In a
world filled with iPhones, laptops, tablets and smart watches, Millennials are
inundated with advanced technology. The ability to connect directly to
your personal happiness has become more challenging than finding parking
downtown at Union Square. For the majority of us living and working
in the city, happiness is something we read about on Buzzfeed or Elephant
Journal on our 10 min breaks or in between bites while we Instagram our lunch
within the allotted hour.
The
world around us has become a constant stream of instant gratification
opportunities; however no one seems to be feeling satisfied. All
the instant gratification has left our generation feeling jaded and
unimpressed. After going through almost a full year with a, “Now what?”
feeling inside of myself, I decided it was time to make a change. I
created a five step plan to bring me back to life.
1.
Put
down the technology. This was probably the hardest for me. Having
grown up with a computer in my house from the age of 7, I have been
cord-connected longer than I care to admit. I purchased my first
cellphone in college and haven’t put it down since, (that was over 20 years
ago…). My ability to reach for my phone after the text message alert
rings would match that of Doc Holiday in Tombstone. But it was the act of
NOT picking up my phone that really opened my eyes. Obviously there are certain
messages and calls that you are expecting, and need addressing. But what
I have tried to do is put the phone away after my work day has ended. I
keep it in my bag and only allow myself to check it periodically to ensure I am
not missing an emergency. If the messages I find are not urgent, I force
myself to wait until the next day. At first the act was very conscience
for me. I would have to talk myself down from checking, but do you know
what happened after a while? I didn’t miss it, nor did I feel like I was
missing out.
2.
Drink
more water. This seems so straight forward; however the proper intake of
water in my life did more than just quench my thirst. There were so many
benefits I wasn’t expecting including helping to control calories, energize my
muscles, keep my skin looking amazing, as well as helping my
kidney’s and bowel functions. I know drinking water doesn’t
sound sexy, but it’s incredibly easy to incorporate into your everyday
life. Start with including a glass of water with each of your meals
and keep a bottle of water with you in your car or at your desk at
work. Just having the water available will make it that much easier
to make it a regular part of your daily routine.
3.
Step
outside at least three times a day. As I was brought up by my hippy mum,
I was forced to play outdoors all the time. I never understood why it was
so important, when I could just as easily play with my Barbie inside as I could
outside. It wasn’t until I entered adulthood that I began to understand
benefits of the sun. The sun provides the body the ability to
create Vitamin D, which is essential for many functions such as bone health,
anti-cancer, immune system support, protects against dementia and brain aging
as well as many others. We have been so bombarded with the dangers
of the sun, but in moderation, the sunlight has the ability to heal on so many
levels. Take a drive with the top down, and get out there to the local
beaches and parks! Having a sun roof in my own car gives me the ability to take
in the rays even if it is just during the morning and evening commutes to and
from work. The overall uplifting feeling I get can best be related to one
of the best hugs from my little kiddo. I mean it’s right up there for me.
4.
Breathe. When I say to breathe, I mean get
into a breath practice. I like to focus on three deep breathing
techniques that really help to calm my day to day OCD and social anxiety.
The first is Coherent Breathing, which is basically breathing at a rate of five
breaths per minute. The easy way to time your breaths is to count five
seconds for your inhale and five seconds for your exhale. Breathing at
this rate will help to improve your heart rate variability. The second
type of breathing is Resistance Breathing, which is exactly what its name
suggests, creating resistance to the flow of air. Resistance can be
created by pursing the lips, placing the tip of the tongue against the inside
of the upper teeth, hissing through the clenched teeth, tightening the
throat muscles, partly closing the glottis, narrowing the space between the
vocal cords. Or if you are like me, the easy way is to just breathe
through your nose with your mouth closed. The final technique is Breath
Moving. Think, sending your breath on a little journey around your
body. As you breathe in, imagine you are
moving your breath to the top of your head. As you breathe out, imagine you are
moving your breath to the base of your spine, your perineum, and your sit
bones. Each time you breathe in; move the breath to the top of the head. Each
time you breathe out; move the breath to the base of the spine. Breathe in this
circuit for ten cycles.
5.
Laugh.
If you haven’t heard, laughter really is the best medicine. Laughing
decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting
antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter also
triggers endorphins, which if you watched Legally Blond, you know, endorphins
make you happy! Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even
temporarily relieve pain.
Having
incorporated these five simple routines into my daily life, I have found my
quality of life dramatically increased. Feeling good and being able to
laugh and let go of the minor stresses allowed for me to appreciating the life
I was actually living, instead of the life I thought I should have been
living. I began to look forward to weekends with my daughter, taking off
in our car for an impromptu adventure days. And for the first time in a
very long time, I can honestly say, I am happy. Remember, the
hardest part is getting started. So maybe today, you drive with the top
down or the sun roof open and enjoy some of those beautiful Vitamin D rays on
your way home today. Enjoy a nice cool glass of water and for those few
moments let yourself begin to feel happy.
Don’t
have a convertible or sun roof in your car? Check out the link below to see our
latest selection to choose from! It’s always a great time to start enjoying
your life, one drive at a time.