutes or being given an electric shock. 67% of men and 24% of women chose the shock over what was in their heads. So, imagine how much stronger you are than the average person when you’re accustomed to your own thoughts, not to mention, comfortable with them. More on this topic here https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2017/08/05/7-science-backed-reasons-you-should-spend-more-time-alone Alone Time Shows the World Around Us How to Behave Anytime we model behaviour for others, especially children, we shouldn’t be surprised when they follow suit. The critical thing to realize here is just how important it is for children to see us embracing time alone. When we show them we focus better, can clear our thoughts, and manage our emotions better through Alone Time, they learn these things too. More on this idea here - https://www.powerofpositivity.com/being-alone-makes-you-stronger/ Alone Time Shows Us What to Do Next Studies have shown that people who are successful embrace the idea of Alone Time. Entrepreneurs who use their alone time to think about their goals and plan how to better attain those goals will have a higher chance of achieving what they set out to do. This might seem pretty simple, but you can’t argue with the results. Here is more info on this idea for you here https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/344635 So, where does this leave you? Simple. Alone Time is not only optimal, but it makes sense scientifically. If you want to get ahead, you start by pulling back to where you enjoy first the company of yourself and the joy of what you can accomplish on your own. Then get out there and take over the world. Share any ideas, comments and questions below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com We invite you to check out our resource page here We invite you to Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence - Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Simple Journaling Ideas![]() Are you feeling uninspired or unmotivated? Maybe it is time to look at your life and figure out what isn’t quite working for you. These feelings can come from many things, from your mental health to just being exhausted and overworked. Today we will share the idea to help you Practice These Simple Journaling Ideas for Your Best Healthy Life When we think about our best healthy life it is more than what we eat and how we train. Our best healthy life is the total of our mind, body and spirit. Today's topic of practicing journaling is a part of our practice. It is our intention that journaling might be a practice for you to consider. If we might suggest the idea of simply to start writing in a journal to figure out why you are experiencing these emotions, and work on a life reset so you can get down to what is happening and why you feel this way. One of the best things you can do in order to find this holistic balance is by creating daily practices. This allows you to fit each component of holistic living into your life without becoming overwhelmed. I wrote a blog post Journaling Benefits For Self-Care - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/are-there-benefits-of-writing-in-a-self-care-journal Write in a journal We began using a journal back in 2015 after my mother died. It was a sad, stressful time and I made the decision that I preferred to get my feelings down on paper than live in all the pain. It was the best thing I did at the time. Here are some benefits of using a journal for a life reset: Studies Have Shown: ✓ People who journal experience better moods. ✓ Journaling helps to reduce stress. ✓ Regular journaling is an effective tool to fight depression and anxiety. ✓ People who journal don’t get sick as often. ✓ Healing from medical procedures occurs faster in people who journal as opposed to those who don’t. Check out this article to learn more - Source Where the Magic Really Happens When Your Journal ✓ Your mood improves ✓ Your anxiety lessens ✓ You gain clarity ✓ You see things as they are ✓ You become a Problem-Solver ✓ Helps you to see the rhythm of your life ✓ Journaling becoming therapy ✓ You get to know yourself better ✓ You resolve disagreements better ✓ You discover the truth about yourself There is a Journal for Everything ✓ Gratitude ✓ Success ✓ Goal ✓ Habit ✓ Fitness ✓ Food ✓ Health ✓ Bullet Journaling Tips for Your Best Life Reset ✓ Write by hand – this has been the most powerful experience for me. Each morning I write 3 pages using pen and paper. At first, I wasn’t sure how this was going to work out and now it has been six months since I began this project. All I can say about my experience is I look forward to my writing each morning. Give it a go and you might find it is the same for you. ✓ Choose your journal to fit your needs ✓ Start simply – I use a simple notepad from the dollar store and a good Cross pen. ✓ Ignore the word count ✓ Embrace inspiration – This is the exciting aspect of this for me. The inspiration and creativity that has come from morning writing. ✓ Choose the best time of day – I have found that first thing in the morning is an excellent time because the house is quiet and peaceful. No distractions. ✓ Go into detail ✓ Focus on the emotion – powerful and healing ✓ Don’t beat yourself up ✓ Make journaling part of your morning practice and routine ✓ Forget perfectionism ✓ Try a brain dump ✓ Let therapy happen ✓ Use a writing prompt – I have used Affirmation cards, Crystal Message cards, SoulFlower cards and so many other ideas to prompt me in my writing. ✓ Get artistic Share any ideas on how you experience journaling in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. Join me on the journey for change here: Subscribe to our newsletter here and we will send you our Free Report What Are You Putting In Your Body - In the world of wellness cultivation, there is no greater power than realizing that the ability to inspire and encourage wellness comes down to your own levels of discipline, inspiration, and persistence