Sure, life is busy and stressful. Finding time for ourselves and the things we enjoy can be at the bottom of the to-do list. Many days we may even wonder, “What did I accomplish today” as we exhaustedly climb into bed. Is this you living your best life? Here are seven practices that can help to revitalize you, help you plan your day, and help you discover yourself again. By following these seven practices daily, you will center your life on the things that matter most, increase your drive and energy, and decrease your stress level. If you don’t believe me, try it for a week. Start small. See what it does for you.
Dr. Stephen Ilardi, author of The Depression Cure stated, “Human beings were never designed for the poorly nourished, sedentary, indoor, sleep-deprived, socially isolated, frenzied pace of twenty-first-century life.”
1. Have a Daily Spiritual Practice – Say a morning prayer and ask for specific blessings for yourself and others. Read the word of the God or other uplifting material. Complete a daily devotional. Ponder scriptures, words, or phrases with religious meaning.
2. Recognize and Regulate Your Emotions – Dr. Edith Eger states, “…as long as you’re avoiding your feelings, you’re denying reality. And if you try to shut something out and say, “I don’t want to think about it,” I guarantee that you’re going to think about it. So, invite the feeling in, sit down with it, keep it company. And then decide how long you’re going to hold on to it… It’s good to face every reality. To stop fighting and hiding. To remember that a feeling is just a feeling – it’s not your identity. ”
Learn to be comfortable with your emotions and view them as giving you information. What are your feelings telling you today? You are in control of your emotions, they are not in control of you!
3. Balance and Manage Responsibilities – It’s easy to get priorities out of balance and focus only on putting out fires. You set the priorities and YOU should be at the top of your list. If you aren’t taking care of you, who is? What about the other things in your life that need your care? Make a to-do list and schedule the things that are the most important to get done first. During difficult times, some things may need to come off your plate or be delegated to others. Decide what is bringing energy and light into your life and what is not.
4. Get Proper Sleep and Nutrition – We all function better after a good night’s sleep and the world looks brighter. Don’t sacrifice your sleep. If you are having difficulty, try a soothing bedtime routine and keep a consistent bed and waking up time. It’s easy to turn to comfort and fast food when life is stressful. These aren’t the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Eat healthy and don’t skip meals. Listen to your body.
5. Exercise – Exercise relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins. Studies have shown that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication. Exercise is also a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. Lace up those running shoes, join a gym, work-out with a friend. Get your body moving!
6. Screen Time with Intention – Do you find yourself mentally overwhelmed needing a break and pulling out your phone only to find your 5 minute break has turned into 2 hours? It happens, mindless video games, Netflix binging, social media scrolling do not help you to relax. If you need a break and want to unwind with an electronic device, do it with intention. Ask yourself: What is my intended purpose for this break? How long am I going to give myself? Set a time limit and stick to it.
7. Serve Others and Have Gratitude – It’s easy to become self-focused when dealing with life’s bumps and bruises. Turn outward instead of inward. Brighten the day of another through service. Take the time to connect with others. Fill a need. Keep it small and simple. I promise it will come back to you. Have a daily practice of gratitude. Write it in a journal. As you do, you will start to see more blessings and tender mercies in your life.
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