It’s a new year, which means that you have a brand new chance to begin living a happier and healthier life. Let’s face it, it’s easy to make goals and resolutions and tell yourself that things are going to be different this year. But it’s a whole different thing to actually make these goals a reality and follow through with them. Setting healthy habits will help.
Such healthy daily habits are necessary to help you achieve your goals this year. When something is a habit and something you do every single day, you’re going to be more likely to actually follow through with what you’re hoping to achieve. In addition, this can help you stay along the path of recovery.
Healthy Habits Idea #1: Change How You Start Your Day
The morning time is so important because it can shape how the rest of your day goes. It can help to reconsider how you start your day. For example, perhaps you press snooze once or even twice before getting out of bed and then find yourself rushing around to try to accomplish everything you need to do that day. This can definitely affect your mood and even your productivity for the rest of the day.
Or perhaps when you first wake up in the morning, the first thing you do is reach for your phone and check social media, the news, or your email. This can cause you to feel stressed and overwhelmed before you’re even out of bed.
Try breaking these habits by waking up when your alarm goes off or even a little earlier to allow yourself enough time to start your day. Instead of reaching for your phone right away, consider starting your day with some yoga or some sort of meditation. This can help you to feel more relaxed and centered as you start your day.
Healthy Habits Idea #2: Start Making Your Physical Health a Priority
You likely live a busy life with plenty of personal and professional obligations to take care of on a daily basis. You may find yourself rushing from one thing to the next without taking as much time for yourself as necessary. When this happens, your physical health may begin to fall by the wayside. For example, you may find yourself surviving off of coffee, skipping workouts, and stopping for fast food to save time.
Ultimately, all these things can add up, and when you’re not feeling your best physically, your mental health can begin to suffer as well. There are small things you can do every week and even every day that will really make a difference in the long run.
For example, if you tend to start your day with coffee, consider having a big glass of water first. Staying hydrated is crucial for weight management, organ function, and energy production. A lot of people like to track their water intake to make sure they are getting enough each day.
If you tend to order out or stop for fast food on days when you’re busy, you may consider meal prepping. On Sunday evening, you make a large, healthy, homemade meal that you can then portion out throughout the week. This will save you time and ensure that you’re eating meals with real nutrition that will give you the energy that you need.
There may be days when getting over to the gym for a workout is simply not an option for you. That’s okay, but it is important to ensure that you’re still getting some sort of exercise in, even if it is just a walk around the block or a quick at-home workout. There are lots of free videos online that can guide you through an easy workout.
Healthy Habits Idea #3: Make Time to Take Care of Your Mental Health
Many people make an effort to prioritize their physical health but not their mental health, which is just as important. Without taking proper care of your mental health, you can become drained, unmotivated, less able to handle stressful situations, and may even experience anxiety or depression.
One of the best things you can do for your mental health each day is to take some uninterrupted time for yourself. During this time, you can reflect upon the ups and downs of your day, do some journaling, or even just sit in silence as you allow yourself to recover mentally from any stresses of the day.
Another important thing to do every day is to practice self-care. Self-care is something that you can do each day that will benefit your overall well-being to help ensure you are feeling happy and at peace. What this may be will differ from person to person. It might take time to figure out what works best for you. Some examples could include reading a chapter of a book, taking a walk out in nature, or spending quality time with a friend. Whatever you choose, take some time out during your day for yourself.
It’s a new year and a fresh start to begin living a happier and healthier life. It is easy to make a list of goals and things that you would like to start doing to benefit your health this year. However, it is an entirely different thing to actually follow through with them. It is essential to form healthy habits so that you can do these things every day without having to think about them. Some healthy habits you can consider this year may include changing how you start your day and making both your mental and physical health top priorities. If you are struggling with a substance use disorder, The Ho Tai Way can help. Call (714) 581-3974 today.
