BlastAloud

Tag: habits

  • 11 Things To Do As Part Of Your Self Care Night Routine

    11 Things To Do As Part Of Your Self Care Night Routine

    A lot of us have many ways we practice self-care. We tend to manage our bodies in the best way we can in order to be in good shape. We also try to cultivate a positive mindset so that we are mentally sound.  Today I’ll share some tips for you to develop a proper self care night routine to help you do just that.

    Now, the idea of a self care night routine might be new to you. Some may even find it needless, but is it? 

    According to findings, a higher percentage of happy, productive people are those who effectively integrate morning and night self care routines into their lives.

    You may be wondering if it is possible to adopt and master self care habits. Although it requires your conscious effort, certain factors increase your chances of implementing whatever routine you take up;

    • Firstly, you can decide to choose the ones that work for you. Anything you find too difficult can wait.
    • Secondly, you can also decide to only adopt only the things you enjoy. 
    • You can make it as simple as you want.
    • You can adopt only routines that bring some balance to your life.

    Below, I will share 11 things to do as part of your self care night routine. You can use the ones that work for you. I’d like to believe you will live a much happier and fulfilled life if you can keep up with at least some of them. Only if they work for you of course.

     

     

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    1. Draw A Warm Or Cold Bath 

    Your self care night routine can start by drawing yourself a bath – hot or cold – depending on the weather and what suits you at that particular time. This should be done immediately you get home from work. 

    You might have had a stressful day, so the best you can do for yourself is to calm your nerves and relax your muscles by having your bath immediately you get home. Also, make it a habit to brush your teeth before bed. It feels great!

    Have you ever gotten home and been so tired to do anything but to sleep off? I’m sure you enjoyed your sleep, but then how did you feel the next morning?

    Fresh or rancid?

    Strong or tired?

    Well, however you feel the next morning, the bottom line is that you won’t feel your best. Hence, why don’t you make it your bedtime routine to shower, brush, and feel fresh before retiring to bed? Life will definitely feel better.

     

     

    2. Put On Something Comfortable 

    Of course, you don’t want to remain in the same clothes all day! Not only will it make you uncomfortable, but it’s just…not nice.

    Even before you return from work, you are probably yearning to be home already and make yourself a bit comfortable. One good way to ensure such comfort is by changing your work clothes into something more cosy, warm, and comfortable.

    This singular act can help you mark the difference between work and rest. It will make your evening kind of unique and different from the rest of the day.

    When you have a clearly defined wardrobe for work that is different from that of home, you will have a psychological shift once you get home and change into those nighties or pyjamas. You will simply feel at home!

     

     

    3. Create Time For Yourself 

    This is one self care night routine people ignore a lot.

    You might have had a tough time working all day. Perhaps, you even carried some work home to continue. While I won’t condemn such hard work completely, it’s also important to remind you that you really need to create time for yourself… 

    There are a whole lot of things you can do with such “self-time”, but in all, it has to be for your self-care.

    You can start by setting aside an hour (in the evening) to focus on what you love.

    After you have taken your bath and changed into something quite comfortable, the next in line is to spend time on that activity you really enjoy doing.

    I know people who really find writing very interesting. But then you can choose to use this lovely time to watch that fascinating show on TV. 

    You can also decide to listen to those podcasts you’ve been planning to listen to but couldn’t make out time for. What about tuning into your favourite radio station to listen to that program you find quite educative?

    Other activities you should consider are; 

    • Going for a walk 
    • Yoga 
    • Hitting the gym 
    • Creative paintings or other forms of art, etc.

    Actually, your body and mind need such every evening and hence, it will be a massive way to rob yourself if you don’t create the time to do what you find interesting.

     

     

    4. Read Books 

    Consider adopting reading as your night routine, you won’t regret it. 

    Before going to bed, reading is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Reading a fiction/nonfiction book or an interesting storyline can actually be quite fun. 

    To actualize this, you can set a goal to read a specific number of books within a calendar year. 

    The question now is, do you like reading? Why not give it a try?

    Based on research findings, reading has a tremendous way of improving your mental capacity! This is because while reading, you are concentrating, co-ordinating, and at the same time memorizing!

    Besides, it might also thrill you to know that reading is far more effective in reducing the effect of stress than tea or coffee. Moreover, reading the right books can single handedly help you in winning the fight against depression. 

     

     

    Self Care Night Routine
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    5. Create A Time For Daily Reflection 

    Have you ever considered having time to think and reminisce about your daily events? Actually, it’s a very essential self-care night routine you should adopt!

    Just before you retire to bed, you should dedicate thirty minutes or an hour for meditation. Fifteen minutes is alright too for a start. Reflect on your daily activities; your job, your engagements, your losses, wins, decisions, even your utterances/responses. Think about all of them. Ascertain what you did right and what you need to do better.

    You can do this in the form of journaling. While reflecting, write down all the things you consider noteworthy; both events that made you happy or sad should be well noted in your journal. 

    Journaling is a fantastic way to reflect. It will help you hold on to those happy moments and at the same time, give you the opportunity to ease any sadness that might have accumulated on your mind during the course of the day.

    Related: 20 Deep Self-Reflection Questions To Ask Yourself

     

     

    6. Practice Gratitude 

    When you make gratitude a habit, you won’t only be happier as a person, but you will also find joy in living.

    You don’t have to wait till you win a major contract before you can be grateful. You can simply start by appreciating the little things that happen every day that you usually ignore. For instance, no matter how hard the day gets, you can choose to be grateful you have a roof over your head.

     

     

    7. Adopt A Daily Skin Care Routine 

    There are certain factors that will actually aid your skin. 

    First, if for some reason you couldn’t shower, then before bed, you must wash your face; do away with the make-up on your face if there is any. Sleeping with an unwashed face will keep your face oily. This can accumulate dirt or germs that can cause certain inflammations. 

    Moreover, based on research findings, sleeping with make-up increases the rate at which you age. In other words, night makeup could result in faster aging! Therefore, always wash it away!

     

     

    8. Declutter Each Evening 

    This might feel very tiring, given the fact that you just want to relax every evening. Doing chores is perhaps the last thing you are ready for. But then it’s important to declutter from time to time.

    If you decide to do without regular tidying of the house, I’m sure you can imagine what your home will look like after a while? It will certainly not make you feel good; both physically and psychologically.

    Nothing can put you in a bad mood more than waking up in a dirty environment where the restroom is not encouraging and the kitchen sink is nothing to write home about!

    If you eventually decide to leave it and go about your daily business, you won’t really be comfortable knowing fully well those dirty dishes and untidy rooms are still waiting for you. However, the moment you decide to clean up, the relief you’ll get to feel afterward can only be compared to heavenly salvation.

    A tidy environment brings about a good vibe and energy. It gives your environment a unique kind of freshness. Just imagine how you feel when you lay down on freshly washed sheets… Whew!

    Making this one of your self care night routines is paramount because it is a basic habit that will surely improve the quality of life you live.

    By nature, you are a social being. Therefore, one good way to treat yourself right every evening is by socializing; not just with a random person but with your family. Having a daily evening routine of connecting with your household will keep you in the right frame of mind before bed. You will wake up mentally stronger.

    Being with your family won’t only help you all create that bond, it will also serve as an opportunity to express love amongst yourselves. As a matter of fact, if your household is happy, you will be happier as a person. Consequently, your social life will blossom!

    Now, when you don’t relate with your household in this manner, you might have no reason to leave home a happy person. 

    And if you can’t spend quality time with your family, how sure are you to do so with your business partners or clients?

     

     

    9. Prepare For Tomorrow 

    Someone who prioritizes productivity should always prepare for the next day. 

    Assuming you have an important presentation to deliver tomorrow, it’s obviously advisable to use the previous night to prepare for the big day ahead.

    This will make you ready and equipped and hence, what would have been a very difficult day will be easier and properly handled.

     

     

    10. Routinize Your Bed Time 

    Okay forget the sequence, this is probably the first thing you should consider making your routine. 

    Are you the type that only sleeps when you are done with every other activity? Is your sleeping time irregular or solely dependent on when you are done working? Then, my friend, you have to re-strategize.

    Create a specific time that you MUST go to bed, no matter what. It’s very important for your general wellbeing.

    When you have a regular bedtime, you will maintain a certain level of fitness which will make it less difficult to embark on your daily tasks. As a result, you will be quite productive!

    It’s a fact that you need enough sleep to function optimally, and for that reason, sleeping well every day (based on your schedule) will make your functionality consistent.

    Related: 15 Tips On How To Wake Up Earlier And Not Feel Tired

     

     

    Final thoughts

    Finally, after you’ve spent the whole day striving to make ends meet, taking care of others, working and satisfying your clients, surely, you will feel like slumping onto your bed.

