Sometimes we search for wellness ideas when we want something new, our self-care rituals are seeming stale, or we don't even know where to start. Those moments of feeling bogged down, groggy, and weathered CAN be over.
Imagine waking up before your alarm completely rested and nourished. You might feel weird at first, wondering is this how this feels?! People actually do this?!
When we take simple steps to embodying wellness and self care, we end up feeling them all in one moment. Like the stars align perfectly and something just clicks. I don't know about you, but I LIVE for those moments...
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Our wellness journey and stepping into ideas of self care can feel awkward at first as our minds continue to chatter. Though, after a few moments you'll be wondering why you haven't started implementing these. Even something as simple as our breath. As a yoga teacher, when I teach I am DRAMATIC about the breath.
The breath is where it all starts and after that things will start to click.
You will learn the best and simple wellness ideas that you can start tomorrow to align your mind, body, and spirit. Simple ideas are actionable, complicated ideas are interesting (but you are less likely to take action)... So, we have made these as simple as possible so you can implement them, even right now if you wanted to.
This post is all about wellness ideas!
31 Simple Wellness Ideas
Mind
Morning pages
An idea from the book, The Artist's Way, morning pages is a practice where you essentially brain dump the first thing in the morning for three whole pages. The idea is meant to boost your creativity for the day.
I started doing morning pages recently and found it interesting because I felt like my brain was able to be released. Almost like a massage for my mind!
You can listen to spa music/a relaxing playlist and just write. It doesn't matter what comes up, the idea is to get a stream of consciousness.
Rise early
The absolute simplest wellness ideas is to rise early, ideally before the sun comes up. Now, the caveat is rising early only really works as a wellness technique if you get high-quality sleep.
A Harvard study shows that waking up even just one hour earlier than your normal routine can reduce the risk of depression by 23%. Personally, it seems waking up earlier, or rather taking control of your sleep schedule, leads to greater control in the rest of your day.
Check out these early morning routine ideas that you can start immediately!
Start to align your circadian rhythm
For women, our circadian rhythm is so important for our hormonal health and how we show up in the world. Not only does a mis-aligned sleep schedule mess with our hormones, but drinking alcohol also does too.
So, we have to be careful with how we are sleeping and making sure to not be enslaved to a drink to relax. But, ultimately, going to sleep at the same time and waking up at the same time will quickly align our sleep pattern (simple wellness ideas that can be transformative).
Limit screen time & be intentional
So often are we consumed by our phones, TV, computers, etc. A truly fulfilling set of wellness ideas is, one, to limit your screen time and be intentional with it.
Honestly, my biggest practice right now is turning off my phone and TV one hour before I will get ready for bed and not looking at screens until one hour after I have risen.
What a huge difference that makes to our sleep, our minds, and our overall health. Taking those extra moments to ourselves to allow the mind the relax can be transformative.
Declutter your space
I have moments when all the sudden I can't seem to find anything I'm looking for, but then realizing I am not looking for anything. Has that ever happened to you? I start just moving piles of things side to side thinking I am helping, when I don't even know what I'm trying to accomplish. It's honestly hilarious.
Then, it hits me like a ton of rocks, a messy space is a messy mind! My mind is feeling cluttered and confused because my space is cluttered and confused. This simple wellness trick will immediately make you go from overwhelmed and stressed to cool, calm, and collected (trust me!).
Plant some indoor plants
Plants, by the magical nature, give us joy, pleasure, peace, and wholeness. Planting some plants inside, not only increases our oxygen (lol), but also interacts with our brains in a positive way.
A number of studies are out there that promote gardening, or tending to plants, as a method of relieving stress levels or increases our overall happiness.
This study showed that people who gardened had their positive attitude fully restored post gardening session. Alternatively, those in the study who were told to read actually further deteriorated their mood.
Grounding walk
When I was living in a city, a walk was my savior (I usually like living by the beach or the trees or literally anything other than a city). I would walk around my cemented neighborhood and minute by minute I could feel the tension in my mind start to seep out of my ears like thick maple syrup. My mind slowly, but efficiently, relaxed and found its solace in these moments.
