Image Source: Pexels
If you feel you are not where you want to be in life, whether physically, mentally or, professionally, know that you have the power to change it. At Lakewood Counseling, we understand making changes can be tough as they involve replacing habits you are comfortable with. However, not all changes need to be drastic. Below we list three simple yet effective changes you can make to improve your life on all fronts.
Stop Eating Ultra-Processed Food
What you eat directly impacts your health and mood. According to a study, consuming foods with excessive additives such as sugar, salt, preservatives, and emulsifiers leads to poor gut health. Your gut i.e. gastrointestinal tract is where food is broken down and absorbed by your body. It is also the place where 90% of serotonin is produced. Eating ultra-processed food reduces the production of serotonin and increases bad bacteria in your gut.
An unhealthy gut leads to fatigue, stomach aches, bloating, flatulence, and more health problems. Reduce the intake of the following in your diet –
- Candies
- Carbonated Drinks
- Bacon
- Sausages
- White Bread
- Alcohol
The best source to promote the production of good microbes in your gut is fruits and vegetables. These are easy to digest, packed with minerals and nutrients. Additionally, include food high in fiber – chickpeas, whole grains,and lentils, along with probiotics.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
If you find yourself spending hours a day scrolling on various social media platforms, it’s time to stop. According to a study, the more time you spend online, the lonelier you are likely to feel. The primary cause is the habit of comparing yourself to others.
Such comparison can lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction with your own life. It is important to understand that not everything you view online is real. Commonly, people only share the positives and sometimes fake positives to create an online persona. Additionally, view pictures on Snapchat and Instagram with a grain of salt as what you see is the output after hours of editing.
The fear of missing out (FOMO) is another emotion exacerbated by social media. Wanting to be on top of trends and gossip can make you check your phone every minute. Resulting in decreased productivity, less sleep, and a constant state of unrest. An effective way to tackle FOMO is to condition yourself to stay away from your phone a few hours a day. Use an app to check your daily screen time and reduce the number of hours accordingly.
Stop Deprioritizing your Health
Hustling is another aspect that social media perpetuates. When in reality focusing on achieving a work-life balance is more important.
Working all the time is guaranteed to lead to burnout, reducing your productivity while increasing stress. If you realize your job is your leading cause of stress, it’s time to assess your options.
A career change can have a positive impact on your mental health by providing you with new challenges and increased motivation. An effective strategy to ensure a smooth transition to your new role is pursuing an online degree program. The employment of candidates with a Bachelor’s Degree will increase by 9.9% between 2020-2030 according to a report. Additionally, their expected median annual income stands at $78,000.
Additionally, the cost of online education is cheaper as many institutions have introduced a fixed tuition cost for all programs. A student pays a fixed amount without worrying about traditional yearly fee hikes. Moreover, depending on your career goals pursue a degree in accounting, communications, behavioral sciences, IT, and more!
Furthermore, include meditation and daily walks in your schedule to reduce screen time. Set aside 30 minutes to an hour for practicing these activities. Start with a brisk walk around your neighborhood, followed by practicing mindfulness in the comfort of your home or garden.
In the long term, this will lead to improved cardiovascular health, increased self-awareness, and feeling happier throughout the day.
Removing stressors requires changes to your current lifestyle, which can seem tough to begin with. However, incorporating these changes will bring an immediate improvement to your personal life giving you the confidence to continue on this path.