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New Year, Continued Reflection

In a world of chaos and uncertainty, I was determined to find rest, peace and ease even if it is only in the comfort of my own home.

By CarolinePublished 2 years ago 12 min read
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New Year, Continued Reflection
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Not necessarily a 'day one, I am starting over cold turkey' type of new years resolution, but I quickly saw a pattern in the subtle changes I was making throughout the six months and into 2022 to promote my own mental rest, peace and love, and genuine happiness and comfort with myself.

My job unfortunately does not give me the option of working from home, and where I say unfortunately, I mean in terms of having to walk out of my apartment everyday from 7:30-4:00pm, uncertain of what chaos the world will try to throw my way regardless of how much I want to shut it out. The loud noises, the trivial hate, the bias and negative media... it was doing me no good.

In the past six months, so even after the high of the COVID-19 quarantine, I found myself reevaluating so much of my own mental health and wellness that I wanted to learn how to shut the doors from the outside world. The subtle changes were a form of reflection that I started with just journaling, and realized that it led into a whole self 'movement' of being determined to feel my best self, even if it was just when I was in the comfort of my own home. What I found as I did these small steps was a world wind of positive changes within and outside of myself:

1. I saw that as I did one thing that made me feel more rested, peaceful and calm, I wanted to find MORE ways that made me feel the same way.

2. I found myself not just doing internal things as in reflecting in my journal, reading devotionals or saying "I am" affirmations, but started doing external and actionable steps.

3. As I started these self improvements within my home, even when I had to leave my place and put myself in a world that I couldn't control, I was able to control my reactions and feelings even when exposed to them unwillingly.

It was incredible, transforming even and so I now LIVE by the my routines, my very own practices and self-treatments to give me the best rest, the best self-help and the best mental peace that I could no matter what is happening outside the walls of my home. So here are 10 things, in order of which I started and to what I am currently doing even hours before coming across this writing challenge:

1. Social Media: I got rid of it. All of it. And I don't mean I just deleted the apps, because when I tried that, I would just download them again when I felt FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). I actually deactivated them... all. Instagram. Twitter. Snapchat. Facebook. ALL of it: gone. Done. Did I go through some stages of grief, possibly... joking. But did I for a time regret it a little, yes, but eventually it became nothing to me. Not only did I think it would be a pain, and still do, to get it back and have to get all of my followers back, but I saw myself thinking about how I could be taking a picture of this or that during my day and thinking, 'why would I take a picture of that?' What was the point if the whole world knew that I was drinking a pretty cup of tumeric latte or taking a walk by myself on a nice fall day? The latte was tasty and the walk was peacefully and pretty, but what would it do for me to post about it to just see how many likes or views I would get? Needless to say, I find social media a terrible mental avenue and could not thank MYSELF more for having gotten rid of it. A 29 year old girl in this world with NO social media... imagine what my friends say... ha.

2. Journaling: I started realizing during quarantine, and hearing how people were growing anxious and not being able to handle being alone, that I actually wanted to learn to be okay being alone. So I started self-reflecting by answering prompts I found on Pinterest to help me process my thinking, and see who I was and where I was as a person. I realized after doing this that I was a very self-awaring type of person and maybe the reason why I found it easy to answer these questions. I would share with some friends and family about journaling and encourage them to do the same, and though they were nice about it, it was very obvious they had no interest in doing such. Regardless, it became an obsession... whenever I feel out of place now, I journal and self-reflect.

3. Affirmations and gratitude: I found some prompts during the self-reflection revolved around giving thanks and talking positive about one self. So I started a small routine where every morning I would write out three things I was thankful for and write a list of positive "I am" affirmations that I would say outloud to myself and even put under my pillow before I went to bed each night. The funny thing here was that these affirmations actually were things I wanted, or desires I had for the future, and guess what... almost everytime I make a new list, they come true. Serious. So it turned out my thanks and my "I am" turned into manifestations. Crazy, right? Killing two birds with one stone-- getting what I want and feeling good about it, and myself!

4. God: Not everyone is religious, but I do believe and I believe full heartedly. I realized that going to church once a week wasn't enough. Plus, when I did gratitudes and gave thanks, who was I giving thanks to? The universe? Well, of course I wanted to thank God too for all the blessings he has brought in my life. So I found a devotional app on my iphone that I included in my morning routine from #2 and started reading it. It is a simple five minute or less routine of reading a powerful quote, a few verses already chosen on the app following a theme for the week and then a devotional easily explaining the verse and its relation to both God and his plan and how I can take it and implement the message in my daily life. I will say, doing this every morning is... peaceful. It and my gratitudes, I realized, that if I skip a day doing them, I didn't have the same kind of day.

5. Discipline: During my mornings, I started to also listen to motivational videos. My favorites are on youtube under the channel called 'Motiversity' and it is a compilation of different powerful speakers for different types of themes, such as working hard, going after your goals, not giving up, being positive, etc. This is a more personal preference, but the way the video is played and the music behind it, it always seems to amp me up and literally get me pumped up. Furthermore, there were lessons within these videos, and one of the ones I took to heart and have been following ever since was the disciplinary action of making my bed every single morning first thing when I get up. And since then, that is what I have done. And let me tell you, it feels good, and looks good.

