Home environment: is yours hurting or helping?
Does your home environment work for you or against you? I recently moved to a new apartment and learned firsthand how the home environment greatly impacts both mental and physical health.
You can read more about the apartment that I manifested here.
Today, I wanted to dive deeper into how to create a space that works FOR you.
Within my health coaching practice, I coach my clients on nutrition and beyond. I talk a lot about primary food which is the food that fuels you off the plate. Primary food can be your career, friendships, physical movement, home cooking, finances, creativity, and of course, home environment.
I believe that if you’re greatly dissatisfied with multiple aspects of your primary food then your nutritional choices are impacted.
For example, say you have clutter everywhere in your home, your kitchen is disorganized, you have minimal natural light, poor air filtration, and you wake up every morning unmotivated to work toward your goals.
Likely, this environment is not going to encourage you to feel confident making home-cooked meals, exercise, or create routines in which you’re able to thrive.
Now picture a clean and organized living space, a bright and welcoming kitchen, natural light flowing in, great airflow and filtration, plants surrounding your space, and a diffuser running with uplifting essential oils.
Can you agree with me that you’re more likely to wake up every morning excited to tackle the day? Excited to complete your morning routine and cook a nourishing meal?
Do you see how primary food is just as important as the food on your plate (also known as secondary food), and how solely focusing on nutrition isn’t always the answer to living a sustainable lifestyle for long-term health?
The goal is to create a space that is supporting your health journey. A space that is organized and clutter-free, allowing you to feel excited to cook meals, meditate, create routines, and feel confident in consistently sticking to them.
Where in your current space could you improve?
Use some of my tips below to help create a space in which you’re able to thrive!
Fill your home with houseplants- indoor plants are a great way to purify your air, boost your mood, improve your health, and sharpen your focus. If you’re like me and BARELY have a green thumb some plants that require little watering and attention are pothos, snake plants, ZZ plants, aglaonema, rubber plants, and succulents.
Clean and de-clutter- I like to say a cluttered space = a cluttered brain. Keeping a clean home has wonderful health benefits, both physically and mentally. Take a little time each day to pick up after yourself, you'll get in a bit of movement and allow yourself the mental space to focus on your passions. Pick a space once a week to do a deep de-clutter! Ideas to start are your closet, a dresser, your desk, a kitchen drawer, your laundry space, etc.
Diffuse essential oils or light scented soy candles- Scents have a wonderful way of bringing up memories and provide us with mental benefits. Soy candles are recommended because they burn cleaner, preventing toxins and pollutants from being emitted into the air. Diffusing doTerra essential oils have endless benefits and are less harmful long term! My favorite oil combo for an energizing and uplifting aroma is wild orange and peppermint.
Create a cozy sleep space- sleep is vitally important to your health. Create a space that is cozy, warm, and inviting. Block out any light while you're sleeping and, in the morning, take time to make your bed. These simple steps can improve the quality of your sleep, which directly affects your overall health and vitality. I recommend getting a standard alarm clock and leaving your phone out of the bedroom.
Organize your pantry- keeping your kitchen and pantry in order will encourage more cooking at home and you enjoy spending time in your kitchen. A fun way to organize your pantry is with clear, glass containers, fun labels, and baskets. Not only does this look aesthetically pleasing, but you will be more aware of the groceries you have and what you need to use!
In my next blog post, I will be talking about everything healthy home detox! Unfortunately our home can quickly become extremely toxic from the products we clean with to the products we cook with. Check back later to learn more!