Health truly is wealth, but incorporating new wellness habits can feel overwhelming. I wanted to share a round-up of wellness habits that are really easy to start with - most are free and take little time, but make such a difference in your mental and physical well-being that you’ll feel the difference in no time. Incorporating these habits has helped me make the transition from completing tasks that are good for me to making wellness a true lifestyle, and I hope you find them helpful towards your wellness journey.

mental health

Audit your music and TV/ movie choices. A few years ago, I did a complete inner-voice reset where I didn’t listen to music/ podcasts or watch tv for a week. It taught me so much about what I really thought about, and where my mind went when I didn’t have any distractions. I used to love really heavy music and crime shows, but the reset revealed that it was all influencing me negatively. Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with finding music that relates to your situation, especially when you’re feeling down or lonely, but you don’t want that to be the permanent soundtrack to your life. On the other hand, too many self-help podcasts and audiobooks can lead you deep into the comparison trap or feeling like you don’t measure up. Take some time to recognize what you’re listening to, especially what’s “just in the background,” as it truly influences your subconscious more than you realize. I still love watching Dateline every now and then, but more often than not, I’ll play uplifting playlists while I work and nature sounds or brown noise to ease my anxiety as I wind down and get ready for bed.  

Incorporate affirmations. Affirmations help re-wire your brain into more positive thinking by challenging or overriding negative thoughts or beliefs. They really do work; if you think affirmations are too hippie-ish, you just have to find (or create) ones that work for you personally. I like to write them on sticky notes for my desk and bathroom mirror each week, but I also repeat some in my mind throughout the day as needed. A few of my favorites:

• It gets to be easy. Struggle is not required.

• I am making a choice right now.

• This or something better.

• All for God’s glory; all glory to God.

• I am fully supported in this/ in my goals.

Start a gratitude journal. What you think about amplifies and grows; your mind then seeks out similar sentiments. As you make gratitude expression a habit, you’ll find more things to be thankful for throughout the day (not just on Thanksgiving). Some people suggest physically writing a list on pen and paper, but there are times when it’s more convenient to use the Notes app on your phone, so figure out what works best for your life right now that you can turn into a repeatable, daily habit.

When you think of someone, reach out. Post-pandemic, I don’t think we talk about loneliness enough. The transition away from school and into adulthood makes seeing your friends on a regular basis difficult, and it seems as though we’ve replaced liking social media posts with deep conversation. As time goes on, it can feel awkward to reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, I’ve made this habit something I do automatically, not allowing myself time to second-guess myself. Anytime someone comes to mind, or if I see something that stands out to me on their Instagram, I personally reach out and attempt to start a conversation. It doesn’t always work (and try not to read into it in case this happens), but anytime it does, I’m so glad I made the effort. 

Monitor your moods and feelings. I think the ultimate foundation of any wellness practice is gentle awareness. Recognizing how you feel, whether it’s physically or emotionally, and accepting it rather than trying to change it, has added true peace of mind to my life. Not every day is perfect and so much is out of our control; the world feels crazy more often than not. I’m always in pursuit of self-improvement, but I’ve come to accept that anxiety will be a part of my life forever. What has made my anxiety more manageable is accepting it and being able to identify it when I’m experiencing it. Simply telling yourself, “I am angry right now and that’s ok” almost lessens the emotion because you’re fully acknowledging and accepting it without judgement. You can also keep track of your emotions/ moods over time (whether it’s by color-coding a calendar or making a note in your phone) to help identify potential triggers or stressors, so you’re better able to live with and work through your emotions, rather than bottle them up, minimize them, or allow them to takeover entirely.

physical health

Make your bed. Another habit you hear talked about frequently, being able to see physical organization decreases anxiety and accomplishing a task at the start of your day boosts self-esteem while giving you a sense of accomplishment you can carry into the rest of the day.

Start the day with water. I used to drink soda in the mornings, so I totally understand caffeine cravings right when you wake up, but I was able to drop this habit by taking a few sips of water and gradually upping it over time. It’s so important to rehydrate after a night of sleep, and choosing water before any caffeine source was much easier than I anticipated because I told myself I just had to have a few sips to start, rather than an entire glass. This has also helped me a lot with migraine prevention and minimization.

Spend 5 minutes a day doing a quick clean of your space. Outer order, inner calm. Cleaning gets daunting when clutter builds up, so avoid that by spending five minutes a day tidying up. I like to do this as the starting point of my nighttime routine, but it’s also a great post-work habit that transitions you back into personal time.

Stretch. Couch to 5k has a nice ring to it, but the beginning stages of working out are hard, especially when you haven’t moved your body in a while. Be gentle and start by just stretching a few times a week, moving up to every day. Slowly add in walking, yoga, or weightlifting, and your body will eventually crave it.

Get some fresh air daily. This boosts your immune system, lowers your blood pressure, reduces stress, and clears your lungs. Fresh air is just so crucial, and we don’t get enough. Set a timer on your phone and head outside for at least 10 minutes a day, or make it a point to utilize outdoor seating when you go out to eat. This is another habit you’ll start to crave the more you do it.

Take 30 seconds to breathe deeply and intentionally. Meditation is a life-long practice because it’s something you have to work at, especially in the beginning. Ease into it by taking a few seconds each day to breathe deeply - in through your nose, hold briefly, then out through your mouth. I like to do this at stoplights throughout the day, but it’s also a great addition to your morning, post-work, or nighttime routine.  

Start your nighttime routine 15 minutes earlier. Waking up earlier isn’t the easiest task, but what helps you work towards that goal is starting your nighttime routine earlier. Oftentimes, the hours after work get away from us, but making a point to start your routine a few minutes earlier means you don’t have to rush and you can really savor the self-care steps and time in your bed relaxing. I always wake up feeling more rested when I do this, even if I don’t necessarily fall asleep sooner.

Utilize night shift and limit screen time on your phone. If you’re someone who has a hard time falling asleep, turn the night shift feature on, which adjusts the screen to be warm-toned, limiting eye strain and preventing sleep disruption typically caused by blue light. I also recommend turning the screen time feature on, too. At a minimum, this will help you become more aware of how much time you spend on different apps and your phone overall, but you can also use it to slowly decrease your phone use over time.

keep reading