Ways to refresh for 2022

With each new year I think I can speak for all of us when I say we’ve all had that feeling of “Ok, time to change and grow and become the best version of myself!” and by about three days in, you realize “Oh? Nothing’s happened…?” And I think I can speak for most when I say we have all felt this feeling of needing to change and be able to rid ourselves of our old bad habits and start the new year with a brand new attitude.

 The truth is, we are never going to wake up and be able to run that marathon, ace that exam without any effort, wake up and magically be able to play the piano. All of that is a steady process that doesn’t happen overnight. It will take many nights, many days, many years even! 

This is no reason to get discouraged. I find that once I get started, the time slips away and you have ups and downs but in do time, you can look back and think “Wow, it’s been a month, a year, 2 years since I started on this journey…?” I found myself looking back at all of the projects I started and thinking to myself, “It has been 4 years since I started this? It feels like just yesterday I began this!” 

This post is about the small things you can do that, you may not feel are doing a lot, but in small amounts, add up to make a big difference. 

No matter the time of year, we all could use a refresh or restart every once in a while. Below are some things I like to do to help me feel refreshed for the new year. 

Some things I like to clean/organize:  

• Your room. Nothing like reorganizing your room to help you refresh and give it a new feel for the new year. Especially if you are in there for long periods of time it is essential that the area you spend the most time in is neat, clean, and organized as it will affect your mood immensely if it is extremely cluttered. 

• Your desk. December 29-31 I spent slowly organizing my desk and room, knowing I’m going to spend a lot of my time in there with school. If you know you are going to work for long periods of time in one area, I would recommend setting aside some time cleaning/ organizing said space. I noticed that the environment I work in will affect my mood. When it’s messy and cluttered I have trouble concentrating and instead am thinking about the need to fold that pile of laundry, put those books aways in the bookshelf, etc. When I have a regular cleaning schedule or clean as I go I find it reduced my stress immensely and I can really focus on the task at hand.

• Your phone. Our phones are already such a distraction to all of us. If you spend 10-15 minutes clearing out old apps you don't use anymore, unsubscribe to old youtube channels you don't watch anymore from 2016, maybe even give change your lock screen! Getting rid of any unused/unwanted space on your phone will also help get rid of any unnecessary distractions. 

• Your computer. Cleaning out old files, emails, etc. Something I did to get ready for the new year was I went through all the miscellaneous documents I had and I organized them all into their own files for school, this blog, etc.

Activites to do to restart for the New Year;

• Some light yoga. I think I can speak for most of us when I say we all feel a little sluggish after the holidays! Something to help with that but not jump right into the deep end of the fitness pool is to do some light yoga! Just 20 minutes of some light exercise won’t hurt anyone. It not only will help your body feel a little better but also your mind. I always feel refreshed about a workout and hopefully, it will help you too. 

• Take a walk outside. I know we’ve all been coupled up in our houses far too long and a light walk is what we could all use right now. Some fresh air and light exercise is great for anyone!

• Listen to some music. It's as simple as that! I have a playlist for about almost everything and I have a few playlists specifically for putting me in a better mood for when I need a little uplift. Find some of your favorite songs and put them on your speakers.

• Doing/restarting a hobby that you enjoy. Some ideas might include;

  • Crochet

  • Embroidery

  • Sewing

  • Journaling

  • Art

  • Writing

These are just a few of the many things one can do to restart and be refreshed for whatever this year may bring. May you have a wonderful New Year and let 2022 be kind to all who read this!