Living a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life often feels like a dream that you never quite accomplish. Something you are constantly working towards, yet you struggle to reach.
Or, something you really want to start doing, and you will, tomorrow… or next Monday… or after Easter…
I get it: you have no time. You’re too stressed. You’re busy. Or you can’t afford it.
And I don’t blame you. Somewhere along the way we were given the impression that healthy living is time consuming and expensive. So now you think that physical activity means paying high ticket gym membership fees with access to the pool and spa - even though you don’t swim and have no time for the sauna; eating healthy means counting calories and every grain of rice (and who's got time for that?); self-care means luxurious spa days with sparkling wine (I can't afford that - can you?); and that anything and everything you do for yourself is an extra item on the never ending to-do list and is selfish anyway.
But the truth is, life - a healthy life - is not as complicated. There are literally hundreds of little choices you can make each day that brings you closer to your health goals.
Here is a fundamental one I have to start building in with 99% of my new clients: hydration.
We all know proper hydration is important, yet, how many of us are paying attention to it? We know that every cell, tissue and organ in our bodies need water and that when we’re well hydrated, we feel better, we’re more proactive, we're in a better mood, we even sleep better.
So, unless you’re already meeting your hydration goal, start building in this habit. Choose to bring as many of these little decisions as you feel confident in doing so:
- Start your day with a glass of water. Keep it next to your bed, let it be the first thing you see when you open your eyes.
- Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. This way you can drink whenever the need strikes.
- Keep track of your intake. Aim to take in optimum amounts every day. Use an app or simply just set up a reminder on your mobile.
- Pace yourself to approach half of your recommended consumption by midday. You can always finish about an hour before you plan to sleep.
- Stack it on an existing habit: drink a glass of water every time you brush your teeth, eat a meal or perform a habit you do every day.
- Drink a glass of water every time you use the bathroom. That keeps the cycle going.
- Coffee lover? Drink a glass of water while you wait for your coffee to brew, and set a rule to drink water with every cup of coffee.
- Drink hot water with lemon and/or herb tea with or instead of your usual sugary snack.
- Sip on a drink every time you have a video call or a phone call.
You see, it’s simple. I could write another essay about how much proper hydration contributes to your health, but I’d rather hear it from you. Try it yourself. Just commit to do it and a couple of days in let us know how you feel. Don’t be surprised, you’re going to find a lot more benefits than you can think of.
Looking forward to hearing them.