8 Habits to Start in 2018 to Become Your Best Self
Have you ever thought about how ironic it is that each new year is started by literally “dropping the ball”? It’s like we’re setting ourselves up to fail! I was going to write a post of 18 habits to start in 2018 to become your best self but as I drafted this post and encountered countless creative blocks I found that maybe one of my resolutions this new years should be not to set unattainable goals for myself. So instead, in accordance with this resolution, I thought of eight great habits that are not at all intimidating or unattainable.
Everyone fully expects that by now, in mid-January, we’re all already “dropping the ball” on our resolutions. If you are one of the 20% of people that somehow are loyal to their resolutions till February, good for you! However, if this is not the case, no worries! You don’t need a calendar to tell you when to change your life. You can start today! Below, I’ve taken the liberty of listing eight manageable habits to start in 2018 that will help you own this year.
1. Play Keyboarding Games
Here’s a new way to take advantage of that time that gets away from you when you’re binge watching Netflix. On http://www.freetypinggame.net/ there are tons of fun games to improve keyboarding capabilities. The whole point is not looking at your hands so TV and keyboarding are a perfect multitasking pair. Not to mention, keyboarding skills look impressive on a resume!
2. Mix Matcha Green Tea in EVERYTHING
Matcha green tea powder has ten times the antioxidants of a normal cup of green tea. For that reason, it’s amazing for your skin and has anti-aging elements! Also, it’s speculated that matcha has cancer fighting properties. There are millions of fun matcha including recipes on Pintrest.
The blog sprint2thetable has a great recipe for my favorite afternoon pick-me-up, the Almond Milk Matcha Latte.
3. Stop Misusing Words
The words “like” and “literally” have completely lost meaning in the english language. They’ve been abused to the point of becoming filler words. One of the best ways to make yourself stand out in a crowd is to learn how to properly articulate what you’re thinking. It’s always more appealing to listen to someone talk when their speech is not littered with unnecessary fluff words. If you find that this is a hard habit to break, try the good ol’ rubber band on the wrist. Whenever you use one of these “naughty” words snap the rubber band on your wrist. After a week or two you’ll have trained yourself against using them.
4. Drink Lemon Water
Lemon water has all the essential benefits of plain water but the lemon adds in vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Not to mention, this habit is incredibly easy! Every time you go to a restaurant simply ask your server to bring you a lemon for your water. It’s free and it tastes better! Lately, I’ve even switched to drinking hot water with lemon instead of coffee or tea.
5. Learn to Pamper Yourself in the Small Things
We live in a big, busy world. It can get stressful with so many things going on. I’ve found that I’m significantly less stress prone when I feel well put together. I mean isn’t it true that classy people often appear cool under pressure? One of the best ways I do this by having a collection of small commodities in a pouch that I transport from purse to purse. When I become stressed I can gain a small sense of control by merely putting on lotion or touching up my lipstick. For a better idea of what to include in your “Go Bag” check out this post!
6. Call Your Mom on Your Way to Work/Class
Whether you’re a college kid walking to class (like me) or an adult driving into the city, we all have a morning commute! Rather than waste this time listening to music and blankly staring ahead, take advantage of the opportunity to call that person you’ve been missing!
7. BYOB – Bring Your Own Bags
This isn’t so much a self improvement habit but more a contribution to world improvement. By bringing your own bag to stores you can reduce the pollution cause by those pesky, thin plastic bags that usually rip anyways. As a bonus incentive, some stores will even give you a discount if you BYOB. Click here for a list of them!
8. Switch to a Satin Pillowcase
Guys, I can’t stress this one enough! Satin pillowcases literally changed my life. Here in Wisconsin, we have really dry winters. By “dry” I mean static-y. However, a major benefit of sleeping on satin is that the material does not draw moisture away from your skin and hair the way others do. Since they prevent static, satin pillowcases are also less likely to pull hairs (and precious eyelashes) from your head! Not to mention, satin is gentile enough that you won’t have to worry about those pesky pillow creases that imprint on your skin after your “beauty sleep” and eventually lead to wrinkles. For less than 10 bucks I’d say they’re at least worth a shot.
Obviously, none of these practices are going to rock your world with a 360° life change. Yet, they will make small contributions to your physical and mental health and (hopefully) your happiness. If you have suggestions of more habits that can make 2018 the best year yet, please comment them below! Maybe you can even help me reach my original goal of listing 18!