Written by Susanne Koojiman
www.susannekooijman.com
IG: @liveyourbestlifecom
We all have our habits, some that we do consciously, most we do without even noticing. But what if you create habits in your day with intention and that have the power to change not just your day but even your life. Healing habits do just that.
Let me introduce you to some of the most powerful techniques that you can simply add to your every day life, to help you get grounded, feel more at ease, and live a healthier, happier life.
So, what exactly are habits? A habit is something you do so often that it becomes second nature. You (mostly) don't even think about it. A lot of these habits tend to not be very healthy and they definitely don't make our days more productive. This could be snacking, constantly checking your phone...things that often distract us from truly connecting to ourselves. In creating healing habits, it is essential we get back to our core...the heart of our being.
When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you do? Do you rush to the kitchen for a coffee or perhaps you take a quick shower before darting out the door to work? Make your morning a calm moment to set the intention for the rest of your day. It doesn't have to take long. Even if it's just 10 minutes. Use it to check in with yourself. Do some light stretching, you can even do this while still in bed.
Ask yourself: how am I going to honour myself today? And: how do I want to feel at the end of the day?
Answer with intention and let those answers be a promise to yourself.
During the day, do a check in with yourself. You can take several deep belly breaths and then do a short body scan. With your eyes closed, see where you feel tension in your body. Take a few more deep belly breaths and try to relax the parts of your body that you feel are tense. You can do this anywhere, at your
office, in the train. It's the intention that matters. And just a few moments of being aware of your breath and breathing deep already works magic.
If you have a bit more time, try to meditate for a few minutes. Find a place where you can sit undisturbed and close your eyes. Focus on your breath and try not to force anything. Let your breath flow naturally. Try not to engage with your thoughts. Of course they will pop up, but try and just be a witness of these
thoughts without judgement. Let them roll by like clouds in the sky. You don't have to meditate for hours to feel its benefits. Set some time aside when you can, just to focus on 'being' instead of 'doing'.
Finally, before going to bed you can recall the answers you gave to the questions you asked yourself in the morning. Did you keep your promise to yourself? If yes, brilliant! Keep it up! If not? Try again tomorrow, but don't be hard on yourself. You are trying and that is admirable and something to be proud of. One last suggestion I can make before the day ends: journal. We all have a lot on our minds. Writing things down, or doing a so called brain dump, can be very helpful. Before bed, or even in bed, get out your journal and write whatever comes to mind. Just let that pen do it's thing without holding back and without judgement. That way you can go to sleep with a clear mind and who knows...you may even
become aware of some interesting thought patterns you have. And to me, healing always starts with awareness. You can't change what you don't know is holding you back, right?
So, to give you a quick summary:
In the morning
- Do some light stretching
- Ask yourself how am I going to honour myself today? And: how do I want to feel at the end of the day?
See the answers as a promise to yourself and to set an intention for the day.
In the afternoon
- Take a few deep belly breaths
- Do a quick body scan
- When possible, do a short meditation
In the evening
- Revisit the answers you gave and the intention you set in the morning
- Journal it out
I hope you have found these tips helpful to create healing habits in your day. These techniques have worked (and still work) wonders for me and I hope they do the same for you. For more info on this topic, please visit my website for my coaching, where I personally guide you in these healing techniques or you
can take my online course Healing Habits.
Susanne