Life happens, and wellness can sometimes be one of its casualties. This is especially true during these stressful times.
But this GenuLineslist of suggestions can get you thinking about and doing the things to keep you in the wellness zone.
Make Wellness A Habit In Every Part Of Your Day
We often become distracted by what life throws at us. This leads to neglect of our own well-being.
Days can be fast paced. But seldom do we slow down to think about the importance of maintaining your wellbeing.
Stress is commonplace in the modern world. Think of how driving to work in gridlock traffic can make you a basket case.
The good news is that you can make better choices and develop good habits. You can make wellness a part of your every day routine…
Make a Decision and Stick to it
So first off, you’ll need to make the decision to live a healthy lifestyle. This is a step that many of us avoid.
We give up and revert back to our original way of everyday living. Well, wellness is a decision (As simplistic as it seems) and it’s a necessary one for everyone.
How Can We Make Wellness a Habit?
You form habits when you do something over and over again until it becomes ingrained within you. It’s like you’ve rewired your brain. It makes certain choices that are automatic.
So, here are a few ways you can make wellness a habit every single day…
• Set an alarm clock.
• Make healthy diet choices.
• Plan an exercise routine.
• Make time every day to do one thing you enjoy.
• Spend more time with friends and family.
Do these things each day and at the very least, you’ll notice improved wellness. We need discipline and there’s no other way to go about it.
Especially in the fast-paced world we’re so accustomed to.
Alarm clock
Setting an alarm clock to wake up early is a good way to start your day. The good thing is we know exactly why we’re waking up early… to get things done!
Diet
The nutritional choices we make are crucial to physical wellness. Feeding our body live foods (Vegetables, fruits, lean meats, grains etc.) will make us feel good.
And it gives us energy for the days ahead.
Daily exercise
Exercise has so many benefits. They range from improving mental health to creating stronger and more capable bodies.
Daily exercise can help you prevent chronic disease. These include Type 2 Diabetes,
Heart Disease and Osteoporosis.
That’s how powerful getting the body moving is.
Enjoy life
We tend to get too focused on things like work, personal issues, and relationships. But why can’t we take the time to laugh and enjoy being in the moment?
It’s so important to relieve stress by putting worry aside for a little bit each day to focus on leisure activity. We’re not meant to stay in fight or flight mode.
And having leisure time cuts the stress that can interfere with out wellness.
Have healthy relationships
The relationships we develop and maintain in life are essential for wellness. Having a sense of worth often comes from the love and appreciation of other people.
Let’s face it, the reason for our existence is to coexist with others so we can come together to function as a society. Friends and family can give a nice boost to our self-confidence and happiness.
Make Wellness a Daily Habit
Decide to make a decision to live every day in a state of wellness. Follow the steps in this article and you’ll have a good start toward creating healthy every day habits.
Wellness is the key to our ability to be productive and effective in every day life.
Children tend to have eating habits that are all over the place. They eat what delights the eyes, but their stomachs often pay the price.
Take a look at these GenuLines tips designed to get the kids on board with healthy eating.
You Can Teach Your Children How to Eat Healthier
One of the leading causes of childhood obesity is poor food choices. Offer kids either vegetables or a cookie and most will choose the cookie.
Admit it, sometimes even adults do the same thing! But, with a few strategic lessons good role modeling, you can teach your children to put health first.
Here are some ideas:
* Help them learn to like healthy foods
Forcing kids to eat vegetables and whole grains gets met with resistance. Instead of preparing a plate of lima beans and telling your children to eat it all, give them a choice.
Prepare a variety of vegetables, side dishes, and whole-grain options. Encourage your children to try new things.
Children generally have to try something several times before they begin to like it. You will have to be patient. Reward them with verbal praise when they try new healthy foods.
If they say they don’t like it, nod your head and praise them for trying it. Let them know that taste buds change and they might like it better next time or as they get a bit older.
* Make sugar a treat
Many children have become so accustomed to sweet foods. A lot of them feel that anything that doesn’t have sugar just tastes bad.
