New beginnings are always so exciting! I’m sure all of us had made a list of new year’s resolutions, if not a list at least a goal or two because why not? New year, new start right? The question is how many of us have actually stuck to our resolutions as we are already three months into 2019.
Have you been sticking to the ‘new year, new me’ title that you so optimistically pledged at the beginning of the year? If yes, kudos to you for doing great, keep crushing it! If not, don’t worry, you can change things around whenever you please. You don’t need a new year to start fresh, you can start today and reset your life for the better.
1. Realize the Need to Change
People are afraid to make big changes to their lives because they’ll have to come out of their comfort bubble and actually put in the work. If you want to make lifestyle changes then you’ll first have to realize why you want to make this change. This realization is very important and essential.
Some of them want to better their lives as they’ve been stagnant in one place for too long and it's not getting them anywhere. Some do it because they’re bored of their old routines. Whatever the reason may be, knowing your ‘WHY’ is gonna be the foundation over which you actually make the change. Willingness to take steps to change is entirely in your hands.
2. Quit Old Habits
Our generation is the most distracted it has ever been. Staying on your phone for hours, scrolling through feeds on social media, binge-watching shows have become an effortless routine in our lives. This routine is turning into an unhealthy addiction.
I’m not saying that we don’t need all that stuff but it is one of the reasons keeping us from changing our lives for the better. These habits are so ingrained in us that we don’t even realize their effect on our mental health.
Start by noting down your old habits and ask yourself why have you been resorting to them. Is it contributing to your wellness and growth? If not, it has to go. A habit cycle consists of a queue, routine, and reward. Our brain craves for the reward and thus we do what we do. Once a habit is created, it is so powerful that our brain initiates it so effortlessly.
To make things easy, instead of trying to quit your old habit, try replacing it with a new one. Let the reward remain the same, just change the routine. ‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg gives great insight into this. Try something new that excites you, it may be painting, reading, digital art, gaming, and the list goes on. Keep your creative spirit hungry.
3. Prioritize
Nowadays, people emphasize the ‘hustle!hustle!hustle!’ trend where you work your ass off, get em’ deadlines, catch up with family and friends, and constantly keeping yourselves busy with work in order to be successful. We end up feeling overwhelmed as we have a million things to do, especially those never-ending to-do lists, wish lists, bucket lists, goals lists, and all the lists in the world!
Everything on your list cannot have the same importance, hence prioritize. Picking out only the essentials and putting them first before anything else is going to make things less daunting. Priorities vary from person to person but it finally boils down to having meaning in whatever you do.
4. Social Detox
Social media can get us feeling some type of way and you can’t deny it. We are slowly getting sucked into this never-ending hollow of expectations and so-called perfectionism. Comparing ourselves to people on the internet has become a sort of second nature for us these days which is taking a toll on our mental health.
Now we cannot change the definition of ‘perfect’ that social media seems to portray, what we can do is choose not to see it. This is why detoxing your social media is important. I’m not asking you to delete your accounts for good, I know it’s difficult as we are so used to absorbing news, gossip, and whatnot.
You can start by filtering out the accounts you follow. You don’t need to follow people who make you feel insecure about yourself or those who question your worth. Flush out those toxic people and negative barriers. Remember that you are doing this for yourself and not anyone else.
5. Clean your space
De-cluttering can do wonders for your space and your mind. Get rid of stuff that doesn’t bring you joy anymore. Marie Kondo’s technique is the best to follow when tidying up. Each item you possess should have a designated place or home. Trying out minimalism is also a great way to live a simple yet meaningful life.
First, start cleaning out your physical space and then move on to your digital space. Always choose quality over quantity. By cleaning, I not only mean your physical environment but also your mental headspace. Get rid of any growth-limiting beliefs and accept the fact that you are capable of so much more and let go of any negative feelings.
Love, Darshana