SWIHA Blog

As the holidays are dwindling down, and the start of the New Year is approaching, we usually begin to think about goals, resolutions, and what we want to accomplish the next year. Typically, when making New Year’s resolutions, people think of really big things they want to change about themselves or their lives. Oftentimes, these really big goals can seem unattainable, and usually, within a few months, fewer and fewer people are staying consistent with their once super eager attitudes and goals. Having this in mind, why not start the New Year right with 5 small habits you can do to give you an immediate sensation of success and achievement?

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

1. Clean up one ‘area’ of your environment a day. Do you wait to do your entire house cleaning on the weekends and feel overwhelmed by how much there is to clean? Dishes stacking up in the sink or clothes piling up in the dirty laundry hamper…just the thought of it raises my stress levels! Solution? - Make it simple! Assign yourself one area a day to clean up. Having the task of just one area keeps the time and stress down. Before you know it - your house, apartment, or office space will be clean! Cleanliness = No Stress.

1. Tell one person each week that you love them. We tend to forget to tell the ones closest to us how much they mean to us. Taking the time to tell someone you love them can brighten their day and strengthen your relationship! It always feels good to know someone is thinking about you - so spread the love!

1. Add a little spirituality to your daily life. Life can get pretty hectic, and it can be difficult to find time for yourself. Spirituality can look very different from person to person. Find an activity that brings you joy and YOU time! Draw a bath, make a home altar, read a book, say a prayer each morning, or keep a journal. Creating YOU time, even for just 5 minutes, will add more self-care to your daily routine!

1. Journal 5 minutes a day. Starting your day in a positive mood, energized, and ready to take on the world could be a normal morning for you if you start your daily routine with a gratitude journal. Journaling is a great way to combat negativity bias, increase positivity, improve self-esteem, increase happiness levels, and reduce stress. If it's not a gratitude journal, you could also journal at the end of your day and reflect on everything that happened that day and let all the stress and circling thoughts out of your head and onto paper!

1. Craft a beneficial morning routine. Most of us already have a morning routine even if we are unaware that it exists. Waking up grumpy, tired, and annoyed at our glued eyelids is a mentality that offers us less control over how we behave and the way we shape our lives. Crafting a morning routine that will set up our day for success can drastically change our day and behavior. By making the most of your morning routine, you will learn that you are both capable AND worthy of having a delightful day

To build the life you want, to have more energy, focus, creativity, happiness, health, etc. you must start working on the small daily habits first. Attempting to lose 30 pounds next year may sound easy on paper, however, consistency and follow-through are harder than people expect. Consistency and follow-through are exactly what you need to build strong habits. According to Psychology Today, the popular “It takes 21 days to create a habit” is a total myth. Habits are behaviors that our brain has learned to produce without thinking about it. Habits are learned through repetition, so the key to convincing your brain to go to the gym or read 30 minutes a day is going to require some forced repetition at first. I bet you didn’t have to think about brushing your teeth this morning or brushing your hair before work. Why? Because at some point in your life, you were trained or trained yourself to do this! Goals and New Year’s Resolutions can seem really daunting at first. Adding these 5 easy habits above will be a great start to creating new habits that will help you craft the life you want and deserve!

Interested in learning more and being surrounded by others who also want to create ever-lasting goals and changes to their lives? To be ‘Champions of Change’? Join Southwest Institute of Healing Arts January Gifts and Graces featuring Sharon Rose, James Patrick and KC Miller as they guide you to a mindset of abundance. Spark that fire within, to blaze new paths; embrace living and thriving outside of your comfort zone. Go from commitment to compelled action. Condition behaviors that enhance your quality of life. Get consistent in the way you show up. The meaning of 2022 is all about success and hope for those who are willing to focus on their goals and purposeful path.