motivation

It’s great to set goals and plan for the future because it gives us clarity and something to fight for. From the right perspective, goals are like fuel that makes us run and get to our dream destination.

But we often forget that we have to start that journey now, in the present. Otherwise, those goals would stay far away in some kind of dreamland.

Nobody knows what the future holds, so it’s right now, this very moment, that gives us the opportunity not only to look forward to the future but also to enjoy the journey.

True, we can’t completely control what’s yet to come, but we can control our habits. Creating (and sticking to) healthy habits will help us close the gap between what we have and what we want.

This is all about taking action in the present moment, so without further introduction, let’s get to it.

Here are 10 healthy habits that will improve your life.

1. Move around.

This is an oldie but goodie. Just about every list of healthy living or “how to be happy” guide encourages you to exercise frequently. And it’s true. Our bodies are meant to move. So if you don’t workout already, just stand up and stretch more frequently, or create a list with your favorite songs to dance to. Movement and exercise are proven health and mood boosters. Physical activity is definitely a great way to improve your life.

2. Get out more.

Outdoor activities are fun, usually involve physical effort, and give us a chance to live different experiences. Granted, having lazy days is great, and there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t have them. However, staying in every day can lessen your creativity and make you cranky. Always try to incorporate outdoor activities that make you want to jump of the sofa at least twice a week.

3. Make your bed.

This might sound strange, but making your bed and your bedroom a clean, inviting space can actually make you sleep better. Studies have proven that a well-made bed is an important part of the sleep process. Good sleeping habits are so important for one’s health, this simple little trick turns out to be an essential habit for our wellbeing.

4. Limit your social media time.

No surprise here, right? Social media offers us a chance to connect with loved ones and limitless information, but let’s not kid ourselves — it can just as easily lead us into a hole of procrastination and comparison games that results in hours of just scrolling through meaningless images. In order for you to focus on your goals, setting a specific amount of “social media time” is a great habit that’ll give you more time to yourself.

5. Do first things first.

Forget about multi-tasking! Give your all to the things you want to do. Concentrate and do the best you can. Whether you achieve the expected results or not, you’ll still have a sense of fulfillment if you know deep down that you really tried to conquer something. Why wouldn’t you give 100 percent of your attention to the things that matter to you? Prioritize and act accordingly. A handy little trick to this is to pick the most important task or chore you have to do, and do it first thing after breakfast. That way, your mind will be less cluttered throughout the day.

6. Meditate.

Meditation is a really powerful tool; it benefits the mind, body, and soul. And one of its greatest qualities is that it doesn’t have to be complicated at all. Although there are many types of meditations, you could just opt for closing your eyes and practicing some deep, conscious breathing. If you want to set the mood, you could buy an aromatherapy candle and put soothing music on. Just remember, meditation is a break from the fast-paced, stressful world we live in, so don’t worry about whether you’re using a fancy technique or if you’re doing it right. As long as it helps you unwind, you’ll be fine.

7. Communicate.

No matter who you are, you have people who care about you. Communicate with them. Treasure your friends and family. Sometimes, we can be so caught up doing “urgent” stuff, we forget that relationships and communication don’t grow all of a sudden; we need to take care of them. Make the habit of keeping in touch with the people who care for you and whom you care about.

8. Keep track of your finances.

Having financial instability is a common source of anxiety and frustration, and that obviously takes a toll on your overall health. Keeping track of your finances is not only a smart habit that can make you become (or continue to be) financially independent, but it’s also good for your health and relationships. If you’re currently struggling with your finances or have been in that position, you know how frustrating it can be. Don’t wait any longer; take control of your economic situation.

9. Get comfortable with yourself.

You’re never truly alone if you learn how to be comfortable with yourself. Learn to enjoy quiet moments in your own company, and your mood will improve. Become friends with yourself, and you’ll see a difference in your life.

