So this spring semester was a little hectic, I did not go back home during the holidays – my family lives in Brazil so I don’t get to see them often – and I guess the seasonal depression hit me a little. But I said I would not let the outside ruin my semester and I decided to start some new habits and reestablish some that I had been neglecting.
Before I talk about this I need to put a little disclaimer: this is not – in any way – a professional guide for you to follow in order to feel good. These are some habits that have made me feel better and more energetic. So if you want some motivation or some tips follow along!
Eating healthy
This is probably the most obvious “resolution habit” that I have started, but sometimes it is the basic and what everyone does that works. I have always had a pretty healthy diet but lately with the anxiety of graduating soon and having to get a job I have been emotionally eating, which affected not only my physical health but also my mental health. So I said to myself I needed to change.
One thing that has helped is preparing my food in advance. This does not mean making those meal preps you see on Instagram and you end up eating the same thing everyday day. But making sure to have ready to eat healthy options. So my advice is to prepare some type of protein, various vegetables (to have some change) and a carb, like rice, quinoa or potatoes. This not only makes me avoid compulsively eating but also saves me time during the week.
Also, allowing myself to eat something sweet and tasty when I want. I am all about eating healthy, with lots of nutrients and vegetables but NO restriction. You have to allow yourself to eat a sweet treat or else you will eventually end up eating a whole tub of ice cream. What I like to do is to sometimes incorporate sweetness in my meals. Like having oatmeal with protein powder or some fruit with honey.
Meditating / Yoga
I started doing Yoga with Youtube videos during the quarantine and I fell in love with it. However, last year I felt like I was leaving it to the side and honestly there was no reason for it. I had the time, space and even classes in my gym so I said I needed to get back to it.
Yoga is such a wonderful practice and I advise anyone to at least try it once. And a lot of people don’t know this but there are different methods of it depending on your needs. For example there is Yin Yoga which is a slow-paced practice with poses you hold for a long time and it feels more like a meditation. And on another extreme there is Power Yoga which is much more dynamic and physically demanding, and it is closer to a training session.
It honestly changes my mood when I do Yoga. I advise to either start your day with it, so first thing in the morning after you wake up or finish your day with it, you will feel you will sleep much better after. This really depends on your routine and availability, I just would not do it in the middle of the day as I feel like the benefits are lost.
Gratitude Journal
This is one that I did not believe at all until I started doing it. I have always had some confidence problems, when I feel like I am not enough or that I should be doing more. One day I came across this quote and it changed my perspective:
I realized I have so many good things happening right now and things to look forward to, I don’t need to be worried about what a random person is doing on Instagram. And so I decided to record this by writing. I found this gratitude journal on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC4KVLW2?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) and started writing on it everyday. I will be honest, I forgot to do it some days, but that is something I am also trying to get better at, I do not have to be 100% all the time. The key is consistency, you forgot one day ok do it tomorrow.
Dancing
Ok I know you may be thinking, “What if I don’t know how to dance?” Well here is my answer to you: there is no knowing how to dance. We are born being able to move when we listen to music and that is dancing. It may not be based on professionally designed steps and appealing for others to watch but it is dancing and most importantly it makes you happier and feeling better. It is proven that dancing reduces level of cortisol – the stress hormone – and causes the brain to release dopamine which is a natural mood booster. Could it get any better?
So next time you got your headphones on just start dancing around. It does not have to be pretty or make any sense, it just has to make you feel good. And if you want a little guidance or turn this into a form of exercise I highly recommend you follow along to one of those cardio dance videos on YouTube. One that I simply love and have watched since the Pandemic is “Madfit” (https://www.youtube.com/@MadFit).