
To live well is to find a balance between all the different pillars of health. It is a 
harmonious balance between health, productivity, mindset, and happiness, all 
intertwined to make up a joyful and fulfilling life. 

It seems simple enough, but doesn’t always come naturally to people. It is often easier 
to just focus all your time and attention on one area of your life, but even though that 
one area is often the most efficient, it leaves out so many other pillars of life and 
happiness in your life, creating an imbalance. 

But don’t worry – balance is always possible when you set your priorities, know what 
would bring you the most happiness, and how your mind and body can work together 
for optimal health and longevity.


1. How Health and Wellness Make You Happier

It can often feel like you have to choose either your health and wellness goals or your 
happiness goals, but in many cases, focusing on one will actually help to transform the 
other. 

When you begin to take your own physical and mental health more seriously, you often 
have an increase in energy, your mood is better, and you feel better about yourself, 
which can have a snowball effect on the rest of your life. Suddenly, every aspect of your 
life is better, including your own feelings of joy and fulfillment.

Here are some ways improving your health and wellness can also make you feel 
happier:


You Have Less Stress

 The more you focus on a healthy balance between your wellness, nutrition, exercise, 
and other pillars of health, the less stress you tend to experience in your life. This in turn 
can lead you to being happier overall. 

Think about how often you feel a lot of emotional stress and burden simply because of 
your health, energy levels, your diet, or activity. The way you feel can have a very large 
impact on your emotional and mental health, which in turn leads to more stress and 
makes it a lot harder to find gratitude in your life. 

By focusing more on health and wellness, you reduce your stress levels, which then 
encourages you to feel gratitude and really soak in all that positivity that brings you 
happiness.



It Encourages Healthy Habits

For some people, it is when they change their daily habits when they improve their 
health, but many people have found the opposite to be true. You might make a specific 
change to your lifestyle for a health-related issue you are having, which can then give 
you the motivation to make even more changes and start adapting your lifestyle and 
habits. 
Similar to reducing stress, healthy habits often lead to more happiness and fulfillment in 
your life. These habits allow you to achieve a healthy balance each day, where you feel 
like you are getting everything done, without being overwhelmed. They can also help 
you see where your schedule might need to be tweaked a little. Plus, when you track 
your habits, you feel that sense of accomplishment every time you cross something off 
your list.


You Boost Your Mood

 Many of the healthy changes you make to your lifestyle will help to boost your mood. 
This can be something as simple as going outside in the sunshine for 10 minutes every 
day, which boosts your vitamin D to help you feel happier and more energized. 

Many habits can help to improve your mood, such as:

*	Vitamin D and sunshine
*	Eating a balanced diet with more vitamins and minerals
*	Drinking water
*	Moving your body
*	Serotonin boosts from activities you enjoy
*	Cutting back on depressants, like alcohol


It Increases Your Confidence
 
Your new healthy habits can also make you feel happier by increasing your confidence. 
This is often related to healthy changes that might make you feel more comfortable in 
your body, such as eating a healthier diet, starting a workout program, or losing 
unwanted weight. 

In other people, they notice they have a boost in confidence when they start a self-care 
routine or another type of wellness routine, as it helps to boost your energy and release 
endorphins.
 




2. The Fundamental Pillars of Health

Most people agree that the 4 primary pillars of health are nutrition, water, exercise, and 
sleep. And while these are extremely important and definitely on our list, there are a few 
more that need to be addressed. Specifically, when it comes to your mental and 
emotional health, which are just as important as your physical health. 

Here is a look at what we believe are the 8 fundamental pillars of health:


Nutrition

Your first fundamental pillar of health is of course your nutrition. This is one of the most 
common areas of health and wellness that people focus on, and also one of the most 
important. The way you choose to nourish your body can make all the difference in how 
you feel on the inside and out. Food choices can impact your mental health like anxiety 
and stress, just as much as it impacts your physical health and weight. 

By focusing on your nutrition instead of a restrictive diet, you are able to nourish your 
body with more vitamins and minerals, without the added stress of counting carbs or 
calories, or trying to follow a diet that restricts entire food groups.

Of course, you should always talk to your doctor about specific diets if you have health 
needs that require a more structured way of eating. But for the general population, 
eating a balance of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and needs, lean proteins, 
and healthy fats will nourish your body. 


Exercise

Moving your body is also very important when it comes to your health and happiness, 
providing a way to improve both simultaneously. Exercise can help your physical health 
by reducing your risk of cardiovascular illness, helping to manage a healthy wight, and 
giving you more energy. It also helps your mental and emotional health by reducing 
stress and anxiety, boosting your mood, and releasing endorphins that make you feel 
happier. 

The key is to choose a type of exercise that you enjoy, instead of suffering through a 
workout routine you dread every day. That isn’t going to make you feel much happier, 
even with the release of endorphins. 

Experiment with some different forms of exercise, like yoga, Pilates, tai-chi, running, 
hiking, swimming, boxing, weightlifting, and more to discover what you really enjoy. 
Even just dancing in your living room for 30 minutes a day can be a great workout and 
make you feel so much happier.