10. Reward your efforts.

This is the habit that will make you stick to other habits: reward yourself. You don’t have to practice all these habits at the same time; tackle them one by one and give yourself an A for effort.

Let’s say you went jogging three days in a week. You could take the sour route and think about how you could have gone jogging every weekday if you had just woken up a little earlier — or you could take the encouraging route and congratulate yourself because you actually did something good for your mind and body when you could’ve just stayed in bed.

Don’t be perfect. Nobody is. Focus on your efforts and reward them. That’s how you stick to good habits.

The people that surround you influence you in more ways than you may know. From inside jokes to how you react to challenging situations, the opinions and moods of those around you matter more than we might realize.

Having a group of close friends who care about you is a great safety net that can allow you to face challenges with confidence.

Friendships provide support, respect, kindness, and even hard truths when they’re needed. Plus, good friends can improve your health. Several studies have shown that social support helps people cope with a wide variety of issues including stress, depression, grief, and unhealthy habits.

It’s no secret that when you spend more time around certain people, you might start to act, talk, and think like them.

This doesn’t mean that you’ll lose your individuality, but at the end of the day, you’ll acquire some traits of those who you spend a lot of time with. Of course, your friends will pick up some of your traits as well. This is why it’s important to be around people that you like and admire—people who really hold your best interest at heart.

This is a two-way street, though! Friendships are as much about giving as they are about taking. Maintaining a balance is important.

So, who are your kind of people?

What type of crowd do you like to hang out with? If you’re not sure how to answer that, think about a close friend and name three things that you like about them. Chances are, the things you like about your close friend are things you would like about other people, too. You can use those traits to find the kind of people that are right for you.

In order to make sure that you create healthy friendships with others, you should choose to spend time with good-hearted people who value their time and relationships.

For strong friendships, build your own safety net while forming part of someone else’s at the same time.

When you surround yourself with true friends, you will add more fun, support, and meaning to your life.

Keep in mind, though, that being around like-minded people doesn’t mean finding an identical copy of yourself. You’ll never find someone exactly like you, and it’s okay if you don’t share all of your interests or if you don’t agree all the time.

Like-mindedness means sharing core values, like honesty and determination, and respecting each other’s uniqueness. These traits are extremely important in a worthwhile relationship. With a safety net of strong, healthy friendships, you will always have a sense of security and support through the good times and the bad.

When Friendship Turns Toxic

Once you create a network of friendships, it’s important to remember that your work doesn’t end there.

All relationships require time and energy from everyone involved.

Sometimes, relationships will take unexpected turns. Instead of enjoying the security and support that a friendship can offer, you might realize that your friendship has taken a wrong turn. Maybe your friendship feels filled with drama or you find yourself feeling upset when interacting with that friend.

If you often feel unappreciated, guilty, worried, or any other type of negativity in your relationship, you could be dealing with a toxic person.

If you suspect your friend might be a toxic person, here are some common warning signs to look for:

– They feel the need to always be right and will not move on until you agree with them.
– They try to control and manipulate your actions and feelings.
– They make you feel guilty or doubt your own decisions (often by insisting that they are the victim no matter what the situation).
– They don’t take responsibility for issues in the relationship or their own mistakes.
– They focus on negativity in all things.

Toxic people may have a painful history or other reasons behind their actions, but there is no excuse for treating others poorly.

If you find yourself spending time with a toxic person, try to create boundaries and distance between you and the toxic person.

Protecting yourself is important. However, not every conflict means that you’re dealing with a toxic person. Everyone makes mistakes, and sadly, everyone will end up getting hurt or hurting someone one time or another, even if it’s an accident. That’s just part of being human. It’s important to reflect on your actions and to improve yourself, but you shouldn’t expect perfection from anyone, not even yourself.

As is the case with most of the topics we discuss, manipulation also happens when dealing with finances.

Toxic behavior can exist in so-called “financial advisors” who make their clients feel ashamed and uncomfortable and force them to make risky monetary moves or invest in something they don’t want.

