15 Ways To Be #inCHAARG of Your Life

With the wrapping up of the semester, thoughts of traveling + your already busy schedule — life can begin to feel a bit overwhelming + stressful. Adding in holiday plans + goals to start the new year with positive energy can easily add to the stress of these fast paced few weeks.

Even without all these end of year plans, sometimes life does get crazy — we all feel it at times. This is why we we started the CHAARG community in the first place: to create a supportive + empowering community which inspires each of us to grow into the healthiest + happiest versions of ourselves! It can be tough to focus on becoming a healthier + happier when things get busy, so we are sharing a few tips to help you be [+ stay!] #inCHAARG of your life!

#1] Get organized! You can’t be creative when your life is cluttered. Start by working on the visual clutter in your life. If your desk is mess, likely just the sight of it can increase your stress level. This is mental energy you could be spending elsewhere. For some of us, this may be very challenging [guilty as charged] — but staying more organized can do wonders for your happiness!

#2] Take more breaks. This one is super simple, but it can make a huge difference! Whether you are rocking out studying for finals, or spending the entire day crafting — get up every hour + walk around for a few minutes. Walking is one of the absolute best ways to give yourself an energy boost. Giving your body + mind the chance to frequently #reCHAARG will also help to learn the difference between wanting a break or wanting a snack. A skill that can’t be underestimated, especially during a long day in the library.

#3] Make your goals your habits! People are most likely to default to behaviors that are habits. These are the behaviors that we always do. This one will take a bit more effort to change initially, but once you master it, your good choices will be much easier to stick to! If your goal is to stop mindlessly snacking while working or watching movies with the fam — try brewing a cup of tea [have your tried Tiesta Tea yet? ; )]. Once brewing tea, instead of snacking, becomes your habit — it’ll be as simple as defaulting to what you always do — drinking tea!

#4] Stop asking yourself “What if?” What if, you stopped asking yourself “What if”, + instead started owning your choices! You are freaking amazing! Now go out there + starting owning all of your choices with the radiant confidence to inspire others to do so!

#5] Start saying thank you + meaning it. Practicing gratitude every day can make you happier by helping you to become more appreciative for what you do have. Make a list before bed of all the things you are happy or excited about. Start looking people in the eyes + telling them thank you for any + every little favor. These little changes can add up to a huge increase in your daily happiness!

#6] Create your own 1 minute rule. This one sounds weird, but it only takes one minute of your day + can make a huge difference on your mental health! I have two one minute rules I practice. The first — before deciding anything in a stressful situation, I close my eyes, stand still + take deep breaths. Sometimes I even repeat the mantra “breathe out stress, breath in life.” I cannot even begin to explain how much this has helped me everyday! The second is more of a work in progress… but any task that will take me less than a minute, I try to do right away. Hang up my jacket, put my bag away, etc. If you have a habit of *misplacing* things, this can seriously be a lifesaver.Try making your own 1 minute rule + see how much clarity you feel mentally, it’s awesome!

#7] Make a commitment to yourself every morning, then reflect on it before going to bed that night. This is a great way to start each day with positive energy + check in to see if you are setting realistic expectations of yourself. Begin each morning by saying, “Today, I am committing to my goal to:  X.” Make your goals something reasonable that you can accomplish in a day. Each time your day becomes busy//crazy//stressful — think back to your goal + allow yourself to re-commit to achieving your goal. Practicing this will carry positives vibes throughout your day! Start with a goal that will be easy for you to accomplish, like smiling more often or making sure you eat breakfast. Once you get the hang of it, start increasing the challenge of your daily goal.

#8] “I’ve learned that fear limits you + your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, + your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path, transforming fear into freedom” – Soledad O’Brien. Do not let your fears hinder you. Walk, run, crawl, fly — anything, but always move confidently in the direction of your dreams. Allow yourself to truly believe in your abilities — your feet will find the path.

#9] Try something new + enjoy being a beginner. Being new to something can be really really hard. It’s easy to become frustrated when you can’t master a challenge. But being new to something also comes with ambitious passion, the desire to learn, + an eagerness to become your best. But these energizing feelings fade as soon as you master the task. Steep yourself in the beauty of becoming + enjoy the journey!

#10] Give yourself more compliments. Highly driven people have a habit of being too hard on themselves + many of us motivated CHAARG girls find ourselves doing this. Start making an effort to appreciate yourself more! Tell yourself a compliment for every little thing you accomplish — setting a new PR in the gym, mastering cooking sweet potato hash, or even just having a great hair day. This might seem really silly, but if anything — you’ll end up laughing at yourself. ++ guess what? You just smiled [ ; )].

#11] Take a few minutes everyday to be present. Put down your phone, close your computer, stop thinking about your to-do list + be present. Feeling more connected to your outside environment will make you feel like you are a part of something much larger than yourself. This will minimize stress, help you to develop appreciation for everything in your life, + help you to learn that you are right where you are supposed to be in your journey!

#12] Talk to yourself in a positive tone of voice. Giving positivity during the holiday season + beyond should extend to others as well as yourself! Before saying something negative to yourself, think about what you would tell a friend if they came to you with similar feelings. Chances are you would speak to them with compassion. Start listening to your own thoughts. What’s the first thing you say to yourself in the morning? What do you hear yourself saying throughout the day? Tune into what you say to yourself when you’re stressed. Are you noticing a pattern? This is much like listening to your body to tell if you are hungry or if you are just bored. This will take practice, but all around fitness means achieving a fit body + a fit mind! Start asking yourself, “Am I radiating that same love back to myself?”

#13] Chose your hard. Ahh, I *love//hate* this phrase, but it’s so true to all of us. Taking the steps to accomplish your goals is hard. Going to the gym in the winter is hard [I am a horrible cold baby]. Avoiding eating too many treats during a party is hard. Staying motivated every day is hard. But you know what else is hard? Being unhappy. Being frustrated for not accomplishing your goals. Break your goals down until you can say with confidence, “Of course I can do that! That’s easy!” Begin appreciating all the small strides you make towards your goals + things will get easier! The best part? Once you achieve your goal, you will feel so much more fulfilled for all the amazing accomplishments it took to get you there!!

#14] Stop waiting for the perfect timing in your life! There is no such thing as perfect + there is certainly no such thing as perfect timing. If you want to start running more — lace up + get out there. If you want to stop eating junk food, clear out your cabinets + start. If you want to start incorporating more me-time into your life, do it! Waiting around to start your goals during the perfect day of the week, perfect month, or perfect semester causes the passion behind your intentions to fade. Commit to making a change + start now. Any small forward step is a step in the right direction!

#15] Always invest yourself. Don’t devote your actions to trying to please others. Start doing things that you love + make you feel good! Your life is about you + working towards becoming the best version of yourself! The more you honor your own needs + desires, the more love + energy you will have to support others!

+Teresa [@tasandoval], OSU CHAARG