5 Healthy Habits for the New Year

Jan 2

Written By Grace Lee

And just like that, it's 2017.

The year I'm graduating college.

The year I will (hopefully) get a real full-time job.

The year that I've been waiting for.

It's all happening. And all happening so soon.

I rang in the New Year with my best friends here in Chapel Hill. It was full of surprises, champagne, sequins, and... more champagne. Ha ha.

How did you spend your NYE??

Now with the holidays festivities over and done with, even though I'm still not 100% over it quite yet, I'm slowly and surely getting back to normalcy. It's time to focus on the things I want to pursue this year. And what better way to do so than share 5 healthy habits to welcome in the new year?

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1. Drink hot lemon water every morning before breakfast.

Be sure to add a little honey to it though. I've been doing this for almost a month now, and I'm already seeing results. My stomach digests better, I feel better, it revs up your metabolism, and revitalizes your skin. Here's even an article that shows all the healthy benefits of drinking hot lemon water before eating anything in the morning.

2. Verbally say 'I love you' to the people that you love and care about.

Nowadays, I feel like people have a hard time telling others how they feel. How hard is it to just tell someone you love them? Or that you appreciate them? Or that you care? I feel like we're losing our touch to communicate verbally, thanks social media, and verbal communication leaves a more impactful mark than receiving it digitally. Am I right or am I right?

3. Dedicate an hour every day to take care of yourself.

Self-love is so important. It's a part of what makes you, you. How can you expect someone else to love you if you can't even love yourself? So with that being said, no matter how busy our lives may be, try to dedicate time and do something for yourself. Whether it's going for a run, watching a TV show, baking, or whatever it is that makes you happy. Because you matter.

4. Write reminders of what you're thankful for.

You've heard it time and time again, but I'm a writer. Meaning, I jot everything down. All my schedules, my notes, things I need to say, Instagram captions... you name it. Everything.

Often times, life gets tough, and we hit roadblocks. That is why we are in constant need of reminders. We read quotes on Pinterest to remind us to never give up, or we read old quotes to motivate us to try harder. Reminders work. They give us meaning to things we may have lost touch with temporarily. In all the stress, we can lose sight of our hope. By looking back on the reminders of all the things you're thankful for, you'll realize that your problems are only temporary, and you have so many wonderful things in your life that you should appreciate.

5. When everyone wants the pink Starburst, pick the yellow.

Okay, this doesn't literally mean eat the yellow Starburst for the new year, but more in the sense to be different. Don't get too comfortable doing what you always do. Try opting for something new: whether it's going horseback riding on the beach, or even skydiving for the first time. Your options are endless. No matter what, just try at least one new thing and accomplish it before 2018.