When the client wants out, these advisors use guilt to convince them to stay. In a case like this, nobody wins. The client loses financial stability, the “advisor” loses respect, and both lose valuable time.

Someone that cares for you won’t guilt you of force you into anything.

Pay close attention to the warning signs of toxic relationships, and if you happen to be around toxic people, create a healthy distance and move on.

It is possible to find people who add to your life instead of subtracting from it. Cherish those healthy relationships if you have them, and make an effort to find them if you don’t.
You’re in charge of your life.

You have the power to influence people through your actions and words, and you get to decide how you should be treated. You should show them what’s okay and what’s not in your book.

Be with your kind of people and enjoy life.

We all have a vision of our ideal self—an image of the perfect life. It’s different for everyone.

Some want to explore nature and reconnect with Mother Earth. Others want to impact people’s lives through artistic work, such as creating a painting or writing a novel.  Still others may want the freedom to travel around the world.

Whatever your vision is, it manifests your innermost desires and passions. Don’t ignore it. Don’t let yourself get caught up in mindless distractions. Don’t tell yourself you’re too busy.

Transforming your vision into reality begins with investing time in yourself.

Spoiler alert: It’s worth it.

Author and entrepreneur, Chris Guillebeau, gives us a sneak-peak on what it takes to become a master of one’s vision. In his book Born for This, Guillebeau explores how to create a successful career. According to Guillebeau, successful, fulfilled people have three common traits: joy, money, and flow.

These characteristics can also guide us on how to make our ideal lives a reality.

Question yourself: How are joy, money, and flow demonstrated in your life?

– Joy

Which of your daily activities gives you joy? If this was a no-brainer, great! You’re lucky. But if you struggle to find joy, you must rethink your daily life.

You deserve joy. What can you include in your routine to spark up your day?

You don’t have to make drastic changes. Sign up for dancing lessons. Write a thank you note. Grow flowers or herbs. Take part in your favorite charity. The possibilities are endless. Joy is everywhere. It’s up to you to add more of it to your life.

When you do the small things, joy creeps in to each day.

Doing the things you love will energize you and inspire others to do the same.

Joy starts you down the path to your vision. Imagine what a difference joy can make!

However, the truth is that you don’t have to wait for your vision to become a reality to be happy. Start to appreciate things as they are right now and you’ll be closer to that ideal picture without even noticing it.

– Money

Let’s keep things real. You need financial stability to keep your body and mind healthy.

But you may not yet have it. Money can be an obstacle for many people (and usually they struggle in silence, which puts even more weight on their back). It’s easy to blame money for an inability to do the things you want. While it may be a genuine excuse, it is a fixable one.

If you struggle with money, ask yourself: What can I do to make my vision financially sustainable?

Before you can find fulfillment, you need to get your finances in order. That means getting rid of debt and learning how to manage your income. You need enough money both to live comfortably and save for that inevitable rainy day.

Determination and planning are key to resolving money issues. We’ve found that with some minor adjustments, you easily can improve or fix money problems. If you’re struggling with financial management, we can help.

– Flow

Guillebeau defines flow as the things you do naturally well.  Think about it. What do people compliment you on? What is effortless for you?

The things you do well can underline and shape your vision. When you do something well, you become immersed in the flow of the task. As you fall into the flow, you become more relaxed and confident in yourself and your abilities.

Challenge yourself to find your flow. Bake some treats. Cheer someone up. Choose the perfect gift. Sing on pitch. It doesn’t matter what it is, just let it flow. After you’ve done the activity, take a couple of minutes and think about how it made you feel. Don’t you want these feelings more often? How can you bring flow to your everyday life and activities?

When you test your life by looking for joy, money, and flow, you’ll find your vision. Combining these three characteristics nourishes your soul and polishes your skills and talents. Feeling good about yourself and your capabilities is the key to unlocking the doors that stand in your way.

