There’s no better time to get a restart in life than the start of a new year. People typically go for a reset or reboot of some sort when the new year rolls in. That’s why new year’s resolutions are popular. For instance, folks promise to live a healthier lifestyle at the start of a new year. Married people going through a tough time in their marriage promise each other to go to couples therapy. Students commit to studying harder and doing better with their academics.
New year’s resolutions signify people’s desire to be better versions of themselves. An upgraded version, if you will. But no matter how noble their intentions are, unless they build the right habits around those resolutions, they will end up back where they started.
If you want this year to be a better year for you, you need to learn how to take better care of yourself and build the right habits. Here are some of the things that, when turned to habits, can help turn you into a version 2.0 of your old self.
1. Set aside some quiet time for yourself
We live in a world where almost everyone is in a hurry. Life has become a blur with all the rushing we do. We need to learn to stop and take a breather, set aside some time for our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls to recover. Mark specific hours or days in your calendar that will allow you to do your daily reflections, pursue your hobbies and interests, and take a break.
Daily reflection time allows you to see where you’re at and plan how to get to where you want to be, not just in your day but in your life, too. It makes you grow and gives you a deeper understanding of the things happening around you.
2. Get rid of physical clutter around your house and emotional clutter in your heart
Physical clutter and emotional baggage are some of the things that bring great stress to us. Take time to declutter, clean up, and organize around the house to minimize the visual disturbances that make it hard for you to relax. Similarly, learn to let go of excess emotional baggage and negativity that wear you down. Easier said than done, but unless you do it, you won’t get anywhere near the stress-free life you wish to have.
3. Sleep well
Although it takes time to establish a healthy sleep cycle, you need to start working on it now. Sleep experts and health professionals recommend at least 7 hours of good quality sleep for adults to fully function and perform their tasks well during the day. Sleep deprivation causes mood swings and creates stressful situations. A well-rested person will always wake up feeling good about himself and eager to take on the world.
4. Drink more water
Hydration is an essential aspect of taking care of the physical body. Drinking the recommended daily allowance for water has a lot of health benefits. Have a water bottle handy at work and refill it every hour. Doing these conditions and trains you to drink a certain amount of water every hour can help you get to 7 to 8 glasses a day.
5. Say “no” without having to explain yourself
To get to this point, you need to know and understand what your priorities are. Once it is clear to you, you can start setting boundaries for yourself to not spread yourself too thinly to please people. Establish those boundaries by saying “no” to things asked of you. You don’t even need to explain yourself. You don’t need to justify your priorities.
6. Laugh. A lot
They say laughter is the best medicine. While it can’t heal any sickness or disease, it can surely help make people feel better. A good laugh is very therapeutic. Having loved ones to laugh with is just plain magic. Don’t lose your sense of humor, and don’t take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself from time to time. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it can turn your mood around.
7. Meet other people’s needs
Lastly, self-care doesn’t always have to be centered around our selves. Sometimes, the best way to take care of ourselves and nurture our souls is to help meet other people’s needs. Being generous and helpful feeds our soul and brings a certain joy and sense of fulfillment that money cannot buy. Helping and giving never go out of style.
We hope that this year will be a lot kinder to you in many ways as you learn how to take better care of yourself. If you have other great and brilliant self-care ideas that you believe might help others, don’t hesitate to sound off in the comments section below.
