On Forming Healthy Habits

This post is a little different from what I’m used to writing about. I’ve deemed this website a “lifestyle blog” when I made it, so I think it’s about time I write about, well, my lifestyle. In an effort to maximize my self-care, I’ve taken to forming habits that help me achieve peace, calm, and fulfillment. This post outlines my healthy habits (some I stick to better than others), and hopefully this inspires you to create habits that are borne from self-love.

Healthy Eating

Now this is something I have a bit of a hard time with because I have a ridiculously powerful sweet tooth. I love candy! I know it isn’t good to have sweets all the time, so I’ve taken to substituting different snacks and drinks for healthy alternatives. Dates and raisins are nature’s candies, so I go for those to satiate my sweet tooth. I’m also deeply in love with the Soy White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks, but I try to get my caffeine fix from black or green tea.

I’m a pescatarian (meaning I only eat seafood and vegetables), and my meals are pretty balanced and healthy. I try not to have any additional carbs with my meals as much as possible (it’s just that some meals absolutely must be eaten with rice!). It’s also important to not let yourself go hungry; have smalls snacks every couple of hours. The goal isn’t to lose weight, but to get a nutritious and balanced diet.

Exercise

I’m lucky that I get to practice yoga up to six times a week, and that I actually love doing it. Four years ago, you’d be hard-pressed to make me exercise. I found going to the gym too boring, and I despise cardio. I’m happy to have found something I like doing that keeps my body and mind active. What I love about yoga is that it has completely changed my mindset when it comes to my body’s limitations. Instead of feeling bad about not being able to get into a pose, I feel grateful for the strength and proper alignment that a regular practice has helped me achieve.

Yoga may not be your thing, but there are a lot of different options for you to be able to exercise at least 3 or 4 times a week. Maybe going to the gym is your thing, or if you like sports and games, you could try looking for a club that holds them every week. If you don’t have time, you could look up work-out videos on YouTube and follow those (there are tons!). There are lots of ways you can work out, and I find that exercising isn’t just good for your body, it’s also good for you mind and well-being.

Cleanliness

I actually love cleaning and organizing my room and my things. Knowing that everything is organized gives me peace of mind. Don’t be afraid to give away or throw away things that you don’t need and don’t use. I have a hard time cleaning my closet because I don’t like picking and choosing which clothes to keep and which clothes to give away, but every time I do it, I feel lighter because a.) I have more closet space,  b.) I don’t have to worry and feel guilty about the clothes I don’t wear anymore, and c.) I feel happy knowing my clothes are going to people who will actually wear them.

I love it when my things are organized, so I usually use organizing trays and file folders to keep everything in order. I try to make sure that the space I have is utilized and maximized properly.

Healthy Relationships

Communication and support are key when it comes to forming healthy and lasting relationships, but when those don’t work, it’s okay to cut off toxic people from your life. Cutting toxic people off can be very difficult; the nature of a toxic relationship is negative and addicting, but it’s important to remind yourself that you can become a better person without toxic people in your life. Instead, surround yourself with people who build you up, who are kind to you, and who genuinely love you. You know that it’s a healthy and loving relationship when you like who you are when you’re with them. With that said, you should also be a source of strength and comfort for others. It never hurts to be kind.

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Sleep

This is actually something I’ve gotten better at. When I was a student, my sleep schedule was pretty erratic (and I have no one to blame but myself for cramming papers last minute). Now, I get to sleep for 7-8 hours a night, and I end up falling asleep really early. I think that from everything I’ve listed down, this one is probably the hardest one to achieve. If your body clock is warped, don’t be afraid to take melatonin tablets to fix it. It’s okay to take them every once in a while just to establish a proper sleeping pattern, and if I’m being honest, sometimes I take them more than I should, but I haven’t become dependent on them, and I can sleep early without taking them.

Passion Project

There are lots of things in our lives that keep us busy, from school to work to friends, and everything else. While having a passion project just adds to the list, I think it’s really important to have one because it’s where you can explore your creativity and express your interests. My passion projects include this blog, and building up my makeup Instagram (@chabocampo). I’m really happy with them because I love thinking up blog post ideas and different makeup looks to share with all of you. Sometimes, I feel lazy and unmotivated to write articles or try out different makeup looks, but whenever I do make posts on this blog and on my Instagram, I end up feeling really happy and fulfilled.

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These are just some of the habits I’ve formed that keep me healthy and happy. If I’m being honest, I’ve made this post to serve as a reminder for me to stick to these healthy habits. Hopefully, you’ve been inspired by this post to create your own healthy habits!

Do you have routines that help you achieve peace and fulfillment? Let me know in the comments!