Self-Improvement in the Coming Weeks

Winter Self-Improvement Challenge

Last semester was TOUGH and I can’t believe I got through it. In its wake, the constant schoolwork, zoom meetings, and late nights have left me with just a shell of myself, and it’s a scary feeling. I’m at the point where I need to take my life back from myself, my homework, my professors, and quarantine. I can’t stop living because of these unprecedented circumstances, and I have a feeling that I’m not the only one who has had these thoughts and realizations. It’s taken a lot of reflection to come to the conclusion that something’s gotta give, but I’m here, I’m vulnerable, and I’m challenging both myself and everyone reading this to use winter as a reset button. It’s going to take baby steps, consistency, and patience, but it’s possible and I’m so excited to see how we all turn out after a few weeks of TLC. Keep reading to see how I’m going to challenge myself to become the absolute best version of myself! 

Sleep Schedule 

College students that have a solid, healthy sleep schedule are few and far between, and I am definitely not one of them. As much as we hate to admit it, sleep directly affects our health and we can develop serious physical and mental illnesses if we don’t rest properly. I sleep too long most days, but my sleep isn’t restful. If I can stay asleep through the night, it’s usually riddled with nightmares and sleep paralysis, which is not a good time at all. Luckily, most nights I don’t have to deal with that since instead, I wake up several times and am completely restless. When I wake up, I do the worst thing: I check my phone and expose my sensitive eyes to the bright blue light. Neither scenario is ideal, so I’m challenging myself to change my habits.

Sleep challenge: 

• Get 8 consecutive hours of sleep

• No screens half an hour before bed

• Use aromatherapy to create a peaceful, sleepy environment 

Fresh  Air

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but for the first few weeks of quarantine back in March, I completely forgot that we were allowed to go outside and the lack of sun and fresh air took a serious toll on my mental health. While it’s much colder now, I still think it’s important to get outside for a few minutes every day, even if that means going for a car ride to stay warm. This simple task genuinely brightens my mood, and I never realize how much I need it until I push myself to just go outside. Simply stepping outside may not be sufficient in the long run, so I’m going to challenge myself to do a few different tasks that require going outside in order to change it up a bit.

Fresh air challenge: 

• Drive to the beach in the morning 

• Try a new local cafe once a week

• Sit outside while having tea and appreciate the calm, crisp weather

Clean Room 

This one may be the hardest for me. My dorm on campus is a complete sanctuary that I’ve put so much effort into decorating and keeping clean. Being home, however, is a completely different story. The pressure to stay neat while having a roommate totally disappears when I’m home and the result is truly disturbing. Laundry covers my floor while cups and plates and trash cover my bureaus and bed. A huge sign of depression is clutter and mess that seems horrendous from the outside. So, before you judge a friend for their messy room, remember that they may be hurting and need some comfort. Cleaning a messy room is extremely overwhelming, so I’m challenging myself to take it one step at a time. 

Clean room challenge: 

• Gather any dirty laundry and do a few loads

• Collect all the garbage and throw it away

• Vacuum/sweep/dust/mop to clean any and all surfaces that may have extra dirt/trash that is hard to reach or pick up

Physical Health 

I have never been a particularly healthy person, but while the universe is on pause, I think now is as good a time as any to prioritize my physical health. I’ve followed a bunch of fitness accounts on Tiktok for inspiration, but it’s time to put those desires into practice. My biggest issue with health and fitness is consistency because I’m such an impatient person and want to see results overnight. However, that just isn’t how the human body works and instead of postponing any action because I don’t want to wait for the results, I need to just do it. I’m challenging myself to incorporate exercise and healthy eating into my life and make these changes a habit so I will be able to see real, irreversible progress. 

Physical health challenge: 

• Start the day with yoga or light exercise 

• Eat intuitively as opposed to out of boredom 

• Drink enough water to stay energized throughout the day

Therapy 

This one is hard to talk about. I know that therapy is common, helpful, and a critical part of maintaining good mental health, but for me, it still feels taboo and uncomfortable. I know that I will benefit from therapy, but I think my biggest issue is my participation in it. I find it difficult to talk about my struggles out loud, as childish as that may seem. I hate feeling vulnerable and open, especially with a stranger. However, just as I mentioned with physical health, now is as good a time as any to address my mental health issues and concerns with a therapist. I’m challenging myself to take control of my mental health and see each day as a gift that I no longer want to waste by lying in bed and being unproductive. 

Therapy challenge: 

• Be open and honest with my therapist

• Actively use coping mechanisms in everyday life to see if and how they work

• Embrace this journey and stop being ashamed of needing help and guidance

• fitness
• inspiration
• mental health
• motivation
• nutrition
• therapy