Little Changes I Want To Make In My Life
Something I'm always trying to do is improve myself and work on my lifestyle to make sure it's working for me and I feel the best that I possibly can. Sometimes self-improvement and development posts can always sound a little ridiculous but posts like these are always what I find myself clicking on first in my blog feed. More often than not it's the smallest changes that make the biggest difference and here are some of the changes that I want to make in the upcoming months.
A SCREEN BAN IN THE BEDROOM AFTER 9PM
This is quite a flexible rule I want to imply as sometimes I might need to work late etc. But more often than not, the only reason why I'm on a screen is that I'm pointlessly scrolling or watching things online which is ok on occasion but not every night. It's rare that I have trouble sleeping from looking at a screen but that blue hue is harmful and there most definitely is a big difference between when I go to bed after reading and having something on in the background. I'm desperate to actually make my way through all the books that I've got waiting to be read on my shelves and if I keep on watching YouTube videos then they are never going to get read. My boyfriend and I are so guilty of laying in bed at the weekends both scrolling through our phones and even though we're still talking it's not the same as doing it without an Instagram story playing in the background!
not letting the numbers define me
Working online means I'm very guilty of one thing and that is letting the numbers define me. And I guess to some extent this is something we all do whether it's our Instagram follower counts that define us, the amount of money we earn a month or even the number on the scales. We all live somewhat connected to a number and often put far too much of our self-worth on that figure. And even though I'm all too aware that it's an awful mindset to be in I still can't help myself and let those little figures on the screen equate to my self-worth and that's not ok. None of us can deny the great feeling when we see those numbers growing but then in return the soul-crushing sensation when we see those numbers drop. I've certainly got a long way to go yet but I'd at least like to make a start on not letting the numbers define me and put all my self-worth onto them.
a better work life balance
Now, I've said before that I think that the work-life balance is a myth and it's impossible to have this perfect balance that we all crave. There are always a million and one things that need doing but it's impossible to get everything done in one day. I would definitely like a little bit of a healthier mindset towards work and time off. As typically the only time I take a proper break is when I'm so burnt out that I have to take one and that's not ok or good for me in the slightest. With regular breaks I should avoid burn out altogether, well that's what I'm hoping anyway.
less is more
Over the past few years, I've really worked on my relationship with material things and I've come a long way from what I used to be like. I never buy objects to fill a void or because I'm having a bad day and generally I'm much happier with less. It's such a good feeling knowing that I'm getting use out of everything I own. Lately, I've been challenging myself to wear a different item from my wardrobe every single day and it's been such a good test. I already have what some would call a capsule wardrobe so I don't have a huge amount of items to choose from but as I am such a creature of habit I tend to gravitate towards the same outfits and this has pushed me to reach for items that I wouldn't usually go for. Already I've seen areas where I can get rid of some pieces as I don't love them as much as I thought but I've kept them around just incase.
consume more varied content
Something I guess we're all pretty guilty of is consuming things that we already know we will like as it's in our curated bubble and by doing that it's so easy to presume that everybody thinks the same way that you do. Obviously, it's nice to consume things like that but something that I've realised is super important is to read and consume a more varied scope of media. And it might not always be things that I love but by doing this I can learn more and understand how other people think and feel. It's small things like watching a documentary I wouldn't usually go for or read a news article that I'd usually scroll past. By sitting in my comfortable little bubble it keeps me safe from opinions I might not like but often we need to hear those to stay open-minded.
NOT LETTING THE FEAR HOLD ME BACK
Self-confidence and having faith in myself isn't something that comes easy to me, I fill my head with irrational thoughts and worry and only let myself do the things that I feel comfortable with. Comfort bubbles are great and they feel like a warm hug but by staying in those little bubbles that we create for ourselves we don't grow and push forward. Something that I did lately which was very much out of my comfort zone was posting to Instagram Stories which was something that I had feared for months. I was so scared that every time I posted that I was annoying somebody and was absolutely terrified to promote myself and my work. But if I don't do those things then no-one else will and having a deeper connection with the people who choose to follow me is so important. Fear is something that can either be a huge motivator or something that can put us in a box and I don't want to be in that box anymore and let it push me when I can't find the courage myself.
