5 habits to make 2020 more joyful
If there’s one thing I learned in 2019, it’s that real, impactful change begins with tiny habits. And so in today’s post, I thought I’d share 5 habits that have helped me to live a more joyful life. Here goes…
1) Schedule your fun first
I’m almost certain that you’ve heard me give this piece of advice before, but have you actually practiced putting it into action yet? If your answer is no, then I urge you to give it a go this week. So often we start our planning by putting all the “should dos” and external commitments in first, before trying to squeeze a little bit of fun into the margins. But the truth is, unless you really prioritise the actions and tasks that will bring you joy, you’ll never find the time for them.
So get your diary out, and schedule in some fun for the week ahead. A dinner with friends, an hour spent reading in bed, a long walk in the countryside. Plan what you’re going to do and when, and then write it down or schedule it in your calendar. Treat it as a non-negotiable, just as you would a work meeting or doctor’s appointment. Give it a try for a couple of weeks, and then at the end of January, notice how much better you feel as a result - it really works.
2) Practice some positive affirmations
Of all of the practical tools I use with my coaching clients, by far the most effective and impactful are positive affirmations. Positive affirmations work by helping you to override the negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs in your mind by focusing on a positive statement or mantra. You can repeat them aloud, write them down, or even record them on a voice note to listen to while you’re on your commute - it doesn’t matter how you use them, so long as you actually do.
If you’d like to find out a little bit more about positive affirmations, this episode of my podcast should help. Some of my favourites are: “everything is always working out perfectly for me”, “I have the power to create positive change”, and “I embrace my best self everyday, and welcome abundance into my life”.
3) Conduct a monthly check in
You all know by now that I’m a huge fan of reflection - I believe we can learn so much about ourselves by looking back and learning from past experiences and feelings. We all go heavy on the reflection as the new year approaches, but one way I build it into my life year round is by conducting monthly check ins.
You can read more about the process that I use here - it’s simple, but it really does help me to reflect on what is and isn’t bringing me joy, and adjust my life accordingly. Whatever process you use, getting into the habit of conducting a monthly check in will help you to strengthen your relationship with your intuition, deepen your understanding of what actually makes you happy, and ensure that you’re getting more of it in your life.
4) Move for your mind
I think one of the biggest shifts I made in 2019 was learning to move for my mind instead of exercising purely for the sake of my appearance. Getting into a habit of regularly moving for mind worked wonders for both my mental and physical health, and it really helped me to find joy in exercise again, too.
The key is to think about what will benefit your mind, rather than just thinking about your body. For me, this has led to more long walks and hikes, more yoga, and more swims, as opposed to sweaty gym classes, HIIT workouts and running on a treadmill. As my yoga idol, Adriene, likes to say - find what feels good to you, and keep on doing that.
5) Ask yourself “what is the kindest thing I can do for myself today?”
We are so bombarded with noise in our day to day lives, that often it’s hard to separate our own intuition and feelings from the advice and opinions of others. One way to reconnect with your own gut and to start trusting that you know you better than anybody else is to ask yourself each and everyday “what is the kindest thing I can do for myself today?”, and then actually listen to your answer!
The answer will vary each and everyday - some days self-kindness will look like rattling through your to do list and hitting the gym, and other days it will look like eating a ready meal on the sofa. The key is to trust whatever answer shows up for you and to honour it in the best way that you can - that’s how you build a more joyful relationship with yourself.
I really hope these tips are useful for you - I’d love to hear if you put them to use!
