Have you become sloppy in your good habits lately? No doubt, during these difficult times, many of us have deviated from our usual healthy routines. We have been all about comfort, and we should be. Yet, many have also ran to the habits that have comforted more than healed—things like eating junk food, watching stuff on the computer or TV for more time than usual. We might have even substituted many of our good habits for bad ones with good intentions.
Good intentions are great, but without executing a good plan, they are not so good. Maybe now is the time to get back to good habits. Things like eating the best foods for your system, going for walks, or enjoying fresh fall air can be useful for the body and soul. Simple acts of kindness can be a habit that heals the soul. We all need healing habits. We also need to remember them. They bring us comfort and consistency. Our healing habits are like a warm blanket of security that gives us strength more than drain it from us.
It’s a great time to explore new habits. Write some things down on paper and create a plan to do them daily. Don’t forget to pen in the self-care. Take long baths in Epsom salts, read for pleasure, or make a grocery list that has comfort foods that heal the body instead of filling the hurting spaces. Right foods can’t heal a broken heart, but they can keep us healthy while we do recover.
Get back to a good prayer and meditation life. Choose your weapons wisely, and be careful what comes out of your mouth. We all need these reminders. Get plenty of sleep. Being a night owl is alright sometimes, but our bodies regenerate during sleep. Being healthy when the winter season comes will depend upon what we are doing now. Being fit for a lifetime will depend on doing the right things continually every day.
Only you know what is right for you, but some things are pretty easy to pinpoint. Some of the items above are a good start and a reminder for you. It’s time to get back to the essential good habits that heal the body, mind, and soul!
Loving you from here,
Dr. Jenine Marie Howry, PhD
Rubin, Gretchen (2015). Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives. Crown Publishers New York. Print.
Life Lessons by Jenine Marie 