All you need to know about…

giving happiness global impact

How to Live a Happier, Healthier & Less Stressed 2025

How to Live a Happier, Healthier & Less Stressed 2025

As the New Year rolls in, it’s time to toss those fleeting resolutions and make a more meaningful promise: how to live as a happier, healthier YOU!

At 365give, we’re flipping the script—it’s all about you this time. You heard us right: 2025 is the year we begin by giving to ourselves before extending our generosity elsewhere. And we’ve got just the thing to kickstart your journey—a free workbook designed for you to create a new practice that is putting you first.

Start with listening to the Human Impact Theory Podcast this month, where Jacqueline Way, founder of 365give, dives into why starting with yourself matters. She’ll share the benefits of giving to yourself and guide you through using the workbook. So, why are we starting with you this year? Keep reading, and let’s discover together how self-care can be this year’s game-changer for your life!

How to Live Healthier: The Science of Self-Care

Self-care is crucial for maintaining both mental and physical health along with decreasing life’s stressors. It’s about making intentional choices to care for your body, mind, and spirit. Key benefits include:

Enhanced physical health:

Regular self-care activities can improve overall physical health by reducing the risk of stress-related disorders and boosting immunity.

Improved mental health:

Engaging in self-care helps decrease anxiety and depression while enhancing overall mood stability.

Increased resilience:

By regularly focusing on your own well-being, you build up resilience against the stressors of daily life.

Improved self-connection:

Regular self-care activities help you tune into your inner thoughts and feelings vs. blaming or focusing on everyone else around you. This increases our emotional intelligence and control.

Embracing self-care is not about indulgence; it’s about setting yourself up for long-term health and happiness.

How to Live More Connected: The Science of Giving

Giving, in its many forms – time, skills, or emotional support – strengthens our connections with others and enhances our own well-being and happiness. Look at the similarities between the two:

Boosts mental health:

Giving to others can elevate your mood and lead to a happier life.

Promotes physical health:

Regular altruistic activities have been linked to lower blood pressure and longer life expectancy.

Strengthens social bonds:

Contributing to the welfare of others builds stronger community ties and fosters a supportive social network.

Through giving, we not only help others but also enrich our own lives by creating more meaning and purpose. This includes giving to ourselves!

Self-care + Giving is a Powerhouse of Happiness and Well-being

Integrating self-care as a daily practice results in a profound compound effect:

Synergistic benefits:

This integration gives you all the benefits above x2 leading to a happier, more meaningful, and heart-centered life. Instead of trying to pour from a cup that’s almost empty, we are now pouring from a full cup, ready to give to all those around us.

Daily practice impacts:

Making these practices part of your daily routine not only enriches your life but, like compound interest in a savings account, grows more each day and expands over time. We feel better and better as we become aware we are caring for ourselves more each day.

self care

30 Self-Care Ideas to Kick Start 2025

While self-care can sometimes be seen as requiring lavish spending, it doesn’t have to be about expensive spa days or daily manicures. True self-care starts with the basics, like taking a moment to breathe deeply, enjoying a quiet morning, or stepping outside for a fresh perspective. Here are 30 simple, powerful ways to care for yourself without spending a penny:

1. Start your day with mindfulness meditation.
2. Practice deep breathing exercises for 1 minute (do it often during the day).
3. Take a relaxing bath.
4. Engage in a hobby you love.
5. Write in a journal.
6. Read a book purely for pleasure.
7. Listen to your favorite music and dance!
8. Watch a sunrise or sunset.
9. Take a walk in nature.
10. Practice yoga.
11. Try out a new healthy recipe.
12. Declutter a small area in your home.
13. Take a digital detox.
14. Plan a movie night.
15. Create a vision board and one thing to move towards it.
16. Engage in creative writing.
17. Take a nap.
18. Stretch after waking up.
19. Spend time gardening.
20. Prepare a home spa day.
21. Choose healthy food every time you open the fridge.
22. Soak your feet after a long day.
23. Book a coffee date with a friend.
24. Practice gratitude before you wake up and at bedtime.
25. Plan a free day.
26. Don’t’ hit the snooze button and hop out of bed excited for another day.
27. Listen to a podcast to grow and learn.
28. Write a letter to your future self that’s positive and encouraging.
29. Go looking for things you love and appreciate them—flowers, ocean, or a blue sky day.
30. Learn something new.

