How to detox your mind

We may have told you already (a hundred times) but we LOVE lists at UR. So this week, we're dishing up another one. It's a quickie but it may just change the way you look at things, dare we say live.

5 simple ways to feel happier:

1. Don't worry. If a worry pops into your head, ask yourself this question: will worrying about this change the outcome? We're 99.9% sure the answer to this is no. In that case, the conclusion is simple: stop worrying, it's not going to fix the problem. What it will do is waste valuable time and energy.

2. Be happy. Be happy in the guide to 'being happy'. You're probably either a) thinking of shutting down the email at this point or b) thinking we've had one too many green juice. But hang on, there is some logic behind this statement. Have you ever noticed that when you smile and radiate happiness, you get it back, tenfold? It's not rocket science. We all gravitate towards happy people. Sometimes, putting a smile on your face when you aren't feeling so chirpy can draw others towards you and in turn improve your own mood.

3. Less do, more be. You have an 'action list' at work but when it comes to your personal life, do you really have to treat each day like a set of 'tasks' to accomplish? If you're racing from one 'to do' item to the next, you sometimes forget to experience what you're actually doing. Sure, there are some things that don't really require experiencing (like paying your gas bill for instance) but others would be far more memorable (and meaningful) if you actually let yourself exist in the moment whilst they were happening. That phone call to your mum would go a whole lot better if it wasn't just a 'ticked box'. That lunch you gulped down would be digested far more comfortably if you took the time to eat it, mouthful by mouthful. You might even have a more productive afternoon back at the office!

4. Listen. To the person talking, not to your inner chatter. We're all guilty of it – listening to our own thoughts instead of giving the person in front of us our full, undivided attention. The art of really listening is endangered. Nurturing it is the key to good personal and business relationships.

5. Let it be. Let them be to be precise. We're talking about your negative emotions – anger, resentment, fear, jealousy... These toxic emotions clutter the mind, preventing you from moving forward with your life. We all have them however the key is to let yourself experience them fully and then let them fall to the side of their own accord. The more you try to repress them, the more power they hold.

The 5 easy guidelines above will help you to cleanse your mind. Detoxing is not just physical after all.

Let’s keep it simple. Let’s get back to basics.

We were talking about what we like at the Urban Remedy HQ today. We like: green juice, warming soups, yummy smoothies (no surprises here)… and... well, we’re all a little bit methodical and organised (read geeky) so we also really like lists. When it came to discussing what we don’t like, we were pretty unanimous: we don’t like over-complicating things. And that definitely applies to the world of health.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest fad or to feel overwhelmed by the multitude of nutritional choices and suggestions out there. Breathe. It’s okay. You probably know a lot more than you realise. When it comes to living well and being healthy, we like to believe that you know best. You just have to tune into your body and get back to the basics.

To help you do so, we’ve compiled a list of super simple guidelines to living well. We’re guessing you know it all already but that’s kind of the point. Sometimes it’s good to remember that it’s not rocket science, that we already have all the information we need to be healthy and happy.

And because we’re total list junkies, here’s... well, a list of...

10 simple health rules:

1.      Always eat breakkie – king. of. meals.

2.      Drink more water – nope, not 2 litres all at once… sip it, slowly

3.      Know your food – make your own or find out what’s in the stuff you buy!

4.      Read the label – look out for trans-fats, sugar and nasty additives

5.      Keep moving – if you can’t do a workout, get your walk or stretch on

6.      Get enough sleep –  6 hours min… find a routine that works for you

7.      Identify your cravings – better yet, find a healthy way to enjoy them

8.      Reduce your stress levels – ask yourself: will worrying change anything?

9.      Listen to your body – are you hungry, thirsty, in need of some TLC?

10.    Take the time to eat – food is there to enjoy!

You’re the boss. Tune into your awesomeness.