I am a firm believer in no one being ‘too good’ to add some more good habits into their life. We should all strive to search for what makes us happier, fulfilled, and joyful… DAILY! I for one can tell a significant difference in the person I am today vs. who I was when I was just partaking in habits that were destroying my life.
The activities we partake in, the people we choose to have in our lives, and the motives behind our actions are all very telling of what we prioritize in the world. Where we place our energy, and what we spend our time on is all a huge factor in what shapes us as people. The daily habits we include in our lives will have a lot to say about which direction we are trying to go. For me, it was not until I started my recovery that I was able to learn this. We cannot have toxic habits outweigh the positive ones if what we want for ourselves is to get better.
By using the 5 daily habits below, I have been able to change the course of my life, and learn to make better choices for myself. Keep in mind a couple things: not all of these habits are ‘one size fits all’, meaning, some may not work for you. Also, these are just 5 of the most prominent daily habits that came to mind, and this is not the only daily work I do to keep myself moving forward, and in the right direction. These are just a good start for anyone to try!
1. WRITING
I figured I would start with the obvious one because if you are reading this right now, you most likely already know that I enjoy words…and using them to write. (I mean, look around, my entire website is built on the foundation of the importance of words, and using them to express our true selves!) This daily work has become something else entirely for me. It has allowed me to understand myself, and learn how to be vulnerable in a different kind of way. Writing is a daily habit of mine that gives me the freedom of putting down exactly how I feel. Whereas before recovery, I would avoid certain feelings by keeping them inside. I had convinced myself that if I could just stay quiet about what I was feeling, that it would just subside, and go away on its own. It was not until I began writing with authenticity and truth that I discovered just how much I was holding myself back from learning about myself. Writing has become less of a habit for me, and more of a necessity for who I am, and who I am becoming.
2. MORNING ‘CHORE’
This one may sound a little silly at first, but hear me out. Making sure to make my bed every morning gives me a small taste of accomplishment right when I wake up. This chore has the potential of setting the mood for the day. It may not seem like much, but instilling this habit into your daily routine, and taking the small amount of time to do a chore you could do without can do a lot for you mentally, that you are most likely not considering as a possible effect. It is a positive way to start your day and a quick reminder that you are capable of consistently doing the small stuff that can make a big difference. Don’t underestimate the power of making your bed. If anything, it is an easy habit to include in your daily routine, and one no one ever regrets doing afterward, so why not?
3. EXERCISE
I have been involved in sports since the day I could kick a ball, so exercise for me has always been a necessity in my life. As far as my recovery goes, exercise has been the one habit of mine that is able to battle my depression the best. I know that a daily dose of endorphins will do wonders for me and that is enough to get me involved in some kind of activity each day. Regardless of if you have mental illness or not, exercise will do wonders for everyone, and for obvious reasons. I do not feel the need to get into the details of that because we all know that exercise is good for you. What I am hoping you are taking away from this habit of mine, is that exercise is so much more than just good for you. It is a habit that teaches you commitment, patience, and appreciation for what your body is capable of doing for you if you challenge it a bit. This habit will never lead you wrong. Try it for yourself!
4. THE WAY I TALK TO MYSELF
Oh man, what a difference this one has made in my life since living in recovery. Who would have thought that you can change, and rewire the way you talk to yourself? Do not get me wrong, this is a habit that requires daily work to get better at, because rewiring what you know best is never an easy feat. The second I learned that I did not have to talk down to myself about the mistakes I have made, or remind myself of every flaw only I was obsessing over, I was able to start filling my thoughts with positive words. I started using daily self-talk that began building me up, instead of breaking me down. You can easily develop a habit of self-loathing, and that will never allow you to become the best version of yourself. You are able to change the way you talk to yourself, but remember, this habit must be done daily. Good news is that you should WANT to talk nicer to yourself, aka, this habit is worth a try as well!
5. CONNECTION
Last, but certainly not least, this may be the most important habit I have included in this list (in my opinion of course), but let me explain why. Finding others who accept me for who I am, who allow me to talk openly about what hurts, and those who relate to me on a deeper level, are connections that I work on bettering daily. My desire to stay connected to those in my life, as well as open myself up to the opportunity of connecting with strangers, this is work I do to force myself out of my comfort zone. In regards to my recovery, connection has been a critical habit of mine just so I can remain accountable for myself, and also, be around others who accept my circumstances as much as I do. I can always tell when my mental health needs attention by my desire to isolate myself and distance myself from those closest to me. By keeping my connections intact, and continuing to build on them daily, I am able to use them as a reminder that people are capable of loving me, and I am capable of loving others in return. I do not see any downside to this habit. How often do you work on your connections?
If you were to write down the top 5 habits you partake in on a daily basis? What would it say about you? This is not for anyone else to know, this is just an opportunity for you to get honest with yourself and possibly recognize some areas in your life that need some more positive direction. By reevaluating what is important to us, and rearranging our priorities around, we can easily change the direction we are headed, and there are certainly many habits that can make you a better person if you work on them. Some will require daily work, while other habits may come and go. For the habits that occur daily, make sure they are ones that you fully support and stand behind because these are also the habits that are shaping who you are becoming.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate you.
Megan Lawrence