AUGUST 2021 | HEALTH, HABITS, MENTAL WELLNESS
There’s never a need to wait until the new year to set some goals and take on new healthier habits. Now is as good as a time as ever.
Below is a list of 10 healthy habits to start including in your daily routine👇🏻 1. Having a morning & bedtime routine
Having a set morning and bedtime routine has so many benefits. Something i’ve learnt is that many of us actually love structure, even though we might not say it. It gives us a sense of control, purpose, and makes us feel productive. Everyone benefits from having a morning & bedtime routine, but I would add that it’s particularly beneficial if someone is struggling with their mental health. I’ve seen miracles take place when people stick to their daily routines with the right healthy habits in place.
Exercise & Wellness
2. Fitness - Finding something that works for you
Yes, exercise is important. It keeps your mind and body healthy. However, not everyone finds it fun or exciting to go to the gym on a daily basis.
For those of you who may not enjoy going to the gym, or doing much of a workout to begin with - like myself, it’s about finding what works for you. If you have to force yourself to do something that you hate doing - you won’t do it for very long. But if it’s something that you enjoy, you’ll find it much easier to include it in your weekly plans. Whether that’s playing basketball at the park, or taking a walk around your neighbourhood 3x per week - you’ll be a lot more successful at maintaining exercise if you love what you do.
3. Getting Quality Sleep
Quality Sleep
It doesn’t take long for me to lose my cognitive capacities if I don’t get a good night’s sleep. Anything less than 8 hours of sleep for me leads to a serious decline in functioning the next day. My ability to concentrate decreases, I start experiencing memory lapses, I have no energy, & drinking coffee only makes me more tired. Going on a few days without adequate sleep? It just doesn’t work. Sleep has negative impacts on our mental & physical health, which is why getting good quality sleep at night should be on your priority list daily.
No electronics 30 min. - 1 hour before bedtime!
4. Process Your Emotions
Nothing makes our challenges more difficult than keeping our difficult emotions to ourselves. Talking & sharing our feelings is important. But if you can’t find a person to talk to, journaling is the second best option. The journal serves as an outlet for your emotions. It’s a way to process your emotions, good or bad.
5. Affirmations
Affirmations - post them all over your home, car, your workplace, wherever you can.
Affirmations are a way to empower and encourage yourself. Affirmations help by giving your self-confidence and self-esteem a boost. They can help shift cognitive distortions into positive thoughts. Affirmations can be written on a post it and placed somewhere that you access frequently, for example it can be in your bathroom, in your room, or even your car’s rearview mirror.
6. Review your goals daily, weekly, & monthly.
Align yourself with a greater vision.
Align yourself with a greater vision and get yourself there. Never dream small.
By having a greater vision, it allows you to be working towards a goal. It allows you to create smaller goals to get to your bigger goals and will keep you motivated to move forward.
7. Eat three + meals per day. Vitamins. Nutrients.
It’s not about a diet. It’s about putting fuel in your body to be able to function optimally throughout your day. Always pay attention to your body. When your body needs food, it lets you know. Just like a car that requires gas to move forward. You won’t get too far without that gas in your tank.
8. Keep your space organized.
This is a more of a personal one - but I definitely feel more grounded when my space is cleared up. It gives us a bigger sense of productivity and a sense of control over our schedule.
9. Go to therapy.
I always say that the best time to go to therapy is when you’re doing really well. That’s when we absorb what we learn the best. I also believe that every single one of us should have a therapist. Every one has mental health. I’ve never met someone who didn’t. Therapy allows you to develop a self-awareness that changes your perception of yourself and how you see the world. In my opinion, the bravest and most powerful of individuals are able to sit down and get to know their own story.
10. Meditation
If the world really knew the power of meditation and its’ impacts… every one around the globe would be practicing meditation daily. Meditation allows us to practice self-regulation of our emotional states. It’s not always easy - especially when we’re just starting off. However, it’s not about practicing 45-minutes of meditation every day. It can be starting with 1 or 2 minutes. Everyone is different, and that’s okay. And it may be that mindfulness isn’t the tool for you. Maybe it’s something else like journaling, or using breathing techniques.
At the end of the day, it’s about doing what feels right for you.