    But then, this rest might be short-lived because you will most likely wake up at midnight, feeling like you left certain things undone. In the end, you might not really have the kind of sleep you desired.

    But when you have a certain self care night routine as discussed right here, you will sleep comfortably knowing fully well that you’ve done the needful.

     

     

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    Self Care Night Routine
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  • 10 Things To Do Before Bed Every Night As Part Of Your Evening Routine

    10 Things To Do Before Bed Every Night As Part Of Your Evening Routine

    Having a good evening routine can ensure you get enough rest and set you up for success the next day. Today we’ll look at 10 things to do before bed that you should try and make part of your evening routine.

    After having that long, stressful day at work, you probably can’t wait to get home and relax, reunite with your family and get ready for the next day.

    On the other hand, it’s also possible that you are so occupied that you rarely think of going home or relaxing. You have lots of engagements, in fact, “sleep” is the last thing on your mind.

    Well, do you know that among all the things that are required to keep living fine, you really need sleep? Funny enough, enjoying a good night’s rest seems to be one of the easiest activities you can freely engage in. However, getting a really good rest is often not as easy as it sounds.

    You must have heard people complaining of having sleepless nights due to; 1) Some Psychological health conditions like insomnia and anxiety, 2) Situations like having too much workload or 3) Other issues and challenges of life.

    It feels relieving though to acknowledge the fact that most of these conditions above can be resolved by adopting some simple strategies, routines and lifestyle changes.

    There are quite a number of necessary things to do before bed each night if you want to get a good rest and ultimately live a good life.

     

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    1. Put your body in the best condition

    The first step to always take in the evening before bed is to prepare your body and condition yourself to be in the best physical state before sleep. I’m sure the question you’d be asking right now is “How?”

    Of course, there are numerous ways you can condition your body to enhance sleep. Some of the many ways are:

    Firstly, engage in simple exercises like stretching and twisting in the form of or similar to yoga. This is important especially if you sit in front of a desktop at work for over 8 hours every day. Stretching out will definitely make you feel better and will also relieve you from the resulting body aches due to extended hours of sitting. You’ll be better conditioned to sleep afterwards.

    After you have completed the exercise, bathing is another activity that sets your body in the mood for sleep. That soothing feeling you derive from drawing a warm bath can only make you relax and sleep with ease. Also, make it a routine to brush your teeth every night before bed. You will surely feel refreshed the next morning.

    Another way to put your body in the best state for sleep is by dressing comfortably to bed. Ensure your nightwear is not too tight (yep, even if you need to look sexy when you go to bed, go for loose-fitting clothes). Preferably, the clothes should be made of cotton material. This will ensure you don’t feel too hot or too cold at night.

     

    2. Put your mind in the best condition

    You don’t only get your body ready for sleep but your mind too. One simple way to condition your mind for sleep is to clear it of all the problems, anxiety and mental stress you experienced during the day. In order to achieve this:

    • Meditate and reflect on your daily activities.
    • Write in a journal.
    • Record your wins and losses.
    • Map out ways you intend to recover from the losses.
    • Take a deep breath and reassure yourself that you will get better.

    If you are religiously inclined, another good way of reflecting and meditating is by saying silent prayers before bed. While praying, you will definitely think and remember your daily achievements and be thankful for them. Also, you’ll remember your losses and ask God to take control over the situation. Therefore, you can also pray before you sleep at night if it brings you comfort.

     

    3. Put your sleeping environment in the best condition

    Another thing to do before bed is to set a comfortable environment for sleep.

    • Make your bed.
    • Ensure your sheets are clean and smell nice.
    • Switch off the lights or ensure the room is dimly lit.
    • Tidy the room.
    • Ensure the room is well ventilated.
    • Make the temperature not too cold or hot.
    • Limit noise to its barest minimum.

    Conditioning your room in this manner will make sleeping more pleasurable. Also, adopting this as a lifestyle will make you peaceful, happier and healthier.

     

    4. Watch your foods and beverages

    The type and quantity of food we eat, as well as the type of beverages we drink before bed can go a long way to affect our sleep in one way or another.

    Talking about foods, experts generally advise that you eat very little before bed. If you must eat a heavy meal, then make sure you do so earlier. Don’t consume too much carbohydrates/starch as they are too bulky. Note that it takes the body a lot of time and energy to digest bulky foods. Now, you don’t want to stress your body digesting bulky food while sleeping, it will definitely be counterproductive.

    For beverages, you should avoid caffeinated drinks. Caffeine is known to stimulate the central nervous system. It keeps you highly alert. If you want to sleep appropriately, then you don’t need any drink that contains caffeine. According to Pharmacological findings, some of the adverse effects of caffeine include: dizziness, nervousness, insomnia, headaches, etc. I’m sure you don’t want any of those to interrupt your sleep!

     

    Things to do before bed

     

    5. Read

    Reading is one ideal activity that befits evenings. Being an eclectic reader can help ease you from stress-related anxiety and nervousness.

    Apart from the fact that it is a form of exercise to the brain which enhances memory and the brain’s capacity to: concentrate, coordinate and assimilate, reading also gives you a sort of relaxation that is only second to that of sleep. Have you ever wondered why you often feel sleepy whenever you pick up a book to read in the evening? That is because reading can actually give you the relaxation you need to fall asleep.

     

    6. Put away your electronic gadgets

    Whether you have been reading all evening with your phone or you’ve been socializing with friends on social media or you’ve been checking your emails, you should know when to shut down. Preferably, do it several minutes before bedtime; at least 15 minutes.

    The lights from your phone, desktop or laptop do not aid your ability to fall asleep; especially when your eyes get exposed to such lights for a long period in the evening.

    In recent times, many people complain of sore eyes or temporary impairment of vision after spending hours on digital gadgets. The reason for this is the blue light that these gadgets emit. Those lights also suppress hormones that enhance sleep. This is evident from a recent study which shows that people who read via electronic gadgets like phones or laptops find it more difficult to fall asleep than those who read (hardcover) books.

    Having taken note of this, it is important for you to use your gadgets sparingly during evening hours to enable you to sleep optimally. In order to implement this, you can set an alarm that will notify you when to power down your electronics, including your television. Finally, obey the alarm and stick to the time. Shut down.

     

    7. Conclude and complete your tasks for the day

    Whatever has a beginning also has an end. As the day gradually draws to night, you should start rounding off your daily activities.

    Start by closing from work just on time. This will enable you to get home earlier and start off preparations to go to bed earlier. Also, you will have enough allocation of time to spend with your family which is also very important for conditioning yourself for a good sleep.

    Most importantly, it’s necessary to finish up your work for the day; including the tasks you might have carried home from your office. Surely, you don’t want to start the next day with the workload of the previous day.

    As a matter of fact, you cannot sleep comfortably if you have some pressing tasks you’ve not attended to. And if you eventually keep carrying your tasks over to the next day, the workload might accumulate to the point that it becomes both physically and psychologically unhealthy for you.

    The sense of accomplishment that you would derive from completing your daily tasks before bed will not only make your sleep more relaxing, but it will also make you a joyous person; you will always be in a great mood.

     

    8. Plan for tomorrow

    Among the things to do before bed, you as a person should envision tomorrow and plan ahead for it. By doing this, you’re getting ready for tomorrow and whatever comes with it.

    Planning ahead will give you the confidence that tomorrow will not be overwhelming and that you are equal to the task. You will feel confident to say “I’ve got this” because you’re better prepared.

    One good strategy of planning ahead is to set minor goals that you’d like to achieve the next day. These minor goals should be in line with the bigger/ultimate goal which you intend to achieve in the long run.

    For instance, if you are a final year student whose ultimate goal is to graduate, your task (minor goal) for the next day might be to read up some topics in a particular course. Although those few topics you read will not qualify you to graduate, it’s a step in the right direction. It is a simple plan that will get you on the right track tomorrow.

    In essence, when you plan for the next day before you retire to bed, your sleep will be more peaceful because you are already confident that tomorrow will be well handled.

     

    9. Ensure your mind and household is at peace

    You must be familiar with the notion that “you don’t sleep with bitterness in your heart”. As simple as this might sound, it’s worth considering.

    Before you go to bed each night, ensure you are happy. Build positive energy within you. Forgive any offender and ask for forgiveness if you’re guilty. Be at peace with yourself and your household.

    This is not about the religious preaching of love. Rather, it’s about generating and distributing positive energy within your household. By doing so, you will definitely be in the right frame of mind to sleep and you’ll wake up a happier person.

    Making this your lifestyle will not only affect your sleep positively, but it will also affect your life and existence in a positive way.

