3 Healthy Habits To Kick-Off 2021
Meditation + The Great Courses + Exercise
I'm determined to make this year a better one; nothing too extreme, just a few changes. It was a tough year, and I noticed myself slipping into some unproductive ways, which I'm certainly not happy with. But that year is over now so it's time for some new habits.
I decided to create 3 new habits - my sister did it last year and said she stuck to them all year. I sat down and brainstormed what areas of my life needed a revamp and from that, I came up with my new 3 habits for a healthier mind and body.
1. Meditate
For such an unproductive year (maybe I'm being a little harsh), I was very stressed! I felt like I was having less and less me time. Meditation is always something I wanted to get into since reading about the benefits it has on your psychological well-being. Being able to train my mind to be so still and calm is something I really need to work on for my own good, especially right now.
There are so many apps and online videos, so I'm aiming to add a 10-20 minute meditation to my daily routine, in the morning, afternoon, evening, or whenever I have the time.
2. Learn Something New (and in-depth)
Everyone was learning a language or baking sourdough except me, I was way too busy with work. But now that I've fully adapted to WFH and with a clearer mind, I'm ready to challenge my brain with something new and interesting to learn.
I love learning about stuff I never even knew existed, but I want to go further than a docu-series or book. I want to immerse myself in a whole new world and learn all about it.
After a quick search, I found The Great Courses Plus, which seemed to have exactly what I was searching for. It's an online platform with thousands of hours of audio and video lectures on every topic you can imagine; they've got science, food and wine, travel, finance and economics, and even professional and personal growth courses. There is literally something for everyone, wherever your interests lie.
I had my eye on so many of the food and wine courses but with The Great Courses Plus, I had access to everything on the platform, so my choices were endless. No need to commit to a single topic, I could bounce around until I found what stuck.
I was worried I would get bored and not follow the whole course through but a week into my first course- Exploring the Mayan World, led by Edwin Barnhart Ph.D. and I'm addicted to watching it. The professor has a true talent for lecturing, I was hooked with such interesting facts about a whole civilization in the northern Yucatán, something I knew nothing about but now could write a whole thesis.
My expectations were high as I started my second course in South America with Edwin, but now three lectures in, and I must admit I'm enjoying it even more. It's the perfect way to fill my spare time while expanding my knowledge on everything and anything I have ever wanted to know more about. My Great Courses Plus yearly subscription is exactly what I need this year.
Each course is taught by a professor or expert in that particular field, so every course is full of passion and real factual information that is fascinating and useful. They are even associated with the History Channel, National Geographic, and The Smithsonian.
Plus there's zero pressure, I'm just going to hop in and out when I have the time and in the mood to learn. I can even download the lecture and listen to them no matter where I am. Plus it's super affordable so it's a guilt-free treat for me.
3. Get Moving
I also didn't jump on the home workout bandwagon, can't blame WFH this time. I know I need to get my steps up and start moving my muscles throughout the day. My goal is to find new exercises I enjoy.
Walking was the easiest place to start: the combination of fresh air and endorphins are already a treat. Blaring my favorite playlist and dancing around my bedroom was always an exercise I have always loved and need to do way more this year.
So far, sticking to my new habits has been easy and fun! It helps that the benefits from them are already evident; my mind is clearer and I'm feeling great even though my muscles are still a little score from my first few jogs this week. And I'm learning so much in the most fun and relaxing way ever with my The Great Courses Plus subscription.
