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AIBU to ask you if a daily habit has transformed your life?

433 replies

CarlyWarly1980 · 25/07/2020 20:27

Just that, really..
Do you have a daily habit that has transformed your life for the better? A friend recommended a book along these lines but am I being unreasonable to think a daily habit can't really transform your life?
My friend has said the new habit of drinking water and putting on mascara every day helps her feel confident and think clearer improved her skin and helps her concentration. So I'm asking others on here AIBU to think one habit done daily can't really "change" your life?

OP posts:
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KatherineParr4 · 26/07/2020 21:59

@Weetabixandcrumpets

Try yoga with Adrienne. She has loads of yoga sessions on you tube. I love her.

mofro · 26/07/2020 21:58

Just start again tomorrow! Habits can take years to form and you will slip up so don’t let those undo all of the work that you’ve already put into it

Just start again

mofro · 26/07/2020 21:54

Some fab ideas there! I’ve been trying to drink 2LF of water and walk 10k steps a day but not doing it daily
Would love for it to become a non negotiable !

Wolfcub · 26/07/2020 21:48

Vitamin D religiously in the morning after being confirmed as low. I also take a multi vit.

Magnesium religiously at bedtime

Pilates twice a week. Made a massive difference to my physical and mental health

I'm reading feel better in five which has some great ideas I'm going to find a few from this thread and the book to add to my routine.

Weetabixandcrumpets · 26/07/2020 21:29

Ah..I see @CarlyWarly1980 has already answered my question. Smile

Weetabixandcrumpets · 26/07/2020 21:22

Those of you who do Yoga...can you recommend a book or an online video or anything? Smile

CallingAllEngels · 26/07/2020 20:53

A great book about changing bad habits is The Kindness Method by Shahroo Izadi.

RunningNinja79 · 26/07/2020 20:28

So earlier on picking 3 things a week was mentioned.

I've already said I'm going to do daily stretches, this stemmed from thinking about yoga so I might do yoga instead in a couple of months or so. I've never done anything particularly mindful in the past so this really is something new, hence starting with stretches.

Another 2:
Guided journal (I love the idea of this. Already keep a journal, but its more of a dear diary type of thing that I write in on various days if I have something to say)

Spend an hour outside every day (currently do this 4 or 5 times a week with running or outdoor bootcamp, but will walk or just sit in the garden the other days)

BrowncoatWaffles · 26/07/2020 20:14

I do 20 minutes minimum of DDP Yoga from their app every day. It’s not mindful zen like calm yoga but I love it. It gets me moving, stretches out my lower back pain. I’ve been doing it three years alongside calorie counting and I’ve lost six and a half stone. It’s changed my life in so many ways.

blackcat86 · 26/07/2020 20:12

I'm loving this thread and will definitely be taking a few little changes away. I bought a robot hoover and now pop him in a room to have a deep clean if we go out. I used to have him set to wake up at 10 and clean the whole ground floor but he can't now we have stair gates. Its the best thing I've ever bought! I have started to try and get some sunshine everyday (weather permitting) for at least 30mins after discovering i had really low vit D and it was making me feel awful. I also drink a 'sleepy tea' with valerian root in it each night and it definitely aids good quality sleep. Oh, and I bought a water flosser to use after brushihg my teeth as I have a lot of overcrowding so ended up not being able to floss properly. The water flosser is amazing and my mouth feels a lot cleaner

CarlyWarly1980 · 26/07/2020 20:10

Adrienne Yoga on YouTube is good @Thedogscollar!

OP posts:
Thedogscollar · 26/07/2020 19:41

@CarlyWarly1980

This has to be one of the best threads I have ever read on MN. Thank you so much and for all the fantastic contributions from others.

As a HCP I realise I have sort of ignored my needs for the past few months. I am now going to do things for me. Tomorrow I am back at the gym and I would really like to try yoga but unsure where to start. Can anyone guide me on beginners yoga? There are so many different types!!

I do get up early to take son to work then get home and veg on settee and phone with tv on in background. Before I know it it's lunchtime a whole morning wasted.

New intentions.
1.Enquire re yoga
2.Early morning walk

  1. Practice some time out/ mindfulness

Thank you x

Anthilda · 26/07/2020 19:17

And fasting. Such a life changer. More energy, more enthusiasm, clearer skin and better sleeps.

Anthilda · 26/07/2020 19:16

Take vitamins, good skincare routine, read bible every night.

Also, not leaving a room empty handed.

