I, like many of you all, am always working towards becoming the best possible version of myself. To do this, I constantly evaluate my life and analyze patterns to identify the habits that are no longer serving me. Over the past year, I’ve adopted new habits that I think have changed my life for the better.
Turned Off All Notifications
I made this change because I hate clutter. I hate physical clutter, notifications clutter, and all other forms of clutter. It drives me insane and after one year of turning off my notifications, I don’t think I will ever go back.
In the beginning, my fear was that I would miss out on important things, like emails or an Instagram DM. But I soon realized that I check those apps constantly throughout the day, so there’s no need for any notifications.
I only keep my notifications on for WhatsApp, text messages, and phone calls. I mute all text group chats. I communicate with my mom who lives in Haiti through WhatsApp, so I have to keep my notifications on for that.
Intermittent Fasting as a Lifestyle
I started intermittent fasting around November of 2019 as a way to lose weight. At that time, I was at my heaviest and was eager to lose weight. I heard a lot about IF and decided to do a trial run from November to December. Once I figured I could do IF long term, I continued and started to incorporate regular exercise.
Since then, I have lost 20 lbs and I am finally at my goal weight! I’ve also decided to continue with IF for several reasons.
- I’m less likely to overeat
- I feel more alert & less sluggish
- Helps to maintain weight loss
Learn more about intermittent fasting here
Adding Extra Time to my Skincare Routine
If you read my last blog post here, you know all about my skincare journey. In the past, it took me roughly 10-15 minutes to complete my morning and night skincare routine, depending on if I wore makeup or did a face mask. Since I’ve learned about the 60-second rule and started double cleansing, my skincare routine now takes approximately 20-25 minutes excluding face mask. Spending this extra time has improved the overall health of my skin.
I also use the extra time to relax and meditate. During each cleansing step, I go beyond the 60-second rule and take 5-7 minutes to massage my temples using the tip of my index fingers and my knuckles to massage my face. Adding this practice to my routine provides a therapeutic feeling that helps me relax before I start and end my day.
I hope this post was helpful. I really think these habits have changed my life for the better. Let me know in the comments which of these habits you would like to incorporate into your life. Also, what changes have you made that completely changed your life?
As always you can find me on all socials @bellarosablog, but if you want to reach out to me via email, you can email me at hello@bellarosablog.com
