As a society, we are very BUSY people. We are almost always doing something. Whether you feel internal pressure to do all.the.things. or external pressure from those around you, being busy all the time can really start to take a toll on us mentally, emotionally, and physically.
I’m sure you can relate to that maxed out, over-whelmed, where did the last week/month/year go feeling. It sucks.
Quite literally in fact. It sucks your soul.
When we are constantly plugged in, on the go, or distracting ourselves through other people’s; needs, problems, opinions, or feelings...it’s really hard to hear our own.
Let’s talk about how to counteract that...how we can be more of a *human being* and less of a *human doing* so that we can:
Connect deeply to ourselves
Learn to trust our own intuition
Get grounded and stay present
Fill our cups so that we can be there for others when they need us
More being and less doing to me means that we are being more present with ourselves and aware of what we need as individuals.
Here are 5 Daily Habits that will allow you to do just that...
Feel The Feels.
I often share how talking to myself gets me out of a funk, or at least more understanding of why I am feeling that way in the first place. Bringing awareness to your feelings allows you to be more present. We don’t often take the time to check in with ourselves on a deeper level, to see why we’re feeling the way we’re feeling. We just see a “bad” day as a “bad” day or maybe a “great” day as a “great” day. Which ultimately can lead to all of our days just mushing together...not knowing when the bad or great started or ended.
Instead, at the end of your day, stop to ask yourself...
Why was my day “bad?” What caused me to feel that way? What about my day would I change if I could?
What about my day was “great?” Why did it feel “great” to have ___ happen?
Taking time to connect those thoughts to why you’re feeling them allows you to take a tiny peek into what’s underneath the surface and can allow you to realize a few things like:
What do you really need to make your bad day better?
Is it space? Time alone? Connecting with a friend?
Why are you feeling that way? Is it really true?
Or is it False Evidence Appearing Real?
The same thing goes for your “great” days.
What about it felt great? Was it a single moment, or the day in general?
What can you do to repeat that great feeling? How can you add more of that into your day, week, or month?
Routine to Ritual.
Often times we think of self-care as something that needs to be luxurious or elaborate, and it really doesn’t need to be. It can be a simple moment in your day, that grounds you, allows you to notice the little things, and brings a little more presence to your day. Let’s talk about how to turn our daily routines into rituals!
What’s one thing you already do each day that you could slow down to turn it from a routine into a ritual?
This could be something simple, like making your coffee or tea, putting on your lotion after your shower, journaling, etc.
Let Go of Control
We can easily get caught up in the “what ifs”, and spend more time spiraling about the future than we do focusing on the present. How can you let go of control and build a little more trust in yourself?
Daily Gratitude
Did you know that adding in daily gratitude can:
Improve your mood
Enhance empathy and reduce aggression
Improve your physical health
Boost your self-esteem
Allow you to be more present and aware of each day
Adding in gratitude is a great way to start your day, but really it's about whatever works best for you! You could write them out in a journal/planner, share them with a partner or friend, or even just say them in your head before you get out of bed in the morning or before you’re going to sleep.
Digital Detox
Technology is obviously a participating player in each of our days, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be the star player. Constantly being distracted by texts, emails, and social media takes a big toll on your ability to be present in the moment. How can you decrease the time you spend in front of a screen each day?
No social media, or texting before your first sip of coffee or first bite of breakfast.
Make a no phone rule during the time that you spend one-on-one with others.
Create a cut-off time for phones/social media in the evenings.
Do one activity each day that requires no technology.
Walk, Journaling, Reading a book (like an actual book--not on a tablet or audible.), Cooking/eating dinner without devices.
How are you going to practice being more of a human being this week vs. a human doing? Let me know in the comments.