Start your 2023 with 31 Days of Consciousness
31 Days of Conscious Choices
This blog is a list of 31 different things you can try this month to start your year off that are tried and true. Do I do these every day? No. But if I’ve learned anything in my life is by starting to make more and more conscious choices in your life, they easier they start to shift into your life naturally. Baby steps lead to big shifts, I promise you ✨
Schedule your workouts in advance. Every Sunday I look at my calendar for the week and make sure I find time to workout as many times that week as I’d like.
Commit to no alcohol for at least 30 days.
Start your day with hot water and lemon before you drink anything else.
Do not look at your phone for the first 30-60 minutes of your day. I promise after a few weeks of this you will not reach for your phone first thing in the morning and it will change your life!
Make your own breakfast. If you need some inspiration check out this blog post!
Make your own coffee at home and use a travel mug. This is how I make my own coffee daily. You will save so much money doing this and protect our environment. According to Earthday.org it is estimated that the US alone throws away 50 BILLION cups a year.
Stop looking at your phone 1 hour before bed each night. Set up a “sleep focus” on your phone. This will automatically turn your phone on night mode every night and automatically set your alarm for the next day. This has really helped me in so many ways.
Meditate for 10 minutes daily. I prefer meditating before bed as it helps me unwind, relax my mind, and fall asleep. I love the Insight Timer App and this “Breathing into Sleep” meditation is one of my favorites.
Pack a salad for lunch, daily. Having salad for lunch most days is a habit that has changed my energy, digestion, nutrition and so much more. I alternate between bringing Sakara (life changing nutrition if you ask me - use xoAPP at checkout for 20% off your first order!) and making my own salads. Check out my current favorite winter inspired salad here!
Taking Magnesium at bedtime. Most people are magnesium deficient. Magnesium helps prevent cramping, helps you feel more calm, go to the bathroom easier, and sleep better. I love the “Calm” pills by Arrae because you can get them on subscription and they travel easy.
Take a bath. The positive effects of heat on our bodies are becoming more and more prevalent. I love a sauna but a bath is basically free, and you probably have one. It is also one of my favorite ways to relax at the end of the day.
Start your day with 20 minutes of exercise. I know this isn’t always possible, it’s not for me either. But starting your day a few times a week with exercise you’ll be starting your day on such a strong and positive note.
Swap out extra coffee for tea or kombucha. I cannot live with out coffee. But too much can disturb your sleep, cause anxiety, dehydrate you, and more. By swapping for tea or kombucha (I love GT’s Kombucha) you’ll be serving your gut and yourself something much more beneficial.
Start your day with a green juice. Having a green juice before I eat breakfast has been game changing for my energy, my digestion, and more. It’s important to always drink a green juice on an empty stomach (and wait 30 minutes or so to eat after) so it doesn’t ferment. My favorite combo is lemon, ginger, tumeric, celery, cucumber, and dandelion greens - you can read all about my go-to combo and tips here.
Commit yourself to one regenerative workout a week. Not every workout has to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. The beauty of a regenerative workout is that it will work you out but also help it recover from other workouts, life, and prepare you to get more out of future workouts. Be sure to use the filter tool in my On Demand Library to find all of the regenerative workouts in my library!
Make yourself a sheet pan dinner. There is nothing better than a homemade dinner, and even better is one that takes literally one pan. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out my ever growing Sheet Pan Dinner Guide!
When you can, get outside at sunrise. Seeing the sun first thing in the morning is the best thing you can do for your circadian rhythm which means better sleep that night. I have learned a lot about this from Dr. Hubberman - I highly recommend his podcast for ways to upgrade your life.
Use blue light blocking glasses. I invested in a pair years ago and love them. I use them as much as I can during the day and if I use any device at night I definitely put them on to not set myself back when I’m ready to fall to sleep.
Journal before bed. I love doing this because it’s a great way to get your thoughts out before you go to sleep. I use a real journal and not my phone because I try to limit my usage before bed as much as I can.
