100 Habits for a Better Life + Free Habit Tracker
Small habits lead to big changes. If you’re ready to create a more intentional, energized, and fulfilling life, this list of 100 habits for a better life is the perfect place to start. Plus, grab your free habit tracker to stay on track and make those changes stick!
Changing your life isn’t easy. It can be incredibly difficult to make the necessary changes to improve your life.
But it can be done. People do it every single day, and we love to hear their stories because it helps us to believe that it is truly possible.
My life has undergone a radical transformation over the past 10 years. I’m not the person I used to be at all.
I used to eat junk food every single day. I had chronic health issues, which included joint pain, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, fatigue, and more. I was very high-strung and would stress over the tiniest things.
Now my life looks a lot different.
I am a much more relaxed person. I eat healthy and rarely even crave junk food. Most of my chronic health issues have disappeared, and I honestly could go on and on about how different my life is now and how different I am now, but that is not what this post is about.
It’s about transforming YOUR life!
I only share about my transformation to inspire yours. Change is possible. However, it rarely happens overnight.
(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)
I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please do not ask me for medical advice. Click here to read my full disclaimer.
Why Habits Are the Key to Transformation
If you want to change your life, you need to change your habits. You don’t necessarily have to make drastic changes to transform your life.
Small, consistent shifts in your daily routine can lead to powerful results over time. Whether it’s drinking more water, getting better sleep, or moving your body each day, these simple habits for a better life build momentum—and that momentum creates real, lasting change.
How to Use This Habit List
If you are ready to truly transform your circumstances, I recommend taking the time to reflect deeply on what you truly want for your life.
Thanks to social media, online influencers, and celebrity culture, it’s easy to confuse someone else’s life with the one you truly want.
So, before you start building new habits for a better life, grab a pen and paper and write down the areas of your life you want to improve.
Then, take it a step further—write down why you want to improve each one. Knowing your “why” gives your habits meaning and keeps you motivated when things get tough.
It also helps ensure these are goals you genuinely want for yourself—not just things you saw someone else doing and assumed would make you happy.
Once you’ve identified the areas of your life you want to improve, try selecting 4–5 habits that align with those goals to focus on each month.
I highly recommend using a habit tracker to track your progress each month.
Free Habit Trackers
I love habit trackers! They helped me so much when I first began my health journey, and I still use them every single day!
I personally enjoy keeping a journal for each season. Every year, I buy one for each season—spring, summer, fall, and winter.
These are my favorite journals.
I prefer to create dedicated pages in each journal for my habit trackers.
However, I realize many people prefer a printable habit tracker, so I’ve created several that you can download for free.
Click here to check them out!
Habit trackers are one of the best tools that you can use to stay focused on your habits and track your progress.
Ready to change your life? Here are 100 habits for a better life—body, mind, and soul.
100 Habits for a Better Life
A better life looks different for everyone. For some, it means getting healthier—for others, it’s about becoming more organized or improving their appearance.
Since we all have different priorities, I’ve divided the habits into categories to help you find what matters most to you.
Some are monthly habits, while others are weekly or daily habits. Also, there are quite a few wellness habits, as that is what I am personally most familiar with.
Wellness Habits for a Better Life
1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Good sleep is crucial for your overall well-being. If you’re struggling to get quality rest, click here to learn how to sleep better every night.
2. Drink 70-80 ounces of water daily. Drinking more water can increase your energy, improve your skin, and so much more. Click here to discover simple ways to increase your water intake.
3. Walk 8,000-10,000 steps a day. Walking offers a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits, making it one of the simplest yet most effective forms of daily exercise.
Quick tip: This is the treadmill I use daily. I’ve had it for a few years, and it’s still working great. I also love this simple pedometer for tracking steps.
4. Eat 30 grams or more of protein at each meal. Eating protein at every meal provides a wide range of benefits for metabolism, muscle health, blood sugar regulation, and overall well-being.
5. Ground for 10-30 minutes a day. Earthing (also called grounding) refers to direct physical contact with the Earth’s surface—like walking barefoot on grass, soil, or sand. This simple practice is believed to restore the body’s natural electrical balance and reduce inflammation.
Quick tip: You can click here to discover all the amazing benefits of earthing and exactly how to do it.
