We all have dreams…
Interests, passions… and we want to be happy. Are we? Do we know our goals?
It’s easy to live on autopilot. We don’t have time to wonder about things all the time, and even if we did do we know what we’re lacking? Are we mindful? We can only have so much willpower in a day, and good habits can help us with our mood and presence.
Here’s a composition of habits that helped me.
Feel free to give some a go, and write down what you think. Beware that you’ll have to face the inertia of your old habits first - for myself I noticed I was doing some things I didn’t even enjoy that much, and that motivated me to change. But this is your life so live it your way!
Do adapt these to yourself!
- Morning - the color of your day;
- Sleep enough - the day starts the night before. The only one you’re accountable to is yourself.
- No phone - Don’t start the day by picking up your phone. You’ll likely end up wasting a whole hour, and worse off emotionally. Take the time. Breathe. Put some music if you want.
- 10 minute meditation - to center properly and get ready for the day. Just taking a little bit of time will do wonders, trust me.
- Hard chi qong - get up and wake up with gentle fists and slaps on your body. It’s a kind of massage, actually! And if that doesn’t wake you up…
- Take care of yourself - Your skin, your mood, something. Dress up. Dance if you want! Bring variety. This is a whole new day, give a bit of it to yourself and you’ll be ready to take on the world.
- Icon - I recommend having an icon or something else to inspire you close by, your environment should help you towards your goals.
- 15 min walk - stretch and go take a walk, ideally in nature, to take that sunshine in and get hungry.
- **Eat mindfully **- take your time. Something not too heavy, ideally some proteins (eggs), some energy (oats, fills you up), a fruit. Vegetables are a good option.
In general I’d recommend against trying to win time by rushing as a habit, especially in the morning because that’ll wear you down for the day. Give your engine some time to start!
- Core of the day
- Mindful progress - Start the day by reminding yourself of your intentions (kinder, more present…). Work with triggers: if I do this, then I will do that. This can fix addictions and more.
- Work/relax - Depending on the day, begin by working on something or relaxing but I’d recommend to limit social media. Some art, maybe? Sing? Yes you have to figure out what you like, I can’t do that for you. Consider some calming methods and what to do to clear your mind so you don’t default to social media.
- Physical todo list - what did you plan the night before? The physical aspect brings a certain satisfaction, clarity - and so efficiency - and peace of mind, try it!
- **Get something done before lunch **-except on weekends. After lunch go take a walk to digest and recenter. This meal can be a big one, it can have meat, but don’t exaggerate on quantities.
- Pauses - take some time to rest, sip some tea or coffee. Interact with friends.
- Hard times - this is part of life. Remember you can always go back to the heart. Let each breath in give you strength and stability, and each breath out give you peace. Don’t forget what you overcame in the past already. What gives you strength. Don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s good to reward yourself when doing good!
- Sport - for mental and physical health. You can choose when you do it, but not right after eating. Listen to your body, without being lazy. Sport gives you energy by doing it.
- Evening - conclusion of the day
- Give - some of the evening to yourself. This can mean going out with friends, cooking for yourself, watching a movie, reading a book can be good as well.
- Sleeping ritual - to put you in the mood. This can be a shower, some smell, clean your teeth, even a prayer.
- Journaling - remember your day, what you liked doing, or not. No point feeling guilty, noticing is enough to change, when you’re ready. The more intention there is in your life, the more it can be enjoyed. You can write down your thoughts and go as deep as you prefer. Finally, define what you’d like to get done tomorrow.
- Full body scan - to enter a state of deep relaxation and sleep easily.