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Happy Sunday Reader!
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When it comes to building healthy habits as self-care, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by all of the changes. So often, people decide to make changes to get healthy all at once. Pretty soon, they realize that these massive lifestyle shifts are unsustainable and revert back to their previous habits and lifestyle.

If you have been in this place, it is ok! Don't be hard on yourself as if you "failed". Learn from this experiment, and make future changes more sustainable. My favorite way to make sustainable healthy changes in my life is doing it one at a time. I pick a new habit or change I want to start, and break it down into simple steps I can implement in my life with minimal effort.

Here are my two favorite tips that help me add small changes to my life to improve my healthy habits and self-care.

Self care tip.....

Pick one small change and master it-The reason most lifestyle changes fail is because people make radical changes or a bunch of changes all at once. Uplifting your life and routine will almost always result in failing to keep up the new routine. Start with a single, change that you can make to existing habits you already have in place. If you want to become more flexible, start by stretching your shoulders every morning when you are brushing your teeth. Once you have added that habit in and been consistently doing it for 3-4 weeks, then look to add in another habit like stretching your back before you get into bed each night.

Practice self-compassion- Building new habits is always difficult. There is a layer of resistance that you have break through to make the habit a routine part of your life. Failure is a big part of building a new routine and that is ok! Just because a habit doesn't work, doesn't mean you are a failure! If you find yourself struggling with a habit, pause and re-evaluate. Maybe the timing isn't right, or you need to break the habit into smaller parts to start? Approach it with curiosity, rather than feelings of blame, shame, and failure.

I have found that adding a new healthy habit is often easier than completely quitting an unhealthy habit. What has your experience been?

Etsy Find of the week.....

I recently needed to replace a ring and found a fun and exciting jewelry maker on Etsy that I wanted to share with you! Emma Perry is the creator behind SilverRainSilver. She is making some amazing hand made jewelry from her shop in Glasgow Scotland. I found so many pieces I wanted, but I had to budget myself to just replace the ring!

For all the horse lovers out there, check out this delicate snaffle bit necklace!

This super simple X- ring was the one I wanted! I love the fun design and flat surface so I don't get it caught on anything!

I took these penguin earrings in and out of my cart about 5 times before checking out! They are so fun!

If you are looking for some fun and budget friendly jewelry for yourself or a gift, SilverRainSilver is a great place to start!

Upcoming week intention......

What is one small positive change you want to make in your life? Think through one part of that change and make a plan to add a single habit to your day or week that moves you towards this positive change.

Weekly good news to share.....

July 29th we celebrated Global Tiger Day and we have some great tiger news to share! Studies of the tiger population in Nepal is showing amazing growth, up 40% from the population in 2015! There have been tremendous efforts by conservation agencies, the Nepal Government, and non-profits to take critical steps to ensure the future of the amazing animals! Definitely some good news to celebrate!

Featured blog post of the week......

This small changes idea is more than just for self-care and health. It also is a fundamental part of growing your wealth over the long term. Learn how you can do this and set yourself up for future wealth success!

One thing I am loving this week.....

One habit I have recently added to my life and have stuck with for about 3 weeks, has been spending a few minutes each day in the "legs up the wall" position. I started seeing it everywhere on social media and wanted to use it as a stretch for my tight calves and hamstring muscles from sitting at a desk too many hours each day! But, I found much more benefit than just stretching my legs.

Setting a timer on my phone for 15 minutes, then placing it out of arms reach, gives me 15 minutes of peace and quiet each day. I find this time lets my brain wander and think about what is bothering me, and even allows me to quiet my brain to focus on taking a few deep breaths. Yes, the first few days were painfully long, but now I look forward to the quiet time!

​Benefits of this position include:​

• improving circulation
• calms your nervous system
• reduces stress and anxiety
• relieve tension and fatigue in the feet and legs
• stretching your back and shoulders

So, this one small choice to lie on the ground and put my legs up the wall, brings me peace and a host of health benefits every day! Sounds like a successful small change that makes a big impact!

Katie

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