Cut out refined sugar as much as you can. There are so many ways to limit, substitute and more. For example, I use maple syrup in my coffee. Bake/cook with maple syrup, coconut sugar or honey. This chocolate pudding is delicious and uses coconut sugar instead of regular. The biggest thing you’ll gain from this is that you’ll quit craving sugar, stabilize your blood sugar, but still be able to enjoy some sweets.
Use an amber light to read at night. An amber light will help you to see when reading at night but won’t disrupt your circadian rhythm. We love this light and what’s great is that you charge it so it doesn’t require batteries.
Dry brush your skin before the shower. Dry brushing is a great way to exfoliate dead skin and detoxify/stimulate your lymph system which is essential for optimal health. It’s energizing and a great way to wake yourself up. I love this brush - all you do is starting at your feet work up your body brushing towards your heart. It takes about 3 minutes and really makes a big difference.
Use a neti pot to clear out your sinuses. I’ve been doing neti pot (I love this ceramic one)for over a decade and attribute it to staying healthy, keeping allergies at bay, and recovering faster from upper respiratory infections. I boil water (a must to clean out any potential bacteria), let it cool, put in this specific neti salt, and then use it at the end of my shower after my sinuses have had time to soften from the steam. You tip your head to one side, pour in the water and let it fall out the other side, repeat until the water is gone. Blow your nose between sides. I promise you this will make you feel amazing and is truly a non negotiable in my morning!!
Clean out your closet. Organizing, cleaning out, and donating is so cathartic. I have a rule, unless it is something timeless you only use occasionally (such as an evening bag) if after a year or so you haven’t worn it, thought about it, etc. it’s time to get rid of it. I do a mix of donating to Goodwill, consigning, and passing on to others (great for old baby gear). There will always be new stuff to buy, I promise you! Personally, I prefer to have a few nice things than lots of stuff. I like to wear things on repeat and then move on when they’re worn out.
Upgrade your water. Water is essential to our health. But sometimes plain water is boring. I love the following combos which are especially great if you’re looking to have something other than water at a cocktail party, or in the afternoon for a pick me up that isn’t caffienated. Ice water and lemon, lemon and cucumber, lemon and a sprig of mint, lime and ginger slices, and Sakara’s Energy Effervescents (be sure to use xoAPP at checkout for 20% off!)
Eat a vegetarian dinner. Each week I try to make our family 1-2 vegetarian dinners and make one day a week all vegetarian. This way I really get in a variety of plants every week. There are endless studies about the more food variety we eat, the more bio diverse our gut will be and therefore our overall system benefits. Here are some of my favorite vegetarian meals: Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas with Hot Honey, Veggie Loaded Enchiladas, and White Bean and Kale Tomato Soup.
Bring your own shopping bag. Seriously, even now that plastic bags are not allowed in NYC, there’s still a lot of waste happening here with the new bag alternatives. I almost always carry a tote bag with me and opt to carry my own stuff than take a bag. If I may suggest, opt for my handy tote found in my shop!
Put your legs up the wall at the end of the day for 10 minutes. This is a great way to unwind, improve your circulation, rest your nervous system, calm your mind and more. I do this almost nightly and something I look forward to!
Roll out your feet with a ball. Feet health is essential to how you walk, and truly how the rest of your body moves. Really any ball can do but this set from Melt Method is our favorite (my husband loves them too!).
Do a cold plunge, shower, bath, or cryo. There are numerous benefits to cold therapy for your health, energy and recovery. I personally have incorporated cyro into my life about once a month and have been frequenting the ocean too this fall/winter (going for a cold plunge later today as it’s a great way to start the New Year!).
After a month of conscious choices and incorporating some new habits into your daily life treat yourself to a massage, spa, etc! If you live in NYC like I do, I love going to Eastside Massage as it’s reasonably priced and nothing fancy which means you can go more often!
Thank you for reading! I hope you feel inspired and by the end of this month some changes in how you feel inside and out! Wishing you a healthy and happy 2023!
xx, Ashley