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Category: Wellness

27 Habit Tips for Your Wellness New Year

Happy New Year’s resolution practices are a concept of yesteryear, better replaced by a wellness new year.🌱

…And better formed habits (in my healthy list below).

But resolutions are still embraced by some as it’s commonly referred to around the world.

And for others of us, we’re open arms to big changes we want to make and a healthy world revolution to head into a better future world… oh, and to make up for the losses from the past few years.

And in light of the global events affecting us all over the past few years, our world needs more uplifting. We don’t need more challenges. We need a revelation. Amen? 

And maybe for you (like me) starting goals in the coldest, winter months in the U.S. is not the easiest plan to stick to and would be preferred in warmer and summer months when we have higher serotonin levels and more natural Vitamin D sunshine.

…And, that’s a time when we’re more active, happier, and apt to make changes.

So, on that healthy intention, you want to set yourself up for success and feeling good for better mental health this wellness new year (…and that’s better than last year).

When you can show up as your Best Self, then you have a chance to make a better and bigger impact. Being healthy and happy matters. And even more so as parts of our lives have become initially harder to eventually make it easier (…I believe).

And I also believe that’s where our world is headed. We see this fueled faster by new technology 🚀 advancements and awareness-growing of the need to save our planet.

And that means some of the old ways we did daily life… and the resolutions we once hung our baseball caps on… will change.

But one area that won’t change and can stay traditionally evergreen 🌲 is a wellness new year plan that will help keep you going year-round and that you can count on consistently. If you show up, it’s available.

…And these natural pinecones (above) showed up in my view, which to me is one of nature’s beauties. It also serves a purpose where the cone protects the precious seeds inside.

This natural miracle hasn’t changed through generations.

And like traditional pinecones, if you want to embrace traditional resolutions, then go for it…

Isn’t the post-2020 famous saying?… You do you.

Either way, here I share some of my better health and wellness new year habit tips (…27 to be exact) that give you a better wellness new year list to practice, so you can better navigate this new emerging world of changes.

1.      Drink more water naturally. When you jump up and down or run circles cardio-exercise, you naturally are thirsty

2.      Improve your mind-body health

3.      Gratitude keeps pride in-check

4.      Eat a diverse variety of healthy foods

5.      Work on daily body balance and yoga that helps in years to come

6.      Improve your heart health with cardio and healthy cholesterol levels

7.      Write daily (or find your daily creative practice)

8.      Color your world with inspiring home and clothing choice colors

9.      Learn something about yourself, deeper than you normally would

10.   Start mornings eating a plant-based meal (...cool beans?)

11.   Add more spices (and make your own punchy, hit-you-in-the-nose with anti-inflammatory gut clove spice blends like in holiday gingerbread or exotic Ras el Hanout spices with fennel, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves.)

12.   Do-it-anyway yoga (and any which way you can!)

13.   Get enough amino acids (starting in the morning with your protein sources)

14.   Put out a bowl of no-prep easy, healthy snacks (e.g. carrots, nuts, and apples)

15.   Pause on feeling-frustrated and change the air you breathe by stepping away

16.   Change your anxious tunes in the morning with calm breaths

17.   Change your worry thoughts in the evening that stir up

18.   Change your rainy-day moods with the environment around you

19.   Change your negative thoughts at the gate so they build up and become your day

20.  Scan the headlines and read one healthy growth article a day

21.   Choose the recycling option even if takes just a ‘lil more effort as you’ll feel better you did for our planet….  and you can appreciate all the bean cans you consumed 😊

22.   Remove some of the older digital overwhelm habits you no longer need

23.   Spend a rainy day weekend organizing your belongings (and feel lighter afterward). Rock out to some good tunes while time melts away 🎶

24.   Find your share-to-the-world message that’s part of what you do. This builds your self-worth and confidence as you get better at your talents

25.   Prepare more plant-based meals. It’s easier to get veggies and lentils in if they’re cooked or ready-to-go, and in your kitchen. You could have a leftover dish for breakfast so your drinking coffee has a happy landing

26.   Spend time in nature. You get out of your busy life and into the busy bees doing theirs 🐝

27.   Embrace the neti pot. This is what our new world can be all about… clearing out the old stuck mess, and bringing in fresh ideas that work for us. We need the new. And happy new year! 🎉

If you want to see what your body is trying to say to about the balance it needs, take the Body Balance Quiz (…and if you already did it last season, do it again this season as our bodies are always changing. 🧘🏻‍♀️)

 

Hotel Free Perks + What To Bring On Leisure Travel

Hotels free perks is something I know a little about. I worked in hotel catering sales management for the start of my young career. The idea of hotels as a guest is magical to me. It’s a grown up playground like Disney fun land is to kids.

hotel free perks like a variety breakfast station.

You can take care of yourself in hotels without doing the work! Like helping yourself to a breakfast buffet. With a coffee or warm beverage in hand to read the digital newspaper in your hotel’s free digital newspaper app you may not have known about.

So below are some new ideas of hotel free perks you may not know about…

And you can go anywhere and live luxuriously in hotel stays these days. Today, most of us when we’re considering our next fun travel adventure,   look for high value. And free hotel perks are on the top of the list.

Free hotel perks are even more important as hotel and travel costs have risen post-2020.