Almost like when you go surfing or swimming and come out with too much water in your ears and the moments it drains out your head, mind, and body just release. Maybe one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. That is like a walk for your brain!
Avoid screens for one-hour before bed
I like to play this game with myself on how quickly can I fall asleep after watching something on my phone or computer. Spoiler alert: I always lose to the "laying awake for hours but exhausted" player!
My sweet spot for easing into the evening and being able to sleep like an angel is to avoid my phone or computer for at least one hour before bed. A hidden, but potent, set of wellness ideas that are so simple.
(The caveat with this simple idea is the real challenge of actually doing it).
Turn off auto-pilot
Too often we can go straight to auto-pilot. Why? Because it seems like the easiest option in the moment. We just "go with the flow" and follow the same routines, same things, every single day.
Which can be totally fine for some people, but tuning into your awareness is the first step to greater wellness in your life. So, turn off auto-pilot and tap into your awareness. Look at your surrounding (and yes I'm talking about those social media scrollers!), take a breath, and bast in the moment you are in.
Body
Breathe
If you were in my yoga class you would notice how much I emphasize the breath. It is almost a lost priority in our day, when it is our vein of life.
When I say breathe, I mean deep steady breaths that communicate with your nervous system to relax. Our minds tend to clear, our bodies go into rest & digest, and honestly life just gets a little better.
Warm oil massage
Que the spa music, you know exactly the vibe we are setting here! Personally, I enjoy using my homemade body butter and getting all lathered up (after a hot shower of course).
Massaging out our feet, our shoulders, hands, legs, I mean it does take a bit more attention than just going to a regular massage place... But, to sit on your bathroom floor and sing Carrie Underwood super loud is great too.
Explore drinking alternatives
As much as we might want to believe it... Drinking alcohol is not all that good for us. It can disrupt sleep, which disrupts hormones, then ultimately becoming a crutch we are enslaved to.
I'm here to tell you, there are tons of drink alternatives that are stellar. It does depend on why you are drinking in the first place, but there are options!
Throw away junk food, make a grocery list of alternatives
A low hanging fruit, and I kind of mean that literally. A perfect addition to our wellness ideas is to go through your fridge and throw away food and snacks that do not serve you.
Yes, I am looking at you Nutella! Then, look up some healthy alternatives that are still delicious, but maybe a bit easier on your body.
Gentle nightly yoga
Especially if you are working all day at a computer, or even if you are on your feet all day, getting those delicious stretches in as you wind down for bed can be the ultimate game changer.
Sometimes I forget how potent it is to just take some deep breaths and roll around on a yoga mat. And by roll around, I mean literally. Check out our thirst quenching nightly yoga routine for a relaxing evening.
Hydrate
You didn't think I was going to miss this one, did you? Hydration is s critical. If you feel low energy ever, give yourself a good dose of water and see how you feel. Water flows into our cells and is fuel for the mitochondria (back to 4th grade biology).
The mitochondria is the energy powerhouse in our cells, so pumping them full of water (aka fuel) will give you that plump little boost.
Slow meals
By this I mean not to be rushed or stressed out to get dinner done on time. Slowly cooking and allowing your creativity to flow as you cook is a nourishing way to reset yourself after the day, and also cook a lovely meal.
When I do a nice slow meal, we sit at the table and just aww over it. But, when I am rushed and overwhelmed, not only does it not come out as good, but we just scarf it down so quickly...
Epsom salt bath
A simple epsom salt bath might just change your life. Using high quality minerals, we can get a dose of vitamins by being in a bubble bath (uh, yes please!). Not only that, the magnesium in it will relax your muscles and bring deeper relaxation.
Take your glass of wine (responsibly) into the bath, take those deep breaths, and totally relax.
Add fermented foods
A super easy addition to your wellness journey is the addition of fermented foods. I love learning about fermented drinks from around the world that you can make at home! I use to make a TON of homemade fermented drinks.
