It has been a long 2 years of enduring a global pandemic, that has upended almost every aspect of our lives, As we continue to adapt to numerous changes due to COVID, we’re also staring down 2022, and it’s approaching fast. The new year is often a time for new beginnings, and if you’re wanting to make a fresh start just like us, thankfully there are a number of things within our control that can help us ease into January with a positive outlook.
Here are some of our favorite tips on how to make a fresh start, kickstart your growth and find a new lease on life.
1. Reorganize Your Surroundings
They say our living environment is a representation of our mental state. When your environment is cluttered, it can cause anxiousness and get in the way of productivity. This means that one of the best ways to practice self-love is to clean your home.
If you don’t already have a consistent cleaning habit, don’t overwhelm yourself. Take things one room at a time. Start by making your bed, organizing your desk space and sorting through any excess old clothes in your closet, donating anything you don’t wear anymore. From there, make your way through the living room and the kitchen, vacuuming and sweeping the floors and doing the dishes.
Once your living area looks spick and spam, you’re going to feel refreshed anew. And remember, cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore. Put in your earbuds and listen to music, a podcast or an audiobook while you work. Keeping yourself entertained while you clean will make the habit easier and more enjoyable to implement!
2. Change Up Your Environment
Sometimes, when you’re in a negative mood, it can work wonders to diversify your environment. If you normally spend your time at home browsing through Tik Tok or watching Netflix, it’s time to switch things up!
You might even want to start taking yourself on self-care dates, trying out new venues to see what you like most. Take a trip to the coffee shop around the corner and bring a journal or a good book. Research nearby hiking trails and connect to nature while getting in some exercise. When you change the scenery around you, your mind is sure to change with it.
3. Embrace New Hobbies
Just like how you should change up your environment every here and there, you should also try out new hobbies to get you out of your negative funk. If you haven’t been reading for a while, you might want to visit your local bookstore and ask one of the workers for a recommendation. Alternatively, you could sign up for a painting class at your local community college.
Being consistent with new hobbies can be difficult, so consider enlisting the support of a friend to hold you accountable. If you and a friend both pick up a new hobby together, it can be a great excuse to strengthen your relationship while engaging in self-care. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!
4. Journal
When it comes to weeding out bad habits and negative thought patterns, journaling is a must. Sometimes intrusive thoughts can spin out of control and go wild, driving you crazy. Journaling can be a great way to put these thoughts down onto paper, allowing you to then let them go. All it takes is a couple of minutes of writing per day to start seeing results.
Start out with five minutes in the morning and write down anything that comes to mind, stressful or otherwise. You’ll find that you naturally start to recognize negative thought patterns once you articulate them into words on paper. Incorporating journaling into your morning routine will then help you grow your perspective and start the day off right.
5. Start a Garden
Sometimes, the best way to improve your mental health is to help sustain other living things. When you put care and effort into caring for plants and flowers, it gives you a new perspective on the beauty of life.
Additionally, gardening is an excuse to get outside and breathe fresh air. If your garden is in your backyard, you can even set up a therapeutic meditation space where you’re surrounded by the plants you helped raise.
Time To Begin Again!
When you’re feeling down, there are endless ways to build positive momentum and pick yourself back up. As you start incorporating the tips above, you’ll start seeing results in no time as you grow into a better version of yourself. For more tips on how to kickstart your growth, the folks at ProFlowers created the infographic below.
