This post has been sponsored by Renew Life®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After the first frost last year, Kyle and I realized we needed to make some changes to our lifestyle. When the weather’s nice, it’s a no brainer; we’re outside hiking with the pups and riding our bikes. However, when it’s cold, our Floridian bodies are tired and sedentary more often than not. Since there’s no end of winter in sight, we’ve implemented a handful of small lifestyle adjustments to see if they’d make a difference. Fortunately, they have! I’m rounding up 5 of the smallest lifestyle changes that’ve already made a huge impact in the new year in today’s post! 

1. Taking a daily probiotic

Taking a daily probiotic, like Renew Life® Women’s Care Probiotic, has had a greater effect on my health and wellness than I ever thought possible. Probiotics help restore digestive balance, ie. they make sure your digestive system is working as it should, and support immune and vaginal health to help keep you (and your gut) healthy. I’ve been taking these for about 60 days now, and I’ve noticed less bloating, haven’t had any stomach issues, and am feeling more energized than ever. Plus, now that taking Renew Life Women’s Care is part of my daily routine, I take a handful of other daily vitamins and supplements, as well. Wins all around!

You can pick up a 90-count bottle at Sam’s Club, which is super convenient and eliminates the need to go out and buy a new bottle every single month. Plus, it’s a hard deal to beat! Each capsule has 25 billion live cultures and 10 specially selected probiotic strains, easily making it the #1 Women’s Probiotic (based on sales units). Sam’s Club is the only place you can find the 90-count bottle, so click here to find a store near you!

2. Laying out my clothes the night before

I’ll admit, I have a hard time making new habits stick. So, after reading a book about building good habits (and breaking bad ones), I realized I needed to make them “buildable.” That means linking new habits to already formed habits. So, before changing into my PJs before bed (an existing habit), I lay out my work clothes for the coming day. This helps simplify my morning routine and ensures that I don’t spend the entire morning in my pajamas, which, as a full-time blogger who works from home, happens more often than you’d think.

3. Practicing nighttime yoga

I’ve always had trouble sleeping, so to help my body unwind naturally, Kyle and I have started practicing nighttime yoga before bed. Just 10 or 15 minutes of gentle stretching is all it takes, and so far, the improvement in my sleep has been remarkable.

4. Cooking our own food

I’ve been wanting to fine tune my kitchen skills for a while now, so cooking at home has had multiple benefits. Not only is it a nice distraction from work and technology, it’s been so valuable to know exactly what we’re putting in our bodies. We can control ingredients, additives, sodium…everything. Needless to say, eating clean has already reaped a variety of health and wellness benefits. 

5. Taking time off

For the first time in years, I took two full weeks off work around the holidays. I disconnected from social media, turned on an OOO email response, and spent as little time on my phone as possible. Y’all, it was wonderful. Come January 2nd, I’d never felt so refreshed and eager to get back to work. So, I decided to start taking entire weekends off. I’ve already noticed that my productivity on Monday through Friday has vastly improved. 

And that’s it, y’all! It really is amazing how such small lifestyle changes can bring you so much joy and energy in the long term. Now that we’re actually feeling our best and sleeping more soundly, we’ve started working out more, getting more/better work done, and actually have extra free time to spend with the pups! It’s such a nice change of pace, and we love it. 

I hope these small lifestyle changes help you and your family as much as they’ve already helped mine. Cheers to a happy and prosperous 2019!

Photography by Catherine Rhodes.