6. Don’t drink alcohol. Alcohol consumption—especially when frequent or excessive—can pose serious risks to your physical, mental, and emotional health. Try to cut back or avoid drinking altogether.
7. Don’t drink coffee on an empty stomach. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can spike cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, especially first thing in the morning.
8. Block blue light after sunset and before sunrise. Blocking blue light helps support your natural circadian rhythm and improves sleep quality, hormone balance, and overall health.
Quick tip: These are my favorite blue light blockers.
9. Move your body every day. Moving your body every day is one of the most powerful habits you can build—for physical health, mental clarity, emotional balance, and long-term vitality.
10. Take vitamins or supplements. Vitamins and supplements can help support the body when it is unable to obtain adequate nutrition from food alone.
Quick tip: I’m a huge fan of whole-food supplements. You can click here to discover my top supplement recommendations!
11. Expose your skin to natural sunlight for 15-30 minutes a day between 11am and 2pm. Getting natural sunlight on your skin each day is essential for optimal health, not just because of vitamin D—but for your hormones, mood, energy, and sleep cycle too.
12. Eat nutrient-dense, healthy, balanced meals. Eating nutrient-dense, healthy, and balanced meals provides your body with the fuel it needs to function at its best—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
13. Don’t eat after sunset. This helps support your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Eating late can confuse this rhythm, impairing digestion, metabolism, and hormone function.
14. Drink a cortisol cocktail or electrolyte drink daily. This can help support your energy levels, hydration, hormone balance, and stress response—especially if you’re under chronic stress, active, or healing from burnout.
Quick tip: This is my absolute favorite electrolyte drink mix or you can click here to discover easy and delicious cortisol cocktail recipes.
15. Stop drinking soda and energy drinks. Soda and energy drinks can hurt your health, energy levels, hormones, and overall well-being.
16. Wear a weighted vest. Wearing a weighted vest can be a simple yet effective way to increase the intensity of everyday activities or workouts, thereby improving strength, endurance, posture, and bone density.
Quick tip: This is the weighted vest I own and highly recommend. The one I own is 15 pounds. I like to wear it when I go on walks.
17. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. Eating slowly and chewing your food thoroughly is one of the simplest habits you can build for better digestion, balanced hormones, and mindful eating.
18. Walk after each meal. This simple habit can enhance digestion, regulate blood sugar levels, improve metabolism, and more.
19. Track calories. I am not a huge fan of calorie counting. However, if you’re trying to lose or gain weight and the scale is not budging, calorie counting can be helpful to get a realistic idea of how many calories you are actually consuming.
20. Do red light therapy. Red light therapy can stimulate cellular energy production, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.
Quick tip: You don’t have to spend a ton of money on a red light therapy device. This is the one I use, and it’s pretty affordable. You can use the code HappyHeart10 to receive 10% off your purchase! You can also click here to learn more about red light therapy and its benefits.
21. Stop smoking or vaping. Smoking and vaping both carry serious health risks—even though vaping is often marketed as “safer,” it still harms your lungs, heart, brain, and immune system.
22. Apply magnesium lotion every night. Magnesium can honestly be life-changing. It can help you sleep, ease anxiety, improve cognitive function, and so much more. Check out my DIY magnesium lotion recipe!
Quick tip: I recommend magnesium lotion over magnesium supplements because transdermal magnesium bypasses the digestive system, allowing it to be absorbed directly through the skin into the bloodstream.
23. Turn your WI-FI off at night. Turning off your Wi-Fi at night is a simple habit that may offer several health and sleep benefits—especially if you’re sensitive to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) or just want to reduce unnecessary exposure.
24. Stop buying toxic products. Toxic household and personal care products can wreak havoc on your endocrine system and overall health. Whenever you run out of a product that contains harmful ingredients, instead of repurchasing it, consider swapping it out for a cleaner, safer version or making your own.
25. Do castor oil packs. Castor oil packs are a powerful natural therapy used for centuries to support detoxification, digestion, hormone balance, and relief from inflammation.
Quick tip: This is my favorite castor oil. Also, you can click here to learn all about castor oil and the benefits of castor oil packs.
Morning Habits for a Better Life
26. Wake up early. Waking up early can transform your day and your mindset, giving you more time, clarity, and control. While it’s not essential for everyone, many people find that early rising boosts productivity, emotional balance, and overall well-being.