This thread has inspired me to do a quick tidy round and wipe down surfaces before I head up to bed and I must say it is nice to leave the room spotless like that.

Smallsteps88 · 26/07/2020 19:03

I do 5 days of 16:8 and 2 of a normal eating pattern so on days off I have breakfast and savour every mouthful of it these days whereas before I'd shovel toast in without even thinking about it.

That’s an idea!

flowerycurtain · 26/07/2020 18:56

Brilliant brilliant thread.

I do the Bible in a year app first thing when I wake.

Team TOMM has also really helped me.

Love the idea of picking 3 small things to change this week. Here are mine:

  1. leave phone downstairs overnight. This means I'll have to get out of bed to do my bible study and then hopefully I won't mindlessly flick into twitter and FB

  2. Get up at 6 so I have some time to myself

  3. Drink 2l water a day.

TheMumblesofMumbledom · 26/07/2020 18:54

@Smallsteps88

I’m trying to work out how I could do it. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day but I’m not sure I could cope without dinner at the other end Grin
I do 5 days of 16:8 and 2 of a normal eating pattern so on days off I have breakfast and savour every mouthful of it these days whereas before I'd shovel toast in without even thinking about it.
CrepuscularCritter · 26/07/2020 18:45

This thread is making me happy. I started after reading Stephen Guise's Mini Habits. It gave me permission not to make tbese habits too big to manage, and has worked really well.

I do

  • 10 minutes meditation first thing, just focusing on my breathing and letting, as a PP said, different thoughts wash past
  • 16:8 In my case a 12-8 window works best. Also helps me to stick to low carb.
  • Like a PP, 500 words of writing a day. Having done around 1300 a day for National Novel Writing Month for the past 4 years, I realised I could maintain less words consistently.
  • Having a written work log, so I can keep tabs on what I achieve each day. I'm self employed on a variety of projects and it keeps me focused. Plus it helps monitor my chargeable income and balance my time.
  • Daily diary and financial record of what goes in and out of the bank. It helps me juggle my funds -self employment not always being regular income - and also lets me see what I have been doing with my time. Nice pens and journals help this stationery addict enjoy the task.
  • 30 minutes on the exercise bike with Mr Kindle to keep me distracted
  • Always do something while the kettle boils, from cleaning the counters to emptying the dishwasher
Smallsteps88 · 26/07/2020 18:43

I’m trying to work out how I could do it. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day but I’m not sure I could cope without dinner at the other end Grin

Morgana7 · 26/07/2020 18:41

I take a good quality multivitamin every day along with an iron supplement and something called Triphala (the iron constipates me but this helps a lot).
I drink 2.5 litres of water every day and it’s done wonders for my energy levels.
I’ll sometimes put my phone in another room for a few hours so I’m not always checking it every 2 seconds. This has helped a lot with getting other things done.

TheFormidableMrsC · 26/07/2020 18:40

Exercise and 3L of water a day

TheMumblesofMumbledom · 26/07/2020 18:40

@Smallsteps88 it is a bit tough at first, my stomach kept asking where breakfast was and just rumbled very loudly for the first week. But it adapted very quickly and I'm the person who has never been able to do 'diets' or calorie counting. I don't give it a second thought now and I'm ready for lunch and dinner and actually enjoy and appreciate my food far more than I ever did.

As I said, I've lost the stone of flab I gained already from lockdown in about 7 weeks so now I can concentrate on losing all the rest I need to go Grin

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 26/07/2020 18:37

I set aside an hour every day for things I've been putting off, or annoying tasks. I've got loads done and much less stress. I also take 10 minutes first thing in the morning to walk around my garden, feed the chickens and just enjoy the morning air. It really sets me up for the day.

KatherineParr4 · 26/07/2020 18:33

This is such a great thread. I never seem to keep the same good habits for long. Ideally I would like to get up and do yoga for half an hour, meditate, take lots of supplements. Dry skin brush before shower, make bed and tidy bedroom. I’d like to have all meals planned out so I am not always desperately worrying about what to have for dinner and going to the shops nearly every day.
I do walk for an hour and a half several times a week. If I miss it I feel awful.
I take vit D supplements and evening primrose oil. I also take a multivitamin and probiotic. If I don’t take them I really notice.
I used to drink loads of water but don’t drink nearly enough these days.

SauvignonBlanketyBlank · 26/07/2020 18:32

@Smallsteps88 I've been doing 16:8 for a couple of months.I have black coffee before 11am then do 11-7pm eating.Im calorie counting too.I love it actually didn't think I would.