Tips for Creating Healthy Routines Today for a Successful Tomorrow
With change and uncertainty serving as a temporary reality and new beginnings distant on the horizon, now would be a good time to dig deep and think about what success means to you. Although the days might feel stressful and it’s likely you’ve had to adapt your lifestyle in some way to combat a changing world—with every storm comes an opportunity to grow in whatever way you choose. If you desire to build a life you’ve always imagined but are feeling stuck, unmotivated, or simply fear the unknown, take a moment to review this guide to help you form new habits that might just end up changing the course of your life for the better.
- Begin with Small, Consistent Changes
If you are feeling disappointed in your progress at this point in your life, the worst thing you can do is immediately overwhelm yourself by trying to change too many variables all at once. The key to designing a life you love lies in your daily routine. A consistent routine gives you little things that you look forward to that can hold you over until the big things. This means, each day it is important that you find meaning and joy in specific tasks you are doing and that you allow your schedule to support when you’re typically functioning at your best. For example, if you want to start working out a few more times each week to improve your overall health, make sure you go for a walk, or complete your virtual Pilates session at a time of day you normally feel energized and motivated. Otherwise, you risk making an excuse such as feeling too tired or too busy and end up pushing it off for another time.
- Strengthen Your Mindset
One of the most beneficial ways to improve any aspect of your life is, to begin with, your brain. It can be easy to overlook the value that a positive, focused mindset can have on your overall success because it’s not particularly glamorous. Doing tough mental work, asking yourself the hard questions, and making a plan to combat negatively isn’t what we desire to spend our time doing—but it has the ability to influence the outcomes. If you have a dream or a goal or interest, write it down along with the major steps needed to get there. Put this somewhere that you see every day to serve as a reminder and make sure all the decisions you’re making support the path leading you to your goal.
- Move Your Body Daily
One direct way to influence your mood and motivation is through movement. Movement in every form is a positive way to release endorphins, improve mental clarity, and stimulate creativity while helping to improve your physical body in the process. Plan to exercise a few times each week, get out in nature when possible, and say yes to an opportunity to move the body you were born with. Another reason that taking the extra step to be more active and apply intentional movement throughout your day is that it’s likely to improve your confidence over time. The way you look and feel will impact your desire to continue on this journey that you have started and keep you pushing toward your goals.
- Find a Mentor
If you have a specific job in mind you’d like to do in the future or a dream that you want to move closer to, consider finding a mentor who can provide you with the tools and knowledge necessary to get there. This doesn’t have to be an expensive life coach or famous business professional; this can be someone you admire that has gotten themselves to a place you’d love to eventually be. A mentor can often expose you to situations you might not have given thought to by yourself and provide you with a realistic perspective about timeline, finances, or required experience. Having someone you can trust in a position of interest can serve you in more ways than one and can move you in a direction of growth or connect you with someone even more helpful to you.
- Prepare for Tomorrow
Live for today, and these moments that you will never get back—but it’s also important to think of the future. One huge mistake many individuals, young professionals, new parents, and business owners make is not protecting themselves should an unexpected circumstance arise. Putting work into making yourself successful is not a selfish act, but rather, a desire to support your loved ones, family members, friends, and others who have supported you throughout your life. If you have yet to create your plan for retirement or set up a life insurance policy to support your family in the case of an unplanned situation, now is the time to begin preparing for tomorrow. The sooner you start saving for retirement, the more financially sound you’ll be later on, just like the sooner you set up a policy to protect your assets, the more affordable it will be. Moral of the story—plan earlier on if you desire to live with less stress and get more out of your hard-earned money in the future.
- Find Your Peace
Amidst the hustle and bustle, the constant communication, and the ability to have what we want with the click of a button on your device, you need to find room away from all the noise. In order to be fulfilled, content, and happy, you need to know where your internal peace lies and make daily efforts to preserve that. Whether it’s a hiking trip, cooking Sunday brunch with your kids, morning meditation, or reading your favorite book—do not sacrifice your moments of joy and peace to get ahead. Embrace and implement any type of mind-body therapy to support your health, improve your mental well-being, reduce stress, and prioritize your quality of life.
By putting in the work necessary, following through on your new routine and commitments, and allowing yourself to embrace each step of growth along the way—you will be setting yourself up for a successful tomorrow.
