
I am writing down this blog post today to share some easy & effective lifestyle changes that I want to implement myself to bring about a wholesome positive change in my life. As I write down this blog, I intend to adopt these essential wellness habits in my everyday life and follow them steadily. This will be a note & reminder to my own self. 🙋🏻🙏🏻
Adulting is hard and life gets difficult and stressful with each passing day. I miss childhood days when our lives were simpler and problems never existed. We think twice before getting an ice cream now-a-days, checking whether it’s sugar-free and 0 Calories… and those days 2 scoops with extra sprinkles used to be my permanent order all through childhood.
With more work every day, a hectic lifestyle, more time spent on gadgets, struggling in the traffic – our health and the overall mental state has suffered. As I became increasingly busy with my work, I got more and more involved in social media, which led to long hours of sitting and staring at some screen, either my laptop or cellphone, sometimes even forgetting to meet my body’s basic requirements like drinking water and having proper food on time.
Subsequently, I’ve come to realize that I am not living to the fullest and need to balance my work, life, home, and body. Following are some ways which I am going to remember and practice:
1. Waking up early and making the bed
This is the hardest thing ever! I have been always been a person who loves to sleep, and I just can’t get out of the warm cozy bed in the morning. It somehow worked fine until now, but as my life is becoming busier, work gets piled up and I don’t get enough time during the day to finish it.
So starting to rise early is going to be my biggest and hardest mantra( And my cup of masala chai tea is my motivation for that). I’ve already started feeling more productive, I utilize the whole day and I feel accomplished at night. A simple act like making your bed can significantly alter your mood for the entire day, as it’s the first of tiny achievements that somehow motivate you to keep going. It lifts up your spirits and helps you kickstart the day with a feeling of independence.
2. Journaling
This is one very enriching exercise. I started to journal, but somehow it got off my routine. But I am getting back at it. You can write down thoughts, feelings, and events around you, things you are grateful for, your to-do lists for the day, how you would like to go about your day. It is done in many ways and we can find out what best suits our lifestyle. Taking out a few minutes to reflect before going to bed or after waking up, penning your thoughts, doesn’t have to be complete sentences or even make sense. Just write it down and it will all start working out in a better way.
3. Clean and organized home
All of us love the feeling of getting into a clean fresh bed or enter an organized living room & kitchen. But homes tend to get messed up quickly and easily. My blogger friends who take pictures/flat lays will definitely be able to relate. Whenever I post a flatlay on my Instagram, like this or this….they look incredibly pretty and are liked by so many people, but the struggle for me begins after it- cleaning the mess!!! Putting back all the props and items on their respective places after every shoot is such a pain! I committed the terrible mistake of procrastinating this, and at one point, nothing was to be found! I was literally digging into piles of stuff and could not find anything that I needed at that particular time.
Not a very pleasant sight, and this had been going on for quite some days now, causing so much negativity, stress and mood swings.
So, when I finally got time this weekend, I knew what I had to do. I cleaned and organized my home as best as I could, and felt so much better and relieved. Now on, I am definitely going to clean the mess/dishes/clothes as soon as the work gets done so that I wake up to a fresh, organized and positive home next morning.
4. Workout & Yoga
To be honest, I am not very regular at working out. My routine is on and off, but I am trying every day to be better at it. You don’t always have to go to the gym to lift weights. A simple brisk walk/jog in the evening, or a good 30 minutes of yoga in the morning, or just biking, dancing or any sport is good as well. Doing something is so much better than doing nothing.
Being an Indian, I learned how to do the ‘Surya Namaskar’ (Sun Salutation) very early. It is widely accepted across the world as one of the best wholesome exercises for a body as it invigorates almost every part of the body. It brings focus, flexibility, helps in weight reduction, improves blood circulation and has a positive impact on internal organs.
5. Be mindfully present
My Instagram bio says ‘Enjoying the little things in life…’ I truly believe in this. Life is all about savoring the moment. Walking barefoot on the grass, stopping to admire a beautiful flower, smiling at a stranger, having a nice, genuine conversation with a person you meet… little things which provide immense happiness and fulfillment.
As I mentioned how our fast moving competitive lives are taking a toll on our lives, we all have forgotten to be present in the moment. Even if we are currently sitting with our friends, most of the times we are thinking about going to work the next morning or that big meeting next week, or that deadline nearing…we need to mindfully stop this unending chain of thoughts and just be in the moment, thinking of nothing and calming our senses.
6. Get outside
Nature is a healer, it soothes, calms and nurtures. I always feel so much better and stress-free when I take a walk outside, breathing deeply, sit in the park or just on my balcony watching the sunset. The human body is meant to be moving and out of doors in the open. Sitting on our work desks with artificial lights and air conditioners around us, we have forgotten the little joys of being in the natural environment. They say nature is the best therapist, and I do not disagree.
7. Let go of negative people and choose positivity
I have learned this with experience, letting go of negative people in life is really crucial to your growth as an individual. Not just physically being away from them, but not discussing them, not trying to analyze why they do what they do- by just not giving them any thought.
