Wake Up Earlier

Trust me, I value my sleep just as much as I value my close friends. It's sacred.

On a real note, waking up earlier you allow yourself to have a longer day. The sun is up an hour earlier, which means you might have to switch your afternoon yoga to the morning if you still want to make time for your daily tasks. By waking up closer to when the sun wakes up the earth, you allow your mind to have a moment of peace. You can brew your coffee and listen to your favorite music or just the birds. The morning has a sense of calmness that cannot be put into words. Allow yourself to feel blessed by the new day, and feel the power of knowing the outcome of it is in your hands. Try it for yourself - set your alarm 30 minutes earlier tomorrow. Give yourself time to wake up, and stretch. Pay attention to how your body feels. Who knows, you might find yourself becoming a morning person.

Exercise More Often & Outside

Vitamin D is a powerful thing. During this time of year, is it common for people to develop seasonal depression due to the lack of light. If this sounds familiar, try giving yourself a little bit of your own light therapy. Skip the gym, and hit the local park. Go for a run or a long walk with your dog or friend. Pay attention to your surroundings and the feeling of crisp air hitting your lungs. Exercising releases endorphins, which are your brain's natural chemical to fight pain and help you "feel good" all around.

If the gym isn't your favorite form of exercise, try doing yoga. Ditch the dark studio, and instead try a beach, park, or an outdoor class.

Exercise doesn't have to be machines and weights. For me, the fall makes me think back to soccer games when I was younger. Try getting your friends together to play a game of soccer, flag football, or baseball. If this interests you and you are a former athlete, think back to your athletic workouts. Try setting up stations and drills. You might realize how out of shape you've gotten since then, but you're sure to have fun doing them again.

Make Time For Self Care

Although self-care may sound like something to easily dismiss, it is extremely important. No one else is going to make time to care for you. If you don't make it a priority for yourself, down the road you mind find yourself wondering when you gained the extra pounds, got so uptight, stressed, depressed, etc.

Schedule self-care into your day and make it a priority. If you can't find the time, make time. Put down the phone and use that extra 20 minutes wisely. Hold yourself accountable for this or no one will.

Self-care is whatever you define it as. It may be a bath with essential oils and candles to soak away the stress. Perhaps, it's taking 20 minutes to rest and recharge your brain. Paint your toes, listen to your favorite podcast, or read a book. Whatever it is, do something for you and only yourself with no distractions.

Organize

Our space and how we organize it is one thing we do have control of. Throwing clothes on the floor, not setting up your room, or not bringing empty cups to the dishwasher only bring more torment to your brain. I usually say to my friends "how I feel about my life is usually reflected in how my room looks." It's true - if my life feels chaotic and out of control, I will avoid the mess, the room, and the chaos altogether. However, this is not a healthy way to deal with your problems. By facing your life head-on, you can diminish your anxiety.

Cleaning up and organizing allows you to sort out your "funk" and take out your emotions on the Swiffer instead of others. This doesn't mean you have to deep clean every day. Just try a little every day; clean as you go. You'll begin to find more comfort in your space, and inspired to do more.

Become Goal-Oriented

Try to view your life as a journey. Every day can be a journey, which all end with goals. Try to set goals for yourself every day, every week, every month, and so forth. Once you achieve them, make another. These goals should be for your personal growth and well being. Never stop trying to become a better, happier, successful person.

By doing this, you create intrinsic motivation to work towards your "purpose." It keeps the mind busy, it keeps you working for a higher purpose; whatever that may be.