27. Make your bed. Making your bed every day may seem like a small habit, but it offers powerful psychological, emotional, and practical benefits that can positively impact your entire day.
28. Drink warm lemon water. Drinking warm lemon water in the morning hydrates your body after sleep, supports digestion, boosts liver detoxification, and more!
29. Avoid looking at your phone for at least 30 minutes after waking. Not looking at your phone in the morning can reduce anxiety and stress as well as boost productivity.
30. Eat breakfast 30-60 minutes after waking. Eating breakfast 30–60 minutes after waking helps support your metabolism, hormone balance, energy levels, and overall well-being—especially if you’re trying to reduce stress or balance blood sugar.
31. Expose your eyes to morning sunlight for at least 5-20 minutes. Exposing your eyes to natural morning sunlight is one of the most powerful ways to support your circadian rhythm, hormone balance, mood, and overall health.
32. Stretch your body. Stretching in the morning is a gentle yet powerful way to wake up your body, reduce tension, and set the tone for a productive, energized day.
Self-Care Habits for a Better Life
33. Wash your face at night. Washing your face at night is an essential skincare habit that promotes healthy, clear, and youthful-looking skin.
34. Brush your teeth twice a day, morning and night. Brushing your teeth twice a day—once in the morning and once at night—is essential for maintaining oral health, fresh breath, and overall well-being.
35. Floss daily. Flossing daily is just as important as brushing—because it cleans the 40% of your tooth surface that your toothbrush can’t reach.
36. Talk to a friend. Community, connection, and friendship are crucial to our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Make sure to carve time out of each day to chat with a friend or two.
37. Apply your skincare products each evening. Applying skincare products each night is not only beneficial for your skin, but it’s also relaxing and a great way to unwind at the end of the day.
38. Drink a cup of sleep tea before bed. Instead of reaching for a glass of wine or sleeping pills, try drinking a glass of herbal sleep tea in the evening before bed. Check out my favorite sleep teas!
39. Spend time in nature. Spending time in nature can reduce stress and cortisol levels as well as regulate the nervous system. It is one of the most underrated self-care habits!
40. Go to bed early. Going to bed early—ideally before 10pm—supports your physical health, mental clarity, hormone balance, and long-term well-being.
41. Practice breathwork. Breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which can help reduce stress and lower cortisol levels.
42. Read for fun. Reading is a great way to relax, unwind, and escape reality for a bit. It can also help to strengthen brain function, expand vocabulary and communication skills, and boost creativity.
43. Engage in a hobby. Having a hobby is important because it gives you a meaningful outlet for creativity, stress relief, personal growth, and joy. Whether it’s painting, gardening, crafting, playing music, or hiking, hobbies provide more than just entertainment—they enhance your overall well-being.
44. Rest or take a nap. Many of us work too much and rest too little. Rest is one of the most underrated forms of self-care. Rest can rejuvenate and restore physical energy, mental clarity, and creativity.
45. Track your monthly cycle. Tracking your monthly cycle can be a life-changing habit. Women typically need more rest and are a bit more introverted during their premenstrual and menstrual phases, but tend to have more energy and are more extroverted during their pre-ovulation and ovulation phases.
If you know exactly when those phases are, you can better plan special events, date nights, workouts, rest days, and so on.
46. Stop negative self-talk. Speaking negatively to yourself can significantly impact your mental health and self-esteem, and not in a good way. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to yourself!
47. Practice havening techniques. Havening is a psychosensory therapy that involves gentle touch and visualization to help the brain reduce emotional distress, trauma, or anxiety. You can click here to learn more about it.
48. Improve your posture and sit up straight. Improving your posture can reduce pain and tension, improve breathing, boost your confidence, and more.
49. Brush your hair before bed. Brushing your hair before bed can help prevent tangles and breakage, distribute your hair’s natural oils, and more!
50. Moisturize your hands every morning and night. Your skincare routine shouldn’t just focus on your face—it should also include your hands. Moisturizing your hands every morning and night can prevent dryness and signs of aging.
Spiritual Habits for a Better Life
51. Practice meditation. Meditation can reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and clarity, enhance emotional well-being, and so much more!
52. Pray. Praying daily can strengthen your spiritual connection, promote inner peace, boost resilience and hope, and so much more!
53. Write in a journal. I personally believe that writing in a journal is one of the most powerful habits on this list! It can improve self-awareness, reduce stress and anxiety, support personal growth, and more.