Water

Water will always be a pillar of health since your body is made up of about 60 percent 
water. You need it not just to survive, but to thrive. The more water you get into your 
body, the more hydrated you will feel. But there is such thing as dinking too much water, 
so it is best to listen to your body. 

If you feel thirsty, you likely need more water. Some other signs of needing to hydrate 
including having a headache, feeling fatigued, and feeling “hungry” even though you just 
ate. Sometimes, your body is telling you that it’s thirsty, but you mistake these signals 
for hunger. 

A good general rule is to start with 8 glasses (8 ounces each glass) of water a day, then 
add in more water on hot days, when you are sweating a lot, if you are doing strenuous 
exercise, or you simply feel thirsty.


Sleep

Your sleep should absolutely be a top priority in your life, no matter what your wellness 
goals are. Good sleep is necessary for so many things, including:

*	More energy and better focus
*	Improved productivity
*	Better mood and happiness
*	Reduced stress
*	Healthier heart

Now is a great time to work on your sleep hygiene, which includes the habits and 
routines that help you get better sleep, as well as your sleeping environment. 


Emotional Health

This is where we get into the pillars of health that not everyone talks about. Your 
emotional health is vital if you want to be a healthy, happy, and balanced person. Your 
emotional health is all about your emotions and feelings, including the type of stress you 
are experiencing, and how well you can handle challenges in your life. 

Emotional strength comes from many different things in your life, including your overall 
health and wellness. Your body and physical health have a direct link to you emotional 
and mental health, so don’t take it for granted! 



Mental Health

Mental health is similar to emotional health, but we like to think about it more in terms of 
mental health disorders you might be experiencing, as well as your internal mental 
struggles, overthinking, anxiety, depressive episodes, burnout, emotional breakdowns, 
and more. 

If you think you might be suffering from a mental health disorder, please seek 
professional help. While some remedies and daily habits can improve how well you deal 
with it, it is still a good idea to see a doctor, counselor, or therapist for things like 
anxiety, PTSD, depression, and others.


Social Life

If the pandemic and lockdowns taught us anything, it is that we struggle emotionally, 
mentally, and physically when left alone for long periods of time. Even if you work from 
home or you are not able to see your friends in person very often, you can find other 
ways to be social from a distance. 

This is a great time to make your social and personal life an integral part of your 
wellness routine, whether that means meeting friends every Sunday for brunch or going 
to happy hour once a week with co-workers, or calling up your mom to catch up. 


Spiritual Life

Lastly, don’t forget about your spiritual life. Don’t worry, if you aren’t a religious person, 
you absolutely don’t have to incorporate that into your life. This is more about any 
beliefs you have, whether it is your morals and values, you believe in divination 
practices like moon cycles and tarot cards, you are deeply spiritual and in touch with 
your own intuition or you like to look at astrology, or you follow an organized religion. 

There are so many different ways to practice spirituality, and if you have any sort of 
beliefs, it is a good idea to incorporate the practice into your wellness routine.











3. Why Your Happiness is Just as Important as Your Health

When you begin to find more balance in your life, you will notice that everything is 
connected. You feel happier when you focus on your health, you are more willing to 
make healthy choices when you feel happy and are in a good mental space. This is 
what makes balance so important; each aspect of your health and wellness, and your 
happiness, will improve your entire life.

One thing people don’t make a priority in their life though, is feeling happier. You think 
that it will happen naturally once the rest of your life is “fixed”. People often see the 
feeling of joy or contentment as being a natural occurrence that happens once you have 
perfected your life, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, you have to go out and 
find it for yourself. 


How to Find More Happiness in Your Life

Happiness might be a feeling, but what gets you there is often more concrete. 
Happiness and joy come in the form of habits, lifestyle changes, mindset, and self-care. 
While it can help to have friends and loved ones in your life who love you, they can’t be 
your only source of happiness. You need to find joy and fulfillment in your life on your 
own. 

Here are some daily habits and lifestyle changes that can help you feel happier:

*	Express gratitude
*	Start doing a daily brain dump in a journal
*	Participate in creative projects
*	Take good care of your body
*	Take good care of your mind
*	Have a daily “no technology” hour 
*	Read more
*	Drink you water
*	Move your body
*	Reach out to friends
*	Watch something that makes you laugh
*	Don’t sweat the small things
*	Add self-care to your daily routine







Small Acts of Kindness for Yourself and Others

There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when you selflessly help others, whether a 
neighbor needs a ride to the store, someone in your family asks you to host a party or 
help them with an event, or you hold the door open for a stranger.

Every small gesture you can help someone else with makes you feel happier, plus you 
are improving the world around you by helping others. Acts of kindness tend to be 
contagious, so the more you help others, the more they will help people they come 
across, and so on. It is a beautiful thing.


Gratitude, Always

Finding a way to be grateful during every season of life, no matter what you are going 
through, is what will bring you the biggest sense of happiness and fulfillment. Make a 
new habit of writing down what you are grateful for each and every day. 

It doesn’t matter how many items are on your list or whether they are big or small things 
in your life. They are always important.

