7 Steps To Become A Healthier Version Of Yourself

Over the last couple of years, there is a BUNCH of things I’ve tried to become a healthier version of myself. I love to get better than I was yesterday. 

I’m not competitive in the sense that I want to be better than others. I am striving towards becoming the best version of myself without comparing myself with anyone else. 

I found that these 7 things helped me a lot in my process to become a healthier version of myself. It can be hard to focus on the right things. 

This article is basically me telling myself what I should focus on a day-to-day basis, which I hope can inspire you to do the same. 

BUT: these are my personal best practices for my health and my finances, that doesn’t mean that this is the same for you. Take from this list what you like and speak to you and leave the rest. 

If you have anything to add to this list, I’d love to try out new things & please let me know below in the comments!

7 Things To Become A Healthier Version Of Yourself

1. Spend More Time Outside

What I’ve noticed over the last years, is that I am a lot happier and I have a lot fewer migraines if I spend enough time outside. 

When I’m working, I’m focusing on walking during my lunchbreak with my colleagues. If I’m coming home from work, I go for a walk outside or I go to the gym. 

In the winter it’s harder for me to be outside, I really need to force myself when it’s cold. Mostly what I’m doing is going directly after I’ve had dinner – when I’m all relaxed on the couch after dinner there is no way I’m getting up. 

Once I’m outside it’s really great, I love the movement and the low-impact it has on my body. It’s something that I’m trying to do 2-3x per week when I don’t work out. 

A great way to get in some exercise is running, which I absolutely love once I’ve started. I’m the kind of person who needs A LOT of motivation before I’m actually going outside, especially when it’s cold. 

Once I started, I totally love it and I feel extremely satisfied when I’m back. 

At this time I’m at my mini-retirement and I’m outside all day every day. I love to soak in nature, be outside, and enjoy the beautiful views I see along the way. 

2. Spend More Time In Silence

Before I used to listen to voice messages, podcasts, or music whenever I was outside walking or running. I’m getting more conscious about my consumption of these kinds of media now.

My day before: I got up and listened to videos while I got ready, listened to the radio when I’m driving to work, listened to podcasts or music when I’m not having meetings, I listened to podcasts when I’m getting back from work, and watching YouTube videos at night. 

It never really ended. I was constantly consuming all kinds of media. My brain didn’t get any time to think for itself. 

I am convinced our brain has so much intelligence and creativity inherently there, but you have to be quiet enough to actually listen to what it has to say. 

Around the time I started my blog, I radically changed my routine. I started to get up at 6 am, meditate in the morning, starting doing affirmations daily, and generally tried to be more still. 

At work, I’m not constantly working with music anymore. Only when I can’t focus because of all the noise, go open workplaces! 

When I’m walking or running outside, I’m doing that without headphones or even my cell phone. I have a smartwatch that tracks my movements with built-in GPS, so I see no need in taking it. 

I noticed that I overall get happier, more chill, more productive, and more creative.

It’s great to know that you can rely on yourself. That you can create and think without any outside influence, and that it actually gets better when you only listen to yourself. 

3. Drink More Water

I don’t know about you, but I get such terrible headaches when I forget to drink enough water in a day! 

When I used to get home from work, I would have these terrible headaches that would trigger a migraine at times. When I noticed that the cause was me not drinking enough water, my mind was blown!

This one is so incredibly easy, it’s just something you need to remember. 

The one thing that I do to drink more water: put your bottle of water on your desk. That way you’ll remember more easily to drink water when you’re doing your thing. 

Also a tip to avoid headaches, avoid coffee! I quit drinking coffee a while ago and I noticed such a big difference in my mood, my energy level, and my headache. 

So remember: get to your 2 liters per day and instantly become a healthier version of yourself!

4. Eat More Healthy Things

I am in that awesome age where I can eat a pint of ice cream for dinner and still fit in my pants. 

But eating unhealthy stuff just because it tastes good in the moment, will make me extremely fatigued afterward. 

I just can’t handle a big dose of sugar and I get a sugar low almost instantly. I feel sluggish, slow, can’t focus, sleepy, and I am generally feeling meh. 

Every once in a while I have this period where I eat too much crap and I feel like crap – it’s a cycle that is very hard to break. Especially when there are sweets at work, I cannot help but go there after 3 pm. 

I need to remember myself that the body is doing incredible things, but that I need nutrients to support that. So: more veggies, less Ben & Jerry’s.

5. The Best Place To Cut Your Budget Is Things You Don’t Care About

Whenever I have to trim in my budget, it’s easy to go directly to non-essential items like festivals and holidays. These areas are waaayy easier to cut compared to housing and electricity. 

However, I LOVE going to festivals and I LOVE going on holidays. It’s what makes me happy, it’s what makes my heart sing, and it’s something I completely don’t mind spending money on. 

That doesn’t mean that I’m going to every festival and spending money like crazy on any holiday. I am mindfull of my spending wherever I go – that’s how I get to save over 50% of my income. 

The things is, I don’t care so much about housing or about a TV. So I looked for alternatives to cable TV – spoiler alert: I live without TV at the moment. Besides that, I live in a humble 160 square foot apartment that is costing me 280 EUR per month. 

If you want to save more money to financially become a healthier version of yourself:

• How I Spend Under $70 Per Month On Groceries
• A No Spend Challenge Guide – How To Succeed
• What I Learned From My First No Spend Challenge

6. Make More Hard Decisions

It is hard to make decisions. Especially if those decisions don’t NEED to be taken now. 

You can let your future self deal with it later. 

Things like saving for retirement, buying a house, what kind of career do you want to pursue, and more. 

If I pretend these things are not there, I still know that someday I have to deal with them. Whether I want to or not. 

I’m just pretending like I have my shit together, but I really don’t unless I make the hard decisions. 

It can be uncomfortable to start with P2P lending, start with investing, put money in your pension fund, save for a new car, switch your career, or build up your emergency fund.

These decisions might not be fun at the moment, but they are for sure good in the long-term.  

7. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is always a topic of debate, as the amount of sleep you need is highly personal. 

I’m currently typing this while my partner is next to me, sleeping. He needs more sleep than I do. When we’re together spending time and I get up earlier, he needs a nap in the afternoon in order to make up for it. 

That’s totally fine. 

Just don’t beat yourself up over the amount of sleep you need.

Science says 8 hours of sleep is optimal. BUT some people need 6 hours to function, others need 10. That’s totally fine. Don’t stress about it. 

At times I get anxious about me not getting enough sleep. I want to be in bed on time and I’m desperately trying to sleep, but I just can’t. I’m wide awake. Because I don’t need that amount of sleep. 

So: go to sleep when you’re sleepy, get up when you’re rested. 

If you try out various sleep schedules, you’ll find what works best for you. 

There are nights where I am not sleepy and only get 5 hours of sleep. That’s okay. Other nights I’m so tired I get in bed at 9 pm. That’s okay too. 

For all these things, think about: what fits me best?

What things do you do to become a healthier version of yourself? Financially, fitness, or otherwise improving your health