Tomorrow comes today

Of course there will be bumps in the road. We’re the first to admit that life can get hard. But if you take an active role in mastering these characteristics, you will have the tools to tackle whatever comes your way.

Avoid energy leaks like doing things that bore, stress, or frustrate you. Don’t forget to stop and enjoy the moment. Working on your future now doesn’t mean you should ignore the present.

Make the best of your days. Have fun discovering what the right combination of joy, money and flow feels like for you. You can transform your vision into reality as long as you’re willing to experiment and invest in yourself.

Ditch fear and self-doubt by focusing on what you have and the positive things you’ve contributed.

This is the message we’d like to transmit: it’s possible for you to create the life you want.

Start now. You have more options than you think.
Transform your vision into reality.

Social expectations are hard to let go of. We spend a great amount of precious time trying to fit into pre-established molds and pleasing other people. This is normal human behavior, by the way. We’re a social species and we just love to fit in.

But if other people’s voices are the only voices we listen to, the possibility of feeling inadequate or even lost increases.

This is why we always encourage women to create their own definition of success, one that resonates with their core desires even if it isn’t what they think everyone else expects from them.

Here’s the thing: desires and goals are personal. Everyone comes from a different background, carries different luggage, faces different challenges, and is currently on a different stage of their journey. All of this diversity results in a wide spectrum of dreams, goals, and achievements that enriches our culture and society. Always keep that in mind, because let’s face it: in today’s world, we need to be reminded that life’s not a race.

Remember, the only competition that matters is the one you hold with your own self. You should live up only to your own expectations.

To check if you really value your own self-growth and development, think about something you’ve made an improvement on — like the time you managed to finish that book, when you courageously asked for a raise, when you finally conquered a fear, and when you admitted you were wrong. Surely, you’ve had those kinds of moments. But did you properly congratulate yourself? Did you celebrate?

Most of the time, we let those “small” self-improvements pass us by when they’re actually what makes us who we are. Well, let’s not underestimate them anymore. Congratulate yourself for every accomplishment you make, because that’s what will make you feel rich and successful.

That’s what makes you better than you used to be.

The need to better ourselves is one of our best allies. It’s like a spark within us that keeps us dreaming, creating, and making. It’s what lets us know we’re working. There will be times when that spark won’t be as bright as it used to be and times when it comes and goes, but getting to know how to keep it alive is essential for our minds and our soul.

If you’re wondering how to keep your spark well and alive, take a look at a few of our best ideas:

– Be mindful about your finances.

Knowing that you have financial stability and having a healthy relationship with wealth will allow you to tailor your goals so they fit you perfectly. In other words, when we manage our finances, it means we’re managing other areas of our lives too.

Of course, we can help you with this — especially when it comes to your retirement — but you can also start with something as “small” as going through your budget to make some adjustments or keeping (an authentic) track of your expenses. Trust us, this one will keep your inner flame up.

– Stay in touch with your spiritual side.

Spirituality doesn’t necessarily equal religion. Staying in touch with your spiritual side means finding that spot where you feel centered and realize you’re an important piece of the big puzzle that is this universe. Some people practice meditation, art, and creativity or dedicate a minute of contemplative silence to a higher power (whatever that may be for you).

Spirituality has been linked to overall wellness and often provides comfort in challenging times. Faith is pretty powerful. Don’t underestimate this area of your life.

– Manage your emotions.

By now, it’s common knowledge that you should express your emotions instead of letting them bottle up. Getting there can be tricky, but working on your emotional intelligence is one of the greatest gifts you can give not only to yourself but to your loved ones as well.

Our emotions are also a reflection of our behavior; for example, the number of hours we sleep and how much we exercise have a direct impact on our mood. This is the reason why it’s important to check if there are some habits that you should adopt or remove to improve your emotional wellbeing.

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: investing in yourself is an act of love and kindness.

