You’ve heard the familiar line “New Year, New Me”. It can be found on basically every social media site, with people promising to improve themselves in the coming year. But how many people really stick to that promise? Usually, no one does. However, self-love and ridding yourself of toxic habits is a New Year’s resolution that you should follow consistently.
Stop comparing.
Personally, one of the most harmful habits I had in 2019 (and in previous years) was self-comparison. I would compare myself to literally anyone, regardless of if I knew them or not. I would compare my appearance, my academic success, my friendships, my romantic relationships and so many other deeply personal aspects of my life. The thing about comparison is that it may feel productive or worthwhile at the moment because we somehow think that comparing ourselves to others will help us be better. Newsflash, it never does. The only thing comparison accomplishes is making us feel inadequate. When we compare ourselves to others, we’ll never feel secure enough in ourselves, and will constantly be on the lookout for ways we can mirror others and “be better”. In 2020, it’s time to quit comparing yourself to others. An individual’s path is wildly different from anyone else’s, and it’s important for you to stay focused on improving yourself from how YOU were in the past, not improving yourself to be more like others.
Value your mental health just as much as your physical health.
Most New Year’s resolutions we see on social media are about losing weight, hitting the gym or eating healthier. While all of these things can be really positive and can actually improve your mental health too, they’re usually done with the goal of being skinnier or looking a different way. In the New Year, it’s important that you start seeing your brain and mental state as needing to be nourished and “exercised” just like your body. Physical health is important, but mental health is even more important. You can be fit, lean and only eat salad, but at the end of the day – your mental state is going to determine how your life plays out. In addition, being mentally unhealthy can actually contribute to being physically unhealthy. We know that extreme mental states like stress, anxiety and depression can actually lead to physical health ailments like high blood pressure, panic attacks, weakness and heart disease, just to name a few. In the New Year, commit to keeping your brain happy and healthy for the sake of your overall health. Some quick and beginner ways you can start helping your mental state improve include implementations of every day: reading, gardening, meditating, cooking, singing/dancing, listening to music, or any activity that helps to keep you occupied and relaxed. Also, if you are struggling with your mental health and need outside help, never be ashamed to seek therapy or even medication. These are simply maintenance for your brain and can help you live your best life.
Courtesy: Saseye
Cut toxicity out of your life, in ALL forms.
Ridding your life of toxicity is pretty complex because it surrounds you everywhere. On social media, in relationships, friendships, maybe even in your family or work life. There’s an amount of toxicity and negativity that’s unavoidable in life, but it’s important to manage the amount that you can. Take it upon yourself to keep track of any social media accounts that make you question your self-worth or that don’t serve you in a positive way. If you find yourself constantly comparing your own life to the people who always seem to be traveling to exotic destinations or flaunting the most expensive things, think about whether or not unfollowing them can benefit how you view yourself. If looking at accounts that are overly glitzy and glamorous make you feel ashamed or bad about yourself, it might be worth your while to consider unfollowing or muting these accounts. You may think that something as simple as unfollowing an account on social media can’t possibly improve how you perceive yourself, but I promise you that it can. Think about how much time you spend scrolling through Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and other social sites. Whether consciously or not, you’re letting other’s posts and content influence you in some way. The scrolling we do through social media isn’t entirely “mindless”, and it’s important that we filter and ultimately control the online things that can impact our mental state. Remember- out of sight, out of mind.
Courtesy: Snow College
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