     

    10. Early to bed…

    Benjamin Franklin once insinuated that when you retire early to bed, it results in you rising early, being healthy and getting wise. I agree with him on that (I mean, it’s Benjamin Franklin?).

    The body needs at least 7 hours of sound sleep to be revitalized and to recover from the wear and tear resulting from the stress experienced during your daily activities.

    When you sleep on time, you will likely enjoy the full revitalizing period and hence, you’ll wake up the next day stronger.

    However, sometimes, sleeping early could get difficult. Especially if you are typically not used to that. In this case, you don’t have to stress it. All you have to do is ensure you do not consume any stimulant like caffeine. Also, ensure you adhere to the steps already discussed above. You can indulge further in those activities that condition the body and environment for you to sleep; like switching off the lights and doing away with noise. You’ll eventually fall asleep.

    In situations where you can’t sleep due to health reasons, consult your doctor or psychologist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

     

    Final thoughts

    To conclude this article, I’ve got to emphasize on the importance of having a good night’s rest. For the fact that you work hard every day, you strive to survive and to be happy, and you pass through a lot of stress just to be alive, then, you should not forget to give your body what it deserves (sleep).

    The electronic gadgets we use every day often need to be charged, remember? The same thing is applicable to you and I; we all need time to recharge and that’s exactly what sleep does to our bodies.

    Above all, endeavor to familiarize yourself with the tips discussed above if you must learn the right things to do every night before bed.

    Related reads:

     

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    Things to do before bed

  • 15 Tips On How To Wake Up Earlier And Not Feel Tired

    15 Tips On How To Wake Up Earlier And Not Feel Tired

    Do you always have issues with waking up early or feeling just too sleepy after you’re up that you simply go back to bed to get a bit more sleep? If you do, then you’re not alone because it is one issue almost every early riser experiences, or must have experienced and probably conquered. The truth is, waking up early is a difficult nut to crack open. But there are some tips on how to wake up earlier without feeling tired that you can start implementing today.

    If waking up early is what you have been trying to adapt to, then I’m sure you must have adopted a lot of strategies already to no avail. The good news is, the game-changer is here (whoop whoop). By the time you finish reading this article, you will be amazed at how easy it could be to actually wake up very early, yet, so energized to carry out your daily tasks. 

    It all boils down to the quality of sleep you had the previous night: waking up early depends on what you did before, during and immediately after sleep. Are you still doubting the possibility of this early wake-up routine? Doubt no longer, friend, I will give you 15 easy tips on how to wake up earlier and fully energized. 

    Psst – Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for all your relationship, self growth and personal development tips!

    1. Develop The Consciousness To Wake Up Early 

    I’m sure you’re wondering how consciousness made it to the top of the list, but what you may not have considered is the fact that the greatest philosophers and psychologists of all time postulate that every effort starts with consciousness. 

    Idealists maintain that for every action that takes place physically, it has already been processed mentally. Hence, the importance of developing the consciousness and willingness of waking up early is the first major step to take in order to actualize the goal. By developing the right consciousness, I am referring to having that zeal and calling it a duty to wake up early. 

    2. Endeavor To Sleep Early Enough

    There is this popular saying that is attributed to Benjamin Franklin about how going to bed and waking up early makes man to be healthy, to be wealthy and then wise. And yes, it’s true. You can’t expect to wake up on time but keep sleeping late. Sleeping early is like a seed you sow in order to reap the reward of waking up on time. 

    Not only do you wake up early when you sleep early, but also, you wake up refreshed and fully energized, given the adequate number of hours you must have spent on sleeping, recovering your lost strength and rebuilding your worn out tissues. 

    Have you been keeping late nights? Now is the time to rethink that. Don’t you think it’s of greater benefit to your body to sleep early? I sure do!

    3. Condition Yourself (Your body) 

    Give your body the best condition for it to sleep with the least distraction. It’s more like getting prepared for a sleeping mission. Have you ever seen a pilot who just enters an airplane and embarks on a journey without getting himself in the best state of mind and body? It’s impossible! That is exactly what sleep requires. In order to wake up refreshingly stronger the next morning, you have to condition the body with a lot of meticulous steps. Some of these steps are: 

    • Exercise: By exercising, you are getting your tissues and muscles worked up. Experts suggest that after vigorous exercise, your body would ultimately need some time to rest and recover. That’s when sleeping becomes necessary, hence, exercise conditions your body to get a good night’s sleep.
    • Dress Comfortably: Your body needs to be clad with the most spacious and comfortable clothes. Have you wondered why some people sleep naked?  That’s because they’re most comfortable sleeping naked (although I can’t say the same for myself, as I’d be too worried someone would break in and find me in all my glory!) When you sleep comfortably, there is every tendency of waking up comfortably. So, whatever floats your boat.
    • Consume Less water before bedtime. This will help regulate your hydration level. Having too much water in your system at night, more often than not, will lead to a frequent need to pee. Frequent urination could be a major distraction to a free-flowing sleep. I’m sure you don’t want that.

    4. Condition Your Environment 

    This is another important tip on how to wake up earlier. By conditioning your environment, I mean keeping your environment conducive enough for sleep to happen easily. Your sleeping environment, of course, includes: the bed, the bulb or lights, the room temperature, etc. The lighting shouldn’t be too bright, in fact, studies proved that it is better to sleep with the lights off. You don’t want to distract yourself with lights shining into your eyes. Even if you’re afraid of the monster under your bed, a bedside lamp will do. 

    Ensure your bed and duvet are very soft, mild and comfortable. When you do, falling asleep becomes swift and consequently, you’ll wake up without any feeling of tiredness. Also, you don’t want to sleep in a room that is either too hot or too cold. Make the room temperature moderate. When your environment is well conditioned, the potential distractions would be reduced, and then, sleeping and waking up early won’t be a problem. 

    5. You Have To Quit Those Habits 

    What habits exactly? Habits like smoking or drinking alcohol are not friendly to your body. Smoking just before bedtime can disrupt the functions of your brain cells and consequently hinder the full relaxation that good sleep brings. This could also result in restlessness even in your sleep. 

    On the other hand, do you drink alcohol? Have you wondered why you wake up very weak after being drunk the previous night? That feeling is popularly called a hangover—which you often get after a night of too much alcohol and partying. Taking alcohol at night is a no-no if you really want to know how to wake up earlier and stronger. 

    6. Eating Lighter Foods At Night

    You might habitually wake up late and tired. You’ve probably tried all you can yet nothing changes. But I don’t know if you’ve considered your diet? What kind of food do you eat at night? If you consume heavily starchy foods, and not only that, you also eat to your breaking point, then it’s understandable why you wake up late and tired.The process of digesting that heavy meal is a big job for the body. 

    You might find it difficult to finally relax and fall asleep, and even when you do, by the time the body finally digests the food, you’ll definitely wake up very weak. That’s how it works. Therefore, eat less at night and avoid heavy meals too. You can drink beverages with no caffeine, or fruits, vegetables, and plant proteins like beans, etc. 

    7. Routinize Early Dinners 

    This is another important step you must take to wake up earlier and stronger. Make it a routine to eat at a particular time every night. This will subconsciously condition your body to sleep at a particular time and wake up at a particular time. Nothing works like magic more than routines. You don’t have to force it if it’s a routine, remember? That’s the key to making things easy!

    8. Create An Everyday Bedtime 

    This is the same thing as Routinizing your bedtime. For instance, if you mark out 9 pm to be your time to sleep, then stick to it and repeat it day after day. Remember an average adult needs to sleep for at least 8 hours. Therefore, if you sleep by 9 pm everyday you’re expected to be up by 5 am. 

    Under normal circumstances, when you wake up as early as 5 am, having slept for 8 hours, you will definitely feel strong and refreshed too. Making this a routine will only make your body adapt to the procedure and boom, it becomes part of you. 

    9. If Possible, Say No To Caffeinated Drinks 

    Simply put, caffeinated drinks are beverages that contain caffeine as one of the key ingredients. Do you know exactly what caffeine does to your body? It stimulates your cells and nerves and increases consciousness. Some people use caffeine to ward off sleep and in order to stay awake. Since caffeine prevents sleep, don’t you think you probably shouldn’t be drinking it at night, when you actually want to sleep? Sounds about right to me.  

    10. Avoid Extended Use of Your Phone Till Late 

    This is something we’re all familiar with, because most of us are guilty. People often stay up busy with their phones and laptops. But have you wondered if it’s okay for you? As a matter of fact, it’s not. The light rays that are emitted from your gadgets are radioactive. And this radioactivity is not good for your sight or general health. But most importantly, it makes you alert and keeps your brain awake, which is not what you want if you need a good night’s rest. 