If your kids eat a lot of sweets, scale back on the amount they have available to them. Start with one treat a day and at some point consider reducing it to one treat a week.
Yet, make sure that food doesn’t become a reward for behavior. And don’t forget to check things like cereal which can be high in sugar.
Your children’s desire for sweets will decrease. And they’ll begin enjoying a variety of other healthy foods.
* Involve them in meal planning and preparation
Children who help you prepare a meal, are going to be much more excited about eating it. Invite yours to help you choose meals, help with the grocery shopping, and then prepare the foods.
While in the produce area, ask them to find and pick out the various vegetables and fruits you need for the meal. They’ll learn about their veggies, and they’ll be more excited to try them.
Consider putting them in charge of the meal choices for one evening each week. You can provide them with a list of choices. You can also browse cookbooks together.
* Be a good role model
You can’t expect your children to make healthy choices if you don’t. Take good care of your health.
Exercise and eat well. Show the kids that taking care of themselves and making good food choices is important.
* Embrace other cultures
A great way to help your children appreciate food is to help them learn about what other cultures eat. You can embrace one country each month and make a meal.
You can call it “cultural night.” Combine it with family game night, and make trying new foods something to which you can look forwards.
* Teach your children the “why” behind food choices
If your children don’t know why they should make healthy choices, they won’t care. Talk to them about how some foods work.
Some provide lasting energy, while others burn out quickly and make us feel tired and cranky.
Adjust the conversation depending on your children’s ages.
Finally, just enjoy food, because it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of being too rigid about food. This can cause a backlash.
It can motivate children to hide food and to feel ashamed. Make sure children know that it’s about moderation, not restriction and deprivation.
This will lead to a happy relationship with food that they can take into their adult years.
Money is at the center of so many of our problems. Too many to mention here.
What’s worthy of mention is ways to deal with this, and GenuLines is right on the money with help for you.
Tips to Develop Your Money And Your Life
One of the biggest pressure points for families is that of financial stress. When your financial house is in order the other parts of your life seem to falls into place.
For most of us financial planning was not a part of high school or college curriculum. No lessons on checkbooks or 401k’s or emergency expenditures.
Without balancing your life’s money issues it’s tough to have balance in other areas. Unfortunately, money controls much of our thought patterns, time, and worries.
Figure Out Your Spending Habits
Learn your financial patterns. Then have a sit-down money talk with your partner.
Do this whether you’re a spendthrift or a frugal financier.
The Spendthrift
If you have no interest in where money comes from or how to manage it, you’ll find that money will manage you. Spending more than you earn is never a good practice.
Sit down with your finances.
Figure out what’s coming in. What’s going out.
And keep the difference for yourself as spendable income.
It is that simple. Living above your means is something that you dont want to do, ever.
Living above your means is never a win/win situation.
The Frugal Financier
If you won’t part with a penny, much less a dime, you’ll have a hard time relating to anyone about money. There’s got to be some wiggle room for playing hard much the same as working hard.
No one admires someone who won’t part with one red cent, even for fun.
Get Together with Your Financial Partner
You and your financial partner can put your differences to work in your favor. Come up with ways to meet somewhere in the middle.
Compromise is key in a relationship.
And what better way to incorporate that tool than to use it in your financial life.
Your anger can be a terrible master. It will create a lot of problems in your life if not reigned in.
So with that in mind, GenuLines looks at ways to keep the angry tendencies at bay.
Anger Management 101
Anger is a powerful emotion. Learning how to manage it can be difficult.
Yet, not impossible.
The problem isn’t that you get angry; the problem is in the way you express your anger. While anger is a normal and natural emotion, it can be overwhelming if not dealt with in the right way.
When you allow your anger to take over, it has a negative effect on your life. This is a sign that it’s time to make important changes to how you handle your emotions.
Allowing anger to take over can be very unhealthy. You can hurt yourself or someone you care about.
There are certain steps you have to go through to be able to cope with your anger in a healthy and productive way. We rounded up some of these tried-and-true techniques to help you cope with your anger.
