Imagine you woke each morning to the promise that a new day brings. Changes can be made for every yesterday, tweaks and improvements. An item could be placed that’s visible to you when you wake up as a reminder of your commitment to a new way of living every day like it’s new year’s day!

Here’s 5 easy ideas to start bringing positivity and change into your life.

CLEANSE

Drink a squeeze of lemon juice in warm water when you wake up. Lemons are a good source of vitamin C and we all know that water helps keep the body hydrated – the combination can aid your digestive system. One lemon provides 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C and the recommended daily intake for adults is 65 to 90 milligrams. A good way to get you on your way with this natural antioxidant that helps protect cells from free radicals. - Healthline

STRETCH

Stretch your body out after you wake. There are some really simple stretching practices like this 5-minute full body stretch. Or, if you’ve got the time try this deep stretch yoga routine. Your lower back will thank you if you sit at a desk all day and starting the day with a stretch can alleviate stress as you focus on the health of your body rather than the coming day ahead. Stress also causes tension and stretching can help alleviate this. It can also increase your mobility and improve your posture resulting in fewer aches and pains. Winning!

EXERCISE

Increase your heart rate with a daily exercise routine. Every body should be exercising every day. Some people will read this and think ‘totally, of course, already do’. Others will think ‘I just don’t have the energy’. If you’re the latter, let’s rethink the energy or time factor of exercise. Exercise actually increases energy levels through the number of mitochondria your body produces. With more energy your perception of more time may also increase.

Mitochondria are tiny structures inside cells that are responsible for producing energy. When we don’t exercise, the number of mitochondria in our cells actually declines. Exercising increases the number of mitochondria in the specific muscle groups that are being worked. The end result is that with more mitochondria, you are better able to produce energy and burn fat.

Emila Klapp – Nutrition & Dietetics Specialist

MEDITATE

Meditate every day for even a few minutes. A study was taken on people with General Anxiety Disorder that found that 91% of worries did not come true. Each participant wrote down the things they were worrying about and those items were assessed later in the day. It was noted that most of the items noted never came true. The study even noted that ‘the most common percentage of untrue worries per person was 100 percent’ meaning that most of the time NONE of these perceived worries ever eventuated.

Worry dumps stress hormones into your brain that have been linked to shrinking brain mass, lower IQ, being prone to heart disease, cancer, depression and premature ageing - Huffpost

Meditation can help you gain perspective on your thoughts. It’s not about getting rid of thoughts altogether, rather understanding that thoughts are fleeting and are not the essence of who you are as a person. Meditation has a slew of other benefits including reducing stress and anxiety, improvement of self-awareness, greater attention span, sleep improvement and decrease blood pressure amongst others – Healthline

ATTITUDE

It’s an attitude of gratitude. You’ve heard the phrase before but how do we live this every day? Well, a good way to start is having that reminder we discussed at the beginning of this article – something that reminds you that when you wake up you should follow a certain set of routines.

Your attitude of gratitude could be expressed through journaling (write down the things you are grateful for), think inwardly 5 things you are grateful for, or express outwardly to a spouse or friend 5 things you are grateful for (about them or life in general!) – (Huffpost)

Studies show that gratitude helps the heart and can decrease stress depression and anxiety. Gratitude is like a brain muscle. The more you train it, the stronger it becomes. So, take some time and reflect on the things that make your life great. If you’re really struggling and nothing comes to mind reflect on the things that could make your lift great Keep practicing – it’s worth it.

Establish your own routines for internal and external wellness. Sounds boring, but it’s true – establishing daily routines can lead to a sense of accomplishment and stability that can ease the anxiety of the unknown. But, it can be exciting too! Routine can allow you to set aside a creative space that’s just for you. Writing, reading, painting. Routine helps you excel as you practice every day.

For example, taking time for beauty and skincare is a self-care routine that’s just for you. You’re taking the time out of your day just for your own health and wellness.