If you want to know who we are and what we believe in check us out here http://wendybottrell.com Our Holistic Coaching and health and fitness products are here Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Seven Small Simple Steps For Big Life Changes![]() I'm not sure if you have noticed but the world has changed. There has never been a better time to think about using the idea to practice these seven small simple steps for big life changes that we will share with you today. Over the past two years, I have used this time to practice the idea of making tiny changes and seeing a big change in my life. What the result has been is me living a more disciplined life, reducing my weight by about 40 lbs., getting into great physical shape and feeling better overall. Over the past 25 years, I have been in the practice of improving and in the past two years I have taken more action on those tiny steps and the result has been bigger changes. You see what I learned is to change it takes practicing these seven small simple steps for big life changes every single day. And for so many, that sounds too easy and so they don't even attempt to use this idea to reach their desired goals in life. Now, these practices and habits weren’t achieved all at once. And I think this is the biggest thing that people think about when making a change. It is about small daily actions over time that allow you to realize new and better habits. Taking the first step is always the hardest part. It's not uncommon to see people never do what they have in mind just because they're too scared or overwhelmed to get started. Begin to think of change as simple tiny steps that allow you to win every day. New experiences come with a dose of fear. You must embrace the unknown and take risks. Not everyone is willing to let go and take on these challenges. Believe it or not, you can bring your ideas to life without changing everything at once. It's that first step that can move you in the right direction. Small things, such as building a new practice or habit, can go a long way toward your success in any area of your life. Why Taking the First Step Is the Hardest No matter what you're trying to achieve, taking the first step can be mind-wrecking. You might think: What if I fail? How will I make money? What will people think? What if I’m no good? What if it's not the right time to do it? Am I ready for this? The truth is that no one can guarantee that you'll succeed. However, you’ll never know how it's going to turn out unless you commit to taking action toward what you want to achieve. Do you want to spend the rest of your life wondering What if? This was me 25 years ago. I was almost 100 lbs. overweight, low energy, and certainly not living my best life. Then, I was called to the hospital because my mother broke her hip and needed a full hip replacement. My mother had to lie in the emergency for 2 days until they could do the operation. It was at that time that I realized if I didn't make changes I was going to be my mother in 20 years. The very next day I started to make changes. It was a big challenge for me. A mountain that was so high I wasn’t sure if I could climb it. What mountains are you facing right now with your health and fitness? That first step is always the hardest because it requires you to embrace the unknown and face your fears. It's also the most important step - without it, nothing will change. I am now 25 years older now and in better health and I am strong physically as well as mentally. Ready for my new normal each and every day. And you can definitely achieve the same for yourself. Feeling Scared? Take a Half Step to Change Your Life Most times, it's the small things that have the biggest impact on our lives. You don't have to change everything from one day to the next. If you're scared of the unknown, do one little, minuscule thing to get started. It can be contacting real estate agents to find a flat in your dream city, putting on your sneakers and getting outside for a walk or eating one healthy real-life-affirming food meal rather than junk food. Choose one little practice and stick to it until it is a part of your day. Celebrate this first step WIN and feel proud of it. Then, take another step and then another, and so on. Stop waiting for the perfect moment to get started. Stop overanalyzing and just go for it! There is NEVER the perfect time to start. The best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is NOW. Now is especially a great time to begin a new health and fitness practice. Small changes done daily over the next few months and years will have a huge impact on how you feel. What are small changes you can begin NOW? Hydrate - Drink more water Eat Real Food – cooked by you in your own kitchen – if you are not in the habit of cooking at home we recommend learning 3 new recipes and once you are happy with your skills with those 3 new recipes add 3 more new recipes to your cooking toolbox. Breathe – here is an article to help you with a powerful breathing technique called Box Breathing - https://www.livestrong.com/article/74944-box-breathing-technique/ Move your body more – walk – bike – do a home workout (Not sure how? Check out our resource page for the fitness programs we use and recommend here Sleep – the often forgotten Pillar of Wellness – poor sleep is the cause of many health issues - now is a great time to practice good sleep habits – go to bed at the same time every night, avoid bright lights before bed, sleep in a dark cool room Journal – write about your WHY – this will help you focus on what is important to you for those challenging days and journaling will help you realize your successes as well - We wrote a blog post with the idea of helpin you get clear on your WHY - check it out here - Implement The 5 Whys Method To Energize Your Best LifeMeditate – "Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health. And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions." Source - What is one tiny step