Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can sometimes feel like a chore and it can be overwhelming at times.

It’s hard to fit all your needs and desires into your daily routine.

Trying to balance work, healthy eating and exercise, along with spending time with your partner, family and friends can be stressful.

You might begin to feel like your life needs to incorporate all of these things in order to live a “healthy life” – and for the most part, you’re right.

All of these things are what make up your “well-being.”

According to Psychology Today, well-being is the feeling of living a positive life.

“It includes having good mental health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning or purpose, and ability to manage stress.”

Some of you might have learned about “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” while taking an introductory psychology class in school.

Now, I’m not going to lecture you on this, but I’ll give you a brief summary on what the heck this even means.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is shaped like a pyramid and it sums up what our well-being (a.k.a human needs) is comprised of.

Take a look:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Simple Psychology states, “The needs [that are] lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up.”

This pretty much means that in order for humans to live a healthy and happy life, all of the levels of needs should be met.

Now, you’re probably thinking, “Okay, cool. So, what does that mean and how can I do that?”

Well, this means that it’s possible to live a healthy lifestyle by adding in little things throughout your daily routine, that will eventually be a part of your life.

And these “little things” should not seem like a chore. You should ~ want ~ to do these.

Pro Tip: Practicing mindfulness and meditating are two of the most important parts of living a healthy life – But don’t get me wrong, exercise, eating well and socializing with loved ones are also big parts.

If you are interested in practicing mindfulness or meditation, you should check out these best selling audiobook’s on Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Essential Meditations for Finding Peace in the Everyday and The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living.

Well-being is attained by practicing your Basic, Psychological and Self-fulfillment needs a little bit every day and I’ve got 10 tips to help you achieve them.

First thing to do when you wake up: Drink a glass of water

*Basic Need

Drinking a full glass of water right when you wake up in the morning is the best way to rehydrate your body.

Some benefits include:

• Boosts energy
• Increases metabolism
• Transports nutrients and helps flush out toxins
• Enhances skin care

Invest in an activity tracker

*Basic Need

The easiest way to track your steps and exercise goals each day is to invest in an Apple Watch, Fitbit or some sort of activity/step tracker.

Jenna’s Pick: One of my favorite activity trackers is the Apple Watch Series 3 – It’s cheaper than the newer versions (only $169.00 on Amazon!) and you can hook it up to your iPhone!

Another great activity tracker is the Fitbit Charge 4 – The battery life can last up to 7 days and it’s around $150.00 on Amazon.

If you are on a budget, I’d consider the LETSCOM Fitness Tracker – It’s around $24.00 and it’s one of Amazon’s Choices (over 7,800 ratings!).

Try to stand and move around for a few minutes every hour

*Basic Need

Sitting at a desk all day can be super harmful to your health and can wreck your back.

According to WebMD, sitting for too long can shorten your life span by increasing your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Pro Tip: By investing in an activity tracker, you can set reminders to stand up and walk around throughout the day.

Remember, taking a brisk walk around your block is better than no walk at all!

Exercising has so many benefits to your health – check out this article to learn some benefits you might not know!

Eat healthier

*Basic Need

Maybe skip the Chick-fil-A today and choose a healthier option by adding in some greens, fruits and vegetables. You can make a yummy salad with all those!

You obviously know that there are numerous benefits to eating healthy but here are some just to remind you:

• Weight loss
• Better mood
• Enhances energy
• Heart health

Looking to spice up your home cooking? I’d consider checking out The How Not to Die Cookbook: 100+ Recipes to Help Prevent and Reverse Disease. It’s a great read for those who are looking to change their eating habits to whole food and plant based.

Sit up straight for better posture

*Basic Need

Did you know that bad posture can be the leading factor of some aches and pains you feel throughout your day?

For example, if you slouch a lot while standing or sitting, you might experience:

• Headaches
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Numbness in hands
• Low back pain
• Breathing difficulty

The best way to fix these aches and pains is to try sitting or standing up straight.

Here’s a great graphic by RX Wellness that shows the pros and cons of good and bad posture.