You may have heard of some of them, but don’t knock any of them until you’ve tried each one several times.
Remember, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at controlling your anger. So, the next time you’re in a situation that gets your blood boiling, try these tips.
Deep Breathing
This helps you take the time to think about the situation. It gives you time to calm down rather than immediately lashing out.
Taking a few deep breaths also boosts blood flow to your brain. The more oxygen going to your brain, the more rational your thoughts and behavior will be.
Want to take it a step further? Do a slow count.
You can count up to 10 as you breathe in and out. Or you can count backward from 100.
Take the time to think about what number comes next. This effort will shift your focus and distract you from what’s making you angry.
When you disconnect yourself from the event that’s making you flustered, you’re less likely to act out. Taking some time to moderate your anger is a healthy and smart way to manage your anger.
Acknowledge Your Emotions
Start by accepting your anger. Tell yourself that it’s okay to be angry, but it’s not okay to let it out on others in a destructive way.
Be true to yourself. If you feel there are any negative issues from your past holding you back, find a way to deal with them.
There are several things you can do to move past painful memories, like
Reflecting inward can help you see things from a different vantage point. Seeing things from a different viewpoint gives you clarity.
As a result, you can deal with the situation in a calm, relaxed manner.
Also, take a moment to ask yourself if the person who angered you actually meant to harm you. Or was it unintentional?
Looking at the situation from a 3rd person viewpoint is a terrific coping mechanism. You’ll be able to reach an amicable understanding and be respectful of yourself and others.
Learn Your Flashpoints
We all have certain people or places that make us angry. Thinking about them makes your temper soar.
To avoid seething with anger over someone or something learn your flashpoints. Start by figuring out what makes you angry.
Once you’ve identified your triggers, you’ll be better equipped at handling them. For example, let’s say you always take a certain route to work, but it’s always congested and that makes you angry.
Why not look for a different route and spare yourself the aggravation of wasting time in traffic?
Do Something You Love
Anger is a very intense emotion. To balance it out, you need to take up a hobby or activity you enjoy.
Creative activities like drawing, painting, or playing a musical instrument. These can benefit your mental health.
In fact, the more time you spend on creative pastimes, the less angry and stressed you’ll feel.
Other hobbies include physical activities like hiking, kickboxing, and cycling. Even taking a 10-minute stroll in the park can uplift your mental wellbeing.
These activities can help release pent-up negative energy in a healthy and safe way. Not only that, but exercise also stimulates your brain to release more feel-good hormones.
So, you don’t only get better at controlling your anger, you also feel happier and more resilient.
Are you honest about the good and bad parts of yourself? You might need some help with the not so good stuff.
This is where GenuLines steps in to help put the truth on your side.
5 Steps To Be More Honest With Yourself
You’re serious about improving yourself as a person. And honesty is an important part of the process.
Honesty is a key aspect of developing because if you aren’t being honest with yourself, how on earth do you plan to grow?
When we choose dishonesty and delusion we’re choosing to see only what we want to see. That might not sound so bad, but it means that you are ignoring a whole lot that you would prefer to avoid.
It’s those things that matter the most. You’re securing short-term joy in exchange for long-term happiness.
Being more honest with yourself might be painful. But it’s a necessary part of furthering yourself.
How can you be more honest with yourself?
1. Acknowledge The Bad & The Good
We have a way of embracing all the good things in life, while completely ignoring the bad. It’s a bit like social media.
We watch only these timelines of pure joy and bliss. And it’s not realistic.
People share the best of their lives. It’s a slideshow of their lives and doesn’t paint a true picture of the hardships they might face.
We do this, too, whether it’s on social media or in our own heads. It’s just easier to ignore the bad things rather than deal with them head-on.
Ignoring problems won’t solve anything, if anything, it will make things worse for you in the long-run. Be honest with yourself about everything good and bad in your life.
That balanced view can keep you sane.
