
2020 was a curve ball that no one expected. However, I am thankful for the lessons I learned. The biggest lesson I hope we all learned from 2020 is how important our health is.
Going into 2021 I am going to make my physical and mental health a priority. These are some of the lifestyles changes I am making in my life to prioritize my health.
#1 Wim Hof Method – Breathing exercises & cold showers
The Wim Hof method is a combination of breathing exercises and gradual exposure to cold that can help you regulate stress levels. This method was created by Wim Hof who is known as the Iceman for breaking world records withstanding freezing temperatures.
I’ve been doing the Wim Hof Method (WHM) – consisting of breathing exercises and taking 30 second cold showers – for the past few weeks. The Wim Hof method has been a game changer in my routine! I feel more energized, focused and confident.

Practicing the WHM has made me realize how important breathing deeply is for our well being. Deep breathing has been shown to improve immunity, increase energy, decrease stress, reduce inflammation and so much more.

Cold showers have been shown to increase endorphins and improve circulation. Another benefit of the cold showers is that you are forcing and conquering an uncomfortable situation first thing in the morning.
The cold shower is a reminder that I can and should take on new challenges. After all, challenging ourselves is how we grow.
If you are interested in learning more about the Wim Hof Method, I highly recommend doing more research on the Wim Hof Method.
#2 Taking consistent social media breaks
If you haven’t noticed, I took a month off of social media and the blog. It was the best and I highly recommend it.
I was already a couple of weeks into my social media cleanse when I watched The Social Dilemma and that sealed the deal that we need to limit our social media presence for our health.

Social media is full of information and this can be great but at the same time it can clutter our minds with too much information.
Take a break once in a while or at least turn off your notifications so you can have more mental space for a creative project, more time with family, self care, or whatever makes you happy.
#4 Reading one book per month
Improving my attention span is my next goal.
When I was in school, I always had a nose in a book. I loved to read. I still do but my attention span has certainly decreased. Part of the problem is I am used to rapid and constant flow of information from social media.

In order to improve my attention span I plan on reading one book per month. For the month of January I am reading the Wim Hof Method.
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite non-fiction and fiction books are.
#3 Prioritizing sleep
I recently listened to Joe Rogan podcast with sleep expert and neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker and they discussed why sleep is important. Here’s an excellent overview of the podcast episode.
Here are some of the things I learned:
- all stages of sleep are important
- “Sleep is the greatest legal performance enhancing drug that most people are probably neglecting” because your brain replays memory sequences 20x faster than when you are awake
- During sleep make new connections from old and new information we learn while awake
- we need 7 to 9 hours of sleep
- and most shockingly, the amount of sleep correlates with the longevity of one’s life, the more sleep you get, the longer your life.

I have always loved my sleep but after listening to this podcast I realize how important it is. I’ve been taking steps to make sure I getting the best sleep possible like going to sleep at the same time, turning off electronics an hour before bed, and going to sleep earlier to get 8 hours of sleep.
#5 Improving Gut Health
Study findings suggest that “gut bacteria may be the key to preventing or treating some diseases”.
Here is my plan to improve my family’s gut bacteria:
- incorporate more probiotics food in our diet ( kefir, fermented vegetables, kabocha)
- taking Organic Olivia’s probiotics
- adding more diverse vegetables in every meal
- Consuming bone broth daily

#6 Switching over to Clean Skincare
Having my baby has made more conscious of the products I put on my skin. After he was born, I stopped wearing makeup daily and only wear it when I go into the office or on special occasions. But now that I will be going back to work full time, I need to find a better alternative for skincare and makeup.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments below what your favorite clean skin care and makeup products are.

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