Life Will Get Better and Better

Combining self-care with giving isn’t just beneficial for individual growth; it’s a powerful way to cultivate a happier, healthier, and more connected to yourself. Noticing your emotions and how to start to shift them. Every time you take even one minute to care for yourself, celebrate it! Pat yourself on your back in any way that works for you, but take note. You will go from one practice a day to looking for the small ways to take care of yourself. You will feel better and better as each day passes. We encourage you to explore these practices further through our podcast and to use the free workbook as your guide to making 2025 your most fulfilling year yet.

Download the workbook HERE!

happiness workbook

Ready to make a profound impact on your life and the lives of others? Download the free workbook right now and tune into the Human Impact Theory Podcast for more insights and inspiration. Start your journey to a happier, healthier, and more connected life today and in 2025!

We are excited to give you more and more in 2025 to create a happy life. Join our community today and sign up for our newsletter and membership here. Choose what works best for you, and we are here to support you 365 days of the year.

Read past articles here for more ideas:

Why Prioritizing Self-Care is Key to Your Happiness this Holiday Season!

8 Classroom Ideas to Engage Students in Self- Compassion for Mental Health

+ posts

Jacqueline Way is dedicated to serving humanity with love and compassion every day. She is a committed advocate for global change, dedicating her career to philanthropic projects that create scalable and lasting impact. Most of all, she is a Mom of 3 beautiful boys that teach her about happiness 365 days of the year.

Share Article:

1 Comment

  1. Chantal Trudeau
    Chantal Trudeau on December 30, 2024 at 5:10 pm

    Great reminder that putting yourself first enables more giving to others!

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What people are saying about 365give

“I wanted to express my gratitude for the teaching you provided today. Your message was delivered eloquently, compassionately, and without judgment. The kids were engaged, and now have knowledge with which they can change the world. We all appreciated how you took the time to help us learn to build positive mindsets and practice happiness.”
Shelley Gardner, Grade 6 Ridgeview Elementary (West Vancouver)
“Actions really do speak louder than words, which is why I believe the 365give Challenge has resonated throughout my community. Every give we do is so important to us and leaves us happier and appreciating our lives a little bit more than before.”
Mahina Niyozova (Tajikistan)
“After watching the 365give TEDx Talk, I was inspired to join and begin a daily giving program in India. Today, along with 12 other volunteer women, we provide 100 meals to local underprivileged children in Bangalore for school every day.”
Deepika Ahuja, Mom (Bangalore, India)
“My life has greater meaning now.”
Renate Jorge, @BeKindBrazil and 365give Member, Family Program (Brazil)
“I just wanted to share that 365give really helped me. I am a better person now, thank you.”
MayLee, 365give Member, Individual Program
“This 365give Challenge has really injected excitement and extra enthusiasm in each work day as I think about what we can do. It has motivated me and the students.”
Cristina Peters, School Counselor (New York City, USA)
“I have seen a huge shift in energy throughout my classroom since doing the 365give Challenge. The Challenge has empowered my students to make a positive difference in the school’s community and beyond.”
Cella Adriana, Special Needs Educator /The Holliswood School (New York City, USA)
“The 365give Challenge helps students understand their impact on others. It opens avenues for introducing and discussing global and local issues in classrooms. It is powerful to watch students of all ages think about how they can make a change in another person’s life with one small act.”
Jessica Hall, Primary Teacher, French Immersion at École Pauline Johnson (West Vancouver, Canada)

Your contribution will create
a ripple of good in the world

We can’t change the world alone.

We can when we work together.

Every dollar given to 365give is action for a better world.

Donate Today

[email protected]

Send us a message