In the beginning, it might feel like it isn’t helping, but one day at a time, it starts to 
improve your mindset and outlook on life. You get into the habit of thinking about the 
blessings in your life, often helping you to become more mindful throughout the day, not 
just when you are writing your gratitude list.





















4. Simple Habits to Help You Live a Balanced Life

Don’t feel overwhelmed if you aren’t sure where to start. All it really takes for a properly 
balanced life that makes you feel happy, joyful, healthy, and productive, is to add some 
simple daily habits to your routine. This is a simple change to make in your life, and it is 
one you can go about gradually so you don’t feel intimidated by too many changes all at 
once.

Here are some very simple habits you can add to your routine that help you live a 
balanced life:


Drink Your Water

This should not surprise you since we talked about it earlier as a pillar of health and 
wellness. But if you struggle drinking enough water, here are some tips to make sure 
you are staying hydrated:

Flavor your water – You don’t have to drink only plain water to get the effects of being 
more hydrated. Feel free to flavor your water by infusing it with fruit and herbs, using 
water flavor enhancers, or even drinking flavored sparkling water.

Use a fun cup – Water bottles have come a long way! There are hundreds of varieties, 
including different materials, colors, sizes, patterns, and so much more. You can even 
get a water bottle with motivational sayings for each water milestone you reach during 
the day.

Add water to your habit tracker – You might enjoy water, but you just don’t think you 
drink enough. This is where tracking your water comes in handy! If you don’t have a 
water bottle that shows you how many ounces you have had during the day, the next 
best thing is to ether use a water tracking app on your phone, or just track with a printed 
water tracker.

Eat water-dense foods – You can also eat more foods that contain a high amount of 
water, such as lettuce, watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, celery, and apples.


Move Your Body

If you want to be happier and healthier, you need to move your body. Remember this 
doesn’t have to be with a structured workout plan, unless that is within your own 
personal goals. But if you just want to exercise to boost your mood and improve your 
overall wellness, then any form of movement will work great. 



Here are some ideas:

*	Go for a short walk every morning or evening
*	Spend some time at the beach or lake
*	Have a living room dance party
*	Take a fun dance or fitness class
*	Try tai chi or martial arts
*	Join a friend at your local gym
*	Do indoor rock climbing
*	Find a local trampoline park
*	Start doing yoga or stretching every day

As you can see, there are many ways to get some exercise in without feeling like you’re 
doing “fitness”. For some people, they have physique goals or really enjoy fitness, and 
that’s amazing! But even if you don’t, you can still move your body and get all the same 
health and happiness benefits.


Take Your Vitamins

While it is best to get your vitamins and minerals from natural food sources, that isn’t 
always possible. At the very least, you can take a multi-vitamin every day to get more 
nutrients into your body. 

But if you have a diet that restricts certain foods, such as not getting a lot of iron or zinc 
while on a vegetarian diet, consider adding these supplements. This is another good 
reason to visit your doctor for bloodwork to figure out what supplements you might 
need.


Get Some Sunshine

Oh, that beautiful vitamin D! It does miracles, or at least feels like it. Why do people feel 
so much happier and more energetic in the summertime? For many people, it is 
because of all that wonderful, healing sunshine. 

The sun’s UV rays emit vitamin D, which you can get naturally absorbed into your body 
simply by being out in the sun. But if you live in a cold climate, you don’t get it for a good 
amount of the year. This is when taking a vitamin D supplement might be needed.







Write in Your Journal

Journaling is a wonderful activity to add to your daily routine if you want to focus on a 
balance between health and happiness. It not only helps with your emotional and 
mental health, but you can often use it to track habits related to your physical health as 
well.


Read for Fun

While it is great to read for personal development or learn new things with books and 
courses, don’t forget about reading just for fun. Whether it is a guilty pleasure genre or 
just an author you really enjoy, get into the habit of reading on a regular basis when it is 
just for you and nothing else.


Do Something Creative

Let’s get one thing clear: you don’t have to be artistic to be creative. Even if you weren’t 
born naturally artistic (most people aren’t), you can still be creative. Think of any activity 
or hobby in your life that uses the creative part of your brain, such as making or playing 
music, writing, drawing, or painting, creating things with your hands, assembling things, 
really anything you can think of that you enjoy.


Take Care of Plants

Plants are so amazing for your overall wellness, including your mental health and mood. 
Just having plants or flowers in your home can improve your oxygen and help with so 
many physical ailments. They also tend to give you more energy, boost your mood 
naturally, and even reduce anxiety.


Reassess YOUR Needs Regularly

Lastly, consider reassessing your needs as part of your self-care routine. This is a habit 
many people forget, as they are busy trying to be consistent with their routines and get 
as much done as possible. But your needs are going to change over time, so it is good 
to check in with yourself weekly or monthly, consider what habits are improving your life, 
and which you are not seeing a positive impact from. 

Remember that your wellness and happiness journey is yours, and yours alone. It 
should be customized to who you are as a person, your own needs, and the goals you 
have. While it is great to get inspiration from others, what works best for them might not 
be best for you. 
