Setting my Intentions for the day, allows me to focus on what is most important and helps me to refocus on my intention when I start to wander away from it. Maybe my intention for the day is moving my body, maybe it's completing a house project, family-fun time, drinking enough water, journaling, prayer, reaching out to friends or family etc.
Listening to my body, has been huge for both my mental and physical health. If I'm feeling sluggish, I know I should go for a 15 minute walk or eat some fresh fruits or veggies. If I'm tired, I need to rest my eyes for a few minutes. If I'm stressed or angry, I know I need to do some deep breathing and maybe some relaxing yoga. Noticing and being aware of our feelings, but mental and physical, is crucial to being mindful with ourselves, and then acting on those feelings in a positive way is even more important.
Nourishment: all of the things I put inside my body, indicates what I'll get out of my body. I know that if I sit around and eat highly processed foods, even if I've added exercise into my schedule, food is fuel and my workouts just don't feel the same as when I'm eating a well balanced diet. Healthy carbs give us energy, fats help our body to absorb nutrients, and protein is great for boosting antibodies.
Movement is helpful for not only my physical health, but it clears my mind. Getting fresh air or getting a burst in at my desk, even doing jumping jacks a toe touches with the kids at church is a great way to start a day. I've also found myself running in place for a few minutes when I've felt sad or down during the day, my brain, heart and body is so happy.
Meditation can be difficult. I'm a very go-go-go person, and have been trained from a young age that sitting around is wasting the day away. So taking time to meditate can feel like a waste of time to me, especially when there are so many things on my to-do list. But it helps me to slow down, and reminds me that I don't have to rush through life. It's also great for practicing any breathing techniques to help reduce my stress.