2. Take Time For Self-Reflection
At the end of each day, take a few minutes to think about how it went. Ask yourself how you did, if there’s anything you did well or could have done better.
You can be honest without being too critical or too judgmental. This exercise isn’t about damaging your self-esteem.
Rather, it’s about reflecting on the day so that make tomorrow will be better.
Reflection helps you learn about yourself. And it can improve your ability to solve problems, too.
Allow yourself the opportunity to analyze the day and you get a better picture of what it takes to improve.
3. We All Make Mistakes – Admit It
This is one of the most difficult aspects of being honest with yourself. It’s easy to slip into ego protection mode and fine an excuse or someone else to blame for a mistake.
But it won’t help you build a real sense of self-esteem.
True self-esteem and confidence lie in being courageous enough to own up to mistakes. When you can stand up and own shortcomings you can learn and grow.
4. Get Into Your Emotions
When people say they’re caught up in their emotions it usually has a negative connotation. Yet, your emotions have an important role to play in how you understand and interact with the world.
Emotions aren’t the reality, but they are revealing. It’s revealing when you dig deep to figure out why you feel a certain way.
You learn about the things that tend to make you feel that way. What’s more, you’re learning appropriate responses.
This is a level of honesty that your stress levels (and social circle) will appreciate.
5. Don’t Get Caught In Analysis Paralysis
As noted above, it’s important to take time for reflection and analyze the day. But it’s also important that you don’t over-analyze.
It’s easy to get carried away. You don’t need to rationalize everything or intellectualize about it.
There’s no need to create an elaborate story about why bad things happen to you. You need only to note how it is right now and move forward.
You don’t need to understand everything that’s going on in the world. Instead be realistic, be practical and be sensible.
Do you have a bad habit or two, or more? Let GenuLines help you as we take a closer look at them.
See if any of these are holding you back.
What Exactly Is a Bad Habit?
For the most part, a bad habit is something that you do again and again,. Something you can stop doing when you decide to, and that society has deemed to be bad.
Often it breaks laws, customs, or some societal moral code. Most of us think that bad habits are something you should avoid.
This is because they can often affect your health and wellness. There are different categories of bad habits.
Let’s look at the most common ones.
* Time-Wasting Habits
These include not putting things where they go. Or not creating a home for everything you own.
And not keeping your stuff organized. Wasting time can end up affecting your downtime because you still have to make time for work.
* Unhealthy Habits
As an example there’s eating unhealthy snacks every night. Watching lots of TV instead of doing physical things.
And avoiding regular doctor visits.
* Lost Productivity Habits
Lack of a morning routine and some sort of schedule hurts your productivity. These types of bad habits are for the most part a lack of good habits.
* Habits That Harm Your Financial Health
Habits like gambling can ruin your financial health today. Overspending is often started by a bad habit of not minding your finances.
* Habits That Impede Your Social Life
For some people, bad habits can hurt their social life. Being late and slighting others are two examples.
* Habits That Harm Others
Some people develop habits that harm themselves as well as others. For example, a smoking habit can hurt you and those around you (especially kids).
* Habits That Ruin Relationships
Some people allow their habits to even ruin their relationships. Being sloppy, unclean, and not thinking of others can ruin many relationships.
Especially if you’re late a lot or gossip too much.
* Gross Habits
Smoking and nail-biting come to mind when it comes to gross habits. So does nose picking, picking your toes with your fingers, and other rude behavior.
It’s best not do them in public (and some not even in private). If you do have these habits, you can stop them with a plan.
Bad habits are those that are not good for you or anyone else around you – whether human, animal or the environment.
Aging should be a graceful experience. And it can.
There are some steps in that direction that can help you. And GenuLines offers a list of those for your consideration.
5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Aging Process
Everyone grows older. But that doesn’t mean you can’t age in a positive way.
Start by focusing on your physical, mental, and emotional health.
1. Grip Strength
The following comes from a study in Clinical Interventions in Aging. It found a connection between grip strength and health and happiness markers.