Focus on the better things in life, people who love you, things you are grateful for and the abundance all around you. Do not hold on to grudges, pain, anger or resentment- when all of these go away, you will have happier, beautiful things come in.
Along with all of the above-mentioned habits, one of my favorite things to spread positivity, good vibes and instant mood lifting spirits around the house, is lighting up beautifully scented candles. I am a big fan of candles and I am beyond delighted & grateful to be collaborating again with Chesapeake Bay candles to present their Mind & Body collection to you all. This is my second collaboration with them, earlier I reviewed their Refreshing & Classic Heritage collection. If you haven’t already read it, do check it out here.
Quoting their CEO Mei Xu, “The mind & body collection diffuses a mood enhancing fragrance & emits an inviting, soothing glow to help bring balance and restorative energy to your home.” I completely agree with this. A calming scent in the house can totally change the mood, enliven the spirits and make us more productive. Below are the fragrance descriptions of the candles displayed:
✨ Balance & Harmony
Belonging to the Floral green Fragrance family enriched with Orange essential oil, this waterlily, and pear mix is an absolute refresher. The balance between fruity orange, pear & sandalwood, rosewood & musk is perfectly comforting. Check it out here.
✨ Reflection & Clarity
This beautiful blue colored jar is sure to make your mind wander to the beaches. Infused with the goodness of Chamomile, Lavender, Laurel, Patchouli, Tea essential oils, it brings the feeling of sea waves, fresh air, and crisp morning sunlight. Top notes include Eucalyptus, lavender and sea salt which flawlessly blend into base notes of rosemary thyme and cedarwood. Get yours here.
✨ Confidence & Freedom
To reveal the inner strength that is in all of us- confidence is the key. This deep blue jar encompasses Oak sea moss, amber, sage & lavender as the top & mid notes. A marine yet herbal start which turns beautifully into warm amber and Patchouli, spreading a self-assuring elegance and confirming power from within. Find it on amazon here.
✨ Strength & Harmony
Sometimes, all I wanna do is escape into the tropics and have a Pina Colada. Well, the next best thing (and the easier thing) is lighting up this candle. A fruity tropical mix of coconut, pineapples, grapefruit and mango combined with the intense warmth of musk vanilla and amber- this is surely going to transport you right into the sun-kissed beaches with a refreshing summer drink in hand. Direct link to buy here.
✨ Peace & Tranquility
A combination of Jasmine and cotton blossom fusing into white musk and sandalwood. This candle brings calmness and mindfulness into the atmosphere. Disconnect with the outer world, keep away all gadgets and forget all tensions- take a moment to pause, reflect and meditate. Ylang Ylang, Lemon & Cedarwood essential oils and top notes of Lily of the valley and Bergamot bring fresh airy vibes for some peaceful introspective time. Available here.
These beautiful colored jars filled with so much goodness of essential oils and amazing mélange of fragrances is my every day go-to to set a positive and happy mood to my lifestyle & home.😍
I have started to believe that a positive mind, grateful heart, clean organized surroundings and a healthy body, all need to be working in perfect collaboration for the wellbeing and happiness of any person. It might seem like too much effort to be able to manage and implement all of these in our lives at once. But there’s no hurry, it is surely not an overnight miracle. Start with drinking more water each day, add a fitness regime to your routine, slowly get into journaling… Take your time. I read somewhere that any new change needs at least 21 days of regularity to become a habit. So be it. Adding these small acts little by little in your lifestyle will surely impact our lives in a positive & enriching way.
Comment below self-improvement tips & mantras you swear by for a happier, content and fulfilling life.
Making my bed first thing in the morning definitely makes me feel good. Keeping a clean home also makes me feel less anxious as I go about my day.
Excellent viewpoint. I love where you are coming from with this. Thanks for the encouraging words!!
Yes yes yes to all of this! My favorite is lighting a few candles and watching my favorite TV shows on Netflix. -Tonya Tardiff
I definitely try to do all of these things. I just don’t always have time. It is a goal to get there though.
I love the idea of waking up early, journaling or even blogging, and yoga. All great tips that I try to do each day as well.
It is amazing how much better my day is if I put everything away the night before and wake up, make the bed, and do a flow!
Waking up early has always helped me a lot. It gives me a few minutes of peace and quiet before my boys hit the ground running. I’ve also always made my bed. Every day. My 5 year old makes his now too. It just makes everything feel that much neater and cleaner.
It’s amazing what a difference these habits can make. Of course, some of them are easier said than done – this is a good reminder to start doing them!
Journaling always brings me peace and sometimes, I even find the solutions to my issues while doing so.
All of these tips are so useful and important! What really helps for me is to focus on one of these aspects at a time; I usually take about two weeks to make it a habit and then move onto the next one 🙂
These all are really great tips. Letting go of the negative people in your life is really important and makes a great difference. I have to get the Strenght & Harmony candle asap!
Making sure I spend some time outside everyday has really helped me mentally. I like to load my kids into a stroller and go for a long walk. It helps me 2 fold by not only soothing me but it’s also an hour of quiet since the kids love strolling around
I love ur positivity towards all aspects of life .Be hopeful and be happy always 😘😘👍
Amazing! 👍🏻😍