By: Shivani Shete

It’s been a journey for me to truly be consistent with habits that strengthen mindfulness. There have been periods where I stick with making my bed each morning or writing down 5 things I’m grateful for each night. Still, incorporating these pieces permanently in my lifestyle is something I’m still working toward.

Nobody’s perfect. I’m sure you’ve heard that about a million times now, but each day you live can’t be a perfect replica of the last. It feels gret when you have days that are filled with productivity and activities that make you happy, but it’s also important to recognize its okay to experience off days, or days where you feel less driven and motivated to do the things you had at the top of your to-do list.

Every couple of months I’ve noticed that I get bursts of inspiration that are fueled by an article I read or a video I watched. The content usually revolves around manifesting positive energy, looking out for yourself, and finding small ways to improve your personal space. After reminding myself about the benefits that come from taking control of my own life, I became more aware of the actions that I knew would upgrade my wellness.

I feel like by the time summer rolls around, people make it their priority to set a number of goals they want to fulfill by August. And I am no exception, I did this too, and am still working toward checking off a few more things before the season comes to an end.

One goal that I’ve found valuable is practicing mindfulness. This can be done by doing a variety of things that best fit your schedule and interests. For me I knew that the best thing to do was to keep telling myself that I have to take time to take care of me. Every little thing I do in the present will help me in the future and will all add up in the long run. This is when I started saying positive affirmations out loud right when I woke up. I started recognizing my breathing and assuring myself that some things in my life are simply out of my control. That whatever happens, happens. Instead of picking up my phone first thing in the morning, I started meditating to feel refreshed. I took time to plan out what I had going on for the day and the week ahead to keep myself organized and my schedule structured.

After doing this for consecutive days, I noticed changes in my mood and how I reacted in certain situations. To this day, I feel so content and thankful that I am able to walk around and experience life all while being healthy. In stressful situations, the mindfulness techniques I’ve been practicing remind me that everything will work out in the end. Yes, there will be days where I won’t feel my best and let my anxiousness get the best of me, but it’s important to realize that not every day will be sunshine and the only thing you can do is be there for yourself.

I started this a few months ago, all with the objective to feel grounded, less stressed, and more energized as each day passes. I can happily say that doing this routinely made me have a clearer mind. I didn’t start the day off with a mental block, clouded by social media or giving myself limited time to get ready before going somewhere important.

Mindset. It all boils down to mindset. How you feel about something and what is running through your head can have a major impact on the specific outcome. It’s important to allow positive thoughts to flood in and be confident in approach to live a clearer life.