Improving your grip strength can also improve your:
· Upper Limb Function
· Overall Strength
· Fine Motor Skill
· Cognitive Ability
· Emotional State
Good grip strength allows you to age well and remain active and independent. To strengthen your grip strength, try this exercise:
· Squeeze a squish or tennis ball with your whole hand 5 to 10 times
· Repeat using only your thumb and index finger.
· Repeat using your thumb and each other finger.
2. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight or underweight has negative effects. There’s the risk of chronic diseases, health conditions, and potential falls and fractures.
Doctors determine weight based on your Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI is a calculation of your body fat based on your height and weight.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says BMI determines your weight. The levels of weight status are:
BMI Weight Status
Below 18.5 – Underweight
18.5—24.9 – Normal
25.0—29.9 – Overweight
30.0 and Above – Obese
Researchers have determined that a BMI of 25 or more is a risk for chronic disease and poor health. To maintain a healthy weight, the CDC recommends that your diet contains:
· Fruits
· Vegetables
· Whole Grains
· Lean Protein Sources
· Low Fat
· Low Sodium
· Little Added Sugars
Lean protein sources include fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, and soy products. Low-fat foods should be low in saturated and trans fat and cholesterol.
Talk with your doctor about how many calories you need every day. Then plan your diet within that allowance.
3. Stay Active
Your activity level helps you maintain good muscle mass, strength, and bone density. A Journal of Physical Therapy Science study looked at adults age 52 and older.
It found they tend to have a decreased activity level, leading to poorer health outcomes. The CDC recommends older adults engage in:
· 150 Minutes a Week of Moderate Intensity Aerobic Activity
· 2 Days of Strength Training a Week
· Activity as Tolerated
If you have health problems, talk with your doctor about what activities are safe for you. Be as active as possible and increase your activity level as you grow stronger.
Staying active helps you age well by improving your:
· Posture
· Stamina
· Strength
· Independence
4. Exercise Your Brain
According to a study in Scientific Reports, cognitive training improves brain function. The more you use your brain, the better your health and quality of life.
The journals Nature and PLoS Medical looked at good cognitive function. Their study found it may reduce the risk for dementia.
Try exercising your brain with these activities:
· Jigsaw Puzzles
· Sudoku
· Learn a New Language
· Art Classes or Crafts
· Nature Walks
5. Socialize
As you age, the opportunities for social contact may decrease. This is from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Their report found that one in four adults age 65 and older are socially isolated. It showed that social isolation increases the risk for:
· Heart Disease
· Stroke
· Depression
· Anxiety
· Suicide
· Dementia
· Premature Death
You can improve your aging process by staying socially connected and active. You may find social connections through:
· Joining a Book Club or Other Hobby Group
· Volunteering
· Writing Letters to Family and Friends
· Email or Social Media
Improving your aging process helps you be more independent. It increases your cognitive ability, and builds social connections, too.
There are many simple ways to improve your aging process and quality of life.
You need to make a change in your life. You know you do, but it just seems so damn hard to do.
Let GenuLines put some fuel into your intention to follow through toward that much-needed change
Be Relentless in Your Pursuit of Change
For many people, change is a difficult thing. There’s so much to it that can make you uncomfortable.
So you might start to give up on it, even if the end goal is a positive one.
You don’t want to spend that time being uncomfortable. You’d rather live with the mediocrity and stay where they’re used to being.
This kind of mindset is not one built for success.
Even if it’s hard for you to process, you still need to be relentless when going through change. Go into it knowing that it won’t be easy, but it’s something that you have to do.
Without change, you’re not going to make the switch from a mediocre life to a successful one. If you don’t do enough to stick with the changes you’re making, you’re going to spin your wheels.
You might stay stuck in the same place for years to come.
Tough Love
Sometimes, this mindset requires you to be strict with yourself and others. If you want to see that change, you can’t let those who don’t want you to succeed hold you back.
There will always be life obstacles you need to overcome.
Input from toxic family members who don’t agree with your life choices.
Or your current employer would try to steer you away from quitting. Especially if you’re a vital part of the company.