But, you can also include raw honey, raw milk (that is obviously only for animal consumption), kefir, and kimchi.
Check your posture
When I was younger my mother would come up behind me and slide her finger between my shoulder blades. A way to tell me to put my shoulders back! Is there any other more simple wellness idea than proper posture? I might argue not.
Spirit
Start to drink less alcohol
Like I mentioned above drinking alcohol can be a net negative on our overall wellness. And this is a simple idea that can be implemented quite easily.
We have tons of resources on how to pace your drinking, how to regain control when you are out drinking, how to cut down on drinking (without giving it up completely), and more!
Though, we are not saying to give up drinking all together because that may not be the answer. But, rather building a better relationship with it, building better habits, and putting you and your wellness first.
When you drink, drink high quality
With that being said above, when you do drink go for the top shelf, high quality drinks that make you want to literally cry.
Cheap drinks come in abundance, they are easy to accumulate and ultimately the worst for our health (with additives, sugar, etc). So, if and when you do want to enjoy a nice drink, splurge!
Gratitude notebook
A daily practice of gratitude goes such a long way. Simply jotting down 3 to 5 gratitudes in a number sequence with no further explanation is perfect.
Prayer or meditation
A prayer or meditation with a gratitude practice can sky rocket your wellness journey. It can be as simple as 3 minutes if needed! Just a simple moment to recenter and ground down.
Integrate daily transitions
A secret in my wellness ideas is the concept of integrating daily transitions. Have you ever woken up, made coffee, then sat down to work? Then, realize you are still in your pajamas. You brush it of because it's still only 7am, but then it turns to 8, then 9... And you are still in pajamas?
But, once you change into your adorable outfit for the day and brush your hair... all the sudden you feel almost 100 times better?
That is the power of daily transitions. Transitioning from morning to day and day to night, even afternoon to evening, etc. It signals to our mind that we are shifting gears.
Sometimes a transition can be a workout, a shower, a meal, or a walk. But, of course they can be totally different depending on your lifestyle and routine!
Wash your sheets, clean your room
An unreal evening, for me, is taking a hot shower, using all my skin care products and putting fresh hot sheets on the bed. Then, putting my room together a bit more to feel organized and comfortable.
Much like I mentioned before, cleaning your space will clean your mind and your spirit. It will enlighten you that extra 1%. And sometimes, let's be real, that is all we need!
Mindful beverage moment
A call for those early morning coffee moments, the tea in the evening, or the special drink that only comes once a month. When I give myself the time and space to enjoy those beverages it fills my cup up just slightly, sometimes that is all I need.
Take some breaths, ease into the moment, and enjoy your drink!
Watch the sunset (without screens!)
The simplest practice is to enjoy the sunrise or sunset without your phone, without any tethers to the world. Just you, maybe your friends or your husband. Enjoy the moments of solace that the sun and the outdoors bring to you.
Take a breath when you need a break
So often we can push ourselves to the limits, well not all of us, but some! A simple wellness idea is take 3 minutes to breathe when you need a break.
Even when I am working and starting to feel antsy and irritated, I will walk away and take 3 to 5 minutes to breathe and recenter.
Creative time
I don't know about you, but sometimes my spirit can't calm down unless I am creating. Creating literally anything. Often times it is as simple as a meal, or a doodle in my journal.
Taking time to be creative allows a very distinct space to be opened to your spirit to be released. I don't believe we were meant to be dull creatures. No, we were meant to create beauty and create art no matter how small.
A sabbath moment
Have you ever heard of the sabbath? Essentially the principle goes like this, you take one day and do not work. Do no work at all! No matter how much you are burning to get something done, force yourself to fully rest.
I started doing this once a week and it has changed my life. You might think, well one day is not enough rest and so it won't matter if I do one day or a few hours. Well, I tell you the day after I take a sabbath, I am fueled like a rocket. My work is explosive, powerful, creative, and more inspiring than ever before to me.
Taking some time to yourself is not selfish, it's wellness. And with that I close.