    11. Set a Wake-Up Alarm At a Realistic Time 

    It’s one thing to set alarms, but another thing entirely to set it at a realistic time. What do I mean by realistic time? It’s simply a time that is reasonable. A time which is possible for you to wake up and commence your daily tasks. 

    Setting alarms for let’s say, 2am, is not realistic because you can’t fully wake up and start your daily life by 2am. Don’t set alarms for 4am when you only went to bed at 12am. You’ll definitely feel uneasy when you wake up. Make sure your alarm is set at a time after which you’ve covered nothing less than 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. 

    12. Resilience is Key

    One of the most important virtues to acquire if you want to keep up with waking up early is resilience. You need that fighting spirit to force yourself out of that sleeping state, especially at the early stages of developing the early rising routine. Remember your WHY. Why you want to make this a habit and how it will improve your life.

    13. Thou Shall Not Snooze 

    The 13th commandment. There’s always that moment when you wake up with a feeling of dissatisfaction. You feel like you need to go back to sleep more than ever before. At that point, you can actually get infuriated by the sound of an alarm. That is when you’ll feel the urge to push the snooze button. But no, it’s the worst thing you could possibly do at that moment. 

    If you really want to wake up earlier and not feel tired, then you shouldn’t disrupt the routine your body is already adapting to by snoozing. Doing so will definitely mar the progress you’ve made so far. 

    14. Adopt Strategies To Stay Up After Waking Up

    Waking up might be difficult but sometimes, staying up is the most difficult of all. For almost everyone who tries to wake up on time, staying up after waking up has been a major challenge at one point. 

    In order to overcome this challenge, you need to adopt strategies like washing your face or taking your bath immediately after you wake up. Minor exercises like walking around the house or stretching would be nice too. 

    15. Make The First Task Of The Day Your Favorite

    It is quite normal to feel fascinated to start from where it is easier or fun and then proceed to where it is difficult and stressful. If you want to wake up early and in high spirits, it’s advisable to start your day with that particular activity that is most interesting. It will make you feel like you can’t wait to get started. That enthusiasm will get you out of your bed early.

    Before I conclude, it will be a crime if I fail to acknowledge that a good night’s sleep, apart from its enormous health benefits, plays a decisive role in how early we wake up everyday, how energized we will be the next morning, and how the entire events of everyday life will turn out. 

    Waking up early might be difficult, feeling energized after waking up at that unusual time might even be more difficult, but with the aforementioned tips on how to wake up earlier, you’re covered for life!

    You might also want to read about:

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    15 Tips On How To Wake Up Earlier And Not Feel Tired

    This post on how to wake up earlier without feeling tired originally appeared on MindHerWay.com and has been published with the author’s permission.

  • 30 Easy Ways To Improve Yourself Little By Little Every Day

    30 Easy Ways To Improve Yourself Little By Little Every Day

    Humans in general have so many limitations most of which are set by the human brain. So basically, they are limits set only by your mind and can completely be overruled if you work on your mindset. You can totally turn your life around with little ways to improve yourself bit by bit every day.

    Limitations of the body such as not having an extra arm to help you clip your toenails while you brush your teeth might be impossible to beat, but when we talk about limitations of the mind, the only limit that actually exists is the one you impose on yourself.

    The mind has unlimited possibilities and if you can unlock these, well, you may just be able to fly (or run really fast, if we’re being realistic).  Each of these little ways to improve yourself will help set every aspect of your life on track, with end results that are beyond satisfying.

    1. Read a good book

    Reading a book generally adds more value to your bank of knowledge. Books contain a lot of information that often you never knew you needed but right after learning them, you start to wonder how you ever lived without them. Try reading a book which has a great stream of reviews or based on recommendations (not something like Fifty Shades Darker of course). You never know what you may gain to improve yourself in the process.

    2. Zone in…or zone out (either way, find your zone)

    Think of your zone as a kind of head space where you get comfortable, a place where you feel the most relaxed with as minimal worries as can be. Visiting this head space often expels negativity while procuring positivity, and having a positive mind will inevitably improve your general self.

    3. Defy fear

    Fear often stops a person from reaching his or her full potential and that’s the very reason I refer to it as the natural enemy of progress. Having fear of a particular outcome will definitely limit your view of solutions to a problem so it’s advised that when in fear, do the exact opposite of what fear is telling you to do. Go all out and explore all possible options, this has proven to help boost the success of many individuals in life.

    4. Perfect your skill set

    Having a set of skills is so important that you may just be irrelevant in the world without one. Improving or honing such skills has helped so many individuals achieve unimaginable feats in their various fields. It’s better to be a one trick pony and be a master of your skill than being a jack of all trades but a master of none. Doing this daily would drastically improve you as a person.

    5. Get accustomed to waking up early

    Getting up during the early hours of the morning gives you an edge over those who wake up late everyday and rush through every morning. It provides you with extra time to get something done or maybe complete unfinished business or better yet practice a certain skill in order to perfect it. This process will open up its benefits to you after performing it for just a short period of time.

    6. Exercise daily

    Working on your physical body has a great impact on your mental health (besides giving you tight abs of course). Physical fitness helps you get to places faster (yes, if you’ve been wondering why you’re slow and get tired after walking a few blocks, well, I hate to break it to you but…you need to exercise!).

    It also helps you look better which is all we really want even though we won’t all admit it. Daily exercise is definitely a necessary step in improving yourself as a person.

    7. Try new challenges

    Taking on new tasks challenges your brain to come up with better ways of solving a problem, generally improving your faculty of thinking, boosting morale and taking success levels higher than before.

    8. Accept your flaws

    Identifying areas where you lack the capability of performing well is the first step in acquiring the skills to solve that problem. The instant you can identify your flaws, you gain the ability to turn them into areas of strengths and we all know that every person out there has his or her flaws. I myself have a few and by few I mean a thousand or so. The moment you actualize this step, you will watch yourself improve beautifully in different areas.

    9. Control your vices

    Every human on earth at the stage of puberty will likely develop a vice or two, unless of course you’re little miss perfect. Vices are sort of bad habits we indulge in at certain times in our lives and most stick with us throughout our life span. An example of a vice would be smoking, drinking, gambling or maybe something seemingly harmless like eating too many sweets or candy. Cutting down on this will improve your health and general well-being.

    10. Learn tolerance

    Sometimes in life, we face complicating circumstances and how we deal with them or respond to them could drastically improve or reduce the quality of the result. That’s why in certain cases we need to learn to be patient, for instance, while waiting on something or receiving an annoying response from another individual.

    11. Learn a strategic game

    Learning a game like chess or checkers will help you improve your ability to think on the spot and come up with valuable solutions to various problems. This skill comes in handy when you are faced with challenging problems, seeing as the game would have trained your brain to think faster.

    12. Cut down TV time

    Yes, television (TV) can be educative sometimes but definitely not all the time. While watching things like news programs on TV can update a person on what is going on in their surroundings, it could also serve as a distraction and can turn into a bad habit pretty quickly.

    Cutting down TV time is necessary in order to create enough time to be productive in other aspects of our lives.

    13. Set a personal challenge

    Putting certain obstacles in front of you slows you down for a while but once you can pull through such challenges, facing them in reality would be ten times easier because you have already faced such a challenge before. This step will improve your problem solving skills.

    14. Cling to top innovators

    When I say cling to top innovators I don’t mean stalk them on their social media pages, monitor their movements and lurk in the shadows behind their homes. Now, that’s just creepy. I mean, cling to the advice they give to the general public since that’s what has gotten them to such heights.

    15. Focus on your goals

    If you have identified goals or feats you are hell bent on achieving make sure no one out there slows you down or tries to stop you from reaching them. Give your goals your full attention and time.

    16. Find inner peace

    The human mind is the base or the foundation of all the processes that go on in the human body, think of it as the engine room in a train. Without it being in perfect order, the train would have difficulties performing at maximum potential.

    That’s the same thing that would happen in the human body. Training your mind is essential in trying to improve yourself everyday and to be able to do this, inner peace must be found and this can be done through different processes like coming to terms with past events or meditation.

    17. Idolize your mentor

    A mentor is someone you look up to and want to be like in life. Achieving this is possible if you follow in his footsteps and do things the way he would, make decisions he would make and even eat things he would eat (okay, maybe don’t be too stalker-ish).

    18. Try writing a book

    Writing a book might sound like a very long and complicated process but it’s actually really possible. Several people over time have done so. Writing helps you explore a whole different world of information, improving many things within you, especially your vocabulary. Try this out and see the fun parts of it start to unravel right before your eyes.

