Note from our editor
Changing habits that have been part of your routine for years is hard. Once something becomes part of your "normal" it is so hard to realize that it isn't what is best for you or that it needs to be changed. After my birthday in February, I took a long, hard look at the habits that I had created for myself; good and bad. I decided to make (minor) changes in the hopes of being a better, happier me. I cut my hair, got a cat and started really focusing on what was best for my physical and mental health.
While change is uncomfortable and often difficult, with some help, I have realized that it is necessary so that I continue to grow. I am not where I want to be yet, but I am enjoying the journey and getting to know myself all over again. Here are just a few ways I have started to dedicate my me time to bettering my physical and mental development.
Keep a food journal
I'll be honest, since I moved about a year ago, I have become complacent with my diet. When I first moved in, meal prepping was my best friend and I was determined to stay healthy and make better choices. As the months went on, the frozen fruit in the freezer was replaced with pizza rolls and the home-cooked meals were replaced with take-out from the pizza shop in my apartment complex (the convenience was too much to pass up!).
Recently, I haven't been feeling my best, and I know that my food choices are a big part of it. My first change was to journal everything I was eating and drinking as a way to hold myself accountable. Once it was on paper, I couldn't ignore it anymore; I was not giving my body what it needed.
At the end of every day, I write down what I ate throughout the day and how it made me feel. My diet isn't perfect, and I still have a lot to learn about my body and taking care of it the right way, but this is a good start.
Put down the phone
I admit it, I am absolutely addicted to my phone and social media. But I am determined to break that addiction! One day after a long day at work, my husband and I settled in for the night and flipped on Netflix. After about an hour, I looked up and realized that I had no idea what was going on! I had tuned into my phone and tuned out the movie and my husband (he didn't even notice because his nose was buried in his phone too!).
My goal was not to not use my phone at all (that would be too much!). My goal was to use it less and to enjoy the things around me. I started by making sure that I got outside every day that the weather allowed me to. Whether it was taking a walk around my complex, tossing a football around or painting birdhouses on the back deck with my nephews and niece, I made sure to savor the sunshine! My husband and I even spent a long afternoon on our back deck planting spring blooms in new planter boxes.
Little changes like this have made me less dependent on my phone and have allowed me to live in the moment. Now I spend my me time soaking up the sun instead of scrolling.
Confide in someone
When the weight of it all becomes too heavy on your shoulders, it isn't healthy to go through it all alone. I was feeling overwhelmed and out of touch with myself. One of my worst habits is bottling up my emotions and trying to deal with things all on my own. When I began making changes a few months ago, I came to the conclusion that I should let someone help me! I didn't have to do it alone.
It is important to find someone that won't judge you and always has your best interest at heart. My person? My mother! As I have gotten older, my mother has gone from my caretaker to my absolute best friend. She is amazing and made the weight on my shoulders feel lighter. She helped me break up my problems (no matter how silly they seemed) into manageable pieces.
Now, I often don't spend my me time alone. I spend it with an ice-cold seltzer, in a lawn chair next to my mother.
Feeling alone can be crippling and I realized I was holding myself back from being the happiest version of myself that I could be.