Make 2022 a Success with These Healthy Habits and Advice

It’s hard to believe that 2021 is coming to a close.  Between the pandemic still raging on, various social issues, and general life stress, self-care tends to be one of the first areas neglected. Before we know it, we’re going through life on autopilot not feeling our best selves.

Healthy habits and self-care are crucial to living a fulfilled life. Focusing time on yourself can help to clear your mind and improve productivity. You can live to your greatest potential and find true happiness by making some life changes. You’re only steps away from making 2022 your best year ever!

Download HER app

Ways to Celebrate the New Year the Queer Way

Having a queer identity is incredibly empowering and freeing, though being a part of any marginalized group can bring a whole new set of challenges. It’s especially important to take care in embracing the good in who you are and allow yourself to be proud of who you are.

Focusing on self-care, potentially finding a new partner through a dating app, following a new daily routine, or serving the community can bring fulfillment and joy to your life. Stay tuned for a few ways you can improve your life in 2022.

Reflect on the Past

Many of us are holding on to past feelings that are weighing us down. Use the start of the new year to identify situations that you may not have fully come to terms with or people that you may be holding resentment for.

After fully evaluating how these situations made you feel, maybe through journaling or meditation, figure out a plan for how to handle the situation moving forward. This can involve having a closure-based conversation with people or simply choosing forgiveness for yourself. Either way, past reflection is essential for future growth, so don’t hang on to those negative feelings any longer.

Try a Visualization Technique 

A great way to plan out your dreams is through seeing them. Whether literally through a vision board or figuratively through a visualization meditation, this is a great step to manifest your dreams into reality.

Making a vision board can be a cathartic experience and also serves as a visual reminder of all the goals you want to accomplish. Meditation has relaxing qualities and is great for soothing anxiety, as well as being a great aid in Law of Attraction and manifestation techniques.

Set achievable goals

A big part of visualization is setting achievable goals. For many people, the sheer thought of setting goals can bring anxiety and discomfort, so it can be helpful to start with small, realistic goals. Making a short-term goal can give something to work toward and help to become more disciplined with routines. Using journaling to write down small steps can make the process seem more attainable. Starting with small goals gives a catalyst for planning and achieving larger or longer-term goals!

Develop a better routine

A good routine is key to a successful day. With the rise of working from home, work-life balance can take a hit. Having a morning and evening routine that both make you feel good and nurture your body allows for a sound mind. 

Start your new routine off by evaluating your schedule and using a physical calendar or digital calendar to organize your events. Adding in some healthy habits such as exercising, getting some fresh air, taking vitamins, and hanging out with loved ones are essential to nurturing your mental health.

Downloading a Dating App

If you’ve been putting off meeting a new special someone, let 2022 be the year that you put yourself out there. Download your favorite app, find your best selfies and let your profile shine. You never know who you might meet!

Practice More Self Care

Prioritize caring for your physical and mental health by scheduling “you” time. Take a hot bath, drink some wine, binge-watch your favorite Netflix show or catch up on some sleep. You can also integrate journaling and meditation to dive deeper into your feelings. 

Be sure through the hustle and bustle of everyday life to put yourself first sometimes, so when you show up for others you can be your best self.

Try a Different Hobby

Let 2022 be the year you explore some interests you’ve had but never explored. Have you wanted to pick up hiking? Crocheting? Cooking? It’s time to pick up that cookbook, join that hiking group, or go to that crocheting class.

As a plus, starting a new hobby allows for you to find new friends and possibly even your brand new squad.

Book a Trip

Sometimes you need a change of scenery to spark creativity. Even a small weekend getaway can provide some mindless fun and a break from the day today. Bring some friends or travel alone for a mental break. Take the break one step further by disconnecting from social media and limiting phone use.

Start a Side Hustle

If you’ve ever wanted to start a small business, this is the time to do so. The art you’ve been creating, the shirts you make, or the unbelievable baked goods you make are perfect ideas for a small shop. Starting small by selling to family and friends can be the start of something big.

If you don’t want to start your own business, it’s still a great time to pick up a side hustle like food delivery or rideshare driving.

Eliminate a Bad Habit

We all have our share of bad habits. It’s great to self-reflect on some areas where you need to grow and the effects that some habits may have on your life. Maybe it’s something as simple as cleaning the dishes out of your sink daily or something that requires more serious help. Either way, it’s never too late to make a change.

Focus on Your Health and Fitness

With being inside more, we’ve all succumbed to ordering Uber Eats for the fifth time this week and swearing up and down we’ll start home workouts soon. Take this time to reflect on your eating habits and workout routine. Eating a balanced diet has a tremendous effect on energy, stamina, and overall mental health. Exercise doesn’t have to be daunting either, workout outside the gym by dancing, swimming, or biking.

Revisit Career Goals

This is also a good time to reflect on your career goals and possibly make the shift you’ve been too afraid to make. Start that Google Certification you’ve been putting off for months or enroll in those extra classes to boost your skillset. It’s also a good time to revamp your resume so you shine in the eyes of potential employers.

Serve your Local Community

Consider serving your local community organizations as a volunteer to accomplish something for a great cause. Many LGBTQ+ organizations constantly need volunteers or donations. You’ll put a smile on the faces of many and you’ll feel great yourself.

Learn More with HER

The HER App is a great place to find a community or different events to attend. You can find a great group to do your new hobby with or a new accountability partner for your new healthy lifestyle. You may even find your new soulmate. Let HER be the perfect companion for making 2022 your best year yet.

Download HER app