    19. Avoid bad vibes

    When around people or with company, there are certain feelings which can be felt in the air. These can be referred to as “vibes.” A vibe can either make or break a situation depending on whether it’s positive or negative, good or bad. So avoiding people with bad vibes is a great way to protect your own positive vibes. Bad energy…stay far away!

    20. Execute ideas

    Ideas are very good things to have but having an idea and not acting on it defies the entire purpose of coming up with one. If you have an idea, stop coming up with excuses not to act on it. Stop procrastinating. Write that business proposal today, call that acquaintance today, go for that trip today…and shave those legs today!

    If you always come up with ideas and never act on them, you won’t see your ideas become a reality. It’s just so easy to go through life this way, and pretty soon you’re old and looking back on your life wishing you started doing everything sooner.

    21. Realize next to impossible goals

    When setting standards, set them high, even if they are too high for you (not unrealistically high, but you get the point). Doing this will help you grow yourself in order to actualize the goal you have set in place.

    Think of it as putting money on a high shelf so each time you need it you have to do a little hop to get it. With time, you would gain the ability to jump higher than you could before.

    22. Create a schedule

    Being busy is not a bad thing as long as you’re busy improving yourself. Try to allocate different times to different activities in your life, making sure each one gets the required amount of time to see a positive impact.

    23. Ask for reviews or feedback

    Never be too shy to ask another person what they think of your progress or your work so far and don’t feel bad if you get negative reviews. You either win or learn, there’s no losing.

    Negative feedback just means there is a little more work to be done and if all your reviews come out positive then that’s a win-win situation for you as a person, and it proves that what you have been doing actually works.

    24. A little competition is healthy

    Rivalries are common in various fields and have shown more positive results than negative. A rival is someone you would try to beat when giving a solution to a problem, for instance, or just generally try to be better than.

    Now I’m not referring to a batman and joker kind of relationship but something healthier, such that you would both push each other to the point where each of you would have to improve to a certain quality in order to match one another.

    25. Say no to late nights

    Many believe staying up late and even pushing up to the early hours of the morning gives the desired result concerning work or study. On the contrary, doing this may reduce the quality of whatever solution you’re looking to procure. The human body requires 7 to 8 hours of sleep and depriving yourself of that would definitely take a toll on you after a certain amount of time. Instead, go to bed early and start your mornings early.

    26. Try new hobbies

    As mentioned before, trying new things always has a positive effect on the human brain and opens it up to a whole new world of information. So, you really have nothing to lose with trying out new hobbies.

    27. Learn a new language

    This is a very beautiful and fun process to go through while trying to better yourself as a person. Learning a new language can become very useful in different situations and gives you an edge over those who can’t keep up with you because they lack the skill.

    28. Eat healthy

    You will never hear a person complain about being too healthy. With that said, you should definitely add healthy meals to your daily diet. Doing this keeps your brain in good condition to think and your body in a better condition to act, thus improving your daily routine.

    29. Observe your surroundings

    The human mind always tries to get new information from whatever it can pick up which is why whenever you go somewhere new, you tend to helplessly look around, but this is a very good attribute actually. When you observe your surroundings, you tend to know when and how to act in order to match the situation and deliver the best form of results.

    30. Have a little fun or rest period

    Having fun can be done in various ways depending on your personal preference and choices. Some prefer to sit and play games while others prefer to involve themselves in more strenuous activities like playing sports, jogging or even boxing (how random right?). Resting can be put in place of this. Just make sure you give yourself time away from all the work and stress in order to give your brain a chance to recuperate so you come back bigger, better and more attractive (wink wink).

    Try applying these steps in your day to day life and you are sure to see a positive impact in your life as a person. These steps will bring about tranquility, and even if you don’t use them all, try your best to practice at least half of them and expect incredible results.

    Also check out these posts:

    Remember to pin these ways to improve yourself for later!

    Don’t forget to pin these 30 easy ways to improve yourself to your personal development board on Pinterest. You can also follow me for more tips and ideas like these that can change your life if you let it.

    Easy Ways To Improve Yourself Little By Little Every Day

    Easy Ways To Improve Yourself Little By Little Every Day

  • Top 10 Morning Habits To Supercharge Your Day With Positivity

    Top 10 Morning Habits To Supercharge Your Day With Positivity

    There’s an old adage. If you get out of bed with the wrong foot, it will ruin your entire day. While scientists cannot identify the guilty foot, you can sway the odds in your favor. Here are ten morning habits that are free and easy enough to mush into a busy morning schedule.

    Morning habits for positivity and productivity

    How you start your mornings can have a big influence on how the rest of your day goes. That’s why putting in the work to fix your morning habits and morning routine can be a huge benefit. Below are some suggestions for you to start with.

    1. Give Thanks – Whatever That Means To You

    Morning habits - giving thanks

    Expressing gratitude is very personal. Especially when it’s a little abstract and you’re not thanking an actual person standing in front of you. For some, it’s a moment of faith and prayer. Others like writing in a gratitude journal. You can even just sit with your morning brew and thankful thoughts. No action required.

    It doesn’t matter if you’re thankful for the same things most days. Gratitude or thanksgiving isn’t a well that runs dry because you’re only allowed to name your newborn once.

    Instead, the point of the exercise is to hone your ability to spot the gems that exist in your life right now. No matter how big or small. You’re allowed to name something for as long as you’re grateful for it.

    Positive reflection brings peace in the moment and strength for the rest of the day.

    2. Wash Your Face (And Indulge)

    Let’s face it. That face is not a pretty face once you peel it from the pillow – and we tend to feel the sleep on our skin. The tightness, the not-so-rightness. Ah, that’s where the magic of a washcloth comes in.

    This habit is a great one to start with, right after you get up. It’s simple and refreshing, capable of waking even those who don’t know what species they are until they’ve had their first cup of coffee.

    While this habit is mostly about sleeping in your washcloth for a second before waking up, you’re welcome to go the extra mile. There’s plenty of evidence that suggests you can boost your confidence by sprucing up. But as important as routine hygiene is, don’t make it all about that.

    Do something that’s an absolute spoiler. That vanilla-flavored face scrub that’s not necessary but makes you feel like a queen? That one. Indulging in a favorite product is a deeply positive thing to do for your mood.

    3. One Rep, Two Reps – Or Just Stretch

    This one is entirely optional… Because we understand. Some people and exercise don’t mix in the morning.

    That being said, if you struggle with waking up then you might want to consider gentle stretching. Chances are that even a slight attempt to stretch a few muscles will clear the brain fog and provide a pleasant physical buzz. Indeed, these are the perks that drive those who love intensive exercise in the morning.

    Don’t worry, this paragraph won’t nag about the health benefits of exercising. Everyone knows how important movement is these days. But in the spirit of exercise being critical to good health, let’s cover one more benefit of morning mojo. A busy day leaves most people too tired to crawl over to that yoga mat when they get home. But when done first thing in the morning, nothing can prevent you from growing fitter, stronger, and healthier.

    4. Freshen Up With Meditation

    Morning habits - try meditation

    Meditation is like a washcloth for the mind. Sure, the Zen might not scrub the dirt off yesterday’s worst moments but that’s not the purpose of your morning routine. The purpose of being monkish in the early hours is to relax and loosen yesterday’s grip so that you can face today.

    Meditation shares a drawback with exercise – not everybody likes doing it so early. For this reason, you really don’t have to be politically correct here. There needn’t be a yoga-certified cushion, home studio or oriental music piping in the background. Meditation can be done sitting on the sofa and a five-minute session can center somebody who meditates regularly.

    To foster positivity, focus on starting fresh. Give yourself permission to let go of the emotional baggage of yesterday and try again today. If this is too upsetting for some reason, don’t do it. Instead, rely on an old faithful – just be aware of your surroundings, feelings, and thoughts but don’t attach yourself to them. Just observe. This also breaks the draining bond we share with bad memories.

    Top tip: Don’t try to be perfect. Enjoy and relax into the process. Acknowledge any frustrations and release them.

    5. Plan your day

    Here’s a gremlin that kills morning joy – feeling unprepared for a busy day. The best antidote is to work with a plan. Even a rough draft (literally just a To-Do list) can do wonders for mental tension. When you know what must be done and in what order, things no longer seem so overwhelming.

    You can devote a few minutes each morning to plan your day. If you’d rather create your schedule the night before, you can use the morning to review any preparations for the day’s meetings, appointments, and projects.

    Once again, don’t aim for perfection. You’re up against a hard fact of life – nearly every day is derailed by one or two unexpected things. The idea is to follow a realistic schedule that removes a good portion of stress from your routine.

    6. Vegetate Like A Champion

    You’ve been waiting for this one, haven’t you? Well, now you have permission to make “doing nothing” a positive morning habit.

