My personal guide to happiness, health, and freedom
My personal guide to happiness, health, and freedom
I wrote this for myself, but thought I might as well make it public because I could see it being helpful for some people. This is how I live when I am functioning at peak happiness, health, and freedom. These are the basic elements to way of living. It could seem rigorous but most of it is simply my way of being so it takes little perceived work. I write it down though to keep a constant reminder of how I want my days, weeks, and months to look. I find that when things are on paper and physically in front of me, they are much more real. It’s not an all inclusive list though, as some things that come completely natural to me are not included such as an abundance of adventure and travel.
I highly encourage you to do something like this. I’ve been doing this for many years and it is in a large part what has lead to me having achieved my dreams of who I want to be. It is often changing a little here and a little there, but mostly my list has been the same since graduating from University 5 years ago. When I’m really functioning at my highest level I have this list printed out and stuck to my fridge, and I have a daily checklist to keep myself on track.
Anyway here it is. I hope it helps you to be the you that you want to be, and does not bore you.
Food
Eat unpackaged, unprocessed, organic food. Eat a simple diet
Be present with my food. Chew 30 times each bite. Appreciate. Taste
Get the bulk of my fruits and veggies from dumpster diving
Take a swig of apple cider vinegar three times daily
Drink ample amounts of pure water
Make lots of fresh pressed juice and drink it
Eat for a greater purpose than pleasure but by all means take pleasure in my food
Morning Ritual
Wake around 7:00
Rinse mouth with coconut oil
Take a swig of apple cider vinegar
Brush my teeth and floss
Drink 16 ounces of water to kickstart digestion
Go outside to breathe fresh air and stretch for at least 5 minutes
Make a fresh juice or make oatmeal
Wait at least 30 minutes before turning on electronic gadgets
Bedtime Ritual
Turn off all screens by 9:00 (exceptions for documentaries)
Do not eat after 9:00
Get in bed by 10:00 for 8 to 9 hours of sleep at least 5 nights per week
Read a book or cuddle before sleeping
Keep computer and cell out of sleeping area
Physical Body
Exercise daily- either 10 miles biking, 2 miles running, 1/2 mile swimming, Yoga, or any physical activity
Take a dip in the ocean daily
Meditate for at least 5 minutes (aim to expand this greatly)
Practice good back posture
Connection to computer/ phone
Have a four hour portion of each day where both the computer and phone are off
Leave my phone at home most of the time
Take at least two full days off of these gadgets each week
Spend a maximum of 8 hours on the computer on work days unless I’m only using it a few days that week
Nature
Spend a good portion of every day outside for ample fresh air, natural light, and keeping my body keep to the outdoors
Go camping at least once per month
Explore new bike rides and hikes nearby every week
Garden at the community garden twice per week
Service
Volunteer with non-profits monthly
Live in the service of others and the earth
Productivity
Write two blogs or stories per week
Make progress on my short term projects, and my long term projects
Continue activism in the forefront, and behind the scenes
Resource Consciousness
Use no more than 5-10 gallons of water per day
Use minimal electricity
Create near zero trash and recycling. Compost everything I can no matter where I am
Bike everywhere, use Car2go when I need to, and avoid gas powered vehicles when feasible
Spend very little money on myself
Keep the place I am inhabiting clean and organized
Knowledge and Experiences
Learn daily via reading, documentaries, and hands on experiences,
Learn to finally sing and dance
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Live simple. Live free. Follow my gut. Know no boundaries. Be kind. Enjoy.