Lifestyle: How To Be True To Yourself 

If you’re tired of all the expectations, opinions, and norms that society tries to place on you all the time, you won’t be alone, but if you want to do something about it and try to be yourself, that’s where things start to get tricky. It’s great to know that you need to make some changes and start living your life for yourself, but how can you get started? What can you do? 

The thing to remember is that the best thing you can possibly do for yourself is to be yourself, so no matter how hard it might be, it’s worth it in the end. So with that in mind, here are some things you can do that will help you be true to yourself - read on to find out more. 

Embrace Your Unique Qualities 

A lot of the time, the unique qualities you have - and everyone has unique qualities, don’t forget, it’s what makes us human and makes us special - might feel like a burden. You’ll wish you didn’t do this or have that trait, or you’ll see someone else and be envious, wishing you could be more like that. 

That way of thinking isn’t very helpful - it will make you sad, cause you to think you’re not good enough, perhaps even end up causing depression, and it’s really not even a big deal. As we said, everyone’s different, and if you can embrace your unique qualities rather than trying to pretend they don’t exist or wishing them away, you’ll be your true self and a lot happier because of it. 

Set Boundaries 

Being true to yourself also involves setting boundaries, so working out how to do that is well worth spending some time on. Boundaries protect your wellbeing, keep you happy and focused, and ensure that other people don’t take too much from you; they’ll respect your needs much more if there are boundaries in place and they know about them. 

The first step when it comes to setting boundaries in your life so you can be yourself is to work out where and when you end up in situations that drain you and leave you without any energy. It’s these that are overstepping the mark, so you’ll need to let everyone know what your limits are so they know when to step back and leave you alone. It’s going to be a challenge to set boundaries at first, but when you realize how well it’s working, you’ll know you’ve done the right thing. 

Choose The Right Career

A lot of people go into a career because their parents expected it or a teacher suggested it, or they fall into it by accident because they needed their first job and they just stuck with it over the years. It might be that this worked out well for you, and you’re able to be your true self when you’re working, but then again, it might be that you’re unhappy and you can’t really be true to yourself when you’re working in a career you dislike or even hate. 

It’s never too late to start a new career, even if means going back to school and getting new qualifications. In fact, you could even start your own business - yes, there will be a lot to learn, from marketing to finances to why custom printing is a good idea, but if it means you can be happy and be yourself, then it’s definitely the right move to make.

Lifestyle

Monthly Goal Ideas for Better Health

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If you've been here before you'll know that I struggle with my health. I'm still trying to figure out the various issues but in the meantime want to improve my general health as much as possible. Being ill all the time just isn't fun! 

Part of my New Year's goals for 2024 is to make lifestyle changes that will help me live a healthy life and, hopefully, mean I get ill less. Fingers crossed!

I've already started my decluttering journey and that has already helped keep dust levels lower (one of my many allergies) and given a boast to my mental health too. Clutter is stressful.

So, I've been trying to think of other goals I can set myself for this year that will help improve my overall health.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. The information provided on www.JoLinsdell.com does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.

You might also like: Book Review: Decluttering Your Home In A Year Or Less! by Kai M. Jordan

Achievable Goals for Better Health

1. Embrace minimalism

As I already mentioned, decluttering is one of my goals for this year. I want to become more minimalist. So much of the stuff we have is just clutter and finding the things we actually want to use is harder as we often have to search through that clutter to be able to find them. 

It's not just about health though. Another reason I want to concentrate on minimalism this year is because I feel that we've become to materialistic. I want us to put our focus on spending quality time together, experiences, and making memories. 

Minimalism is also a great way to save money. In the past we've gone shopping in the sales. The idea being we were saving money because we paid less of the stuff we bought. Even if that stuff was cheaper than it would have been I find myself asking "Would we have bought it if it wasn't on discount?" 9/10 my answer would probably be no. In that case, did we really save money or did we spend money we wouldn't have if we hadn't gone sales shopping? 

This year I decided that I would make a list of anything we actually need—one that I’ve cleverly added to our family photo calendar so we can all stay on the same page. That is the only stuff we will be buying. 

2. Drink more water

Fizzy drinks, store bought fruit juice... they all contain a LOT of sugar and, more often than not, other things that just aren't good for your health. 

Drinking more water is a priority. Water prevents dehydration and helps reduce weight as it contains zero calories. It's also great at helping to clear your body of toxins and waste.

Water also costs less than other beverages so you'll save money too.

3. Cut down on sugar

I know I consume too much sugar in my diet. I also know sugar is not good for our health. 

