A New Era.
Let go of the past.
Focus on the present.
Work toward the future.
A new month is here, bringing us closer to the warmer months we've all been yearning for. I write to all of you on this Sunday evening with an overwhelming amount of gratitude. The support for this blog has been insane. Every day I wake up, looking forward to writing each post, hoping it helps some of you in some capacity. Let’s dive into today’s topic: healthy habits.
I know I wrote about Madison Beer’s song “Homesick” in my last blog, but this week we will be delving into her song “Healthy Habit.” Yes, the song is about a relationship, but it carries an even deeper meaning that can be overlooked. I think most people are constantly battling the impact of the habits they form in their everyday lives. Focus on a habit you have formed, specifically one you know might not be the most beneficial. Is it going to help you work toward the best version of yourself? What can you do to change it? I have the habit of constantly talking negatively about myself, which leads to living in a state of anxiety. I think my mother can attest to this, as she has received a multitude of phone calls from me going through every single emotion. The ones that stand out the most are the ones of me crying to her, convinced that I was doing my college experience wrong. Was I in enough extracurricular activities? Was I working hard enough in my classes? Was I making enough friends? Do I even have friends? These thoughts affected the way I went about each day. I would go through moments of complete and utter silence, thinking it was best not to say a word to anyone. I got into the habit of scrolling through social media for hours, comparing myself to the people I watched on a screen. I saw Instagram posts of people’s weekend side quests.
It was a habit that could never go away, until I thought to myself. I am the only person getting in the way of my own happiness. I am the only person who is in the way of getting better. I am the only person who can make a change. YOU are capable of forming healthier habits. Instead of constantly questioning your worth, think about all the things you ARE worthy of. Every single person in this world is deserving of love, peace, and most importantly, happiness. I wanted to be happy, so I made it a habit to do things that would make me happy. I journal every single night. It’s a way to end my day, putting all my thoughts and feelings on paper, so they don’t stay in my mind. I joined new clubs! I started saying hi to people I knew as I walked on campus. I focused on building friendships with people I really connected with. When I caught myself going down the rabbit hole of negative self-talk, I would stop and take a deep breath. Focusing on my breathing became a way for me to quiet my mind and really focus on what is true. The truth is that your anxiety lies to you. It tries to prevent you from changing, bettering yourself, and finding inner peace. It prevents you from being happy. So, let’s not have habits prevent us from being happy. I am the happiest I have ever been right now. All because I have formed the healthy habit of ignoring the negative thoughts and finding the positives in everything.
Now, you know the drill: take out a notebook or type in your notes app. Really think about these questions. What is an unhealthy habit that prevents you from changing? What is a healthy habit that you could form to better yourself?
Small victories are just as important.
Be patient with yourself.
See you next week.
