Your weekly roundup of insights and tips from The Life Delicious’ 5 wellness pillars:
Mindset
Movement
Nutrition
Sleep
Connection
The Life Delicious helps you create feel-good brain chemistry and hardwire healthy habits – by shifting the way you think, move, eat, sleep and connect – so you can lead a pleasurable and productive life.
CONNECTION
CONNECTION >>> ALWAYS & FOREVER!! BFFs since grade 7. Grateful for this beautiful, brilliant, kind, generous, inspiring, wonderful woman every day since. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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To have someone you adore who knows you, accepts you, loves you and shares so many similar interests is such a gift. And even though we live far apart and only see each other every so often, it’s always as though no time has passed.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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To be seen and heard – to be witnessed – in your joy and in your agony, is important no matter what you’re going through; in fact, research suggests it’s VITAL to your wellbeing and longevity.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Having a #tribe who can understand what you’re going through makes you feel happier, less alone, and more confident.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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As #positivepsychology researcher @ShawnAchor says in #TheHappinessAdvantage, “When we have a community of people we can count on we multiply our emotional, intellectual, and physical resources. We bounce back from setbacks faster, accomplish more, and feel a greater sense of purpose. When we make a positive social connection, the pleasure-inducing hormone oxytocin is released into our bloodstream, immediately reducing anxiety and improving concentration and focus. Each social connection also bolsters our cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and immune systems, so that the more connections we make over time, the better we function.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Thank you for the visit @michelefoster, my oxytocin overfloweth!!⠀⠀
MINDSET
MINDSET >>> Want a competitive advantage in 2019? Start a #gratitudejournal! @ariannahuffington, @tonyrobbins and @oprah all use gratitude as a strategy for success, says a recent @CNBC article.
And in his excellent new book #BigPotential, @ShawnAchor says, “In #TheHappinessAdvantage, I describe research that proves that when the brain is positive, productivity improves by 31% and sales by 37%. Creativity triples, and revenues can triple as well. And in a subsequent @harvard_Business_Review article that was based on a decade of research, I concluded that ‘the greatest competitive advantage in the modern economy is a positive and engaged brain.’” ⠀
If you don’t like the idea of having to get a journal and write things down, try what I do with my husband (who refuses to journal) in-person, and my BFF (who lives far away) via text. I call it 5THINGS – we just share 5 things back and forth that we’re grateful for, which is double-feel-good-fun!⠀⠀⠀
MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT >>> Just when you finally get into a routine, life throws you a curveball! My latest curveball was very very bad food poisoning. I had had nearly a whole week of early-morning workouts and then – BAM – out of commission for a few days. Finally back at it!! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It used to take me a long time to get back on the wagon after I fell off. A force at rest (me) can be a tough one to overcome! Your intentions and beliefs make a huge difference here. Our brains can be very black or white. If you’re of the mindset that you “have” to do something for so long, so many days per week, and then you don’t… it can result in ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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i.e. if you don’t do it all, you don’t do it at all. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A brilliant tool I like to use in these circumstances is the CURIOSITY MINDSET, one of The Life Delicious curriculum’s 7 mindset shifts.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’re struggling to begin or maintain a fitness routine (or any healthy habit!), ask yourself the following 3 questions: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1️⃣ What can I do to make it easier to start again? (For me, it’s getting organized the night before by putting my workout clothes at the foot of the bed, and having my shoes, keys and water bottle ready to go at the door.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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2️⃣ What’s the minimum amount of time it will take to have a significant benefit? (5 minutes. Heck, 1 minute is better than nothing! Stay tuned for a post on my ONE-MINUTE ENERGIZER!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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3️⃣ How will I feel AFTER I’ve finished the workout? (For me, it’s always always always: strong, proud, creative, kind, patient, inspired, energized, focused.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀
SLEEP
SLEEP >>> 3 words for your bedroom in 2019: declutter, disconnect & download. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Do you want to sleep better? Follow these 3 steps once the sun sets!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1️⃣ DECLUTTER: physical clutter = mental clutter, and that’s the last thing you need before bed! Mental calm > Mental clutter, so it’s worth investing a few minutes in tidying up your bedroom before bedtime. I’m not saying that what’s INSIDE these bins is tidy, but it’s out of sight and therefore out of mind. Anyone watching Marie Kondo’s new Netflix show? I think she would take it to the next level, but agree 😁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2️⃣ DISCONNECT: break free from your devices! Turn them off (or at least do-not-disturb mode) and get them out of your room! We have a designated docking station in the living room that they’re banished to from dinnertime until after breakfast. Sound extreme? Mr. Barr would agree Find a timeframe that works for you!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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3️⃣ DOWNLOAD: brimming with ideas when you should be counting sheep? Keep a “capture book” and pen by your bed so you can capture ideas and errands, and not worry they’ll be lost in the ether.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
NUTRITION
NUTRITION >>> I am so into shaved cabbage right now!! Last night we had a one-dish roast with shaved red cabbage, red onions, garlic, fingerling potatoes and chicken from Yarrow Meadows, and this morning we had breakfast tacos with shaved red cabbage, refried beans, pickled jalapenos, Wicked Chili Salsa, and scrambled eggs from Rabbit River Farms (ingredients via SPUD.ca).
Cabbage is a superfood! Here’s what nutrition guru Dr. Michael Greger of @nutrition_facts_org has to say about this kick-ass cruciferous vegetable:
“Cabbage, along with other vegetables from the cruciferous family, may be among the best foods for cancer prevention and survival, particularly prostate and breast cancer. It is uniquely rich in glucosinolates and high in antioxidants. Cruciferous vegetables also contain a phytonutrient that boosts immune function by stimulating the Ah receptor in our intestines. The bile-binding properties of cabbage are enhanced by steaming. On the other hand, the cabbage enzymes that produce sulforaphane – which may protect our brain, eyesight, and help us defend ourselves against free radicals and cancer – are deactivated by cooking.”
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