TIPS FOR A BETTER LIFE!

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our daily duties, building up stress slowly in our system until we feel that the whole world is on our shoulders and we collapse, get depressed, unload our annoyance with family, friends and even strangers, we feel exhausted, overwhelmed and as if we were constantly in a hamster wheel that leads to nowhere... a constant battle against time.

It's time to stop this vicious cycle and allow ourselves to have small breaths throughout the day, moments devoted to ourselves, practices that fill us with happiness, and pauses that allow us to have a better life, why not? In order to love others you must first accept who you are and provide unconditional love to your gorgeous self. So never feel guilty for allowing you minutes to experience joy.

Here is a list of ideas that can add to your routine, you don’t have to apply all of them, or feel forced  to do them, that is precisely the opposite of what I want. Read them, write down the ones that appeal to you and begin to repeat them regularly to create a habit, so you don’t forget them quickly and fall again into the race you had before. Over time I guarantee you will feel their deep impact, the positive effect it creates in your mood, and the joy that comes with treating yourself with respect, compassion and love.

- Hang inspiring affirmations in your house, they can be located in private or common areas, just try to  keep them in places where you can see them constantly; having a board with lots of them works too. Read them out loud every chance you get. There is a miracle in your mouth and everything you say will have a positive or negative impact on your life.

The one that’s in the beginning of the post and this one are the ones I have in my house at the moment:

The second one I taped to my bathroom mirror, and read it every morning as I look into my eyes. I learned it from the documentary "May I be Frank".

- Lead a life full of gratitude, which is nothing more than to give thanks for the blessings we experience daily. There is nothing better than having awareness of everything you receive, have and experience. Living with gratitude changes your focus from the things you lack, to all the blessings that you already have. Just wake up thanking God for another day of life, the warm cozy bed where you sleep, your family, marriage, kids and pets. Before each meal give thanks that everyday you get to choose what you want to eat, that you are healthy, that you have a job and that you have talents that nobody else has. This has changed my perspective of life, in fact I have a journal where I write all of the things that I’m grateful for on that day before going to bed, and if I have a moment of sadness, where my ego plays the victim, I just go back to these pages and remember how lucky I am.

- Wake up before the sun rises. According to Ayurveda, waking up at this time provides you with a ton of vibrant energy to keep you going for rest of the day (of course this requires you to sleep early so you can rest your 8 hours). It's a great moment to enjoy the stillness of the day that’s starting, plus watching the sun come out, offers you a magical moment of connection with nature. The best thing is that you can have enough time to do a morning routine without stress, before leaving for work.

- Meditate. Don’t be intimidated by what you think is meditation, this is a very personal practice. For me, it comes to sit for a few minutes (start with 5 and try to get to what you feel is comfortable), quietly, with my eyes closed, bringing awareness to my breath and feeling the calmness. Everyone has their own technique, but this works wonders if you want to start your day alert but relaxed and sets the mood for what’s to come. I encourage you to also meditate or do deep breathing breaks during the day if you feel upset, stressed or your mind seems to be racing uncontrollably.

- Pray with your whole heart. This is the one thing I never forget to do, as it allows me to have a daily conversation with God that fills me with happiness and gratitude. Usually after this, I read some passages from the Bible. Allowing God to be the center of my life was what got me out of the depressing hole where I used to live, and I never want to stop feeling that unconditional love.

- Do a physical activity every day, keep moving! You don’t need to go to the gym because you “must” get ripped even when you dread it, or go jogging because everyone else is doing it. The key to keep you constant on anything, is that you enjoy what you're doing. If you don’t like to repeat the same activity all the time, do what I do, every morning ask yourself what you “feel like” doing, follow your instincts, and do it (staying in bed doesn’t count). Even during the weekends is fun to do some hiking, walking up and down the beach, swimming...anything that keeps you active and happy.

- Drink green juices. Remember that when your pH is balanced and your body is nourished everything functions better. Your blood is more oxygenated which helps remove toxins, your circulation improves providing you with energy and it improves your mood.

