A habit that changed my year

The first week of the second semester is over, and now is the time to bring new habits into your everyday routine. Journaling, planners, working out and self-care are all things that most people tend to add to their new year's resolutions. I feel like there are many habits and ideas that people are missing and should try for themselves.

Reflecting on your week is something that I feel has helped completely change my mental state. Last year, I began to write in a journal every day about one good thing that happened to me that day and one thing that I want to always remember. This could be something as big as going out with friends and having a great time, or simply having an evening spent with yourself reading a book that just completely changed your outlook on life. It could even be that you finished all your homework and had a really good study session. I noticed that by making myself reflect on my day, I began to realize that I was truly having a great time where I was and began to start finding so much joy in the little things again.

What I gained from writing down my one good thing every day was that I began to find myself finding joy in things I wouldn’t have before. By making myself pick something out, I was able to feel that emotion again and truly see myself being happy. Last year, one of the best nights that I had was one where I went to dinner with myself and journaled. I then went home and read a good book, drank some tea and lit a candle. I was able to learn so much about myself and began to start feeling so much more comfortable in my own skin.

Many people begin their new years going to the gym and then end up quitting after a few months. By making this small change, you could start a huge change in your daily life. This is a practical habit that one can bring into their new semester of school, and it is a habit that doesn’t require anything but a pen and a notebook.