you can do RIGHT NOW? Leave a comment below and get in touch with us & be sure to let us know how we can support you! Be sure to get in touch with us if you have any questions or if we can help you. Join me on the journey for change here: Subscribe to our newsletter here Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Join our FREE Walking Challenge here Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - If you want to know who we are and what we believe in check us out here http://wendybottrell.com Our Holistic Coaching and health and fitness products are here Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Be Inspired To Take Action On Your Health & Fitness Goals This Year![]() Do you know what Inspires You To Keep Taking Action On Your Health & Fitness Goals? A survey once showed that the number 1 resolution that most people make on New Year’s Day is to lose weight or get fit. The survey also went on to show that this very same resolution was the one most often broken by the end of January or February. Today we would like to share with you Simple Ideas To Inspire You To Take Action On Your Health & Fitness Goals This Year? • Why do people quit on themselves so soon after getting started on their goals? • So why are people not able to keep at it? • Where did the initial excitement go? • Why have they wasted money on an expensive gym membership but stopped going? The answer is to find your inspiration. Many think that they require motivation to stay on track when in fact they must be inspired from within to achieve the health and fitness goals they say they want to achieve. Think about something you started. In the beginning, there is the initial excitement of starting something new, right? The future seems happy with a healthy, toned and energized body. However, after a few weeks it seems that the excitement dies down, and people realize that results are not coming fast, they get frustrated, they lose interest, and it all becomes mundane and even unpleasant. There is a different approach to reaching your desired goals. I have listed a few ways to help you find your inspiration to keep on keeping on. When the going gets tough, these tips will keep you going. When you don’t see the results as fast as you want, these methods will give you the patience and persistence to forge ahead. Write down WHY you want to lose weight, get fit, build muscle, get, and stay healthy etc. • Define YOUR strong WHY. • Keep asking why until you get to the real truth. • Why do you want to get fit? • Because you want to feel better and lose weight Why? • So, you look good, have more self-confidence and have more energy? • Why must you look good and have more energy? • So, your self-confidence improves because you look good, and you feel your body is vital and energized. That is the why. • To feel amazing mind, body and spirit. • To realize an improved self-confidence. • To feel energized each day. • Have the courage to keep digging till you get to the truth. We have written about finding your WHY many times here on our blog. Check out our blog post - Implement The 5 WHYS Method as your guide to gaining your inspiration in reaching your health and fitness goals this year here - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/implement-the-5-whys-method-to-energize-your-best-life Find a training partner so that each of you can encourage each other when one of you is down. This is how I began exercising years ago. A friend and I joined a gym together. We had a plan that we would work out together and we did that for over 2 years. It was an amazing experience for me for so many reasons, we had a lot of fun, and I was able to change my body from being 100 lbs. overweight to being in the best shape of my life at that time. Do NOT stop. Don’t Quit On Yourself No Matter What. If your schedule was very busy on a certain day and you do not have time for a one-hour workout, do not just skip it and feel guilty. Do a quick 10 minutes of push-ups and squats. Or maybe skipping for 15 minutes. A quick workout that leaves you gasping for air. It will make you feel better and more energized but more importantly you will feel inspired because you did not quit. Recognizing when you ate something that wasn’t in your plan but carrying on. Many people get sidetracked on their diets and once they do, they just give up on it and eat whatever they want. Understand that this happens to all of us once in a while but it’s not over. Tell yourself that it’s ok and be sure that you enjoyed every single bite at that moment. Just because you gave in to temptation at the moment and had a slice of pizza does not mean you should finish the whole pizza. Tomorrow is a new day, and you have the opportunity to begin again with your plan. Keep your workouts exciting. My plan includes walking, running, sprinting, mini-trampoline jumping, lifting free weights, kettlebell training and stretching. There is variety every day. Do not let your training become monotonous and predictable. This is extremely uninspiring, to say the least. Find those things that you love to do whether it is weight training, dancing, yoga, or martial arts. Do that and you will be inspired each and every time you exercise. Listen to music while training. It beats listening to your panting and gasping. Change your music often too. Music that is upbeat, catchy and with fast beats. All of us go through periods when we are feeling down or just not in the mood. It is perfectly normal. The key point to note is that if you’re not in the mood for a long workout, just do a short one. Or simply get out for a walk out in nature to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit on that day. Never stop and never give up. Read your “why” that you wrote before, whenever you just feel like quitting. Remember your “why”, and then get back on track. I had a mentor once tell me it is OK to quit for today, just be sure to wake up tomorrow and take action toward your goal keeping in mind you WHY in helping