As we enter 2024, many of us take a step back and identify the areas in our lives we would like to improve. We visualize ourselves achieving great things and having more meaningful relationships and experiences. While these goals are definitely worth aiming for, I believe true happiness is found through small daily practices that set the tone for your life.
Start the Day With Positive Intentions
Starting the day with positive intentions sets a tone for the rest of your day. It’s an opportunity to focus on the things you really want to prioritize and using the time you have in the morning effectively. Doing something like lighting a scented candle, meditating, journaling or setting an intention for the day can help to put your mind in a better place for whatever is ahead. When we’re able to bring intention into our days rather than simply letting them happen, this allows us to stay more connected to ourselves throughout the day and align our actions with our goals and values. Fostering this consistent connection can lead us toward feelings of accomplishment while ultimately giving us more control over how we go through each day.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful tool for living in the present moment, leading to increased levels of peace and joy. It involves staying focused on our thoughts and feelings as they arise in each moment, as well as noticing our environment with fresh eyes. By practicing mindfulness, we can observe ourselves objectively, develop better emotional awareness, improve communication skills and increase overall well-being. Through mindful practice we can cultivate a more compassionate attitude toward ourselves and others, allowing us to react more calmly to challenging situations. Learning how to stay present in the moment gives us the opportunity to savor life’s moments of joy more deeply. Therefore, investing even a few minutes every day into mindful practice can have a tremendous impact on the quality of our lives.
Choose the News Sources You Watch and Listen To
Staying informed of current affairs is always a valuable endeavor. However, news can be very polarizing and it is important to choose sources that you know and trusts so that we are able to form our own opinions based on facts rather than hearsay. Additionally, it is wise to limit our news consumption and focus less on arguing over issues on social media or getting angry and frustrated. When we invest too much emotion into the news, it leaves us feeling powerless by taking away influence and control over conversations or events. Maintaining control of our emotions gives us the opportunity to make positive changes in ourselves as well as our communities.
Adopt a Meditation Practice
Incorporating a meditation practice into your daily routine can have numerous physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Meditation helps to reduce stress by allowing us to take a step back from whatever is causing stress in our lives. It relaxes the body and mind, lowers blood pressure, and increases serotonin levels naturally in your brain. Not only does meditation help us stay more balanced emotionally, but it also improves concentration, sleep quality, and clarity of thought. It teaches mindfulness which allows one to be more present, and aware of their thoughts and feelings without reacting out of habit or impulsivity. Adopting a meditation practice can be very rewarding. Start with something easy like mandatory two-minute breaks every hour, or doing 10 minutes every day at a specific time. You’re likely to find that it quickly becomes an indispensable part of your life helping you live each moment with increased presence and awareness.
Choose the News Sources You Watch and Listen To
Spending time outside in nature is an amazing and enriching experience, especially when that time is spent playing. The sights, smells, and sounds of a natural environment provide endless opportunities for sensory stimulation. There are so many ways to utilize nature during playtime. Exploring a creek while listening out for native wildlife or building a den amongst some nearby trees can provide hours of interactive fun. Having access to open green spaces is not only beneficial for physical health but also has been linked to increased creativity and connection with the environment.
