As we enter into the New Year, I’m sure some of us would love to experience more balance, less stress, more joy, less worry, and overall have a greater sense of peace in our lives. Life is full of challenges, heartache, joy, and happiness. The key is to have strategies that we can implement into our daily routine that helps us to manage our worries and fears, process our emotions, and find greater balance and joy.
I’ve practiced these strategies for years and they have helped me through many hardships in my life, particularly health related. My stress levels have decreased, I experience less worry, find joy in the little moments and am generally a much happier person. They take no time at all and are easy to incorporate into your routine. You may want to start with a couple of these techniques and work your way up. The important thing is that you start today - it’s so worth it!
1) Start the day with love!
- Affirm before your feet hit the floor, “Today’s going to be a good day!”
- State 5 things you are grateful for.
- Take a little time to write in your journal. Throw all your worries and concerns onto the page. The day tends to run a lot smoother when we do this.
2) Practice affirmations throughout the day. Affirmations are crucial for developing self-love. Whenever you go to the washroom you can look in the mirror and recite them silently or out loud.
- I am enough.
- I love and approve of myself.
- I am safe.
- The universe has my back.
- I am strong and brave.
3) Build self-esteem by practicing “mindful moments” throughout the day. This helps us to become aware of our thoughts. Sometimes we are not even conscious of the negative things we tell ourselves daily. We can change negative thoughts through awareness and centering.
- Breathe in through your nose for the count of 3, hold for 1, and exhale for 3 through your mouth. On the exhale repeat silently “release the muscles in my jaw, neck, and shoulders. Repeat 5 times.
- Follow this up with an affirmation.
- Happy thoughts, happy life.
4) Practice gratitude all day long. This helps to develop a positive mind-set. It’s impossible to be grateful and angry at the same time, honestly!
- Being grateful helps us to focus on what we have, instead of what we don’t have. We tend to focus on what’s missing in our lives and not see all that’s there.
5) End the day with “joy moments.”
- Ask yourself, “What went well today?” This could be as simple as you getting out of bed and brushing your teeth. We are all on different journeys - celebrate the little things!
- Fall asleep thinking of the happy moments. This could be as simple as a hug from your child, a snuggle with your fur baby, or a smooth commute to work. This will help you transition into a peaceful night’s sleep by not falling asleep worrying.
It only takes small, little changes to improve the quality of your life. There is no quick fix that most of us seek. We must do the work to feel the benefits. Trust me, as a previous constant worrier and someone who frequently experienced anxiety, it’s so worth it because what’s on the other side is freeing!
Until next time…Happy new Year