20150429_0647281You’re hit with a whole lot of health and wellness advice every day, and it can get really confusing. Like, overwhelming. Even if you don’t sign up for it, just walking down the street or talking to a friend can lead you into the advice vortex.

You know, that thing where everyone’s telling you what to do and you have no idea what’s actually healthy for you and best for your unique body. You’re left wondering if you’re doing everything wrong and you should just eat double fudge brownies all day and lay on the beach.

What if you just had a few guiding principles that had nothing to do with food or precise behaviors? What if you could feel pretty calm and at ease no matter what you eat or how you decide to move (or not move) your body?

I spend plenty of time talking about practical tools you can choose to use to upgrade your physical, mental, and emotional health, but today it’s all about the broad principles you can always rely on no matter how crazy and hectic things get. Because sometimes shit hits the fan, and you still want to feel fantastic at the end of the day – not frantic and like a failure.

Yesterday during my Wholly Shift* session, these five principles came to life and sprang out of my pen onto my notebook. They’re the things I live by but can’t always articulate because they’re so second nature. The natural mental frames that keep me sane, happy and healthy through my busy, beautiful days of work and play.

1. Focus. The one thing that will make you feel most productive is focusing on what you’re doing 100%, no matter what it is. If you’re doing a work project, of course you want to focus so you feel responsible, productive, and smart. But even if you’re watching a movie, you want to absorb it fully, not be checking your phone and left feeling scattered when the credits start rolling.

2. Do less. When you trim your to do list down you end up feeling a lot more intentional and aligned with your beliefs and goals. Learn to get rid of what you don’t really need to do, and to delegate things that someone else could do at an equal or better level than you. My favorite thing to delegate is my laundry – hello Fly Cleaners, I love you.

3. Actively listen. You know what’s really mean and draining? When you’re “having a conversation” with someone but you’re actually running through your to do list in your head, or worse, looking over their shoulder to see who else is coming along who you might want to talk to. Trust that whatever interaction you’re having has true value and is exactly where you should be at that moment. And if it’s totally not, politely exit, but don’t zone out.

4. Stop caring what other people think. When you start caring about what other people think about how you dress, talk or act, you lose your power and magnetism. You will never be able to please everyone, so set the intention to please yourself and connect with the people who adore you. There are plenty of them. Don’t dilute your you-ness because a handful of people are ticked off by it. There are millions of people in the world.

5. Be you. It might sound trite, but there’s only one you, love. No one else has your exact skill set, charisma, and it factor. Trust your instincts and be yourself in each moment. Otherwise, what’s the point? Acting as another person is the least sustainable thing ever and one of the quickest ways to drain your essence and dilute your value.

Which one of these guiding principles is most helpful for you? Do you already live by some of these? What other guidelines do you live by? What helps you stay grounded?

Share below which principle is most beneficial for you and how you’ll use it in your daily actions.

*By the way, if Wholly Shift is screaming your name, I can hook you up with a big discount. Leave a comment below or shoot me an email at lula@lulab.tv and we’ll talk about whether or not it’s right for you.