I’ll be the first to admit that getting consistent in making sure that wellness is firmly in my vocabulary has not been the easiest road. In the midst and bustle of life, and all that it can sometimes demand from us, it can get a little easy to let taking care of yourself slip every now and then.
However, if there is one thing that life has taught me, it’s that there are ways to simplifying it with a few tips that can be incorporated into our everyday lives. That’s where this blog posts comes in, which aims to help you live a more balanced life with simple and small changes that you can make. So, here are 10 wellness tips that you should use to incorporate into your lifestyle.
1. When you wake up in the morning, before you get up and start your day, say 3-5 affirmations that begin with “I am”. I’m a strong believer in getting your mindset right as this impacts the day you will have, so reinforce a few affirmations to yourself to begin your day on a positive note. My favourite “I am” affirmations include “I am loved and lovable”, “I am capable of attracting what I want”, “I am positive about my life”, and “I am strong and courageous.”
2. There is something called the Five by Five rule – use it! Don’t spend more than five minutes worrying or being upset about something if it won’t matter in five years. I personally struggle with this sometimes because I’m quite the ‘worrier’, but I’m learning to see how unnecessary it is to overthink situations. Instead, using this rule has been the gateway to relieving some stress and living more intentionally.
3. Keep a journal of positive reminders and mantras. Whether it’s in a physical journal or on your phone, keep this close to you so you can refer to it whenever you need a boost of positivity and a reminder that you are still an amazing individual.
4. Give yourself “me-time” on a daily basis – even if it’s just 15 minutes. Whether it’s to catch up on a book you’ve been meaning to read, or that friend you want to catch up with, or the mask you want to put on. Start, or end, your day with this “me-time” daily to pour some TLC into yourself.
5. Celebrate big and small wins in your life. Remember to live in every present moment, and give yourself the acknowledgement when you accomplish something. “Stop and smell the roses” every once in a while.
6. Take more photos of yourself, for yourself. You don’t always need to live for social media, and the quick boost of serotonin that the attention you get there provides. Rather, learn to feel good for yourself and enjoy being in your own company. Take those photos, especially in those moments of pure joy. You’ll go back to them, relive the moment and some of the happiness you felt.
7. Spoil yourself with a lavish meal on weekends. Whether it’s a takeaway or home cooked Sunday roast, there’s something about treating yourself to a meal you enjoy that will put you in a good mood (although I can’t say the same about the dishes that might follow).
8. Rest when you need to. You are not a machine and there is no need to keep going when you can feel yourself needing to slow down. Rest days are so important for your holistic wellbeing, and I encourage you to make time for them when you need to.
9. Spend less time on social media. Especially with new articles that talk about the rise of doomscrolling in recent times, now is a good time to start putting measures in place that will limit your consumption of social media. The sooner you can do this, you’ll start to realise just how impactful social media consumption can have on your overall wellness, so create those boundaries for less scrolling and more living.
10. Drink water. This sounds like such a random or odd tip but seriously, hydrate yourself. Even better if you can get yourself one of these wellness water bottles to track your hydration levels throughout the day. You’ll start to realise just how fulfilling it can be to finish drinking so much water, and in turn, your body will reward you for helping it stay hydrated.
Khalipha Ntloko 