54. Repeat positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are the opposite of negative self-talk. They can rewire negative thought patterns, encourage emotional resilience, improve your mood, and boost your confidence.
55. Read spiritual books. Reading spiritual books can be extremely helpful if you’re on a spiritual journey. They often contain timeless insights that guide you through challenges, decisions, and life transitions with more clarity and peace.
56. Practice gratitude. Gratitude trains your brain to notice what’s good, even during tough times, helping you feel more content and less overwhelmed. I love to practice gratitude as part of my daily journaling routine.
57. Help someone else. Helping someone else doesn’t just benefit them—it also profoundly benefits you, boosting your confidence, mood, and sense of purpose.
58. Let go of things that you can’t control. Letting go of situations and circumstances that you cannot control can help reduce stress and anxiety, freeing up energy for what is within your control.
Personal Growth Habits for a Better Life
59. Write a to-do list every morning or the night before bed. Doing this will reduce mental clutter, boost your productivity, reduce stress and anxiety, and more!
60. Read to learn. Reading for fun is a great way to relax, but reading to learn is a great way to expand your knowledge, grow personally, and improve your life. Try to read for at least 10 minutes a day!
61. Listen to an educational podcast. Podcasts are another great tool for expanding your knowledge, growing personally, and improving your life. Listen to an educational podcast while you do the dishes, fold laundry, or while driving.
62. Write down your goals. What do you really want, and who do you want to be? Consider it carefully and record your thoughts. Break down your big goals into smaller, manageable steps. Review your goal list daily and add the smaller steps to your daily to-do list.
63. Use a habit tracker. Using a habit tracker is a great habit to have. A habit tracker is a simple yet powerful tool that helps you build consistency, stay motivated, and achieve your goals more quickly.
64. Take an online course, attend workshops, or learn a new skill. Never stop learning. Lifelong learning keeps your brain healthy and also opens up new opportunities.
65. Keep a growth mindset. A growth mindset can help increase motivation and effort while also building resilience.
66. Focus on progress, not perfection. Being obsessed with perfection will not give you a better life. It will actually do the opposite. If you want to improve your life, remember progress is always better than perfection!
67. Get out of your head and into your body. Whenever you’re experiencing brain fog or mental overwhelm, one of the best things you can do is move your body—instead of forcing your mind to push through. The next time you experience a mental block or brain fog, go for a run—you’ll be amazed at how quickly your mind clears.
68. Enjoy the silence. I love to have background noise on while I work. But continuous noise can actually drown out your own inner voice, which is the source of true creativity and inspiration. Instead of listening to a podcast, music, or YouTube video while doing chores, driving, or working out, etc., embrace the silence.
Lifestyle Habits for a Better Life
69. Limit time on social media. Social media is one of the biggest obstacles to reaching your goals and improving your life. While it isn’t inherently bad, excessive use can quietly erode your time, focus, and well-being.
70. Put your phone away during meals. Eating while scrolling keeps your nervous system in a more stimulated, stressed state. Being present allows your body to relax better and actually digest your food.
71. Declutter a small area in your home. If you’re overwhelmed by the clutter in your home, make decluttering a small area a daily habit. You can declutter your entire house in a year by simply decluttering a drawer, closet, or cabinet every day.
72. Delete read/unimportant emails. I’m not sure about you, but my inbox fills up quickly if I don’t stay on top of it. Deleting emails daily makes it so much easier to keep things clean and clutter-free.
73. Avoid watching movies or shows that can dysregulate your nervous system before bedtime. Bedtime is when you want melatonin to rise and cortisol to drop. Watching intense or scary TV shows can trigger stress hormones, which may disrupt your sleep. If you do watch TV at night, opt for something calming and relaxing.
74. Avoid engaging in conversations that dysregulate your nervous system before bed. Once again, bedtime is when you want melatonin to rise and cortisol to drop. Stressful conversations can trigger stress hormones which may disrupt your sleep. If possible, save those conversations for the next morning.
75. Lay out your clothes for the next day before bed. Picking out your outfit the night before makes mornings way easier—less stress, less decision-making, and more time.
76. Tidy up your home before bed. Waking up to a clean house is such a great feeling. You don’t have to do a deep clean every night, but simply tidying up can make a huge impact.