    The best time is before the rush of the day’s first chores. For instance, while the kids are still sleeping or you have enough time before going to work. This habit is a wonderful way to ease into the day.

    If doing zilch for half an hour gives you peace of mind, then carve out that slot like you mean it. Sit in your slippers or work shoes, hold that heavenly caffeinated drink between your palms and vegetate with zeal.

    7. Ditch The News For Inspiration

    The stories we hear on the news are mostly bad. So much so that some people have abandoned listening to news broadcasts altogether. It remains each person’s choice to tune in to the BBC or buy a newspaper.

    But for the benefit of creating a positive morning habit, how about shifting your usual news slot to a later time during the day? We might not personally know that politician messing up another policy or the toddler who got caught in the crossfire of two gangs. But unsettling reports like these dampen our spirits.

    When big news is afoot, chances are that somebody will tell you anyway. Sometimes we cannot control when a friend or family member spills the beans. However, you can control the start of your day by shutting off the news.

    Read one inspirational article instead of the news. You can make it random by just searching the Internet. These reads are legion and you’ll be spoilt for choice.

    Another option is to digest a solution to something you’re struggling with at the moment. It could be anxiety, finances, your business, wanting a new bullet journal spread, or how to reignite your passion for a hobby.

    The difference cannot be overstated. Sure, the news has its place – but it rarely pushes you forward on your own journey. The news doesn’t really care about you.

    On the other hand, inspirational articles can bring a dramatic change in anyone’s life. It takes a single piece of advice to resonate with you. When that happens, blocks are removed and things move forward. They can also provide strength to survive difficult times. The good news is that these benefits are available even when inspirational articles are limited to twice or three times a week.

    8. Spit And Polish A Drawer

    Alright, don’t spit. This part does involve cleaning but you don’t have to take out the mop and energy drink.

    Just pick a small area to organize, like a shelf or drawer. The bedside stand or the dog’s basket. Pack things away, throw away what you don’t need, arrange items in a useful and aesthetic way, and wipe the area down. Eventually, they’ll add up. For example, if you do this every morning then around 30 spaces a month inside your home gets organized. That’s a lot!

    This is a positive habit for several reasons. A neat room calms the mind. A messy environment tends to do the opposite. This is also an effective way for busy individuals to get a handle on clutter. The same counts for those without the energy or physical strength to spring clean an entire house or room.

    You’ll feel inspired knowing that you organized so much in a single month and barely spend five minutes on the task every day.

    PS: You can check out these great bedroom organization ideas if you’re looking for tips!

    9. Slay An Epic Goal

    Morning habits - work on your goals

    You don’t have to devote hours a day to achieve your biggest dreams. To be honest, it’s not always feasible to spend that much time on a goal when you have a family, career, and problems that need tending to. But before you know it, the years pass without any significant personal milestones. Your first-draft novel sits in a box for a decade. That degree never materializes. And your life becomes filled with regrets.

    Epic goals are hard to achieve. Believe it or not, but there’s a higher chance of success when you whittle that monster down with achievable steps.

    The biggest mistake people make is to get carried away with excitement and then rush things. They invest massive amounts of emotional or time-bound actions. Most either burn themselves out or end up resenting the effort. What used to be a dream suddenly feels like a chore. One without any rewards. This is one of the reasons why people give up on major goals.

    A 10 to 15-minute slot in the morning could prevent such frustrations. It could make you more excited to work on the goal because you know there’s only a tiny window allotted every day. This keeps the work interesting and fresh. Additionally, you can also go about your day knowing that you contributed a meaningful step towards something that’s personally important to you.

    10. Have A Positive Conversation (Or Avoid A Negative One)

    For this recipe, you’ll need another person. Only add a positive human being to the mix and stir.

    Alright, reality check. Not everyone lives in a house full of perky people. There’s bound to be a grouch in the home. Hey, sometimes you’re the crabby one. But don’t underestimate the power of putting negativity on the shelf for just one conversation.

    Keeping a talk on track takes practice. But when two people can just be together in the morning and hold a conversation that they know won’t get weird, what happens? They feel safe. There’s a sense of camaraderie and relaxation. The loneliness fades.

    A morning can also be peaceful without a conversation. No talking is sometimes better than a fight. We’ve all experienced that regrettable moment right before work when a talk went south. An argument so early (and probably unresolved) often ruins the rest of the day with icky feelings.

    For this reason, mornings should only be filled with a hearty topic or golden silence – or even a hearty-golden-thingy in between.

    Reclaim Your Mornings And Make A Difference

    Modern life consumes time with an insatiable appetite. There must come a point when you say, “Enough,” and put your foot down.

    It’s critical to devote time to yourself, your family, and personal goals. Since most things are mapped out for later hours, the morning is a forgotten haven where life can change. You can lose weight, become fitter, get a grip on anxiety, write a novel, relax, and get to know your loved ones. The list is as endless and long as your own imagination.

    As you can see, cultivating positivity in the morning and developing good morning habits isn’t about grand gestures. There’s no need to strain an over-stretched budget. The best things are free and available at home.

    This list is packed with good ideas but you can add anything, really. But remember, when you experiment with your perfect mornings – only keep the activities that lift your mood and energy!

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    You can also follow me on Pinterest for more ideas and tips like these.

    Morning habits to supercharge your day with positivity and productivity

  • 30 Easy Ways To Practice Self Care You Need To Try This Year

    30 Easy Ways To Practice Self Care You Need To Try This Year

    Life is stressful sometimes, we can’t get around that. So it’s important to practice self care as often as possible. And self care can be about the simple things you enjoy. Simple things that make you happy. So I’m sharing some 30 simple ways to practice self care that you can work on each day.

    So what is self care?

    Self care is all about identifying the things that you need in order to nurture your mental, emotional and physical health. It seems self explanatory, but so many people forget to focus on their own needs. It can become so easy to put everyone else first and to forget to focus on yourself for a bit.

    Self care is not selfish. It is something that is needed for you to take better care of yourself. Without it, you can easily become worn out, stressed and filled with anxiety. Life can sometimes become overwhelming, so it is completely fine (and necessary!) to spend some time on yourself.

    30 Easy Ways to Practice Self Care

    Emotional

    1. Find a quiet, comfy place and meditate
    2. Learn to say NO to things that doesn’t serve you
    3. Treat yourself with the same kindness and compassion as you would others – learn to forgive yourself for small mistakes
    4. Listen to your favorite song or playlist and put it on repeat
    5. Learn to accept compliments without embarrassment, guilt or negativity
    6. Spend time with your loved ones
    7. Practice gratitude daily – take note of all the small things in your day you are grateful for
    8. Do something creative each day
    9. Don’t attempt to do everything yourself, let others know if they can help
    10. Stop criticizing yourself, become more aware of you the things you tell yourself

    Physical

    1. Go hiking or join a walking group
    2. Play with a dog or cat (or any pet animal)
    3. Learn to fly a kite or take up a new sport
    4. Reorganize your room or closet
    5. Go dancing
    6. Start doing yoga
    7. Go to bed early and get enough sleep
    8. Make healthier food choices, give up soda and drink more water
    9. Get 15 minutes of sun, especially if you live in colder areas
    10. Take a long hot shower

    Mental

    1. Start journaling, write out your thoughts
    2. Read a book
    3. Take a break from social media
    4. Listen to calming music
    5. Turn off your phone
    6. Help someone, it will help you feel good too
    7. Plan a mini holiday for your next weekend
    8. Create a zen space for yourself where you can relax
    9. Go through your closet and donate all the clothes you don’t wear anymore
    10. Try some adult coloring to release stress and anxiety

    I hope you enjoyed this post on ways to practice self care and that maybe you got a few new ideas. Let me know in the comments below.

    And remember, self care isn’t just for some of us, but for all of us. Everyone should take some time to take care of themselves. So use some of these ideas and remember to practice self care daily. In a few weeks, you’ll see how different you feel!

    You might also enjoy this post of 15 bad habits you need to break for a happier life.

    Don’t forget to pin these ways to practice self care!

    If you enjoyed this post please pin it to your self care board on Pinterest or share it on your favorite social media platform. I would be so grateful!

    30 Ways to practice self care

  • 15 Bad Habits To Break This Year If You Want A Happy Life

    15 Bad Habits To Break This Year If You Want A Happy Life

    Bad habits will impact your life whether you realize it or not. And bad habits can be especially detrimental to your every day happiness. Sometimes you need to look at which bad habits to break in order to take control of your life and be happy once more.

    Habits are routine behaviors which we acquired from frequent repetitions over a period of time and now unconsciously do on a regular basis. Most of the behaviors that define or characterize your person were formed as habits. 

