Seven ways to get happier and healthier

Your morning sets the tone for for whole day. Waking up and embracing the morning is something you should be looking forward to. Even if you are not a ‘morning person’ it is time to start forcing yourself to be one!

Set your alarm clock for half an hour to an hour earlier than you normally would. Your internal body clock will change and adapt to this and you will start waking up earlier naturally.

What do you do with those extra 30 minutes? Here are some ideas:

Stay away from the computer or mobile screen. Give your brain a rest from immediate information overload and bright glare of a screen. Your inbox can wait. Leave yourself the room to breathe and when you do face your inbox your mind will be in a better place to respond to any requests.

Start your day with a drink of warm water and lemon – this actually balances your pH and will aid digestion, weight loss and give you skin a glow. The vitamin C from the lemon will also help boost your immune system.

Treat your mouth and mind – If you really want to give yourself a treat try Oil Pulling. This is meditative and relaxing and will leave you with stronger teeth and gums. You put a tablespoon of cold-pressed, unrefined oil (sesame, coconut or sunflower) in your mouth and swish it about for 15-20 minutes. Make sure you swish and swill the oil all around your mouth. Spit it out into the toilet – it should be a milky, watery substance. Rinse out your mouth with warm salty water and brush your teeth. This is surprisingly relaxing and will actually aid your bodies natural detoxification system.

Understanding nutrition is essential to you having a healthy and happy life. I’m not talking about going on a diet – diet’s don’t work. I am just talking about eating sensibly.

Try and eliminate processed food from your diet.

Drink lots of fresh juices, tea and water throughout the day.

Start making sure you have your ‘five a day’

Don’t punish yourself for having the odd treat. Just try and think of a healthier option which will satisfy you next time.

Start eating healthily now, you will be able to maintain a healthy weight, have increased energy, feel happier and it will benefit you in the long run (and in any long runs!)

Our bodies need to move more! You need to sweat every day!

If you don’t like exercise then I believe you haven’t found the right exercise yet! When you exercise your body releases endorphins which means that after a workout your body and mind will be left with a feeling of complete achievement and gratification.

Running, cycling, swimming, zumba, yoga, pilates, dancing, football, hockey, pole-dancing, fencing – the list is endless.

Just twenty minutes of anything which gets you slightly out of breath is a great starting point.

I’m not talking about hippy time: getting out the joss sticks, sitting cross legged and saying ‘ummmmm’!

Start small.

Go to a favourite place – for me it is the beach – for you it might be a park bench, a room in your house, a corner of the back garden – just find somewhere you feel comfortable. Eliminate distractions (phone on silent!), get comfy and close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Breath in and think ‘I am’ breathe out and think ‘relaxed’.

Do this for five minutes. You might get bored the first few times but do it everyday and you will be amazed at how much more focussed and clear your mind is for the rest of the day.

This kind of meditation is a relaxation of the neurotransmitters of the brain.

Resist the habit of saying ‘no’

Look for something new to try and take the plunge and give it a go. There are only two outcomes:

Just give it a go.

Stop thinking about yesterday, stop worrying about what could have, should have or would have happened.

Face facts – it didn’t happen and it is now in the past and it needs to stay there!

Also don’t live in ‘shoulds’ – ‘I should write a letter to that casting director tomorrow’ ‘I should get new headshots this month’

Take control, it is your life; ‘I am going to write a letter to that casting director tomorrow’ ‘I am going to get new headshots this month’

Start to steer your life and career in a healthy direction

Manifest your destiny.

By following the six points above you have the power to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve in life.

Start today to imagine a happier future. It really works.

You get what you give – leave negativity and judgement behind and face your future with positivity and an open mind. There will be hiccups and bumps along the way but the important thing is how you deal with them.