77. No doomscrolling. I personally believe doomscrolling is one of the top causes of high cortisol for many people. Doomscrolling is highly self-destructive and terrible for your health.
78. Say no. Boundaries are absolutely essential for a better life. Personal boundaries and the ability to say “no” are essential for protecting your mental health, emotional well-being, and overall life balance.
Quick tip: If you struggle with personal boundaries, I highly recommend reading this book!
79. Empty the dishwasher every morning. If you tend to get easily overwhelmed by housework, emptying the dishwasher every morning can help alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed. An empty dishwasher means all household members can put their dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher rather than the kitchen sink.
Financial Habits for a Better Life
80. Create a budget. Creating and sticking to a monthly budget is, in my opinion, one of the most important financial habits for a better life that you can have. You can click here to learn how to do that.
81. Track your spending. Tracking your spending is one of the most straightforward and most powerful financial habits you can adopt. It can help reveal unhealthy spending patterns and help you stay on track with your budget.
82. Review your bank accounts. Reviewing your bank accounts regularly helps you to see where your money is going, avoid overdraft fees, and catch fraud or errors early.
83. Wait 24 hours before making a large purchase. Waiting to make large purchases helps to reduce impulse buying and prevents buyer’s remorse.
84. Borrow a book from a friend or the library instead of purchasing. Borrowing books from the library or friends can help you save quite a bit of money, especially if you’re an avid reader.
85. Pay your bills on time. Paying your bills on time is extremely important if you want to build your credit, plus it will help you avoid late fees and interest charges.
86. Cancel unused subscriptions. Canceling unused subscriptions can save you a lot of money over time. It’s also a smart idea to keep a list of all your active subscriptions and review them regularly.
87. Use cash-back or reward credit cards wisely. Using cash back credit cards can be a smart financial habit—if used responsibly. You can click here to learn how to do that.
88. Save a certain percentage of your income each week. Establishing a habit of saving money is one of the most effective ways to build wealth and achieve financial security.
89. Cook meals at home. Cooking meals at home can help you save a significant amount of money. Plus, home-cooked meals are generally healthier.
90. Make coffee at home. Making coffee at home can also save you a significant amount of money. You can potentially save over $ 1,000 a year.
Relationship Habits for a Better Life
91. Give someone a compliment. Complimenting others helps build connection, boost confidence, and inspire kindness in return. Try offering a genuine compliment at least once a day—even to a stranger. It’s a small gesture that can make a big impact.
92. Text people back. I don’t believe you need to be glued to your phone 24/7 or feel pressured to reply instantly. But taking a moment to text someone back by the end of the day is a simple, kind gesture that can go a long way in maintaining strong relationships.
93. Have a girls’ night 3-4 times a month. If you’re a woman, spending time with other women is essential. Make it a habit to connect with your girlfriends at least a few times a month—it’s good for your heart, your mindset, and your sense of community.
94. If you’re married, have a date night at least once a week. Date nights are essential for a healthy marriage. Make it a habit to go on a date at least once a week to reconnect, have fun, and nurture your relationship.
95. Be honest. Being honest in relationships is one of the most beneficial things you can do for others and yourself. It helps to build trust, connection, and long-term emotional safety.
96. Do something nice for someone. When you help someone, you show them they can count on you. That reliability builds a strong foundation of trust in the relationship.
97. Spend quality time with loved ones. Spending time with others not only helps build stronger relationships and improve mental health, but it also reduces stress and lowers cortisol levels.
98. Don’t feel like you have to solve everyone else’s problems. When you feel like you always have to help others and fix their problems, it can be incredibly draining. But guess what? It’s not your job to solve everyone’s issues. Sometimes, simply listening and being present for a friend is more than enough.
99. Put your phone away when someone is speaking to you. Cell phones have become such a huge distraction when it comes to meaningful connections. A simple way to show someone you care is to put your phone away when they are speaking to you.
100. Let go of toxic relationships. I’m not saying you should walk away from partners, friends, or family members who are going through a hard time. But if someone in your life is constantly creating drama and has no interest in acknowledging it or seeking help, it may be time to step back—or even walk away—for your own well-being.
Final Thoughts
I really hope this list of 100 habits for a better life truly helps you transform your life. Don’t forget to print out a free habit tracker so that you can stay focused on your habits and track your progress.