Free hotel perks make up for the losses. Like the free sauna rooms and hidden spas I found in the hotel basement of the Lillehammer Hotel in Lillehammer, Norway.

The hotel is a hop, skip, and a jump from the Winter Olympics ski events that took place. Norway dominates in winter sports.

The “secret” free hotel spa included a spiral staircase cold plunge (that thankfully wasn’t too cold!), steam rooms, sauna, indoor pool, and jacuzzi… plus fun apple baskets of water you could pour on your head as shower heads.

I wouldn’t have found the spa if a friend didn’t tell me about it while I was there. It’s not advertised when you check-in. So doing your research and knowing what to ask when you’re in the hotel (at the Front Desk) can score you extra free perks.

And I found a spa inside the NH Collection Hotel in Prague that I researched ahead of time. It felt like spending a few hours at the day spa.

And sometimes you get lucky, when you’re bumped up to first class. Like I once did on a flight when that was the only seat available. Sure, I’ll take that! 😊 And in hotel free perks, that means the penthouse with multiple rooms and a kitchen.

 

When you know someone or ask nicely, the Front Desk can put you in the nicest room with panoramic views of the ocean and priceless bird’s eye views of the bay.

This Opal Sands Clearwater hotel had like Tommy Bahama infused-air scents in the lobby so I didn’t mind spending time in the lobby.

hotel free perks of a priceless panoramic view.

And they sometimes leave a basket full of goodies like a celebration bottle with a nice note you wouldn’t get back at home.

You can also take advantage of free bicycles as free hotel perks at some hotels. You just gotta ask. 

And they had bicycles with baskets for guests, so I could take a bike stroll to the local market and come back with some things when I wanted to leave the mansion.😄

A basket is weaved into a good thing when it comes to hotel perks.

A bicycle with basket is also in the Paris Hilton hotel in southern France where you can ride all the way to Marseilles if you like. That’s dreamy!

And then when you’re back from your mini-bicycle excursion, you can go back to your dreamy hotel and relax. Some like the Conrad Hotels even let you choose the creature comforts and premiere shampoo you use during your stay.

You don’t have to pack your own bath products and go shopping when you first get to your destination. You can enjoy!

Many even carry eye masks and toiletries as hotel free perks… and even ear buds like the Doubletree hotel brand where I started my journey! They gave a bag of two free chocolate chip cookies as stay perks long before other stay freebies got added to the hotel list.

At home, I made my own healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie that’s a guilt-free breakfast with tea. It reminds me of those days.

And today on your hotel stays, you get tea selection choices. The Sanderling Inn in Duck, NC and many other hotels carry Harney & Sons luxury teas.

What to Bring (But Some Hotels Provide Free): 

For travel packing, bring a spice or two that reminds you of home cooking that’ll help calm nerves and is anti-inflammatory. It can balance and prevent small body flareups.

…Ayurvedic spices like turmeric (anti-inflammatory), cumin when it’s Pitta hot, and cayenne pepper when it’s Kapha cool temperatures.

Cinnamon is good for Vata and good for a sweet addition and sugar-alternative for beverages

What to Pack in a Carry-on Bag (checklist)

__ Allowable liquids you can’t do without like medicine, eye drops and nasal sprays. You can also carry a little coconut oil or Vaseline that isn’t considered a liquid.

__Moisturizing lip balm, sunscreen lip balm, face, hand moisturizer, and body sunscreen… that the Four Seasons-type hotel free perks sometimes has.

__A light essential oil scent like citrus, vanilla, or bergamot for calming. Taking a whiff of peppermint oil helps headaches. Many hotels carry these complimentary now! 

__Scarf for coolness. In some countries, they require shoulders to be covered going inside churches so it’s good to have a lightweight one for covering.

__ Compression socks (good for flying where air changes and it gets cold).

The Kimpton Hotels provide complimentary socks as hotel free perks. And yoga mats. They’re also highly pet-friendly. They also have a hosted social hour you don’t wanna miss!

__ Gloves for if you get cold hands or it’s winter. An extra pair of gloves is good to bring as sometimes you lose one. But the Ritz Carlton in Lake Tahoe will provide hand warmers and gloves (in case you’re trying to find a winter ski and sport destination). 

__A squishable hat or ballcap that you can attach to the outside of your bag makes you American, but so adorable. If you have long hair, remember to pack hair ties to keep you cool. Some IHG hotels provide “Guestie” hats for hotel reward members.

__Vitamins help to boost immunity when you don’t have immunity foods at your convenience and you’re in and around the public more often. 

Include: Vitamin C, a mushroom or onion complex, and/or zinc, elderberry.

Take extra vitamin C as it’s water soluble and your body naturally rids of any extra (that’s not the case with B, A, and E that are also essential flying travel vitamins you can get in a multivitamin or immunity support supplement that you can dissolve in water).

Some hotels offer vitamin-C showers for a fee.

__Minerals such as magnesium-calcium will help you on travel and with your circadian rhythm. Lavender can also help your sleeping efforts. The Westin Hotels (with the “heavenly beds”) offer lavender sprays and balms. While some AC Hotels carry “create your own” lavender sachets in the lobby. So look around when you’re at your hotel destination! 

You never know what freebies you’ll find that make your day. And with all these free hotel perks, why not relax and go on vacation?