There are just some things that a nap simply can’t fix. Habitually failing to take care of yourself will inevitably take a toll on not only your physical health, but your mental health as well. Though you may know this, many of us continue to perpetuate this cycle. Creating a habit of wellness can be the key to improving many aspects of your life, but it’s often far easier said than done.
In this post we are going to unpack the topic of wellness habits and explore what they can look like. We are all different so it’s unlikely that you will have the same preferred habits as others, though I hope that these suggestions can get your wheels turning. One of the most important things to remember is that consistent habits of wellness can lead to improvements, not single episodes of self-care.
What is a Habit of Wellness?
In an earlier post I spoke a lot about practical self-care, and you may notice some overlap here. A pattern of behavior is often described as a regular tendency or practice. It’s something that happens more than once. It isn’t a habit if it only happens once.
A lot of times we think of habits as being a bad thing. I myself have heard far more about bad habits than good ones. While this may be true for many, we know that nothing is all good or all bad, and that includes habits!
It is possible to have tendencies and regular practices that are healthy and lead to growth. You may have some healthy habits that are almost inherent and part of your daily practice. Odds are if you do they were taught to you at one point or another.
Generally good habits don’t happen accidentally. We engage in these habits due to a conscious choice that we or someone close to us has made. For example, you may naturally gravitate towards fruits and vegetables because they were a part of your diet growing up. It’s unlikely that you were a major decision maker on groceries when you were five years old, though those choices made by an adult may have influenced your own adult habits.
Conscious decision making can lead to habit building. You get to decide if that is a positive thing or a less than positive thing.
Take a Look at Current Habits
When deciding to create a habit of wellness it can be helpful to explore and take inventory of your current habits. It can be beneficial to start with the basics.
Ask yourself what your sleeping and eating habits look like. We all sleep and we all eat, though we may not be getting as much sleep as we need or eating in the ways that would be most beneficial to our health. You may be sleeping too much or too little, and it’s possible you are doing the same when it comes to food.
Now let me be the first to say that I am NOT referring to weight loss. This isn’t that kind of blog. I’m talking about eating in a way that fosters wellness for you. Too often we get busy and forget to eat or we forget that our bodies need water! It is important to make nourishing your body a priority. You wouldn’t expect your car to run without gas, so don’t do that to your body. Take a look at your eating habits and be honest with yourself: are they working for you? If not, making some small, sustainable changes may help to build habits of wellness for you.
Now, on to sleep. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you getting too much sleep? What is enough sleep? All valid questions. Some experts say that we need anywhere between 5 and 10 hours of sleep per night. We are all different, though it can be argued having a nighttime routine and a bedtime can be beneficial at any age. Take a look at your sleeping habits and see if there’s any room for improvement.
Set Goals to Build Your Habits of Wellness
After evaluating some of your basic habits, see what you may want to change. Start small– don’t expect yourself to go from eating zero vegetables a day to having a raw diet. That wouldn’t be reasonable and may not even be healthy for you. You want to make changes that feel like they can be sustained over time.
Let’s say you do an inventory of your habits and realize that you often skip breakfast, sometimes not eating until late afternoon. If you are doing this, odds are that you aren’t feeling your best. You may want to set a goal to have something small in the morning, like a banana or a cup of yogurt, or anything else you choose. Begin small and reasonably to start creating a habit of wellness for yourself.
You may find after taking inventory of your habits that there are many areas you want to improve in. This is not uncommon, but don’t overdo it. Don’t try to change all of your habits at once. Start with one habit at a time, as this will decrease the likelihood of you feeling overwhelmed and wanting to quit altogether. It takes time to build habits, and it will take time to build habits of wellness.
Habits of Wellness Will Not Fix Everything
While building healthier habits will not fix everything, it sure can help. It is unlikely that you will regret creating these habits for yourself, though these habits alone may not be enough to resolve symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, or similar. Rarely will one change fix everything. It often takes a combination of healthy habits, coping skills, and therapy to find relief.
If you find that you are still not feeling your best after consulting with your doctor and making healthy changes you may need something more. Therapy can help.
To Sum It Up
A nap can’t fix everything, though it can feel really good. Building healthier habits of wellness can do wonders for your health and wellbeing. Making healthier choices will not only improve your physical health, but your mental health as well.
While we know this to be true it can still be really difficult to put into practice. Take a look at your current habits and see where you can make some improvements. Once you have an idea of what you’d like to see change, start setting small, realistic goals. Then go forth and start working toward those goals.
It can be hard to create a habit of wellness. It can be hard to continue with bad habits. Choose your hard, my fellow humans. And don’t forget, therapy can help.
PO BOX 9909 Fayetteville, NC 28311