Micro habits that improved my life ✨

Since the time that we were just little children, we’ve been taught to apologize. And, of course, do apologize if you’ve done something wrong.

But it’s also become second nature for us to say sorry for the most trivial things, even when we’ve done nothing wrong.

And over time, it can really start to diminish our self-worth.

So one micro habit that you can implement here is to shift away from the default apology to instead saying ‘thank you’.

So instead of saying, "I’m sorry I’m talking so much", you can say, "Hey, thank you for listening."

Instead of saying, "I’m sorry for running late," you can say, "Thank you for waiting for me."

It’s so much more empowering; it makes us feel better about ourselves. And it makes the other person feel valued too. So, it’s a win-win.

And the same thing goes when we’re receiving compliments. Don’t just downplay or brush off compliments; just accept them and say, ‘Thank you’.

Whenever a good moment pops up, whether it be a delicious cup of tea or coffee, a beam of sun caressing your face, a beautiful sunset, or beautiful music, etc., in life’s seemingly routine moments, just stop and say out loud:

‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’ or ‘If this isn’t life, I don’t know what is.’

It’s a way of grounding yourself and cherishing the simple pleasures of life that we often overlook.

We’ve all been told our whole lives that stress is bad for us and that we should try to avoid it at all costs. But stress is just an inevitable part of life.

Moreover, stress isn’t the real enemy, but our perception of it is. If we believe stress is harmful, it often will be. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy. But by simply reframing how we view stress, we can change the whole biological response.

Instead of seeing stress as a hindrance, tell yourself, "You've found a challenge, but you're excited and capable!"

Stress can shift from consuming and controlling you to becoming your ally.

We all had moments where we impulsively reacted too quickly. We all know that speedy reactions can sometimes lead to misjudgments and missed opportunities to understand the big picture.

So, try to create space between receiving information and formulating a response. Give yourself permission to digest, and just let the information marinate.

Get into the habit of taking a deep breath anytime you feel emotionally charged. This simple pause can completely change the quality of your responses.

It can make your communication a lot more clear, thoughtful, and calm.

Meditation can help you become more mindful of how you respond and react in the midst of challenging and triggering situations.

In mediation, we are encouraged to acknowledge our thoughts, sit with them, and then let them go without judgment.

To embark on this mediation journey, you can download the following great apps on your phone: Headspace, Calm, or any other that resonates with you.