10 Awesome Habits to Make

We spend so much time thinking about our bad habits- junk food, shopping, skipping workouts- that we forget about our good habits. Focusing on the positive instead of the negative, like resolving to eat more healthy food instead of swearing off junk food, helps us reach our goals because we concentrate our energy on what we want instead of what we don’t want. Here are 10 simple habits that reap numerous benefits, no deprivation or guilt-trips required.
1. Eat breakfast- Studies show that people who eat a hearty breakfast have more energy, feel less hungry and consume fewer calories throughout the day. In the AM, eat a mix of protein, healthy fat and complex carbs, like gluten-free oatmeal with berries and walnuts or eggs and salsa in a brown rice tortilla. You’re mind will be sharper and say sayonara to mid-morning grogginess.
2. Shop with a list- Stores are designed to prompt impulse buys, so beat them at their own game by showing up with a firm intention: a list. Make a beeline for the items on that list and don’t even look at the fro-yo pints for half off. After grabbing my milk and eggs, I even cross back to the front of the store through the beer aisle, because I know I won’t be tempted to browse.
3. Retire and rise early- Ben Franklin knew what he was saying when he said “Early to wake and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Set a bedtime around ten or eleven and set your alarm for six or seven, which will leave you time for a workout, a good breakfast without making you feel rushed. If you tend to ride the snooze button, put your alarm on the other side of the room so you’ll have to get out of bed (and now sneaking back!) You’ll have more energy, get more done, and send those little under-eye baggies packing.
4. Order water- Not only will ordering water with your restaurant entrée save you a few bucks, you’ll sidestep hundreds of calories. We tend to forget about our liquid calories because they’re less satisfying than calories we chew, so forget the coke with a vanilla shot and go for lemon water, you’ll feel less like a blob after the meal.
5. Take pictures- My family could write a book on this. How often do you have a wonderful experience with your family or friends and then kick yourself for forgetting your camera? Keep your camera in your back and make a point to whip it out to capture a few mementos of the occasion. This one was hard for me so on a trip to China this summer, I kept my camera strapped to my wrist to help me remember. Wear it around your neck if you want, but remember, nothing preserves a memory better than a good picture.
6. Pretend the car is in the shop- No exercise is more versatile than walking and the benefits are incredible. You’ll strengthen your heart, lungs and muscles, burn calories, and clear your head, and who doesn’t need some of that? Run some errands on foot if you can, park at the far end of the lot, and take a walk in the morning or evening to relax.
7. Say your prayers, keep a gratitude journal, or take some time to acknowledge what you have and say thanks. Gratitude helps us appreciate our blessings so we’re happier with our lives. Gratitude is the opposite of greed, so if you find yourself “wanting” too much, take a few moments to count your blessings.
8. Wear sunscreen- Unless you like sunburns and that leathery, aged look, I suggest you bath in this stuff every day. A moderate amount of sunlight is crucial to our health, but a little goes a long way. If you spend lots of time outside, slather this on to prevent premature aging, burns and to fight skin cancer.
9. Read! You brain needs food too, nothing is more nourishing to your noodle than a good book. Read something enjoyable and challenging for at least a half hour a day. Over time, this will add up to a strong body of reading and you’ll be surprised how much you’ve learned.
10. Learn something new every day- This doesn’t have to be a big thing, just learn a new word and practice it, or try a new recipe. Your brain is like a muscle: working it in different ways keeps it strong.