A List of Good Habits for Joy and Energy
A pewter sky threatens rain, and I stand at the window as the little one calls from the living room. He wants to know what we’re doing for fun today. I’ve been deliberately turning to my mental list of good habits daily, and I decide on a trip to the woods.
“Let’s head to the creek,” I declare, and within minutes, we’re strolling down the road.
“Better hurry up. It might rain, Mom,” he urges.
“A little rain won’t hurt us,” I tell sweet Aiden. He makes a comment about melting, and we both laugh.
Much to our delight, the rain holds off. We spend an hour throwing rocks into the creek and driving his toy trucks through the sand. The forest is quiet and smells like damp leaves and soil. It smells alive and free, and I feel nourished and blessed.
Tiny spatterings of rain have just started falling as we make our way home and sit by the window with our lunches. As the raindrops race down the windowpane, I consider the rhythms of this day and the other rhythms that are helping me connect with God, enjoy my life, and overcome stress.
A List of Good Habits for Joy and Energy
If you’d like to add to your list of good habits for greater joy and energy, here’s a quick look at the habits that are bringing me life these days.
1. Refuse to hurry.
The healthiest rhythm I have found throughout the past few years is the rhythm of the un-rushed life. A few years ago, I decided to quit hurrying, and this commitment has transformed my life. I am far less stressed. I’m attentive to the presence of God with me as well as the presence of others. I snap at my kids far less often. Peace abounds in my life.
If you often find yourself in a hurry, consider fasting from hurrying for one day or one week. You might be surprised by the change you see in your life.
2. Cultivate gratitude.
God invites us to enjoy the people he has placed in our lives, the homes in which we live, the food he gives us to eat, and the work of our hands.
I’m learning to slow down and enjoy my children’s shining blue eyes and freckled noses. I’m learning to pull off along the road to admire sunsets and pick wildflowers. The gifts surround us.
If you’re looking to add to your list of good habits, find a practical way to cultivate gratitude. You might start an ongoing gratitude list, snap photos of beautiful scenes on your phone, or start a habit of thanking God for one good gift before you get out of bed every morning.
3. Spend time in nature.
Time in nature restores the body and the soul. Science supports these claims, with studies showing that time in nature reduces sympathetic nerve activity, improves immune functioning, and even decreases stress hormones.
Even a ten-minute walk beneath open skies can be helpful. For more on spending time in nature (ideas as well as benefits), join me right here.
4. Fuel your body wisely.
It’s easy to eat on the go without taking time to think about the fuel we’re putting into our bodies. There’s nothing wrong with occasional fast food or a serving of junk food from time to time, but our bodies need good fuel to run efficiently.
I’m learning to be more deliberate about the fuel I put into my body. I carry healthy snacks like nuts and protein bars in the car so that I avoid unhealthy impulse purchases when feeling hungry. Our bodies thrive on healthy rhythms when it comes to the food we eat. By creating healthy food rhythms, we eliminate decision fatigue and create structure that provides freedom from obsession over food.
Most days, my healthy food rhythms include four small meals per day. Each meal is similar from day to day. I eat similar ratios of proteins, carbs, and fats from one day to the next, and this rhythm helps my body function and feel well. It also frees me from obsessive thoughts about what I’m going to eat and when I’m going to eat it. When I eat in this way, food is a gift to enjoy and not an idol that consumes me.
5. End your day with a bedtime routine.
In my previous post, I wrote about morning routines that set our days up for success (read it here).
Similarly, ending the day with a consistent routine sets us up for peaceful rest and a better tomorrow.
Consider ending your day with the same routine every day. For me, this includes reading the Bible, reading a book that challenges me to grow in my faith, and talking to God before drifting off to sleep. Ending the day with this routine helps me process any wounds from the day, sleep deeply, and wake feeling rested.
Here are a few more ideas to add to your list of good habits.
6. Drink more water throughout the day.
To figure out how much water you should be drinking, divide your body weight in half. This is the number of ounces you should drink, at minimum, each day.
7. Spend time with people who fill you up.
Most of us have friends who drain us as well as friends who fill us with life. Aim to spend time with people who fill you with life often.
8. Refresh yourself by refreshing others.
Proverbs 11:25 reminds us that those who refresh others are refreshed in the process. Find someone to encourage or love every day. You might send a quick text, send a card in the mail, compliment a stranger, hold a door for someone, or do a chore for someone in your home.
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