guide and inspire you to your success. What inspires you to keep going? I will share with you that it was my WHY that I created in 1999 that has kept me going all these years. I saw my mother break her hip and was in need of a full hip replacement. At that time I was about 100 lbs. overweight and I just knew if I didn’t make positive changes in my life at that time I would be my mother in twenty years. The next day I borrowed a friend's Tai Bow video and struggled to do a short exercise video. Over the next many months I was able to get through an entire video and moved on to going to the local community centre to get a gym membership. It has now been 23 years; I am in better health and fitness than I was at that time. The changes I made did not happen overnight. Yet I took it one step at a time and used my WHY as my inspiration to succeed at my goals. You can do the same. Begin with finding WHY and take action today. I have heard it said that Health is the New Wealth. Find your WHY today and begin the journey to your new wealth of health and fitness. It may be a challenging path and I know for certain each and every moment is worth it. We invite you to use these Simple Ideas To Inspire You To Take Action On Your Health & Fitness Goals This Year? Be sure to get in touch with us if you have any questions or if we can help you. Join me on the journey here: Subscribe to our newsletter here Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Join our FREE Walking Challenge here Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge If you want to know who we are and what we believe in check us out here http://wendybottrell.com Our Holistic Coaching and health and fitness products are here Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Become An Early Riser For Your Best Life![]() It was just over two years ago when I began my journey into being an early riser. Before that, I disliked mornings and did all I could to avoid getting up early. I never considered that my life might be way better if I would simply get out of bed earlier. Today I want to share with you How Becoming An Early Riser Has Changed My Life For The Better. I did hear from most business mentors that getting up early would be so good for me and my life. Has someone told you that you should work to become an earlier riser and get up earlier every day? It can be annoying to hear, especially when you love sleeping in, but whoever suggested this for you is correct. Over the past two years, I have learned that there are many benefits to becoming an earlier riser. Check them out here and be sure to share any of your ideas, comments and questions below. This is what I have found when I became an early riser and how they might be the same for you. You, Will, Be More Productive Whether or not you struggle with productivity, one of the best ways to be more productive is by getting up earlier every morning. What I have found is there are fewer distractions when the rest of the world is sleeping. Not to mention it will give you more time to get things done, rather than lying in bed wishing to go back to sleep! Getting up early gives you more productive hours during the day while you are at your mental prime rather than trying to cram activities in at the end! It is awesome what I get done now before the sun even rises. And because the house is peaceful I do all this productivity with a sense of calm. You, Will, Be Healthier Surprisingly, getting up early has many health benefits. Not only will you be able to eat healthier and have ample time to exercise, but your mental health will also be better. Getting enough sleep and getting up at the same time every day helps to regulate your hormones so that you get better sleep. Combine this with healthier lifestyle choices, and you will be shocked by how much clearer your mind is and how much healthier you feel! You Can Have Time For Yourself Do you have a house full of kids? Or maybe a job that won't leave you alone starting at eight in the morning? Getting up early can help you have some quiet time to yourself before the hectic day begins. This is also a great time to engage in whatever self-care you enjoy. This will further increase your mental health and improve your outlook on the day because you will start it by taking care of the most important person in your life—you! Your Performance Will Improve Do you often struggle to perform well at work? The problem could be that you simply aren't getting enough sleep and aren't waking up early enough! When you get enough rest and start your day with a healthy self-care practice, you will be shocked by how much your performance increases. This isn't just in your professional life but your personal one as well! Overall, I have found that becoming an earlier riser may not be high on your list of things to accomplish, it might surprise or shock you just how much you can accomplish daily when you become an early riser. I get up without an alarm clock which is a much calmer way to start the day. I have found a new joy in early mornings, my morning writing, studies and all that I get accomplished before the sun shines. Will you begin the practice of getting up earlier? Leave a comment below and be sure to let us know how we can support you! Join our FREE Walking Challenge here Get in touch with us if you have questions or if we can help you. What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul. And there is nothing better than an early morning walk to move well, get some sunshine so you sleep better and spend some time in nature before the busyness of your day begins. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - Join our Free Walking Challenge here - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - If you want to know who we are and what we believe in check us out here http://wendybottrell.com Our Holistic Coaching and health and fitness products are here Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. |
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