Different needs and Habits

 

The most important needs of my health may be very different from yours  and yours may be different from a friend’s because we are all actually very different, physically and psychologically. I require a very different diet from say a swimmer or a ballerina because my main goals are different. I lift and the most important goal to me is to get stronger- that goal requires a high protein and carb intake. Because of this, my diet will probably consist of more meat, vegetables and grains than someone who really dislikes the meat industry due of animal cruelty; their health goal may be a mental one that requires particularity in their diets to cut out meat in order to resist something they view as evil. My point is you as a person must identify the things you view as important in your health and prioritize them. You must ask yourself questions: Is stress a big problem in my life? Am I happy with my physical capabilities? My appearance? My work ethic? What do I need to do to change the things I dislike in my life? Well as Aristotle once said: "We are what we repeatedly do, excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit". I suggest making a list of ten habits you would like to start or maybe to end. Maybe you're a nail-biter like me because of stress in your life, maybe you want to drink 8 cups of water a day, and maybe you want to start making your bed every morning. Post this list somewhere you go every morning- maybe your bathroom mirror- so that you see them in the beginning of your day. Habit tracking apps are also very helpful when trying to change practices in your life- my favorite is Habitica, it's free on the app store; I highly recommend. The first step on a journey to self-betterment must be establishing goals and the second is making a small effort to hit these goals- but not with 100% accuracy. Be easy on yourself, if you are 10% better this week than you were last week that is a success, therefore you must set small checkpoints and have a loose plan. Good luck and let me know what you think of this and some habits you'd like to break/ start. Enjoy the journey! 

 

 

Ideas for Habit goals:

• call your family once a month
• organize something everyday
• make sure to include 30 minutes of relax time in your day
• workout 3 times a week
• study 30 minutes a day
• watch 10 minutes less of TV a week
• write 5-10 sentences about how you feel after every day
• read for 20 minutes a day
• eat whole foods for breakfast every morning
• pack lunch instead of spending money at work/school
• do something that makes you genuinely happy everyday 
• do a nice thing for someone else everyday (this can be as small as a compliment)
• take a walk every morning
• buy more whole foods and less processed food

Why Breaks Are So Important

Tuesday I took a ski trip to Hunter Mountain with a few friends and it was amazing! I returned home feeling exhausted but still ridiculously overjoyed; the scenery was beautiful, the air the cleanest and clearest I’ve ever breathed, the skiing exhilarating and challenging. Needless to say it was an experience I will not soon forget and that I hope to have again in the future. The whole trip was revitalizing to me and I woke up the next day with a new sense of optimism, though I had been dreading the next few weeks just days before. This led me to start thinking about how much breaks from the daily struggle can really pay off in the long run; life is so very stressful now-a-days and the constant tension in our everyday environment starts to take a toll on even the happiest, most optimistic people which is why the occasional change or relaxation is so important and effective. Having something to look forward to can push a person to do even better in the present and actually doing something one enjoys can exponentially increase one’s quality of life. This break can be anything from a quick cheat on a diet to a month long vacation cruise in the Caribbean. In any case, “travel is a great way to escape the stresses and commitments of everyday life”( https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-travel-can-benefit-our-mental-health/). So do yourself a favor and plan a get-a-way, spa day, cheat meal or anything else that you like and just appreciate it, you’ll thank yourself. Relax and enjoy the journey!

Habits and the Power of Repetition

The most important needs of my health may be very different from yours or someone you love because we are all actually very different. I require a very different diet from say a swimmer or a ballerina because my main goals are different. I lift and the most important goal to me is too be strong- that goal requires high protein and high carbs. Because of this my diet will probably consist of more meat, vegetables and grains that someone who really dislikes the meat industry because of animal cruelty; their health goal may be a mental one that requires particularity in their diets to cut out meat in order to resist something they view as evil. My point is you as a person must identify the things you view as important in your health and prioritize them. You must ask yourself questions: Is stress a big problem in my life? Am I happy with my physical capabilities? My appearance? My work ethic? What do I need to do to change the things I dislike in my life. Well an Aristotle once said: "We are what we repeatedly do. excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit". I suggest making a list of ten habits you would like to start or maybe to end. Maybe you're a nail-biter like me because of stress in your life, maybe you want to drink 8 cups of water a day, maybe you want to start making your bed every morning. Post this list somewhere you go every morning- maybe your bathroom mirror- so that you see them in the beginning of your day. Habit tracking apps are also very helpful when trying to change practices in your life- my favorite is Habitica, it's free on the appstore; I highly recommend. The first step on a journey to self-betterment must be establishing goals and the second is making a small effort to hit these goals- but not with 100% accuracy. Be easy on yourself, if you are 10% better this week than you were last week, that is a success, therefore you must set small checkpoints and have a loose plan. Good luck and let me know what you think of this and some habits you'd like to break/ start. 

Ideas for Habit goals:

• call your family once a month
• organize something everyday
• make sure to include 30 minutes of relax time in your day
• workout 3 times a week
• study 30 minutes a day
• watch 10 minutes less of TV a week
• write 5-10 sentences about how you feel after every day
• read for 20 minutes a day
• eat whole foods for breakfast every morning
• pack lunch instead of spending money at work/school
• do something that makes you genuinely happy everyday 
• do a nice thing for someone else everyday (this can be as small as a compliment)
• take a walk every morning
• buy more whole foods and less processed food