La Ivana Cert. Life Coach · The La Ivana Podcast

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Now, let’s start with wellness habits.

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word ”wellness”?
In my case, I would always imagine massages, saunas, expensive facials etc. But, since I started working from home and being in charge of my own schedule, I decided to implement wellness habits into my daily life. It doesn’t matter if you work from the comfort of your own home or someplace else, we all need to take care of ourselves to make the most out of our lives.
In today’s post, I’m sharing with you 7 wellness habits that are going to improve the quality of your life.

 

1. environmental cleanse

“Your home is living space, not storage space.” 
― Francine Jay

Wellness habits don’t have to be all about your physical health. They can also include a healthy living space. There are a few ways you can do a ”detox” of your space. My favorite is decluttering. You don’t have to jump straight into a minimalist lifestyle, but you could try to purge away the excess from your apartment. Begin with decluttering your desk, closet, your car or whatever seems the easiest to tackle.

Something I’ve got into recently is smudging. Cleansing the energy of my room, setting the intention on how do I want to feel in it while walking around with a burning sage wand is something I find really soothing. It’s a great tool for Full Moon/New Moon rituals or even when you’re moving into a new apartment, to let go of the negative energy and begin a new phase of your life.

For this practice, I use the Sage Spirit wand from iHerb. I use it to cleanse my room of the old energy and to welcome the new chapter of my life. It’s a very therapeutic and relaxing practice that has been used for ages.

Also, opening the windows to let in some natural light and fresh air falls into this category. If you want to refresh your space, that’s something you can do on a daily basis.

2. setting a relaxing atmosphere

“It’s a good idea always to do something relaxing prior to making an important decision in your life.” 
― Paulo Coelho

You can do this one wherever you are. I remember when I was working as a receptionist at a hotel there was a group of tourists in line, and while my colleague was stressing out and rushing, I would always start my shift by organizing my desk and the passports (it would only take 2 minutes). It was a very hectic summer season, but having my workspace organized made it so that I could work more effectively and with ease.

To set a relaxing atmosphere, you could dedicate a few minutes to cleaning and organizing your space. I like to always make sure I enjoy my space, so seeing everything tidy and organized around myself is always a nice feeling.
The advice I want to share with this post is that wellness habits don’t have to be difficult to implement in your daily life. Every day and in every environment, you could do something that will benefit your well-being.

If you’re trying to make a relaxing atmosphere at home, you can put some essential oils in your diffuser based on what you need. If you need to de-stress you can use rose or sandalwood. Or maybe lemon or orange if you need an energy boost.

I use the Now Foods Ultrasonic Oil diffuser, and I absolutely love it. I just pour tap water in it, put a few drops of some essential oil and it gives such a comfortable atmosphere in my room. It also changes colors (you can turn off the LED lights if you want) which adds to the atmosphere, especially at night.
If you’ve read my post on things I don’t buy anymore, you know I’ve been looking for a diffuser for quite some time now. I prefer it over scented candles which always burn out so you’re constantly buying new ones (at least I was). This is a one-time investment and it’s definitely worth it.

3. physical wellness habits

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” 
― Hippocrates

Food, specifically. I’m so glad to see that there are many cafes nowadays that offer matcha lattes, acai bowls, smoothies, buddha bowls etc. You can apply your wellness habits in any situation. For instance, ordering a lemonade instead of some fizzy drink. Or buying a salad instead of hamburger.
Salads are not plain green lettuce and tomato anymore.

When I’m traveling, I often get a salad or a buddha bowl when I’m eating out. They are usually filled with almonds, tempeh, or chickpeas that make you satiated.
I don’t know about you, but fried food in restaurants full of oil never makes me feel good. 

If you like snacks, you can often find some healthy granola bars in stores (if you don’t want to make them yourself). I love Nature’s Path Organic Pumpkin-N-Spice Breakfast Bars. You get 6 of them in a package, so they are great if you’re rushing to work every day. They are gluten-free and also filled with pumpkin seeds (zinc) and flax seeds (omega 3).

One more thing I want to mention is nutritional yeast. I’m using this one and I love it. I always see vegan YouTubers talking about it so I wanted to try the brand they are using (Bragg). Yesterday I tried a healthier version of popcorn. Instead of salt, I put nutritional yeast on them right after they were done.  Without a doubt, the best snack ever!