– Cultivate your knowledge.

We have the capacity to learn at every life stage, and we think that’s pretty amazing. In fact, many people mistake lack of cognitive stimulation with some signs of depression. We don’t need to hunt our food anymore, but we should always hunt experiences and gather lessons.

Sign up for some classes, learn a new language or how to play a music instrument, listen to other people’s stories or whatever else you’re curious about, and nourish your mind. We’re not meant to be bored. Let your inner spark guide you and learn something new. Cultivate your knowledge.

These are just a few suggestions on how to improve yourself, but make no mistake: you are already better than you used to be. Acknowledge it, and you’ll soon feel motivated to embark upon new adventures that will make your heart sing.

Everyday life can get pretty hectic. Between work, chores, commitments, e-mails and many other daily tasks, there’s barely any (quality) time for yourself.

Do you follow up on what’s really important?

In order to achieve everything without feeling constantly overwhelmed, you’ve got to know what’s really important to you. Prioritize and get crystal clear on what really matters in your life.

If you find yourself without time to attend important family events, meet with friends, or to simply take a long relaxing bubble bath, consider this the sign you’ve been waiting for and reevaluate your priorities, right now.

That’s it. The simplest, most effective way to deal with feeling overwhelmed is to prioritize.

Contemplate on what really matters to you and what your goals are. It doesn’t have to be complicated as you already know the answer to this – it’s within you. Like Henry David Thoreau said: “It’s not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?”

Really dig deep, and ask yourself, “Why am I so busy?” The answer might just be what you need to reassess your priorities.

If you “get” this, but are still unsure how to actually start applying it in real life, take a look below at our best advice to get rid of overwhelming feelings.

1. Track your time.

A lot of people complain that 24-hour days are simply not enough. But, when it comes down to it, most of us are guilty of not using our time wisely.

Track how much time you’re spending on social media, how many hours of TV you watch daily, and how often you check your phone – even when you’re not really expecting an important message or call.

The amount of time spent on such things often surprises people. Tracking your time is an important first step when dealing with overwhelming feelings (and it can also be a huge reality check!).

Don’t get us wrong; we’re not discouraging leisure activities. Rather, we’re saying that before you move on to other projects, activities, and functions, check if you have any time “leaks” that need some fixing.

2. Just say no.

Sometimes you’ve just got to say no. You don’t have to help your friend organize that dinner party; you don’t have to go to your cousin’s boss’s fundraiser, and you don’t have to do that favor simply because you were asked.

Life’s too short to do things you don’t really want to do. Don’t overcommit to things that will burn you out. Value your time as well as other people’s time.

Why? Well, let’s face it. If you’re doing things just to please people, the results won’t be great. There is no shame in saying no as long as it’s from an honest place.

Being clear on your priorities also helps with this, because the more you know what you want, the easier it gets to say no to the things you don’t.

3. Schedule breaks and fun activities.

Scheduling adds consistency in your life and helps lower stress levels which are behind those overwhelming feelings.

Make a habit of scheduling your activities, including the fun and relaxing ones, or you’ll risk not getting them done. Work happens. Requests happen. Something will always happen.

By planning for some free time within your schedule, you’re getting ahead of all that.

Of course, your days won’t always look the same, and sometimes you won’t be able to strictly follow things as planned. However, the visual aspect of having your days planned out can go a long way in making you feel more relaxed and not to mention, it’ll get you pumped up to get things done. Challenge yourself by creating a realistic schedule and actually follow it for a week. We bet you’ll want to keep it up.

Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean that you can’t handle your work, life, or relationships. It’s just a sign that you need to become aware of what your true priorities are and act accordingly.

Don’t let life pass you by. Put our advice to the test and get rid of those overwhelming thoughts and feelings that are holding you back. Act on what’s really important to you and always follow up.

Remember, you are good enough, strong enough, and fully capable of doing what matters.