Thursday, July 04, 2013

7 ways to inspire a more vital you!

Vitality is the positive force that surges through us, making us feel more alive, motivated and powerful! This post identifies a few ways you can increase your vitality factor when it needs a little boost.  

1.     
Filter out a negative force. We’ve all got something in our life that is weighing us down. Its important to remember that it’s all about the baby steps here. Breaking bad habits and/or getting rid of clutter in your life can be overwhelming. So much so that we often avoid it because we know it’s going to take a lot of work and we don’t know where to even start. Decide on that one thing that’s renting space in your head and/or heart. It might be a stack of papers on your counter. It might be that closet full of old clothes you’ve been meaning to donate. It might be your negative self talk first thing in the morning. Heck, it might even be an energy sucking relationship. Think of one thing that you can do to start the process of eliminating it and take that step. If you can’t think of where to start, pull out a timer, set it for 5 mins and be completely focused on writing out all the possible options. Once the time is up, choose a step and take action. Filtering out one negative force in your life can give you an amazing sense of lightness and freedom. It also gives you space to bring in something new that’s more in line with the best version of you! 


2.     
Make exercise and moving your body THE main priority. Email, phone calls and mindlessly surfing through random facebook photos can wait. To feel more vitality in your life, make your commitment to daily physical activity non-negotiable. No matter what obstacles you come up against in your day, compromising your pledge to moving your body is not an option. If you approach exercise with this conviction, you’ll always find a way to get it done. And you’ll feel better in all areas of your life because of it. Repeat after me: “I’m sorry, I can’t go for drinks tonight. I’ve got a date with the kettle bells and my yoga mat. Want to join me?” 


3.     
Meditate/Journal for 10 minutes a day. A little internal reflection and calm can instantly make you feel more in-tune, aware and present in your life. Creating a little bit of stillness can reset your body and mind and get you back on track, especially on those days when you have distractions flinging at you from every angle. While you are writing or meditating, pay close attention to your breath. Always come back to it after you go off on random tangents – because I can almost guarantee you will!
 

4.     
Buy one of your fruits/veggies organic. The expense of going full-on organic can be a bit overwhelming to start off with, but slowly implementing one purchase at a time can have huge long term benefits. Let’s face it, our grocery stores are packed with food that’s been in contact with chemicals, pesticides and various un-pronounceables and these can be harmful to our health. I’m not a nutritionist, so I can’t tell you all of the benefits of implementing organics into your diet, but I do know that treating your body like a temple can make you feel more in charge of your life.
 

5.     
Crank up the tunes! Music just makes life better! If you want more energy and to be more productive, then pump up the volume. A little back beat and some familiar lyrics can instantly change our mood and get you into a groove. Music also tends to get us out of our heads and into the rhythm of our bodies. Make sure to sing loud enough for the neighbors to hear!
 

6.     
Volunteer for an organization you care about. There is no better way to feel purpose than to engage in a little giving back. Doing good things for others is really the secret to happiness and being a part of the fabric that surrounds you can help you feel connected.
 

7.     
Rest well. I recommend going to bed early and waking up early. This way you can get a head start on your day before all of the demands come pouring in. A good rule of thumb to adhere to: go to bed when you are tired. Duh. Don’t force yourself to stay awake to catch that episode of True Blood. That’s why they invented PVR! Stimulating your brain when you are actually tired is counter-productive. Everyone has different sleep needs, but I’ve found that 8-9 hours a night keeps me feeling focused, motivated and energized through out the day.
     

By implementing one or all of these suggestions, you will be well on your way to experiencing more energy, motivation, power and vitality in your life. And the best part about feeling good is that it’s infectious; a more vibrant you will lead to more vitality in your community too! 



Check out Revive.ca for more awesome content about active healthy living!

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