Why I want to talk specifically about this seasoning is because it’s packed-full with B12 (helps with red blood cell formation), B1 (metabolizing food into energy), B2 (immune system), B3 (breaks down food into energy), B5 (healthy hormones), B6 (brain development), and folate (or B9 – mood management).
Honestly, it’s the best seasoning I’ve ever used. And, as one does, I put it on every savory meal.

So, if you want to include wellness habits into your nutrition, there are plenty of ways to do so. Even the smallest things like combining spices or adding maca powder to your smoothies mean a lot. For instance, oregano is full of antioxidants. Saffron is highly recommended for improving cognitive function. Turmeric is proved effective in the treatment of colon, lung and pancreatic cancer (add black pepper when you’re using turmeric to enhance its benefits).

And, regarding maca powder, I use California Gold Nutrition – organic maca root powder. I eat smoothie bowls for breakfast for years now, and maca powder is a great addition to them. 

I personally use it only in my smoothie bowls, by adding 1 teaspoon (and a bit more), but you can use it in pancakes, desserts etc. Other than all the nutritional benefits, it also gives you that good feeling about yourself. You know when you eat a salad and you instantly feel healthier? Well, the same is with this.
You’re giving your body superfoods and you just feel good about it.

The point is, you don’t have to invent new recipes or start spending hours in the kitchen every day. Incorporating smaller changes like stocking up on spices or having a bit more fruit every day, will make you healthier and more content with yourself.

4. skincare

“Your skin has a memory. In ten, twenty, thirty years from now,  your skin will show the results of how it was treated today. So treat it kindly and with respect.” 
― Jana Elston

This is still a part of physical wellness habits, and there are numerous ways you can take care of your skin without investing too much of your time or money on it.
The easiest way, of course, is hydration. Water eliminates toxins from your body and improves the skin’s elasticity. To make sure I’m drinking enough water, I was tracking my water intake for a few weeks until I got in the habit of naturally drinking enough water. So, that’s something you can try to develop that habit.

Also, check the ingredients of the skin care products you have.
Lately, I’m using Pixi Beauty’s Rose Oil Blend, and my skin loves it. Only 3 drops are enough for the whole face, so even though the bottle may seem small (30 ml), I can already tell it’s going to last a long time.
It’s a vegan and cruelty-free product made of rose oil, pomegranate oil, and rose geranium oil. I keep my skincare products to a minimum, so I like that this is a quality product I can apply before bed or in the morning, without cluttering my space with a bunch of skincare products for similar use.

Additionally, one thing I like to include in my Sunday routine is face masks.
Last week I used Pacifica Super Green Detox facial mask. It’s vegan and cruelty-free, as well. I left it on my face for 20 minutes and then I just removed the sheet and massaged in the remaining serum. It comes as a face sheet so there’s no need for washing your face after. It’s very easy and simple to use.
It’s good for clogged pores and blemishes prone skin types, and the main ingredients are kale, charcoal, sea kelp, cilantro, green tea, and vitamin C.
Occasionally I make a good old DIY sugar scrub for my face, but sometimes you just can tell that your skin needs a bit more attention. And, that’s when I prefer using face masks.

5. body care

“A fit, healthy body—that is the best fashion statement” 
― Jess C Scott

Other than taking care of your body by eating nutritious food and drinking plenty of water, I’d suggest including a certain type of exercise into your daily routine. Whether you prefer at home workouts, yoga, running or some different type of moving your body, the advantages of exercise as one of your wellness habits are numerous.
Yesterday, in the book Eat, Move, Sleep by Tom Rath, I read that even if you have a genetic tendency to be obese, exercise can reduce that predisposition by 40%. Therefore, exercise really works wonders for our bodies. So, there is certainly no reason for you to hesitate with exercising a few times a week. No matter at what phase in life you’re at, you’re going to benefit from it.

However, he also highlights the importance of limiting the time when you’re inactive. I haven’t even thought about it, but it actually makes sense. Including walks throughout the day is a great way to start. 

And, of course, there are always some products for wellness habits that are going to help you in taking care of your body.
I’m a big fan of body lotions, and lately, I’ve been using Petal Fresh hand and body lotion. It’s 100% pure natural lavender which I absolutely love since lavender is one of my favorite scents. Also, it’s vegan and cruelty-free. I prefer applying it before bed so that it can soak in throughout the night. It’s great for dry skin, and the scent is very calming. 