- Practice yoga and stretching, either take classes or do it at home. Increases your flexibility and strength, corrects your posture, increases your muscle strength and tone, improves your breathing, provides energy and vitality, helps manage stress by relaxing the mind, creates clarity, focus attention, helps with concentration and balance, and creates awareness of your body.

- Dry brush to improve your circulation and lymphatic drainage (there is a post dedicated to this technique if you want to read it in depth).

- Treat yourself with “spa” evenings at home. If you have a bathtub at home take advantage of it as much as you can by getting hot baths several times a week. This relaxes your nervous system, helps to detoxify, promotes sleep, increases circulation, lowers blood sugar and blood pressure. Add epsom salts, baking soda and lavender oil, enjoy for 20 minutes.

- Have a gym with a sauna? then I recommend you use at least three times a week. Begin gradually and get to maximum 30 minutes (with periods of rest to go out and drink water). This will help you detoxify and stimulate your circulation. It’s great for detoxing from heavy metals.

- Drink water. Sometimes we are so busy that we forget it, and then at the end of the day is when we realize we didn’t had nearly enough. Drinking water moves toxins, helps you lose weight, fills you up, regulates your bowel movements, keeps your skin hydrated and reduces fatigue.

- Substitute coffee for herbal tea. Caffeine stimulates you for a certain period of time creating a sign of stress in the body, which tightens muscles, increases your pulse and breathing. Your brain is full of adrenaline and that’s why you feel active and alert. After the effect goes away, you crash and feel the need to drink another so you can feel the rush all over again. My advice is that you transition to herbal tea (no caffeine), I did and now if I have a coffee (which could be once every two months) I do it as a treat. If you are a frequent coffee drinker, lower your intake gradually until you remove it completely, since you can experience withdrawal symptoms if done too harshly. Besides that, tea also has many benefits for your health. My favorites are Pau D' Arco, Chamomile, roasted dandelion root, nettle, fennel and ginger. I usually have 3 different ones throughout the day.

- Drink a glass of room temperature water with lemon every morning before eating. Gives you instant alkalinity and promotes kidney and gastrointestinal flush.

- Fill your home or room with a relaxing scent before bed, if you do it consistently your brain will remember it and will link that specific smell to "going to bed" promoting relaxation. I love vanilla candles, they make me feel like I am in a cabin with lots of snow around me, on Christmas eve, hahaha!

- Prepare natural facials and treatments to moisturize your hair during your weekend. Rub some coconut or jojoba oil over the end of your locks and revitalize it. Your skin and hair will be thankful and you'll feel special and pampered.

- Read more! Buy books on topics you feel passionate about and give yourself the chance of getting lost in them.

- Try to lower your exposure to TV, it has been determined that the mood gets depressed when you watch TV for a couple of hours straight. Do more meaningful things for you or your family instead.

- Get in touch with your feelings, and express them. There is nothing more liberating than being able to open up to yourself and to others. You will be surprise of how much love and appreciation you get in return.

- One day that you're calm, sit down and write a list of things you want to do and would enjoy (no matter if they seem silly or impossible), do not think about how to achieve them or when. In the end you will notice that there are many that you can start doing right now. One tends to forget our small goals and dreams along the way.

- Everyday try to introduce as many natural and organic foods as you can, eliminating processed ones...think of small triumphs. Today I will eat a plant based lunch, tomorrow I will try some delicious fruit, I'll drink a green juice every day, rather than eat that boxed dessert I will make it at home with stevia and oatmeal flour. These small changes will make you aware of your decisions and habits regarding to food.

- Learn to say no.

- After sunset, dim the intensity of the lights in your home, this will signal your brain that the day is ending and it's time to relax.

- Buy a hard ball or foam roll and massage yourself, feet (my favorite), hands, back and limbs. I just bought both of them and I do a quick routine before breakfast or before bed and it feels sooo good.

I hope these tips inspire you guys as much as they inspire me. They will confirm to you that to be okay with the world and everyone else, you need to fall in love with yourself first. That plants need care, time, space and nutrients to bloom and so do all of us. As life is becoming more and more busy and crazy, we need to learn that our space is sacred, that God needs to be in the center of our journeys and that life is a beautiful miracle.

With Love,

Romina