22 Healthy Life Habits for 2022

"You are only as strong as the sum of your habits." - Anonymous 

We all know the power of New Year's resolutions when it comes to lighting a new spark or motivating change. However, that change is often temporary without a supporting mindset shift or without changing your daily habits to create a routine you can maintain long-term. In the spirit of health and wellness, we've composed 22 healthy life habits that are easy to incorporate into your day-to-day routine and can hopefully spark more lasting wellness.

1. Listen to an empowering Podcast or Audiobook for 5-10 minutes a day.
   
   
2. Listen to music that makes you feel good and motivates you - 1 song per day.
   
   
3. Get outside or simply open a window.
   
   
4. Surround yourself with positive people. Find those people who bring you joy, and go out of your way to call, text, message, or visit them.
   
   
5. Say no. Don't forget to say no to things that aren't in your best interest. Don't over burden yourself or over commit.
   
   
6. Limit your social media and news time. Limit these sources to 30-minutes or less per/day and when you are using them, avoid negative or triggering "click-bait" articles.
   
   
7. Exercise-stretch, walk, run, dance, just move your body a little every day. A little self-care (even 10-minutes/per-day) goes a long way.
   
8. Avoid negative self-talk. Go out of your way to verbally share one compliment with yourself daily.
   
   
9. Practice gratitude. Grab a piece of paper or share out loud one thing you are grateful for each day.
   
   
10. Try something new - push yourself out of your comfort zone. Once a month, try something new (food, a concert, a new park, a class, meeting, etc.)
    
    
11. Get enough sleep. Try to go to bed 30-minutes earlier than normal to unwind. Turn off technology and rest.
    
    
12. Meditate/breathe. Incorporate meditation or breathing exercises into your daily/weekly routine. Yoga, meditation, or just focused-breathing can help reduce stress.
    
    
13. Schedule more YOU time. Dedicate 1-hour per/week to something that brings you joy. Something just for YOU.
    
    
14. Focus on one thing at a time. One email at a time, one page at a time, one meeting at a time. Build a dedicated task list to avoid getting overwhelmed.
    
    
15. Declutter and refresh your workspace. Quarterly, take the time to deep-clean your working space, re-organize, de-clutter, and add something that brings you joy.
    
    
16. Spend quality time with loved ones. Dedicate a minimum of 1-hour per week of un-plugged/un-interrupted time with your friends, family or loved ones.
    
    
17. Take your PTO. Don't let your PTO sit there. Proactively plan a trip or a long weekend and give yourself something to look forward to.
    
    
18. Don’t stress about what you cannot control. Easier said than done, but remind yourself constantly of what is within your scope of control and what isn't.
    
    
19. Set healthy boundaries. Don't be afraid to communicate your limits with your friends, co-workers, family, etc. If you're at capacity, share that.
    
    
20. Think in terms of solutions - not in problems. If a challenge presents itself, brainstorm solutions and interpret potential learnings - avoid focusing on the negative.
    
    
21. Drink more water and eat healthier. Also easier said than done. However, if you can remove just 1 unhealthy item from your diet in 2022 (just one), you're winning.
    
    
22. Set attainable goals. Set your goals for the week, the month, the quarter or even the year up-front. Put 3 concrete steps to each goal and ensure they are realistic. Don't set yourself up for failure.
    

Feeling anxious? Many of us find that these 22 things become harder when we are overworked, overwhelmed, overstimulated, stressed, or anxious. We all get there from time to time. However, "You don't drown from falling in the water, you drown by staying there". It's up to us to pull ourselves out of the swamp and take time to self-care. YOU are your best asset and you can't pour from an empty cup. If you're feeling any of those emotions above, it can help to take some time to get back in touch with your senses can help you be more mindful and calm down. The next time you feel the anxiety rising, grab a pen and try this exercise:

• What are 5 things that you can see around you?
• What are 4 things you can feel around you?
• What are 3 things that you can hear right now?
• What are 5 things you are grateful for?
• What is 1 thing that brings you joy?
• Where is the place you felt the most relaxed in your life? Why?
  

Wishing all of you a healthy and productive year ahead. Take time to invest in yourself and take time to self-care!