6 Habits That Changed My Life and That Can Change Yours Too!

I spent a lot of my young adult life with a ramped-up nervous system. Like many people, I also experienced my fair share of anxiety. While I am not free from worry, and my nervous system doesn’t always get it right, I feel a thousand times better. 

As I get ready for a new school year, I am thankful I can enter in a calm state. Taking care of myself allows me to be closer to who I strive to be. The more I connect with people, the more I realize I am not alone, so I am sharing what has helped me. These 6 habits changed my life, and I think they can change yours too. 

1. Walk. I got my first dog in October 2012. I started walking her every day. We did a 1-mile loop around the neighborhood one to two times a day all year long. Winter, spring, summer, fall, we do it all. I don’t listen to music; I do not text or call people; I walk, look, and listen. This habit is so ingrained and has had immeasurable effects on my well-being. 

2. Chase the sky. When you walk every day, you have the opportunity to see the most beautiful parts of nature. One of my favorite things to see is the beautiful colors that grace the sky. Once you see a full moon rise over the sea, or the sky on fire, filled with a powerful red glow, you want to chase the next one-of-a-kind piece of art that fades before you know it. I am filled with so much joy and gratitude each and every time. 

3. Write. I started writing after college. I wrote the wildest nonsense. It took a long time to find my way to writing what I needed to say. As my stories were told, the pages filled, and my body let go. For me, writing is a release, a way to share, explore, and settle my brain. 

4. Participate in a hobby. It took me a long time to find what I would call a hobby, something I do for fun. I guess 1, 2, and 3 could be considered hobbies, but they are not the same things as sea glass hunting. If they are all hobbies, it only changes my suggestion to have multiple hobbies. Looking for sea glass brings all of my thoughts to a stop while being surrounded by the ocean, sky, and sand. It’s a kind of peace I do not find elsewhere. 

5. Practice Gratitude. This one is easy. Every day when I am walking, I think about how beautiful something is. I think about how happy my dog makes me. I think about how cool it is to see the lake in this light, how much I love the colors in the sky, or the bird flying around. Every day during my walks, I flood my brain with happy thoughts. I do not have to be intentional in this practice, because I truly feel it. Taking the time to get off my phone and look around makes me feel so thankful for everything. It's the same lake, same dog, and probably the same birds, but I feel it every day. And now and then you get the coolest treats: deer where you don’t expect them, baby ducklings, turtles, butterflies, rainbows, gigantic full moons, and the prettiest flowers. 

6. Take Breaks. In a world where breaks are for the lazy, it takes courage to take breaks. I ran on a hyped up nervous system for so long. Now that I know what it is like on the other side, I am all about breaks. 

I did not start all of these habits at the same time. I started writing for fun after college around 2006 or 2007. I began writing with meaning in 2015. I started walking in 2012, which led me to the sky and the natural practice of gratitude. I found my hobby, finding sea glass, just a few years ago, and now I take more breaks than ever. Sometimes I feel like I wish I could get more done, instead of pausing to go for a walk, but categorizing it as a responsibility to my dog gets me out the door. These habits keep my baseline low, allowing me to be the person and teacher I want to be. What are you waiting for to change your life?