Sometimes it’s easy to lose (some of) your routine and to develop some habits you wish you didn’t have. Try to get into healthy habits instead. What are your healthy habits? I wrote down 20 of my healthy habits and I hope to inspire you to do them too. I promise you that it will add to your health and your overall happiness.

1- Wake Up Early.
I love to wake up early. Ok, I actually hate to wake up early. Or to be fair, I hate it the first 20 seconds I’m awake. After that I love it! In the morning you can get so much done and you can actually start your day properly. Starting your day (with yoga, meditation and mindfulness) in a good and relaxed way is so beneficial for how the rest of your day is going. The time you create in the morning, is time only for you. To help you with this, I recommend you reading the book The Miracle Morning. It’s full of helpful tips and I’m sure you will feel very inspired.

2- Drink Lemon/ACV water.
The second I wake up I drink about 400-500 ml warm water (1/2 cold and 1/2 boiled) with the juice of half a lemon and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. This really helps you waking up, wake up your metabolism and it boosts your immune system. It also supports weight loss.

3- Yoga.
Everybody should practice yoga. Yoga is for all ages and you really benefit from it. I always do some yoga in the morning. It doesn’t have to be an hour, just a few yoga poses and some good stretches, already helps you to have a good start of the day. You can of course also go to yoga classes, which are very fun.

4- Mindfulness.
This is something what is also good to do in the morning before you go out of the house, before things get hectic. Practice some mindfulness. Meditate + think of some empowering affirmations, visualise your goals and think of something you are grateful for.

5- Fasting.
Eat breakfast! Breakfast is very important yes, but it really doesn’t have to be right after opening your eyes. In the night, until you eat breakfast, your body is clearing up your  body. To help your body with this process, it’s beneficial to wait with your breakfast. Start your day with drinking water or lemon/ACV water and let your body do the rest. Eating breakfast a few hours after waking up is really not a crime. You can also fast longer if you like, for a whole day or even a few days. I do advise to have coaching from somebody who is experienced in this. Fasting doesn’t have to be not eating at all. You can also fast from a particular food or habit. No crisps for a month for example or to not use your phone a certain amount a day. It’s also about being more conscious.

6- Eat healthy.
We all know we have to eat healthy. Healthy foods are plant-based whole foods. So eat lots of fruit, fresh (raw) veggies, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Try to cook from scratch so you know exactly what it is what you put in your body. Avoid eating processed foods.

7- No alcohol or coffee.
Coffee and alcohol are not good for your body. The caffeine in coffee is not a good source of energy and it can cause restlessness and even insomnia. Just 1 cup of coffee a day isn’t gong to cause that, but if it’s not good, then why drink it at all? Alcohol is totally unnecessary and can harm your body. You don’t need that glass of wine and you don’t need to get drunk to have fun. Just stay away from it.

8- Drink water.
Drink lots of water. Water helps you to stay hydrated and to cleanse your body. You should always drink 2-3 liter of water a day. Make sure you always have a bottle filled with water to drink at any time during the day.

9- Exercise.
We all know that exercise is good for us. This doesn’t mean you have to spend hour at the gym though. Just 30-60 minutes a day of something that is making your heart and your breathing go faster, is sufficient. So go for a firm walk, or cycle and do some crunches. This will keep you energised and healthy.

10- Be positive.
A positive attitude will get you so much further than a negative one. Try to always see the positive side of everything. And don’t forget to smile.. a lot!

11- Relax.
After all we do in 1 day, it’s important to also relax. To take our mind of things. Did you know that whilst you’re relaxed you sometimes think of the best ideas? So have some down time. It doesn’t matter when you do it and if you find it hard, then literally plan to have down time. I have some time in the morning and I tend to take some time after lunch. Do something you like and feel like benefitting from.. meditate, watch a movie, read or go for a walk.. or even surf the internet. Whatever you like!