Too much sugar can make you gain weight, causes tooth decay, and increases the risk of developing chronic diseases and diabetes. 

Given that I have a history of diabetes in my family it's something that I'm very aware of. 

This year I plan to cut back on my sugar intake. For example, I currently take two teaspoons of sugar in my tea. I want to reduce that amount as much as possible. Hopefully I'll be able to adjust to not having any sugar in my tea at all. More tips for cutting down on sugar.

4. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your health. The benefits of exercise are numerous both for your physical and mental health. 

I know I live a sedentary lifestyle and I know it's not good for my health. I need to implement exercise workouts into my daily routine and make sure I get up and move around more in general. 

In order to help give me a routine to stick to and solid goals to focus on, I'm going to be doing several 30 day fitness challenges and some 7 days fitness challenges this year. The idea is that these will help give more structure to my workouts and make it more manageable to keep up a routine. 

5. Improve sleep quality

How much better do you feel after a good nights sleep? Are you getting the recommended 8 hours a night? I know I'm not and I hope to change that this year.

As a mum I know how important it is for a child to have a regular sleep routine. Waking at the same time and going to bed at the same time every day is key. Why then do I not stick to a bedtime routine myself? 

In the article Proven tips to sleep better at night they note why it's important to try to wake and sleep at consistent times. 

Melatonin supplements can be a great sleep aid. Getting enough exercise and having the right environment can also help. 

6. Make time for self care

Life can be hectic. It's important to make time for self care. For me, self care activities include things like; pampering myself (taking the time to relax in the bath/shower, do hair treatments giving myself a manicure/pedicure), making time to read, watching films or TV shows, and meditating. Its also saying no and setting boundaries. 

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What goals do you have to help improve your health this year? Are you doing any fitness/wellness challenges for 2024? 

You might also like: My Rome Bucket List for 2024

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Health & Fitness

Soothing Your Dental Health Anxiety

Disclosure: The FTC Disclosure Provision is a law that requires influencers to disclose when they are being paid to promote a product or service. So please know that if I'm not making money through affiliate links/sponsored content on the post you're currently reading, it's an oversight on my part and will be corrected soon. Read the full disclosure about all the legal stuff here.

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Health anxiety is defined as a chronic worry and fears about current or possible health issues that could take place. It’s hard to dismiss worrying about possible health effects as irrational, because of course, it’s true that people do contract diseases, conditions, illnesses, and physical limitations over the course of their lifetimes.

However, it’s true to say that there’s an important distinction to be made between rational worry and apprehension, and chronic fear that can lead to hypochondria. The latter requires interventionist mental health assistance to soothe these worries and treat their cause.

The former is a little harder to treat. However, you’d be surprised just how much living a healthy lifestyle, giving up vices like alcohol, and securing enough sleep each night can help you feel better in yourself. This way, you’ll at least know that if an issue is experienced, it won’t be because you failed to do anything about it.

But it’s not just health anxiety that can make us pause, but localized health anxiety. Worries about your dental health, for example, be that having to visit your dentists’ office, suffering toothache, or worrying about the natural health of your smile can be troubling for some people.

If you’ve found yourself experiencing these worries, you may find some worth in the following advice:

Learn About Dental Treatments

It’s always good to learn about the purpose and process of certain dental treatments, as opposed to fearing them as an unknown but uncomfortable chore you have to suffer. For example, you can discuss the use of retainers with your dentist, or learn about what happens during a root canal, one of the more invasive dental treatments. Through this, you’ll see the care, attention, and skill that goes into each procedure, realizing that a dentist is not imposing this on you, but securing your future health through that process.

Find A Dentist You Trust

Pretty much all dentists are more than trustworthy, but it’s nice to find one that puts you at ease and has the time to understand your worries. When booking a place as a patient, don’t be afraid to mention your anxiety and they’re sure to make the correct accommodations, such as showing you their clinic before they treat you. It’s little things like this that make a difference, and remember, the dentist is a health professional, they’ve seen it all before.

Be Proactive About Your Self-Care

It’s good to be proactive about your self-care to the extent that you can. When you know you’re caring for your teeth well, and you don’t shy away from addressing your dental environment, you’re unlikely to suffer conditions born of improper care, and will no doubt develop a healthier outlook on dental treatments. Brushing well, using mouthwash, and flossing can be ideal, but you’ll also find that attending regular appointments at your dentists and making notes of any issues experienced will also have a positive effect.

With this advice, you’re sure to soothe your dental health anxiety in the best possible light.