Floss your teeth

*Basic Need

Alright, so I know I’m not the only one who flosses only when you have a dentist appointment the next day…or the day of.

But let’s be real here, flossing is actually a necessity and I try to do it every day.

Flossing is the only thing that can get in-between your teeth to remove bacteria.

Yes, brushing your teeth can get most of the bacteria off but only on the surface!

Flossing removes plaque and bacteria from your teeth which prevents cavities and other gum diseases.

And for all you beginners out there – Floss BEFORE you Brush! 🙂

Also, if you’re in need of a good ~ flosser ~ : I’m not a dentist but I know this machine saves lives – Waterpik Cordless Water Flosser and it kinda makes flossing fun!?

Apple cider Vinegar is a necessity

*Basic Need

If you don’t already know, apple cider vinegar (ACV) does THE MOST.

I mean, you guys…I’m not kidding.

Here are just a few benefits of ACV:

• Improves digestion
• Lowers blood sugar levels
• Helps you lose weight
• Improves hair health
• Helps to reduce acne
• Reduces belly fat
• Aids heartburn
• Kills bacteria
• Contains antioxidants

If you are not taking or using ACV daily, you are seriously missing out on so many health benefits.

I use ACV on my face to clear up acne flare ups and for toner.

Pro Tip: Make sure you buy the correct ACV – Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother

Here’s a great graphic from Dr OZ to show how you can use ACV to help you get flawless skin!

I also take the Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies daily!

Try to learn, do or create something new each day

* Psychological and Self-fulfillment need

Living a life full of repetition can be boring and have big impacts on your mental health and well-being.

Make a list of fun new things you can do each week to make your weeks a little more exciting!

They don’t have to be large acts, just small things to excite you for the next day.

For example, Be a little adventurous and take a different route to work or school.

You can learn a new skill or trick when you are bored, like moonwalking!

Try out a new workout, start a puzzle or learn to draw something.

If you’re into drawing, you should definitely check out this How to Draw Cool Stuff: A Drawing Guide for Teachers and Students book!

Anyway, there are several benefits of doing something new each day:

• Makes you more confident
• Increases your mood
• Creativity and brain power will be stimulated
• Sense of fulfillment and accomplishment
• Can help slow down time

Go Outdoors Every Day

* Psychological and Self-fulfillment need

Isn’t it weird that when you go outside and the sun is shining on you, you feel…happier?

Well, that’s not a coincidence! It’s facts, my friends.

According to Time Magazine, spending just 20 minutes outdoors can improve your well-being.

Forbes said that being outside:

• Makes us happier
• Less stressed
• More creative
• Helps fight anxiety and depression
• Supports deeper sleep

Try to go outside for a few minutes every day.

Whether that’s to get some exercise or to just enjoy nature and the fresh air.

Need an excuse to get outdoors? Buy some sidewalk chalk – Not only does this allow you to go outdoors, it also helps with creativity!

Check out these other great outdoor activities you can do alone or with friends and family.

Pursue a positive mindset

* Psychological and Self-fulfillment need

Staying positive can be one of the best things you can do to achieve a healthy well-being.

My first tip in “How To Live A Happier Life” is staying positive.

You can work on cultivating a positive mindset every day by noticing when you begin to think negatively.

When you start to think negatively, you can stop yourself and try to think of the positive outcomes of the situation or start thinking of affirmations.

Affirmations are positive words that encourage self empowerment and stating them as truths.

Read more about how to live a more positive life here.

Remember: You don’t have to do all of these at once.

Take the ones you actually want to start doing and try them out.

Only start this process if you are truly ready to change your lifestyle and will stick to it.

From personal experience – I currently do all of these every day and I can tell you that they really do work!

If you want to learn a little bit more about yourself and your level of well-being, take the Wheel of Wellbeing quiz to find out how balanced your life is.

If you would like more lifestyle inspiration and motivation – Subscribe to my blog and follow my socials for daily tips and tricks! 🙂

Until next time…

Cheers Lovelies!