Your feelings follow your focus. When you’re focused on the negative, you will feel negative. On the other hand, when we focus on the positives in our lives, we feel better. Your focus also follows your feelings, which can then lead to a feedback loop that can be positive or negative.

Challenge Yourself:

Write down three things that went well today and why they went well. Share these positive thoughts with a family member or friend.

Getting adequate sleep can always feel like a challenge. But we need to prioritize sleep, considering we spend about a third of our lives sleeping. It does not take long for a lack of sleep to start to impact our health. This includes decreased response times, decreased performance, and increased moodiness. Chronic sleep dysfunction increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.

Challenge Yourself:

Avoid use of screens and electronics for at least one hour prior to bedtime. Try reading a book, taking a bath, meditating, or listening to calming music.

Even though stress is an unavoidable part of life, how we think about it and how we respond to it makes the difference in how it impacts our self care and health. The stress response is a cascade of physiological events that can lead to improved health and productivity, or to anxiety, depression, obesity, immune dysfunction, and poor health outcomes.

Challenge Yourself:

Get outside and get your body moving for at least 30 minutes each day, or take 10 minutes each day to sit in silence to meditate or be mindful.

We are wired to connect with others through feelings. We truly are social beings, and need to be connected with others to be emotionally well. Research shows that positive relationships are key to our well-being, and are as important to living a long life as not smoking!

Challenge Yourself:

Do something intentional each day to show someone in your social network that you care for them. Give someone a genuine compliment, share a meal with someone, or have an authentic honest conversation with a friend.

Research overwhelmingly shows that movement and exercise is beneficial for health. It can make us happier and more emotionally resilient. Even a single bout of exercise for 10 minutes can improve mood. Regular movement has been shown to be as powerful as antidepressant medications and without any of the nasty side effects.

Challenge Yourself:

Be active moving your body in some way for at least 30 minutes each day. Take a walk, go for a bike ride, do some resistance training, or work in your yard — exposure to natural settings has been shown to be emotionally uplifting.

What we put into our bodies each day dramatically impacts our health and well-being. Our bodies are complex machines that function best when we provide them with quality fuel. Unfortunately, all too often in our modern world we are feeding our bodies convenient, processed junk food, with way too much salt, sugar, protein and fat, and a lack of water, fiber, and other nutrients.

Challenge Yourself:

Every day, try to consume eight or more servings of whole foods: vegetables, fruits, legumes/beans, whole grains.

• A serving size is roughly the size of your fist.
• Foods should be consumed as close as possible to their natural form.
• Prepare and share a plant-based meal with family or friends.