1. 10 KEYS TO HAPPINESS
There's all this talk of healthy living, but what does it even consist of exactly? Balancing
all aspects of your life through mind, body and soul. So how do you accomplish this in
order to live a long, healthy and joyful life? Here are my basic top 10 keys to just that!

2. 1. EAT CLEAN
They say you are what you eat, and this could not be truer. Everything you
put into your body reflects on who you are, or who you become. When it
comes to your body's health and composition, nutrition is at least 75% of
the equation. Eat fresh, whole, REAL foods whenever possible. The less
preservatives and ingredients listed the better it is for you, and the better
you will feel! There is no faster way to transform your life than the way you
eat. Don't fall into the current diet crazes, anything promising quick weight
loss is not going to do your body good in the long run. Think logically: There
are micronutrients and there are macronutrients. The three macronutrients
are carbohydrates, protein and fats. These macronutrients are critical for
the human brain and body to function properly; you must balance these at
every meal for optimal results. Therefore any diet that consists of
eliminating or raising the intake of these macronutrients is not lasting and
not good for the body! I am so sick of hearing people say they are on a
"low-fat diet" or even "no carb diet". It is all about BALANCE. If you have
trouble making smart food choices, you will find lots right here on our site!

3. 2. EXERCISE REGULARLY
This is a no-brainer. Consistent exercise helps prevents diseases, controls
weight, improves energy and mood, strengthen your muscles and bones,
regulates sleep and reduces stress. The list of benefits that come as a
result of living an active life goes on and on! Get that heart pumping for AT
LEAST half an hour three times per week. It is not about intensity but
consistency. Even if you only have 15 minutes, it’s worth it! Your body will
thank you and your mood will lift!

4. 3. EXERCISE YOUR MIND, TOO!
My friends laugh at me because I always quote a poster we had on our
schoolroom wall, “Knowledge is Power”. This has always stuck with me.
Your brain is there for a reason, use it! Increasing brain activity can make
you more creative, energetic, sociable, smarter, and open to new
experiences and ways of thinking. You are completely free to learn
whatever you want and see things whichever way you would like, take
advantage of what you are given. Read a book, go to an art gallery, listen to
new music, watch an eye-opening documentary, take new classes or learn
a new language. You will be amazed at how good you feel afterwards,
always keep your mind growing.

5. 4. SET REALISTIC GOALS
I often get asked what keeps me motivated, and my answer will always be
the goals I set for myself. I have always had set, written goals since a
young age; mini goals, short-term goals, long-term goals, lifetime goals.
They are what I get up every morning for, what I replay in my head on the
gym every day, and what keeps me going through the hard times. If you
don’t have goals for yourself start making them now! Write them down and
put them somewhere you will see them every day. STRIVE towards them,
REACH them, and REJOICE at how rewarding it feels!

6. 5. TAKE TIME TO YOURSELF
In this hectic world it is easy to get caught up in all your responsibilities, but
don’t let it forget who you are. You are on this Earth for a purpose, and what
you do every day matters. But, you will not be able to do the things you do if
you don’t allow time for your mind to relax. Set aside at least 15 minutes
EVERY day for yourself. Stop what you are doing and reflect on how you
feel. Take a hot bath, put on relaxing music, try a yoga or meditation class,
or did it on your own. Connect with your body and great things shall come!

7. 6. VOLUNTEER
The happiest people are those who have invested their time into others, the
unhappiest people are those who wonder how the world is going to make
them happy. If you have never volunteered then go and try it. You will be
hooked after the uplifting, peaceful feeling you have afterwards. There is
nothing more rewarding than making a stranger’s day, than knowing you
have made a difference. Take a couple hours out of your week to help
someone in need. There is no faster way to happiness than performing a
selfless act.

8. 7. SUPPLEMENTATION
Ideally we would all be getting the nutrients and vitamins we need from our
daily diets. Unfortunately, in this day and age this does not happen. Our
foods are said to be about 10 times less nutrient dense than it was 100
years ago. The air has become polluted, the soil depleted along with
oxygen and sunlight. Even if you eat completely organic and natural foods,
it is a good idea to take a daily multivitamin just to make sure.

9. 8. CONNECT WITH THE EARTH
Take a walk through a park, go for a hike in the mountains, open your eyes
and take a look at this beautiful planet we live on. It is an amazing feeling of
peace, being with nature. We often take our environment for granted. Next
time you are in a natural setting, look at all the different things the world has
to offer. Ranges of colorful flowers, magnificent trees that keep us living,
millions of blades of green grass, skies full of ever-changing clouds; this
Earth we live on is magnificently breathtaking if you let it be.

10. 9. REST
As you sleep your body relaxes and repairs itself, allowing you to have the
energy and alertness you need for the day ahead. If you have troubles
getting a full night’s sleep try taking a hot bath before bedtime, reading a
book or listening to relaxing music. Making sure you are going to sleep and
waking up around the same time every day also helps. Getting enough
sleep is a necessity for proper bodily function.

11. 10. CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK
This is an extremely broad statement and I will get more into this in the
future. For now, I will briefly explain what this means to me. At some point in
our lives, or for some our whole lives, each and every one of us are
unnoticeably controlled by our fears. Fear holds you back, fills your ego,
makes you think negative thoughts and even causes you to hurt others in
order to protect yourself. It is the way we’re made; it is a human survival
tactic. I truly believe if we all learned to recognize and stop our fears from
leading us, and instead let love take control, we would be living in a world
of peace. Every negative thought you have can be turned into a positive.
Learning how to do this can take many years or even a lifetime, but it is the
journey to peace inside us that is more than worth it. Recognize these
negative thoughts, and then work towards eliminating them. The most
harmful wars are not on the other side of the world; they are inside of us.

12. You may already incorporate some of these keys in your life
already, and the ones you don't may seem like a lot of effort or
work. Trust me, they work and they are most definitely worth
your time and efforts. Even if you work on one every so often,
make reaching each one a personal goal and I promise you it
will be well worth it! You will feel better inside and out. Your
confidence will rise along with your energy levels and zest for
life!