Building Healthy Habits
Wellness Counseling: Making Room For Healthy Habits
Addiction has a way of taking up so much space in your life that there is little room for healthy habits. Dr. Dan Siegel has done research on the mental activities we benefit from including in daily life, as a complement to the food pyramid. These behaviors help your brain work at its best, highest level. The first step in reducing vulnerability to emotions is starting to incorporate these daily habits into your life.
Add the Healthy Mind Platter to Your Day
Focus Time
focusing on tasks in a goal-oriented way which helps give us a sense of competence and mastery
Play Time
when we are spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, we help make new connections in the brain
Physical Time
when we move our bodies, ideally at a higher heart rate, we help to release endorphins (feel good hormones) which can help with anxiety and depression
Sleep Time
when we give the brain the rest it needs, we consolidate learning and recover from the experiences of the day; usually recommend 6 to 8 hours depending on your nervous system. Strategies based on CBT for Insomnia (evidenced based treatment for treatment of sleep issues).
Connecting Time
connecting with other people, ideally in person, taking time to appreciate our connection to the natural world around us. We can then activate and reinforce the brain's relational circuitry
Time In
self-reflection, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts; this can be in the form of journaling, meditation, yoga, prayer
Down Time
unscheduled, unproductive time; a time to let our mind wander or simply relax which can help the brain recharge.
Healthy Eating
eating in ways that nourish our bodies. being less focused on diet culture (fears around gaining weight) and listening to our hunger cues and enjoying our relationship to food
A journey to wellness
How are you doing with incorporating these daily activities into your life along with healthy nutrition? What are the patterns you notice? Which activities do you tend to neglect and which do you prioritize. Are you all work and no play? Is it hard for you to focus? How is your sleep? Is it hard to relax?
Begin Addiction Therapy and Wellness Counseling in Ewing, NJ
To start your journey from surviving to thriving, follow these simple steps:
- Contact Mindful and Multicultural Counseling to set up an appointment.
- Meet with one of our skilled mental health professionals.
- Start to overcome your addiction and live a more balanced, healthy life.