Ask any of my close family members and friends, and they’ll confirm that I’m high-maintenance. What can I say, I appreciate the finer wellness things in life—lymphatic massages, infrared sauna sessions, boutique gym memberships—in the name of helping me feel my very best. Those luxuries can come with a high price tag that can be hard to maintain, but the good news is that many luxuries and life upgrades make a huge difference in your life but are completely free. You don’t have to experience FOMO to level up your life, and you can be your best self while still saving your $$$. Read on for seven life-changing upgrades that make a major difference but don’t cost a thing.
1. Queue up motivational podcasts
Finding inspiration and life-changing information is as easy as browsing your podcast apps; all the better when it’s from other women who make you feel like you can run the world (Psst… we may be biased, but each episode of The Everygirl Podcast is meant to level up your life). Thanks to the unlimited free content, resources, and advice from the top experts of the world that we have available to us at the push of a “play” button, there’s no reason not to spend as much time as possible learning how to upgrade your career, wellness, confidence, or relationships that will ultimately change your life. While you commute to the office, work out, cook dinner, or run errands, you can habit-stack learning inspiration that will motivate you in daily life.
2. Walk 10,000 steps a day
If you haven’t heard, walking is the new “it” workout: It has multiple benefits, won’t negatively impact cortisol levels like higher-impact workouts, and has both physical and mental benefits. Daily walking can improve cardiovascular fitness, aid in maintaining a healthy weight, strengthen your bones, muscles, and endurance, increase your energy levels, enhance your mood and sleep, boost your immune system, and reduce stress. The best part? It’s free and enjoyable (habit-stacking The Everygirl Podcast with a 10,000-step hot girl walk!? Name a better combo, I’ll wait).
3. Cultivate a manifestation practice
Manifestation has gotten entirely buzzy as of late, and you may have seen programs, courses, or challenges (like the viral 30-Day Dr. Joe Dispenza Challenge) all over social media. While investing money, energy, and a timeline can be helpful to implement a new habit, manifestation is actually about your mindset—and it’s completely free. It means fostering mindfulness, reframing your mindset, and aligning your energy with your goals. Start by identifying what fears or limiting beliefs are holding you back and what actions you have to take to tap into the version of you that has everything you already want (tap into “celebrity energy“). Build a daily practice to actually make it a habit you can stick to, whether it’s reflecting on limiting beliefs that came up during the day every night, visualizing your best self every morning, or journaling about one of these manifestation prompts.
4. Cut out toxic people
The truth is that the best kind of “detox” isn’t an expensive juice cleanse or supplement; it’s detoxing what’s no longer serving you—including people. The toxic people in your life come in all forms (a manipulative friend, a pessimistic coworker) and can drain your energy and make you question your sense of self. Bottom line: Unhealthy relationships are bad for your health and happiness. If someone in your life doesn’t respect your boundaries, only takes from you, plays the victim, lies, or is controlling, it may be a sign that they’re holding you back from your happiest life possible.
Take stock of your inner circle, and safely communicate your decision to pull back from the relationship, distance yourself, and set and maintain boundaries. If “cutting out” feels hard (or impossible, like with a family member or coworker), limit your time spent with them: ask a different coworker for help on the project, don’t engage in conversations that may be triggering, or only get together in group settings. Fill your time and social calendar with people who help you feel like your highest self.
5. DIY a lymphatic drainage massage
The benefits of a lymphatic drainage massage go beyond a sculpted jawline and a less-bloated stomach; its techniques are the holy grail of supporting your body’s detoxification system, supporting the immune system, rejuvenating cellular function, and minimizing excess fluid retention. Whether it’s while you shower or a part of your daily skincare routine, with the helping hand of—well—your own two hands, you can manually manipulate specific areas of your body to encourage the flow of lymphatic fluid toward the lymph nodes. For tips on how to give yourself a lymphatic massage, see here.
6. Go to bed earlier
Think of an extra hour of sleep as the most powerful supplement or superfood in the world: Sleep is critical for basically every function of the body, from brain health to heart health, it helps the body detoxify, keeps your immune system strong, and so much more. Also, when you go to bed earlier, you’ll probably wake up earlier and have the time to enjoy a slower start to the day, set an intention, or work out. The pillars of quality sleep still apply: follow a consistent sleep schedule, have a wind-down routine, and curb your intake of food and alcohol three to four hours before bed. But to help advance your bedtime, make the change gradual and go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier each night until you hit your desired sleep time, get sunlight first thing in the morning, and avoid artificial lights in the evening.
7. Journal
Gratitude, manifestation, future-self, bullet, mood—whatever type of journaling method speaks to you, the practice has been shown to deliver a range of perks, from reducing stress and contributing to improved mood to providing a way to process emotions and helping you figure out your next step. Not sure how to start? Determining why you’re journaling will help you stay committed. For example, do you want to heal negative thought patterns? Do you want to stay organized? Do you want to express creativity? Do you want to braindump to get rid of worries? Then, pick the journaling vehicle you find most conducive to you and your lifestyle, such as an aesthetic notebook, a journaling app, or Google Docs. In need of some journal prompts to get the creative juices flowing? Start here.
