Five Balancing Habits that Everyone Can Practice

We are slowly returning to our Pre-COVID routines, and having to face yet another major transition can serve as a challenge for many, causing feelings of worry and fear of the unknown to arise. 

 

If you’ve been feeling slightly unnerved as we re-enter “normality”, keeping on track of your health can be immensely beneficial.

 

Here are a few easy habits that can allow you to prioritise yourself throughout this period of uncertainty and change, perhaps making you feel much more at ease, energised, and clear-minded. 

 

  1. Make time for meditation 

Meditation is a century-old practice that has now become widely known. Originating as a spiritual practice within India, it is now practiced around the world, working as a powerful tool for hundreds and thousands of people.

 

As the idea of sitting in silence may not be the most appealing, learning about the benefits of meditation may draw you in:

 

Based on multiple studies, meditation has been shown to benefit your mind, body, and soul, in a range of ways. This simple practice has been suggested to enable more control over the mind and how it processes emotions, improve memory, and even enhance overall performance. 

 

If your emotions are currently in a state of havoc, meditation may be what you need.

 

Sources: Science DailyNICABM

 

  1. Learn to process your emotions

This particular habit is most definitely easier said than done, but it is also most definitely one of the most stress-relieving habits on this list.

 

When feeling negative emotions such as worry, sadness, or self doubt, we often tend to suppress these feelings as, unsurprisingly, recognising and analysing these emotions can be an uncomfortable experience.

 

One study exercised on students transitioning into college—a prime period where-in emotional suppression can occur, had displayed how emotional suppression had led to predicted lower social support, less closeness to others, and lower social satisfaction. It had also shown that suppressing emotions can lead to a decrease in positive emotion, and an increase in negative emotion.  

 

Additionally, another study was able to display just how effective the act of expressing one’s emotions can be for their mental wellbeing.

 

Matthew Lieberman, psychology professor, claims:

 

 "When you put feelings into words, you're activating this prefrontal region and seeing a reduced response in the amygdala," he said. "In the same way you hit the brake when you're driving when you see a yellow light, when you put feelings into words, you seem to be hitting the brakes on your emotional responses.”

 

Therefore, through verbalising how you are feeling, this can send an immediate signal to the brain, resulting in a decrease in the effects of any negative emotions that one may be experiencing, making a person less angry or sad.

 

A few accessible ways to express your emotions can be through writing down how you are feeling, or expressing how you feel to a supportive friend or family member.

 

Source: NCBI, Science Daily

 

  1. Go for a long walk

Simple but effective.

 

Taking a stress-relieving stroll can potentially help relieve you of any anxious thoughts that may leave you feeling restricted or “trapped". This form of physical movement can increase the production of endorphins, enable you to let go of any physical tension, and break you free of any negative thought patterns that may be weighing you down.

 

Make it a habit to go for a mindful walk after a long day at work, and see just how different you may feel afterwards.

 

  1. Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables

Eating vibrant fruits and vegetables can possibly make you feel just as vibrant—as they say, you are what you eat.

 

When regularly consuming a variety of fresh produce, particularly fibre-filled fruits and vegetables, this has the potential to support correct functioning of the gut. There has been a surge in research within the past few years with regards to how maintaining a healthy gut can attribute to a healthy mind. Harvard Health has studied the ways in which the brain and the gastrointestinal tract are intimately connected.

 

Our nutritionist-approved meal paths at Kurami focus on including a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables within each meal. On average, we have more than 30 varieties of fruit, vegetables and herbs in just one-week of our meal paths.

 

  1. Do what makes you happiest

A common misconception that many have about life is that they don’t have enough time. Everyone has time, and everyone has more than enough of it—it is all about how one is able to manage the time available to them through sorting their priorities. 

 

If you currently feel that you are in a state of overwhelm due to work, stress, or experiencing any change, prioritise practicing what makes you happiest. Take the time to do what makes your soul sing; whether it be through reading, dancing, cooking, or painting. When we are at our happiest, we are at our healthiest.

 

Through practicing these small, simple, and easily accessible practices, you may start to feel much better mentally and physically. Always remember, health is defined by one’s physical and mental wellbeing, not just one nor the other.