8 Simple Lifestyle Changes that Have Made Me Happier

In the article I wrote called 6 Things to Do when You’re Stuck in the Waiting, I mentioned that sometimes we feel as though we have no control over our lives. 2020 has definitely seemed like the year we really can’t get a grip on. I wanted to put together this post in the hopes of providing inspiration to those of you who may still feel like they’re stuck. I’m not saying these 8 lifestyle changes for happiness will make you happy over night. That’s not how life works. But over the years, as I’ve added these 8 simple lifestyle changes into my routine I’ve definitely noticed a big difference in how I feel each day, especially when I’m really on point and doing all of them.

When I was living in New York, I hated my job. I was miserable because of the toxic environment I was working in. The only reason I continue working there was because that’s where Justing was. I knew that I only had to get through the four years we were there and I that would be it. But I felt so stuck most of the time. That feeling of helplessness and being stuck is something that has followed me through many different seasons of life, including the one we’re in now. Trying to juggle being a stay-at-home mom with little outside help while trying to grow my online community and wanting an independent income is something I have yet to strike the balance on. But I wanted to share these 8 simple lifestyle changes with you in the hopes that it will provide you with some actionable next steps if you’re still feeling stuck after reading 6 Things to Do When You’re Stuck in the Waiting.

8 Simple Lifestyle Changes that Have Made me Happier

I started drinking more water

When I was pregnant with my first son, I remember reading something about how you needed a lot more water when you were pregnant. I absolutely hated water up until that point and really didn’t drink it as much as I should. But pregnancy was a good way for me to get into that habit of drinking water every day and actually drinking A LOT of water every day. Fast forward over two years and I still drink water every day like it’s going out of style. Not only is drinking water just practically the best thing you can actually drink, but it will also help improve your skin. Who doesn’t want that? Drinking more water is probably one of the easiest lifestyle changes you can make that will have an almost instant effect. Every morning when I wake up the very first thing I do is drink a glass or two of water. Then I have my coffee. I continue to drink water throughout the day, usually, but I’ve found this glass in the morning really helps my body to wake up and lets me enjoy my coffee more because I’m not dehydrated.

I stopped drinking a lot of beer

There just isn’t anything better than sitting on the couch at the end of the day with a yummy, ice-cold beer in your hand. It’s honestly one of the things that make my world go around. My love for a good craft beer is unrivaled but I can quickly go from enjoying a beer to overdoing it. Recently I’ve started cutting it out completely again and only have one when I’m really craving a good, cold beer. For me, it’s less about the actual alcohol or effect of the alcohol and more about the taste and flavors and also the ritual of having a beer in the evening after Jasper goes to bed. But when I’m not drinking as much beer I have clearer skin, I sleep better, and I’m less bloated which is always a good thing when you’re trying to squeeze into a pair of Levi’s every day.

I spend less money eating out

We’re all spending less time in restaurants these days and well, going out of the house in general but I noticed that eating out less had a huge impact on everything from my skin to my wallet. Think about going out for coffee every day. You could potentially spend upwards of $10 just for a cup of coffee. In the harsh Alaskan winters, getting a drive-thru coffee is my excuse for getting Jasper and I both out of the house when it’s -40 out. But during quarantine, I realized that while I enjoy getting a latte every now and then, I’m also perfectly content to make my own coffee at home. My wallet appreciates it too.

I stopped wearing makeup

I talk a bit about my skincare journey and why I stopped wearing makeup in my latest YouTube video but not having to worry about makeup or what the latest makeup trends are has freed a lot of mental space for me. I never really truly loved makeup. I thought I had to wear it because it seems as though the societal norm is that if you’re not wearing makeup you’re lazy. But I think everyone is naturally beautiful. If you love makeup and are passionate about it, that’s great. But if you’re not maybe it’s time to reconsider why you feel the need to wear it.

I go on walks almost daily

You mean you don’t have to run or do a hardcore workout to feel good about yourself? Bless up! Seriously not only will walking for as little as 20 minutes every other day can make huge improvements to your mind and body but trust me when I say that it’s such an easy change to make. Walk on your lunch break or treat your fur children and/or toddlers for a nice long walk in the evenings! I love to put on a good audiobook and hit the local trail in our neighborhood in the mornings with Jasper. We’re both happier when we can spend a few hours outside each day.

I started going to bed earlier

Going to bed and staying asleep is easier said than done when you’ve got a baby or toddler in the house but I try not to stay up later than 10 pm each night. I also like to give myself ample time to decompress before trying to go to sleep. I’ve found, especially during the height of quarantine, that I sleep so much better when both my mind and body have had a chance to relax before turning out the lights and closing my eyes at night. I’d also love to start waking up a little bit earlier than Jasper does, even if it’s just so I can savor one cup of coffee in bed in the mornings but we’re still working on that one.

I started limiting my screen time

I love talking to people in my DMs on Instagram. During the height of quarantine, it got to the point where I was staying up so late to talk to people and also talking to people as soon as I got out of bed simply because of the time differences. I was spending so much time on my phone that it was having a negative effect on my mental health and on Jasper as well. So I started setting a “downtime” on my phone. Every night at 8 pm, the majority of my apps shut down and lock me out. While I can manually allow myself to have 15 more minutes or ignore the downtime completely, I found myself really enjoying this sudden permission I had to be away from my phone. As an influencer, it can feel like you constantly have to be working, engaging, messaging, etc. But that’s honestly no way to live. I highly recommend giving downtime a week and seeing how you like it! You might be surprised.

I got out of my comfort zone

I’m admittedly terrible at never trying anything new. But the last couple of years I have really challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone. Like when I dubbed 2019 my “year of yes”.  2020 has definitely made some things a little more challenging than normal but in my opinion, there’s never been a better time to work on getting out of your comfort zone. With so much more time staying put in our own homes, the time to try something new is now. Like when I launched a podcast this summer. I knew nothing about podcasts before I started producing my own and it’s been pretty successful for what it was. I’m not sure if podcasting is something I’ll continue to do but it was fun to try my hand at learning something new and getting out of my comfort zone a little bit.