    Every one of us have one or two bad habits we exhibit. Some bad habits are just weird, others dangerous to your health, and some are out-rightly harmful and can ruin your chances of happiness and success in life.

    Bad habits to break that's causing stress in your life

    Bad Habits To Break This Year

    Here are some common bad habits to break this year in order to live a happy, fulfilling and productive life.

    1. Living On Social Media

    We are in an age where the internet has taken center stage and life seems to revolve around social media. Most of us have become so addicted to social media that staying off our favorite site or social media platform for a few days would be tantamount to being exiled to the moon. 

    Social media isn’t bad in itself, but getting addicted to it is a bad habit. Don’t seek validation by uploading every detail of your life to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., and checking up on the number of likes on your post/update as if your existence depends on that.

    The social media world, truth be told, is a world of hype, pretense and lies. The blue you see there could actually be a green, and so don’t get pulled into the crazy competitions that happen there.

    For some people, Facebook is the first thing they do in the morning and the last thing they do at night. If you happen to be among this group, know that you are not alone but you need to consciously apply self-control and discipline and pull out the fangs of social media addiction off your life.

    2. Neglecting Yourself

    Some people are naturally self-sacrificing and have the tendency of putting themselves and their needs last. If this is you, be honest, this disposition leaves you all burnt out and dejected at times. 

    The tiredness and frustrations that come from this could make you just want to yell and scream, especially when your efforts are not reciprocated, unappreciated and taken for granted. 

    Inasmuch as you have to be there for others, for example family members, you don’t have to give up on your own goals in the bid to help others achieve theirs. You still need to take care of yourself.

    Burying your dreams to see the dreams of others come alive is not selflessness, actually, it is a bad habit you need to break loose from if you want to succeed in life.

    Your goals and aspirations are as important as that of others, and if you don’t work on making your visions come alive then who else is there who would do that for you?

    3. Complaining

    We all know that one person who loves to complain about anything and everything; the coffee is too hot, it’s too chilly today, the grasses are too green, the birds are flying way too fast, and on and on and on. I am sure you abhor the presence of such a grumpy character like a plague.

    Nobody enjoys the company of a chronic complainer. Complaining creates a gloomy and toxic atmosphere that can swallow you up in bitterness and negativity. 

    Be optimistic and stop getting stressed over unnecessary things. Choose to see the positive side of life, see the glass as half full.

    The worst thing about complaining is that while it blinds your eyes from seeing the positive, it does not in any way help to ameliorate the negative situation. In fact, problems tend to appear larger than life when we complain about them. Talk of literally making a mountain out of a molehill. 

    Quit complaining and objectively make your disapproval known when confronted with a truly negative situation. Also note that everything will not be ideal and perfect all the time, and so learn to accept things for what they are.

    4. Holding On To The Past

    Although the events in your past may influence your life and your disposition towards life; recognize that your past doesn’t in any way define you. 

    Most of us have made one or two mistakes in the past. You don’t allow your past to dictate what becomes of your present and future. Yeah, you worked as a stripper at the night club to pay your tuition that semester. Now just get over it and move on with your life.

    Carrying shame or guilt or regret from your past like a stamp and wishing you could rewrite that part of your history does not serve you. Learn what you can from your mistakes. Put the past behind you and forge ahead.

    It all begins with forgiving your self and then letting go of yesterday. Pick up the remaining pieces and move on with your life, or else tomorrow you will be regretting why you wasted today regretting about yesterday.

    5. Comparing Yourself To Others

    If you must compare, compare your today with your yesterday in order to have a progressive mindset. You are not in a competition with anybody. We all have different race to run and different paths to follow.

    You’ll come down fast with depression if you keep comparing yourself with others. The grass will always be greener on the other side. Consciously and consistently refuse to run a compare and contrast study between your life and your friends’.

    A famous African musician, Tuface Idibia, sang … we are all different and unique in our own different ways. You are unique and special. Maintain your lane and appreciate yourself for who you are.

    6. Stress Eating

    Many of us are guilty of this bad habit which is not only harmful health wise but can also harm your image, appearance and confidence as well. Stress eating is resorting to  food for comfort whenever you feel stressed. 

    Disappointed by a friend, a slice of cake to the rescue; anxious about your unpaid bills, five scoops of ice cream will help cool down the fire; annoyed by a colleague at work, find comfort in the spread arms of chicken wings; and after you will be left angry with yourself.

    Bingeing on food to get your mind off issues or stuffing your face to gain temporary comfort from tension will only plunge you deep into depression and low self-esteem. 

    Whenever you feel like heading to the kitchen to find comfort, strictly rebuke the thought. Place a sticker on the door of your fridge or on the dining table that will remind you to eat only when you are truly hungry.

    To break this die-hard bad habit, you need to go ghetto on yourself. No self-pity. Practically throw yourself out from the kitchen.

    7. Gossiping

    It is good to let others know you know about some things but spreading tales about people is never a good thing, unless they expressly asked you to. Gossipers are particularly happy to spread the word when the story is unpleasant and concerns the misfortunes of others. 

    Nobody trusts a gossiper, and this includes the people that relish sharing gossips with you. If you can say horrible things about others why would they assume you won’t say the same about them when they’re not in the room. 

    Gossiping is tiring and depressing. You may feel on top of the world when your audience are oohing and aahing at your story, but afterwards you’ll feel embarrassed with yourself. Spending your time telling others the personal details of another person’s life is terrible. 

    You can break this habit by saying three positive sentences about someone whenever the temptation to gossip comes. Gossip lovers will rarely urge you on if the news is positive, as they would rather prefer malicious contents. Resolve not to reveal secrets or speak negatively about others.

    8. Addiction To  Television

    Ma’am, I am ten and TV is my life, that was Kelvin McAllister in the movie Home Alone. Well, for one you are not ten years old but a grown-up and so TV can’t be your life. 

    Some of us are so addicted to TV series and can spend several hours mooning over romance stories on cable or Netflix. Some follow up on addictive 24/7 reality shows such as Big Brother or binge on 90 Day Fiancé, and hence aren’t able to go out there and face reality. 

    It’s time to turn off the tube and get a life. One day you’ll look up from that screen and discover life has moved past you while you were busy being a couch potato.

    Be productive, don’t allow the make-believe world of entertainment steal your time. Reality happens in the real world and not on the four cornered screen of the TV.

    9. Wearing Makeup To Bed

    Bad habits to break - Wearing Makeup To Bed

    This is more for the ladies, but sleeping with your makeup on is another bad habit you should work on breaking.

    Whether you do this out of tiredness or carelessness, you need to know that it is not right and is quite counterproductive.

    The whole essence of wearing makeup is to boost your looks, isn’t it? Then why allow the makeup destroy your looks by wearing it to bed. How? I will tell you. Makeup clogs up the pores on your skin and make it difficult for the skin to breath. At night, when you are asleep and your makeup is off, the skin cells gets the chance to rejuvenate. 

    Wearing makeup to bed will make you age faster, so take some time to remove it before you go to bed. Moreover, the bed sheets will thank you when they don’t get the residue and smudges anymore.

    Too tired or lazy by bed time to remove your makeup? Then make it a point of duty to take off makeup as soon as you arrive home at the end of the day.

    10. Shying Away From Leadership Positions

    Have you ever noticed yourself trying to avoid taking on responsibilities and putting yourself in a leadership position? That’s one of many bad habits to break right there. 

    Some of us are crippled by the habit of shying away from leadership. Break out from your comfort zone. That’s truly the only way we learn to grow ourselves. If you have an opinion, push your way to the front and voice it out loud and clear.

    Sure, you may not always get it right, but not trying at all is just failing ahead of time. So next time you have the opportunity to step up, do it. You might discover something about yourself and you will certainly grow from the experience.

    And remember, no one can judge you but YOU! You rock the cradle and you shape the world. It is high time you had a say in deciding issues concerning your world.

    11. Indecision

    Bad habits to break - Indecision

    Finding it hard to make up your mind and follow it up with actions? Tell me about it. You’re one among many. 

    This is one bad habit that handcuffs many from living a productive and happy life.

    Not sure what to do? Then make a plan to figure it out. It doesn’t help to just sit and think about it without taking action. And a decision likely won’t get any easier with time. 

    It doesn’t mean you should make hasty decisions, but after all the fact findings, you need to follow up with taking immediate action. Else you might just keep on writing pages upon pages of business ideas or things you want to do that never gets to see the light of the day.

    12. Letting Your Happiness Depend On Others

    Bad habits to break - Letting Your Happiness Depend On Others

    No one holds the key to your happiness except you and nobody can break you except if you permit them. Stop depending on the actions of others to define your happiness.

