I make certain to incorporate these eight activities (the great eight) into my daily life. I can say that today, at 31 years of age, I feel younger, happier and more energetic than I did when I was 15. If I am traveling, stressed or short of time It means I need these eight activities even more, so I always incorporate these into my day- no matter what.1. Meditate. I aim for at least 10 minutes of daily quiet meditation. Morning works best for me. I focus SOLELY on my breathing with the goal to slow down my thinking. SO often we live in our heads and the chatter of our minds. Inner peace and joy comes from being in the
present moment and this comes from a focus on something as simple as the breath. I also download meditation podcasts from Itunes and listen to those in the morning. They are free and are always being updated. Meditation Oasis and Oprah's Spirit Channel are my favorites.
2. Drink Water. I make sure to drink at least 2L per day, but usually drink about 3L. This is highly debatable as specialists contradict each other on this issue. A standard has been set that we should drink 1/2 oz of water per pound of body weight. Mayo Clinic says males need 3.7L a day and females 2.7L a day. Some say too much or too little water is unhealthy. Confusing!
Do your research and make your own goal of how much water you would like to consume a day and stick to it. Remember this is your life and you set the rules for yourself. Be cognizant that tea, coffee and alcohol dehydrates your body, so drink one glass of water for each of these drinks you consume. One sneaky way to incorporate more water is to set times when you will drink a glass or two. For me, every morning and evening I have hot water with lemon. And I always drink a few glasses of water about 30 minutes before my meals. I also sneak more water into my diet with fruits and veggies. Watermelons and tomatoes are 90% water!
3. Floss. This is the best way to prevent heart disease and keep your smile looking beautiful. People with gum disease are twice as likely to die from heart disease. My dentist would tell me, "Only floss the teeth you want to keep!"
4. Have gratitude. Say three things I am grateful for each night before I go to sleep. Gratitude brings positivity to my heart and it makes me feel young, radiant and joyful. It also brings increased prosperity to my day. You will shine from within and people will notice.
5. Get more active. Incorporate 30 minutes of daily activity into your life. Take the stairs, park farther away from the supermarket door, walk to the next-closest bus stop, walk home from the restaurant, whatever it takes to get your body moving. I just read a story about a 97 year old Japanese doctor that is still on his feet and working in a hospital. When asked wh
at he did to prolong his life he said he always takes the stairs and two at a time. Read more at this link: http://robertfoo.blogspot.com/2009/04/97-years-old-japanese-doctors-advice.html
6. Smile more. I say hi to at least one stranger everyday and ask them how their day is going-and, when I ask, I mean it. How often do you greet others and ask how they are and not really listen for a response? Having genuine concern for others is the best gift you can give to the world. I believe that if you bring happiness and peace to others it will come to you :)
7. Recycle. Every little bit counts and, if we all do a little, it adds up to a a lot.
Recycling is a responsibility we have to the environment, the community and most importantly for your children and your grandchildren. It personally makes me feel better about my role here on this planet. Most communities make this easy for us. All you need to do is get an extra bin and put it next to your trash.
8. Eat more fruits and vegetables and avoid packaged, processed foods. If you can not pronounce the ingredients on the food label or do not recognize the ingredient it probably means it is not good for you. Always have fruits greens with your meal- always! At dinner I make sure that 50% of my plate is green.
Honor your health and well-being by incorporating the GREAT EIGHT
into to your daily routine. Start today!
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