One more thing I use is Earth Therapeutics exfoliating body sponge. I use it once to twice a week to remove dead skin cells and increase blood circulation. You can easily use it while you’re showering. Simply add your body soap on a wet sponge and massage the skin.
What I like about it is that you don’t need to dedicate more time to your shower routine or plan when you’re going to exfoliate. I keep it together with my sponge I use on a daily basis and when I decide to exfoliate I just use this one. And I love how it leaves my skin soft, especially when I apply body lotion after.

6. ”me time”

“Don’t work so hard that you forget to enjoy your life.” 
― Akiroq Brost

Because of our hectic schedules and endless to-do lists, ”me time” is often perceived as selfish and impossible to add to our days. Maybe you have a family to take care of, a business you’re building from scratch all by yourself, or something else that is your priority. But, as you probably know by now, you can’t pour from an empty cup. You can’t give someone or something your full attention if you don’t give yourself your full attention.

As one of the wellness habits I would suggest for this step is having 15 minutes of ”me time”. 15 minutes when you focus on yourself. 15 minutes to check in with yourself in the middle of a busy day to ask yourself how are you. Something I do every day either as a part of my morning routine or later in the day is making myself a cup of tea and reviewing how the day is going. I love trying out new teas, and I’m almost done with my Yogi Organic Chai Rooibos tea. It’s vegan and caffeine free, which I love because I stopped drinking coffee a while ago.

During these 15 minutes, you could also try out journaling, meditation, spending some time outdoors or even getting some vitamin D on your balcony. The point is getting in tune with yourself. Asking yourself how are you and how is your day going. Or maybe thinking of a few things you are grateful for to shift your mindset to the positive things.
Spend some time alone and give yourself your undivided attention.

7. sleep

“Sleep is the best meditation.” 
― Dalai Lama

Incorporating healthy and quality sleep as one of the wellness habits is proven to be a good idea. Something that could help you is drinking a calming tea as a part of your night routine. Chai Rooibos tea that I previously mentioned is a good option because it’s caffeine free.

You could try using soothing essential oils in a bath or in a diffuser to set a relaxing atmosphere. I use Now Foods 100% pure lavender oil and it’s my go-to essential oil lately. You could even put a couple of drops on your pillow to help you sleep. In the past, I used various lavender essential oils, but I could barely smell lavender. The scent would always disappear after less than half an hour. What’s different about this one is that it’s 100% pure lavender so only a few drops are enough to spread the scent.

Studies show that top performers get an average of 8 hours and 36 minutes of sleep each night. However, the majority of people today struggle with getting even 6 – 7 hours of sleep.

W. Chris Winter in his book The Sleep Solution said that when it comes to high-quality sleep, we need to establish a healthy circadian rhythm. That’s a system of bodily processes that work on a 24-hour cycle and determine when you feel sleepy or awake. For your circadian rhythm to function correctly, you need zeitgebers. Zeitgebers are cues that help set your internal body clock, with the sun being the most powerful one (others are exercise, meals…).

Therefore, in order to improve the quality of your sleep, you might want to consider developing a healthy circadian rhythm and practice good sleep hygiene. That also means turning the lights off, leaving your technology devices in other room, using lavender oil for a calming effect. And developing a sleep routine so that your body gets used to getting to bed and waking up at a certain hour.

And that’s it. These are the wellness habits that I included in my life. I honestly believe that by incorporating at least one of these could change your life for the better.
Whether that is being more mindful about the food you choose to eat, dedicating some time for yourself, having a healthier sleeping schedule, or something else from this list, I’m sure it could improve your well-being and make you a healthier and a happier human being.

One more thing for new or existing iHerb customers:
If you want to purchase something from iHerb, you can get a discount off your offer with no minimum purchase by clicking here.

And, I’m curious to know what are some other wellness habits you enjoy? Let me know in the comments!

*Disclaimer: Affiliate links are used in this post. I only recommend products I personally use and love, so I can provide my honest opinion. If you decide to purchase the product using my link, it will be at no additional cost to you, and I will earn a commission. Here is my disclosure policy if you want to read more about it.
Thank you!

Until the next time,
I.

self care habits wellness habits