    Stop waiting for some knight in shining armor to come and rescue you out of a gloomy castle of unhappiness and loneliness. You are in control of your life and circumstances are what you make of it.

    You need to create your own world. Douse your life with all the happiness you need, color it bright with all the colors of the rainbow and give your world the pizzazz you desire to see. You are responsible for your happiness. So let your hair down, laugh, be happy and be your own knight in shining armor. 

    It’s a bad habit to believe that someone else should be responsible for bringing you all the fulfillment and happiness you want. You’re holding the pastel and the brush, paint your world the color you wish.

    13. Living Above Your Budget

    Overspending is a flaw that some of us have developed over time. Whether you go on a shopping spree as a means of relieving stress or you do it just to keep up with societal trends, overspending will sooner than later plunge you irrecoverably into debts. 

    Some of us have turned shopaholics because of the deadly attitude of competing with others, and so we spend more than we can afford to just to keep up with the competition.

    Oftentimes the people we go overboard to impress are those who don’t like us and we don’t really like as well. You feel at home with those who love you and aren’t worried about keeping up appearances around them. Therefore you may see yourself spending money you don’t really have to impress those you don’t really like.

    Meanwhile, overspending has a twin sister called borrowing. Continue rolling with her and she will soon introduce you to her sister. Borrowing will rob sleep off your eyes and keep you caged in sorrow. 

    Be yourself.  Life within your means. Limit your spending to what your budget permits. Roll with people who love you for who you are. 

    You can also learn about money management and then create a weekly/monthly budget and stick to it religiously.

    14. Expecting Others To Read Your Thoughts

    Bad habits to break - Expecting Others To Read Your Thoughts

    Ever seen that cartoon that shows a group of people protesting with placards and upon being asked what they want, they said they don’t know. And when asked about when they want it, the answer was a resounding ‘now!’.

    Humorous as it may seem, the satirical cartoon was eluding to a bad habit of expecting others to know what you want, even when you sometimes don’t even know yourself.

    People around you are not clairvoyant and there is no way they can decipher what you want unless you put your thoughts together and articulate it. 

    This is one bad habit that can destroy relationships. If you assume that your partner (or anyone really) simply knows what you want or how you feel, but then you flare up when they don’t act according to your expectations, you need to re-examine yourself.

    The truth is that it’s nearly impossible for anyone to discern another’s thoughts. Therefore you need to work on streamlining your thoughts and learn how to verbally communicate your needs.

    15. Hiding Behind Men

    Another one for the ladies, but you need to know that being a woman doesn’t mean we are second class or inferior to men. The mindset of ‘oh, it’s a man’s world‘ has limited and robbed many talented women of the chance to excel in their fields of endeavor.

    To your competence, girl, you need to add a good dose of confidence, and go after what you want. Don’t ever let someone put you down or tell you that you can’t do something. And even when it’s hard, remember you can do hard things!

    How To Break Bad Habits

    Here are some tips to help you do away with your not too appealing habits.

    • Realize you have a bad habit: The very first step to stopping a bad habit is becoming aware and acknowledging you have an unpleasant habit that needs to be done away with.
    • Identify the triggers: Identify and avoid the people, situations and activities that your mind has linked to  particular bad habit and then deliberately change your behavior towards the triggers.
    • Replace the bad habit with a good alternative habit: Consciously replacing a bad habit with a good one is one proven way of breaking a bad habit. For example, where you would usually say something deprecating about others, commend them instead.
    • Change Location: A habit is most effectively broken when you’re in a new location away from your usual daily routine and triggers.
    • Be accountable: Keep a diary and record your progress. Being accountable will help you remain focused and dedicated in your mission to change a negative behavior.
    • Break the connections: Keep people or things that remind you of your bad habit at bay. For instance, you can break away from that clique of friends with whom you normally indulge in shopping sprees or gossiping about others.
    • Emulate good habits: Choose as a role model someone who has a good habit opposite of the bad habit you want to break.

    How Long Does It Take To Break A Bad Habit?

    In case you’re wondering how long it will take for you to break your bad habit, well, there is no hard and fast rules. Some habits are easy to cultivate and some people find it easier to develop a habit than others. This also applies to breaking away from a bad habit. 

    However, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Social Psychology, the length of time could be anywhere from 18 to 254 days. Bad habits can be so deep-rooted that it can only take conscious effort and continuous action to break them.

    Never Give Up

    In conclusion, remember that bad habits can impede your happiness and success in life, and hence you need to stop them before they stop you. To do this you need to apply self-control, discipline and perseverance.

    And even if you identified some bad habits to break, don’t be discouraged. There is always room for improvement, and in fact, continues growth and self improvement is something we should all strive for.

    Be a better person today than you were yesterday!

    If you found this post helpful please remember to pin it to your personal development board on Pinterest! Thank you!

    Bad habits to break if you want to be happy

  • 10 Mental Health Habits to Adopt In 2020 For A Great Year

    10 Mental Health Habits to Adopt In 2020 For A Great Year

    2019 was the year we saw a strong surge of mental health awareness. The public’s focus on health broadened to also include taking care of one’s mental and emotional health. People have finally realized that one of the keys to maintaining a healthy body is to have a healthy mind.

    This coming 2020, mental health awareness will continue to be one of the bigger focuses on overall well being. Learning a few habits that will promote and improve your mental health will be a great start to your new year.

    This article first appeared on MadebyHemp.

    1. Exercise

    Mental Health Habits: ExerciseThe secret to a sound body is a sound mind. But it could also work both ways. The secret to a sound mind is a sound body. It might not work for everybody, but for a majority of able-bodied people, a great way to boost endorphins is to go out and move. Find an exercise that you love. You don’t need to do what everyone else is doing. Some people prefer lifting weights, some like yoga, some even run marathons. Find that one exercise you want to stick with and run with it.

    2. Gratefulness

    Mental Health Habits: GratefulnessBeing thankful for the things you have instead of focusing on the things you don’t is a good way of bringing positive energy into your life. It will, more importantly, make you realize you are lucky to have the things you do. Practicing the habit of being grateful will help you become a more positive person.

    3. Be kind

    Mental Health Habits: Be kindBe the person you wish other people would be to you. Make someone’s day by smiling at them, or helping them carry a heavy load, or even just opening the door for someone who has their hands full. A bit of kindness paid forward will cultivate a world of kindness. It doesn’t take much to make others smile.

    4. Sleep

    Mental Health Habits: SleepGet enough sleep. Sleep can do wonders for a tired mind and body. Don’t overdo it though. Get the right amount of sleep in order to feel rested and ready to tackle your day, every day. Put your screen away close to bedtime and concentrate on relaxing. Give your body and mind the time to recover and recuperate.

    5. Hang out with friends

    Mental Health Habits: Hang out with friendsSocialize. Even the most introverted person has someone they prefer to hang around with. It does wonderful things to your soul to share your time with the people that matter.

    6. Chocolate

    Mental Health Habits: ChocolateBetter yet, try Therapeutic Chocolate with Cannabidiol (CBD) oil.  Cannabinoids are non-psychoactive and can reduce anxiety. If you are looking to incorporate CBD into your diet, but is not very much of a fan of its earthy taste, chocolate is the way to go. Cannabinoids are found to keep the body in neutral state, and support the functions of the brain, as well as the central and peripheral nervous system. Get your chocolate fix for the day, and get CBD’s benefits while you’re at it.

    7.  Laugh

    Mental Health Habits: LaughWhen they said laughter is the best medicine, they were not kidding. Laughter helps ease stress and anxiety. Hang out with a funny friend, or watch a comedy show. Or maybe learn a few jokes and share them with your friends. Laughter is one of those things that multiply when shared.

    8. Eat well

    Mental Health Habits: Eat wellA few desserts won’t hurt you any but for the most part, feed your body the things it should be fed. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. This will ensure your body will feel healthy and will give you less things to stress or worry about. Avoid things that will harm your body like smoking or excessive drinking.

    9. Love yourself

    Mental Health Habits: Love yourselfTell yourself something nice every day. Most people are generous with giving away compliments to others but are stingy when it comes to themselves. Start your day by giving yourself a sincere compliment. It could be something simple like “oh my skin looks very nice today”. Or “I do make an amazing omelet.” And develop this into a daily habit. Because loving yourself will allow you to love others more freely.

    10. Meditate

    Mental Health Habits: MeditateGive your mind a chance to empty itself out of the negative energy that is pervasive in the world. Give your mind the space to breathe and relax. And as you relax your mind, you relax your body. Meditation is a great way to connect your mind and your body into one plane. It is a good way to relax and to relieve yourself of any stress that you may have. Meditation also complements therapy.

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