Wellness Lift

Take the stairs or walk extra steps. Taking the stairs instead of the escalator or parking a bit further away from the grocery store will add up. If our schedule is so packed that fitting in a workout is causing us more stress, it might be hurting our health instead of improving it. It’s time we stop thinking of “exercise” as an hour-long HIIT class and make it about living more actively by moving whenever we can. As a rule of thumb, moving more often than we sit will make a big difference in our overall health and wellbeing.

Sit up straight. Bad news for all the other slouchers out there: our posture might be affecting our physical and mental health. Practice better posture for overall health by straightening our back and relaxing our shoulders. Start consistently working on improving posture throughout our workday. Feel better and look more confident in no time.

Getting healthier is not always a dramatic transformation. In fact, it’s typically a series of small habits and minor additions to our diet that snowball into a healthier lifestyle that’s all-around better for us. Don’t focus on cutting out food groups or limiting what we can and cannot eat. Instead, focus on adding leafy greens to at least two meals a day. Add spinach to an omelet, throw kale in a pasta sauce, and order a side salad when we’re eating out.

Adopt the body language of a happy, confident person to feel happy and confident. Stand up straighter and we'll feel more confident. Lean back, and we'll feel more relaxed. Smile and we'll feel happier. By controlling our body, we can control our mind.

When a group we're in has to make a decision, make sure everyone's opinion is heard. Some people will actively solicit their own opinions. Others won't unless they're asked. Be the person in the group who makes sure everyone's voice is heard.

Meditate for two minutes every day. Even two minutes a day can make us noticeably calmer, happier and less self-conscious. The important thing is to do it every day, not to meditate for a long time; as with most things in life, consistency beats intensity.

Eat vegetables before the rest of the meal. Vegetables are the one food group most people don't get enough of, and they're disproportionately filling for how few calories they have. By filling up on vegetables, we can use them to "crowd out" less healthy foods.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Most people are chronically dehydrated. Don't be one of them.