Blogmas Day 5: 5 Little Life Improvements
And on Blogmas Day 5, let’s talk about 5 little gifts To: Me, From: Me ◡̈
TikTok is absolutely my favorite place on the internet. There are so many genres of TikTok that I love, but people romanticizing their everyday lives gets me every time. It’s so easy to get caught up in humdrum mediocrity, right? Be jolted awake by an alarm, eat crappy breakfast, commute, 9-5, commute, dinner, doom scroll, repeat. That attitude, though? That’s a mindset. “Mundane” can be beautiful! Here are five things I integrated into my daily routine this year that have absolutely enriched my life!
I’m reading devotionals daily. This is not a new habit for me, but what I’m trying to change is the intentionality of this routine. Not I have to, but I get to read scripture. Faith and spirituality give me so much peace and hope, and devoting thoughtful time to this practice daily has been a game changer!
Saying yes. Don’t get me wrong, I am the queen of saying no. No to things that don’t fill my cup. No to things that conflict with my plan, even if my plan is to read a book or watch tv. No! In abundance! However, I also tend to be the queen of saying no to things that do in fact fill my cup. It’s gotten clearer to me that in those scenarios, I’m not saying no to the actual event/experience/outing, I’m saying no to the social anxiety that I feel leading up to it. Saying yes to things outside of my comfort zone this year has been a wonderful lesson in growth.
Making my bed daily. To be clear, I’ve always thrown the covers back up and had some semblance of a made bed, but really and truly making the bed everyday definitely gives me joy. It doesn’t have a huge impact on my morning, but climbing into a freshly made bed at the end of a long day is a major comfort.
Choosing exercise that works for me. Here’s the thing, exercise in the traditional sense does not fill my cup. It never has, and it never will. Unfortunately, I’m not 16 and dancing 30 hours a week anymore, and so 20+ pounds of weight gain, seemingly chronic kidney stones, high cholesterol, and just like aging, would all suggest I need to adopt some sort of exercise routine. I recently took on a daily 25 minute exercise program, and it’s been awesome! It’s enough time to feel accomplished, but not so much time that I feel justified in skipping it. By not setting myself up for failure, I’ve got a realistic routine that will help to build a longterm healthy habit.
Seeing a dietician. To reiterate— weight gain, kidney stones, high cholesterol, acne, hormonal imbalances, food sensitivities, blah, blah, blah. I’m tired! The internet is vast and overwhelming and I’m not a pro, so I was SO glad when my obgyn recommended Nourish. Nourish is super awesome and I’m happy to share more, but the short of it is this— you download the app and then choose a dietician that is licensed to practice in your area. You’re able to filter your dietician search and cater to your exact needs like navigating food allergies, diabetes, weight loss, weight neutrality, and even exercise guidance. In just ten sessions, I’ve learned so much about healthy eating that I was never taught in school, and I’m so glad to be equipped with this new knowledge!
Give yourself the gift of little life improvements this holiday season, you deserve it!
xoxo LA
Currently listening to: “Mistletoe” by The Biebs