Goal: Develop habits that will change your life for the better.
Life has been going by so quickly... well, at least it feels that way to me. A hustle culture is at its peak and it's so easy to get caught up in planning and working constantly to build the life you want, that we overlook how the things we do every day, how the habits we form,  affect the quality of our thoughts and, of course, the quality of our lives. 

If you're like me, you are always trying to find new ways to improve this life you are creating, and one of the simplest yet most difficult ways to do that is by paying attention to the things we do everyday.

Develop habits that will change your life for the better!

"If you want to increase the quality of your life start by increasing the quality of your thoughts" Akiroq Brost.

5 habits that will change your life for the better.

1. WRITING DOWN WHAT YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYDAY

Gratitude breeds contentment. Writing down at least three things, you are grateful for each day will help you focus on the little things and develop an appreciation for the things you have in your life. Most days I’m just grateful to be alive, to have sunny days and food to eat. Too often, we downplay the little things that give meaning to our lives.

When expressing gratitude, it’s important to focus on small accomplishments, on the steps you are taking rather than on the results you hope to have. Focus on what you have, rather than what you think you lack. This will help you realize that even on bad days, there are still things to be grateful for.

2. BEING MINDFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU CONSUME

We are a society built on over consumption, one habit that will change your life is being mindful of what you consume.

"We are what we consume. If we look deeply into the items that we consume every day, we will come to know our own nature very well,” Thich Nhat Hanh

Most of the time, we see quotes like these and immediately think about what we eat. We forget that while it is important to be mindful about what we put into our bodies, it is just as important to consume things that feed our souls, things that nourish our minds.

What we read, watch, and listen to has a direct impact on our mental health as well as who we become. If you want to know where you are heading in life, just look at the things you are currently consuming.

So….

You want to have a more positive outlook on life. What are you reading and watching every day? Are you consciously practicing gratitude?

You feel like everyone else is successful and you’re not where you want to be. Well, stop focusing on them. Instead, consume more of the things that will help you build the life you want.

Consuming more of the things that help us build the life we want for ourselves is a good habit to develop early in life.

3. REPLACING WORRYING WITH ACTION

Overthinking will not help you achieve your goals faster; writing down your goals on a daily basis will not help you build the life you desire; and fantasizing all day about the career, job, and family you desire will not make them appear magically. You literally can’t think your way into a new life, nor can constantly worrying about the things you want make you get them any faster.

The only way to achieve it is to do it!

One of the best ways to remedy overthinking and worrying is by taking action. It’s in doing things that we actually figure out what works and what doesn’t. With actions, we eliminate fear, gain clarity and figure out what we really want in life.

So…

if you want to be a writer, then write, then consume novels, articles, and books every day. If you want to be a singer, then sing, invest in classes, and improve your skills… And if at some point you feel like you no longer want to be those things, that’s okay too…

4. SPENDING MORE TIME ALONE

Too often, we confuse being alone with being lonely. Think about it… how do we expect to learn more about ourselves or even to love ourselves if we never take time to understand who we are and who we are becoming?

Solitude breeds clarity

You don’t have to isolate yourself in a cabin in the woods or book a vacation to a place where no one knows you to practice solitude. You can start slow. Turn off the phone, the television, the computer… and sit with your thoughts for 15 minutes. You can’t do 15 minutes, then start with 5. You will learn more about yourself

Meditate, write in a journal, reflect, be open, be emotional, be raw. Your thoughts will become clearer and it will be easier for you to see where you are and where you want to go.

5. PRACTICING BEING PRESENT

We live in a fast-paced world where we are constantly chasing the next big thing. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we want our lives to look like that, we miss out on so many good things that are happening around us. We miss out on the journey

That is why being mentally present is important in fostering a healthy life. You can’t spend so much time in your head worrying about the future or ruminating about the past that you become anxious and depressed.

Important note: being present doesn’t mean being happy every minute of every day. It means not being caught up in the past or worrying so much about the future that your thoughts keep you from what is happening now in your life. This includes acknowledging sadness, anger, happiness, etc.

Practicing being present isn’t easy, but it is definitely possible.

“In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions.It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently”

Tony Robbins