6. Comfort: Now this where some external and actionable steps were being taken to even more so set me and keep me in a positive and peaceful state of mind for myself. I realized that though I would go to bed at a reasonable hour, I never LOVED going to bed. Not because I didn't like to sleep, but because my bed was just mediocre. When I would go to friends places or hotels, I loved laying in their beds, but my own.... nah. Why was that? Or more so, why did I not change that? So I bought new pillows, new softer sheets, a white oversized duvet that I liked, even silk pillows and a foam mattress topper. I literally changed my entire bed except the mattress itself, and guess what? I MUCH more enjoy going to bed and feel more refreshed each morning waking up in my bed. Talk about rest, I sometimes don't want to get out bed.

7. Decorations: This one is a pretty recent 'resolution' I made and have been so grateful for doing so since. On top of the bed, I recently noticed that I was spending alot of time in my apartment. I loved it and my furniture was cute, but the constant visuals and aromas around my place... were outdated, darker and did not reflect how I wanted to feel on the inside. I did some research of how and what to add or change in my place to make it better and made some changes. I ended up buying more plants, and actual real flowers to add color and greenery in my place. I not only bought a wax warmer for the daily use, but bought candles that I now light every time I sit and write. And finally, my pictures on my wall. I loved them, but they weren't showing off the type of person I wanted to be. There weren't pictures of my friends, or what I liked, but rather 'artsy' pictures, which don't get me wrong, isn't bad, but not what I needed to be the best version of me. So I bought new ones. I printed photos of my friends and my travels to Europe and put them in picture frames and on my walls. I bought pictures that demonstrated the type of lifestyle I wanted and that reflected who I wanted to be. And now, when I take a break from writing and look around my place, I am truly happy with what I see.

8. Tidiness: This is pretty self-explanatory and also more of a personal desire, but similar to the making the bed in the morning, I have made this set notion that I may not go to bed or leave my apartment to go anywhere without my place tidy. I don't mean it needs to be vacuumed and cleaned everyday, but I should feel proud and okay for anyone at any given moment to come into my place unexpected or unannounced. That being said, before I go to bed (especially), I make sure my dishes are cleaned or in the dishwasher, that my blanket is folded on the couch, my clothes are put up and that my kitchen counter is tidy. There is something about coming home to a clean and tidy home that just innately makes me feel more relaxed.

9. Nightly Routine: As I get older, it is important to take care of ourselves and especially our skin. Also, of course, a reasonable amount of sleep is always good, but the preparation before bed. I do it all now, and if I am honest, I used to do almost NONE of it (except of course brush my teeth). But now, I actually use a make-up face wipe to clean my entire face, followed by a vitamin c serum, a rose petal face spray and ending with a eye serum and nightly moisturizer. Then I make sure to not only brush my teeth but I never miss flossing and using mouth wash. Sounds simple, right? Well laziness is a thing we all come by sometimes, but I have gathered the discipline to not break these small steps before crawling in that comfy bed each night, no matter how late it is.

10. Manifestation and Visualization: And finally, the most recent addition to my routine for my best self as I continue into this new year. Where I mentioned about the affirmations and the gratitude, I not long ago came across the book, "The Secret". And I don't know if you have read it, but it has changed my life. Now, when or after I give my thanks and say my affirmations, I have added two parts (sounds like a lot, but it is not really since they all go together). I now will write about how I want the day ahead of me to go, rather that be the night before or the morning of and then when I am in bed either in the morning or night, I will do short 10 minuted guided manifestation visualizations of what I want, either long term or short term. And like I said above, literally everything I want comes true. Maybe not always the way I expected or in the time frame I want, but come true it does. I even shock myself sometimes, even though, as the secret says, I should only expect it now!

All that being said, my new years resolution for "rest" is to feel my best self and most peaceful since I can and know how. This consistent self-help and self-care is not to compromise or distract me from the real world or feelings bottled up inside. I can honestly say that I FEEL better having added these small routines in my life. Like I said, at first I didn't even realize what I was doing, I was just looking for understanding of myself, and then it turned into this genuine interest for more... like I wanted to continue this good feeling and since, been looking for more and more ways to only contain this control of my own mindset and positiveness.

But if I was to say I had a new years resolution for 2022 that I am wanting to ADD into my routine, but at the beginning stages it, it would be yoga. I have heard how good it is for the brain and the body and think it can only bring me to the next level. I have started adding breathing techniques and adding that with the physical act of yoga, how could it not bring me peace? Rest? Calmness? Ease? As in, all the feelings we look for, even in a world that brings the opposite feelings when we step outside our door.

Breathe in for four, breathe out for eight... and repeat. What a feeling THAT brings.

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About the Creator

Caroline

My name is Caroline and I am an avid reader, writer and dreamer. I write for fun and to express all the crazy thoughts in my head. I love sharing my stories and experiences with others!

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/caroline_1626

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