12- Go outside.
It’s good to spend some time outside. It’s great if you have a dog who you have to regularly have to walk. But if you don’t (like me.. poor me!) then go to the park or around the block. Get some fresh air!

13- Declutter.
At the moment I’m totally addicted to this. Getting rid of thing I don’t need or use. I’m somebody who gets attached to things, because of memories I have. This is totally fine if it is something with real emotional value, but if it’s something you really do not use then you better donate it. It is SUCH a liberating feeling! This also mean that you don’t buy things too fast. Don’t just get things for the sake of it (I admit, I was guilty of this), but first think about it and ask yourself the question: ‘Do I really need this?’ I also have the rule that I never leave the house or go to sleep whilst my house is messy. My desk needs to be tidy and clear, the dishes done and the bed made. It so much nicer to wake up or come home like this. Would anybody like to know a bit more about this subject? Let me know in the comments!

14- Read.
Reading is a great way to gain more knowledge or to relax. I like to read educational books, that motivates and inspires me. But I also read books with humour, just to relax. It’s up to you.. So, pick up a book!

15- Goals.
A lot of people set goals for a year (the popular new years resolutions) or even have a 5 year plan. This is great! Though how many of you are still working on it by February or March? There are only a few exceptions and I believe that those exceptions have more than just some end goals. To succeed and achieve your goals, you need to make a plan. Write down your end goals and then make smaller steps. Like an action plan. What do you need to do every month to achieve those goals? What do you need to do every week to achieve those month goals? And what do you need to do every day to achieve that week goal? You get what I mean? This works really well for me and I’m sure it will help you too.

16- Finish To-Do-list.
One thing that is very satisfying, is getting your chores done. Agree? I make a week plan every Sunday. I write down everything I need and want to do that week and then divide this over the week. Make sure you don’t put too much for one day, because that will end up in moving the chores to other days and that will all add up, until you’re not getting them done at all. This is super frustrating and not motivating at all. So make sure that in the end of the day you had enough time to get your chores done.

17- Natural products.
There are so many products for sale nowadays, that it’s hard to know what works and what doesn’t. Because they all promise you exactly what you want. Do try to only use natural products (+ vegan and not tested on animals) though. Preferably products with only 1 or a few ingredients. It doesn’t matter if it’s about make up, cleanser or deodorant.. natural is the way! Using chemicals on your body is really no good. Did you know that chemicals already get absorbed by your skin within 26 seconds? So, go natural! I wrote an article with tips for Great Skin.

18- Sleep.
As much as exercising is good for you, sleeping is very important too. A good night sleep does you good. You don’t only feel better during the day, but it also improves your memory, helps with weight management, lowers your stress, fights anxiety + depression and it gives you an overal feeling of wellbeing. It depends a little bit per person, but the average human being needs about 7-8 hours of sleep a night, better not to sleep less than 6 hours or more than 9, because this sometimes results in getting the opposite effect. Do you sleep enough? (or too much?)

19- Be yourself.
Everybody feels the urge to experience the freedom of being him- or herself. To be able to express yourself and to feel happy because of who you are, is one of the main keys to happiness. Try to listen to your intuition and stay true to who you are, your values and your principles. Everybody is unique and has their own strengths. Show respect to one another and just be you! I also wrote an article about it, not long ago. It’s called Be Yourself. I hope it will help you to be or to find out who you are.

20- Spend time with people you love.
We love to hang out with the people we love, but sometimes it still happens that other things get in the way. We’re too busy.. Do try to set priorities and plan time for the ones you love. Most of my family and friends live in the Netherlands and I don’t get the chance to see them as much as I would like to. When I do see them, I love spending quality time with them and that makes me feel so good. So pick up the phone.. call your mum, plan a weekend away with your lover, send your grandma a card and text a friend to ask when he or she can hang out!

How much of these healthy habits do you already master? Do you have more healthy habit tips or are there things where you would like to see some personal improvement? Please let me know in the comments below, ask for my help or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. You can also tag me! Thank you and have a lovely day! X