5 habits my therapist recommended for me
Write a letter to yourself.
In moments where you feel good, confident and powerful, write a letter to yourself for you to open when you feel down. This way you can store those spaces of positivity and re-enter them when you need it the most!
Lead a thankfulness journal.
It is easy to get stuck in the negativity of difficulties and challenges in life. I can’t do this, I don’t have that, I will never reach this. Doing this habit will help you be aware of the good things in your life, as little or big as they may be. I am thankful for good music, I am thankful for my friend xyz, I am thankful for reflection, I am thankful for candle light, I am thankful for the sun shining into my room this morning,…
Cry!
Allow yourself the space to cry. Embrace that deep sadness and let go of that rigid guard that’s keeping the tears inside your soul. Let them out!
Do the little things that make you happy.
Go for a walk and breathe fresh air, play music, dance, meet a friend,… Don’t stress yourself over having too little time for work and performance. Make time for the things that you enjoy!
Take time to relax. FULLY relax.
Treat yourself! We can’t spend every waking moment of our life working. Allow yourself this space to completely shut down, watch reality tv, have a bath, draw, cook, play sports. Do something that brings you joy and lets your brain shut off.
It has been and continues to be a long journey for me to appreciate these habits. Oftentimes, I slip into old behaviours and forget to take these up and then start to wonder why I’m feeling so much worse. Even though, sometimes, I need to remind myself to keep up with these, I can feel the effect of them so heavily that I definitely recommend everyone to incorporate them into their routines.
Little tip: it helps me to leave some things visible as a reminder - for example, my thankfulness journal is on my drawer unit which I pass every time I enter or leave my bedroom. Seeing it so often makes me write down the odd few things just here and there and it doesn’t take up any extra time in my routine.