Wellness non-negotiables that build discipline

My top three essential habits

If you follow me on Instagram, you know things have been busy. Real estate, our Nest Seekers Boston office opening, checking out new Essential Eats spots, the usual. But you also might’ve noticed that recently, I’ve become a part-time solidcore coach. After a month and a half, I’m just wrapping up training which is super exciting! Growing up as a dancer, I’ve always been super passionate about fitness, health, and wellness, so getting this opportunity was a huge deal for me and something I’m very excited to kick off! If you’re in the Greater Boston area, come and meet me under the blue lights :)

As I’ve been in training, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much of a pivotal role wellness has played throughout my entire life. It’s also the first of May (and finally feeling like spring here in the Northeast!), leaving many people craving a good reset, new habit implementations, and inspiration on ways to prioritize your health. As summer’s around the corner, we can enjoy seasonal summer fruits and veggies, enjoy workout classes outside, and actually attempt to get sunlight first thing in the morning. We had a long winter, and I think we can all agree that we’re ready to get out of hibernation mode. With all that said, I’ve been inspired to kick off a new theme in this new month of May: health and wellness!

Every week this month, I’ll be covering new topics on various subject matters within the health and wellness space and how important it is for you as an individual to incorporate certain practices into your daily routine, no matter where you live, what you do for a living, and your goals. I’ll be interviewing some incredible experts specializing in different sectors within the field, bringing you science-backed and easily digestible tips and hacks for you to reflect, reset, and change your life for the better this season. Because as everyone knows, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Your success starts and ends with you, and that includes how you’re taking care of yourself.

So for today’s topic, we’re starting with my basic, top three non-negotiables that I swear by and have helped me build discipline for myself (if you want to listen to this edition via The AHA! Moment Podcast, check out the full episode HERE). Anyone can apply these to their day-to-day life as soon as today. They’re simple, but you may not find them easy. And depending on your personal goals, you can try these out and make them your own in ways that best fit your lifestyle and what you desire for your future self. It doesn’t matter. But this is where we start in this beautiful month of May’s focus. Let’s begin.

1. A workout first thing in the morning

Everyone always asks me how I wake up at 5:15am every morning and make it to a workout class by 6am. To some, that may sound insane. But hear me out, because I wasn’t always like this. Growing up, dance classes would start at 6pm at the earliest. Sometimes, I’d be in a class until as late as 10pm. Never in a million years would I have ever considered a workout during morning hours, because nighttime movement was all I ever knew. But once I graduated college, had a legitimate job that required me to think creatively and constantly and had to consistently commute to daily, things changed.

First, I tried working out at 8am. I kind of liked the idea of getting a workout over with first thing and not having to worry about doing it later on. The hardest part of my day was done! Then I pushed it back an hour, at 7am. By that point, I started to feel in my body how much more grounded and connected I felt with myself mentally and physically post-workout in the morning versus at night. As a result, my brain felt much less foggy throughout the day because my energy levels were at an all-time high. Then I pushed it back one more hour at 6am, and I noticed how many more hours I had left in my day now that I got my ass out of bed, moved my body, and was ready for the day while everyone else was just waking up and dragging themselves to work. It guaranteed productivity, clarity, motivation, and a lot less of a stressful day ahead.

I’ve been an early bird workout enthusiast for three years now, and I’ve never looked back.

It doesn’t matter what the workout is or how long the workout is for. It could be a fifteen minute walk around the neighborhood, or it can be a one hour HIIT class if that’s what you’re into. And it doesn’t need to be seven days a week. If you’re new to morning workouts, maybe start with once a week at an hour that doesn’t make you want to vomit when your alarm goes off in the morning. It doesn’t need to be big to be effective. You just have to start and allow your body the chance to experience how refreshing and energizing it is to kick off your day with some movement instead of stimulating it immediately via caffeine, a sugary breakfast, and watching the horrible news from your couch or sitting in traffic.

You’d be less likely to reach that midday crash we all know (and hate).

You’d feel like you’ve already accomplished the hardest part of your day. So basically in other words, you can take on the world.

Your confidence will boost through the roof.

You’d feel more energized.

You’d be on time at work.

You’d feel not so stressed and scattered within your own bubble, because you’ve grounded yourself and are now in tune with yourself mentally and physically.

What would happen if you just gave it a try?

2. RULE: tomorrow starts the night before

For someone like me who does not work a 9-5, it’s easy to let the days get away from me. I could just float along, and wait for things to happen, change and lose control of my time. It’s very easy to do. But I don’t do that, because I follow one rule every single day, and that is that the next day starts the night before.

What does that mean?

It means from right before I’m about to end my day, I already have my entire next day mapped out (or at the very least, a time blocked to-do list). My expectations are set. Of course things change and I tend to pivot throughout the day as needed, but generally speaking I am mentally prepared from the night before for whatever I’m taking on the following day. When you’re mentally prepared, your priorities are set. The steps to preparation follow.

I review that to-do list. I confirm any appointments I have by following up and checking in with those people. I set aside my workout clothes so they’re ready to go when I roll out of bed the next morning, borderline unconscious. My work bag is packed and ready to come with me out the door. I have two bottles of water on my nightstand, ready to be sipped the next morning. I journal for a few minutes to hash anything out that I need to before bed. I read for at least fifteen minutes. And that’s it!

What your tomorrow looks like will always be determined by how you cross the finish line and approach your next starting position entering into that new day. How you pace yourself and gear up for that new day is up to you.

3. Unplug the phone

Unless it is a timely circumstance, or an actual emergency, I don’t pick up my phone immediately after waking up or have it in my hand up until my head hits the pillow at night. How can you expect yourself to naturally wake up without a giant cortisol spike or fall asleep within a reasonable time frame when you have notifications buzzing, news flashing, and constant updates within your social media networks that keep you addicted indefinitely?

Obviously, technology advancement has brought us so many advantages and benefits that we should be very grateful for in today’s current landscape. I do believe it is helping us more than it’s hurting us, if we know how to use it as a tool and not a lifeline. If we choose our limitations and not allow the addiction to take over our lives.

When you’re on your phone all up until you close your eyes, you’re not resting your nervous system. You’re keeping your brain active and stress levels high, with hits of dopamine bursting through your body left and right. Of course you’re going to feel hyper and overstimulated before bed. You’re obviously going to get a poor quality sleep. No wonder one in three Americans don’t get enough sleep. All it takes is putting it on ‘Do Not Disturb’ an hour before your bedtime.

When you wake up in the morning, even if you’re someone who jumps directly into the day, try to not pick it up right away. Let it be for at least fifteen minutes after you wake up. Maybe check if you’ve had a full glass of water first. Occupy yourself by doing some other activities that are for you. Then, ease into it. The day is only beginning. And like I said, unless there is a timely circumstance or emergency, it can wait a few minutes after you open your eyes and start your day. When you have even just a moment to yourself in the morning that you actively choose to be yours and yours only, you enter the day ahead with a level of confidence and autonomy that you may have not had before. Give it a try.

So, those are my three non-negotiables. But I’m curious to hear, what are yours? If you don’t have any yet, what will they be? It’s up to you. I can’t wait to hear about them!

Have a great week!

Cheers,

Angelina