10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You

When trying to improve your personal health and happiness, sometimes big steps, like starting a new diet or exercise plan, can feel overwhelming and daunting. This spring season, we’re celebrating the little things we can do that add up to make a huge difference in bettering ourselves and our health, wellness and happiness!

TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 have teamed up to bring you a "Spring Renewal" blogging program, asking for the "10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You."

This is a topic that I could spend forever on because it's something toward which I've spent working the last couple of years.

These are the 10 things I do for a healthier, happier ME:

1. Choose Food Wisely:  Sometimes we don't even realize it until we change it, but diet plays a big part in our happiness as well as our health.
2. Sleep:  This can be a tough one, especially for Moms, but getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep each night allows the body to "reset."  And resetting is something we all NEED!
3. Nix Negativity:  Other people and situations can bring you down too.  I found that by eliminating negative people and situations that were causing me stress (where possible) did a lot for improving my mood.  And since we know that stress often presents itself with physical symptoms, 86'ing the negativity factors can also improve overall health.
4. Sunshine:  Whether it's spending time in direct sunlight or throwing open the curtains to let it in, sunshine is an AWESOME happy stimulator.
5. Exercise:  I personally prefer Zumba and Wii Fit for exercising, but no matter how you choose, exercise not only burns calories but produces endorphins that are proven to improve our moods.
6. Get Your Groove On:  Okay, so maybe it goes hand in hand with exercising, but have you ever just listened to a song and began feeling more upbeat?  When I'm feeling a little down, I'm prone to put on Kenny Chesney Live and let go!
7. Talk it Out:  The more reserved probably won't find this helpful, but I've personally found just spending fifteen minutes "letting it all hang out" goes a long way for destressing.  I talk to my husband, my best friend, or - yes, I admit it - I even talk to myself.  :)
8. Cleanliness is Next to Godliness:  Clutter and dirt can affect mood as well as health.  While I'm not a cleaning fanatic like my mother - gotta love her, after 20 years her house looks like it's never been lived in...lol - I do try to get clutter to a minimum, dust, sweep, vacuum, mop, and keep the bathrooms clean.  And I feel so much better when those things are done.
9. Have a Little Faith:  Knowing we're not alone in times of struggle, feeling as though there is something greater than us, has been shown to promote both healthiness and happiness.
10. All Work and No Play Makes You a Very Dull Person, Indeed:  As Moms, are lives are constant go-go-go, centered around the children.  And that's great, but sometimes we all need a little "Me Time."  I find a little time each day to read, watch a sitcom, or just do nothing.  Just a few minutes in a day to do something I want to do can give me that second wind needed to get through the rest of the day.  Try it!

That's my tips for creating a healthier, happier me.  What's yours?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 blogging program to be eligible to win 6 free Juicy Rewards points and a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Sign up the Tropicana Juicy Rewards Program and use coupon code TWMOM-READR (worth one Juicy Rewards point – that’s up to $5 in savings) free prizes and super discounts!

This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account. Limit one new account bonus code per new account. All accounts must be created and all codes entered by May 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.