Kicking Off 2024 with Good Vibes and Habits

Hello, fabulous people of 2024! Ready to turn this year into your personal masterpiece? Well, you're in luck because we're diving into the setting of two intentional habits that can seriously upgrade your life and make 2024 a fabulous year.

Habit #1: Me Time

When there is a lack of prioritizing “me” time individuals are more likely to feel run down and more rushed than those who can have ways they unwind and recharge their batteries. Though an established me time you can give your brain spaces to reboot, which will help you to have more productivity overall.  

First things first – let's talk about making time for YOU! It's about declaring loud and clear, "This time is just for me." We're not talking about vague moments of "self-care" here; we're diving into the specifics of creating your own personalized self-love routine. That helps to make you a complete person, all so you can give back to your world. This will help give you spaces and time for self-discovery and deeper thinking because you are taking time to pause and evaluate yourself at specific points in time.

Setting Boundaries:

Start by setting those boundaries. The first part of setting a boundary around me time is that you respect what you have laid out as me time. The next step is let people know there's a sacred "Me Time" zone, and it's non-negotiable. It could be a few minutes or an hour – whatever suits your style and season of life.

Chill-Out Moments:

Next up, schedule some chill-out moments. Pull out your schedule and make sure you add this moment in, so they do happen. This could be a walk in the park, a coffee break with your favorite book, or just staring into space with your thoughts. The goal is simple: reclaim your time. One of my favorites is to take my tea, sit on the couch, and dive into a book that is going to give me thought provoking questions in my head. Though this year it might look like exploring some botanical gardens in different places and sitting to snap pictures as nature comes and goes. What does your chill-out moment look like?

Tech Detox:

And because we're living in a world that's always buzzing, let's detox from the tech madness. Designate moments where you switch off – no pings, no dings, just you and your thoughts. A good time to set for no screens is an hour to two hours before bedtime to give your brain a break and get set for bedtime.

Habit #2: Cozy Up with a Bedtime Routine

Now, let's talk about the end of the day – the time to recharge and unwind. We're not just talking about hitting the lights; we're crafting a bedtime routine that's your ticket to dreamland bliss. The spaces in which you wind down for your dreamland is important to be a quiet, dark, and cozy places for you to trigger your mind that it is time for your perfect rest.

Regular Bedtime:

Start by setting a regular bedtime, in our household we aim to be in bed reading by 10:00 PM at least 80% of the time, leaving room for 20% fluctuation for events, family visits, or just because it didn’t goes as planned. Yeah, we know Netflix is tempting, but a consistent sleep schedule does wonders for your well-being. A routine and consistency are keys to keeping you on track within a regular bedtime routine. There are loads of benefits to a sleep routine, but one is that it can help your overall mood and behavior.

Wind-Down Session:

Create a cozy wind-down session. This isn't about rushing into bed; it's about doing activities that relax your mind. Whether it's reading a good book, listening to your favorite tunes, putting away screens, taking a warm bath/shower, practicing mediation, or just sipping a warm cup of tea, make it your chill-out haven.

Screen-Free Zone:

Through the reliance we have grown with connection to our devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets, are accounted for many hours spent for someone’s day.  And let's make your bedroom a screen-free zone at least an hour before sleep. Those late-night Instagram scrolls can wait – give your eyes a break. There are ways we can opt for some screen-free activities such as reading, puzzles, or journaling before you head into your dreamland.

Shout-Out to the Good Stuff:

And before you drift into dreamland, take a moment to shout-out to the good stuff that happened today. Gratitude is the secret sauce to a peaceful sleep. We talked about sleep routines and why they matter in the Stacked Intent Podcast Episode 36, so get more info there.

Lost of where to start – first set your bedtime. Remember like most aspects of our lives sleep is no different in liking routine. Help to build consistence within your brain of where to start getting ready for your dreamland.

Get Specific and Let's Rock 2024!

Now, to really make these habits stick, let's get specific about what you're going to do and how often. Maybe it's 'Me Time Mondays' or 'Wind-Down Wednesdays.' Tailor it to you and get ready to rock 2024 with some intentional good vibes and habits.

Let's do this, because 2024 is YOUR year!

Remember when you respect and make your me time a priority than others will too!