4 Easy Changes to Make for a Healthier, Happier You

If you’re like many women, self-improvement tops our wish lists. Are you daydreaming about a healthier, happier you? We all do — and only when we move from thinking to doing are we able to find satisfaction at home and in the world. Our homes are an extension of who we are, and the environment within those four walls shapes how we feel. Delve into the following four easy changes you can make to your home that can improve the quality of your life and may lead to a happier and healthier you.

Take Three Minutes to Get Back to ‘Ready’

Image via Flickr by CDAappliances

Feeling comfortable in your home can be difficult when your keys get buried under junk. By taking a few minutes each morning, you can clear away clutter that causes avoidable stress.

Start with your bed, then bring the common rooms in your home back to “ready” status. No one enjoys doing the dishes, but if you can’t get out of it, enjoy it. Put on some music or use aromatherapy-scented dish soap. Putting your bed in order is suggested to boost happiness and productivity, and it may help you stick to a budget. Who would have guessed?

Make Home-Cooked Meals

OK, all of us are not Betty Crocker, and who has time to cook three gourmet meals a day? When you do find the time to plan a home-cooked meal, you’ll notice the feel-good benefits right away.

Not only are scratch meals healthier for you, but cooking with a partner is also a wonderful bonding experience. According to a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, creative tasks such as cooking lead to a higher activated positive effect — you may start seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.

Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Your home’s indoor air quality could be keeping you down. Dirt, dust, and allergens are lurking in your HVAC system and wreaking havoc on your health. From headaches to fatigue, an inefficient HVAC system may be to blame. Homeowners can experience unwanted tension when equipment doesn’t maintain a comfortable temperature or is in danger of breaking down. For a clean and worry-free indoor environment, routine HVAC maintenance offers many benefits to homeowners.

Set an Intention for the Day

Before you hop out of bed, spend a few seconds with yourself and set an intention for the day. This time isn’t meant to extend your to-do list. Your aim may be to kiss your husband before he leaves for work or enjoy a laugh with your son. Channeling positive energy into an intention such as “accept whatever happens as if I planned it,” for example, is an excellent way to a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Making only a few simple tweaks to our daily habits can become a catalyst for meaningful, positive change. If you’re not satisfied with how you feel, try a few of the tips above today. You’ll see results almost immediately with more energy, improved sleep, less stress, and more confidence. Healthy growth is not an all-or-nothing deal. Even small changes to your daily routine will improve your outlook.