By being firm with your dedication to change, you’ll be able to remove these roadblocks.
You can’t let people talk you out of what you want to do. Only you know what’s best.
You need to limit contact with those who try to steer you away from your goals. Remind yourself that no matter what anyone else tells you, the goals you want to achieve are possible.
Don’t let someone talk you out of your pursuit of success and change. If you do you’re not ready to become successful.
You have to be adamant about fulfilling your dreams and not let anyone or anything limit you.
Your behavior can carry you a long way, or it can hold you back. And you may be the one keeping it on the negative side.
Here’s a list of points that GenuLines wants you to consider during your behavior review.
7 Ways to Overcome Self-Defeating Behavior
We tend to think that most opposition comes from around us. A complaining spouse, a controlling boss, a road-raging driver.
But something we rarely acknowledge is that we’re often our own worst enemies. Here are a few ways to stop self-defeating behavior.
#1: Let go of victory
It’s nice to win, but you don’t have to win all the time. The lust for victory can keep you chugging along a reckless path.
Then again, sometimes it’s good to cut your losses and win a lesson instead.
#2: Stop trying to please everyone
You can’t make everyone happy every time. Rushing around to do this is a huge self-defeating behavior.
And it can cost you your health and peace of mind.
#3: Accept imperfection
If you seek perfection, you will never find completion. Can you imagine Michelangelo stressing over the Sistine Chapel details?
Nothing would ever get done! Imperfection is part of being human, and most of the time, you’re the only one who will notice your mistakes anyway.
#4: End bad habits
These days, most people have bad habits that relate to technology. Like obsessive email or social media checking.
Take stock of how you spend your time. Make a detailed log of the minutes and hours, and see how much time you might be wasting with various pursuits.
#5: Overcome fear
Fear is something that holds most people back from living a higher purpose. It doesn’t have to be a direct sense of trepidation.
It might come disguised as laziness or avoidance.
#6: Stop being a lone wolf
Everybody needs help sometimes, even the lone wolf. Ask for help when you need it.
Whether it’s in business or personal life, make friends, accept help, and seek help when it’s needed.
#7: Drop the guilt
People can change and grow, so you don’t have to let your past hold you back. Most of us grow up with a mentality that we have to slave away for someone else.
We cram our enjoyment into the weekend, But you can break free from this thought prison.
Is it time to make some changes to your daily routine? You want your day to get off to the best start possible.
So, let this GenuLines list help you to tweak your routine.
Your Daily Routine Can Make Your Day
When you were growing up you may have followed a strict routine. As an adult you tend to relax the rules.
This can lead to other problems.
To keep the issue count low create a daily routine. A structured life can yield many powerful benefits.
Develop good habits
One of the best reasons to create a daily routine is that it can help you change bad habits. The changes may be gradual.
But in time you’ll start seeing big improvements.
Boost your efficiency
Do you ever wish you could get more done and make the most of your time? A daily routine can add structure to your life and make you much more efficient.
You won’t waste as much time as you once did, and you day will be a whole lot more productive.
Improve your health
One of the most powerful reasons to create a daily routine is that it can help you improve your health. This goes for physical or mental health.
You’ll notice the changes in your mood and general wellbeing.
Sleep better
When you have a routine you tend to sleep better. If you go to bed at the same time each night, and awake at the same time each morning, you’ll feel much more refreshed.
Work in other habits like switching off screens and other gadgets an hour before bed.
Incorporate more structure
To reach your goals you need willpower and motivation. A daily routine can incorporate both.
Exercise is a good example. When you add it into your daily routine, it becomes an automatic habit.
And you won’t need willpower or rewards to keep it going.
Reduce and relieve stress
Knowing that you have a daily regimen can help you add even more healthy habits. This turns down the stress levels.
And it opens more possibilities for you to schedule time for relaxation each day.
So, there you have it, 6 reasons you should create daily routines. An effective routine can take time.
But once you have it in place you won’t regret taking the time to create it.