2020 truly taught me the importance of unplugging and resetting and practicing habits that really help me feel more calm and stronger. With the constant stream of bad news we’ve all been unable to avoid and as I took time off at the end of last year, I began making some changes to help promote overall mental wellness and doing things that boosted mood and all around made me feel better. The following are the things that always make me feel better and I hope they’ll help you feel better, too!

Things I’m Doing to Feel Better This Year

Start a CBD regimen.

One of the best things I did for my mental wellness last year was taking CBD regularly. I had tried drops here and there but never saw results till I spoke with an Equilibria dosage consultant and got set up on a regimen. I learned that CBD has the most benefits when you take it regularly & there’s a steady stream of it in your blood. This is when you’ll start to realize you’re more calm, less anxious and have less feeling of being overwhelmed. Frankly if you’ve been feeling “off,” unmotivated or just not yourself – CBD can be a road to start to overcome those feelings.

I take the Equilibria Daily Softgels (Regular Strength) every single day to remain less anxious overall. They’ve helped me feel less of a sense of panic and dread with the news cycle and when I’m particularly busy- instead of feeling like I’m spinning – I am more relaxed and able to take things one thing at a time – this is major for me and my anxiety disorder. 

I also take their Daily Drops as needed on particularly stressful days or weeks. They have three strengths of the Daily Drops so you can find a dose that works best for you. And if you’ve tried CBD in the past and didn’t like their smell – I recommend the new Indulgence Collection which is treat-inspired flavored drops. The Mint Chocolate Truffle was my favorite!

And lastly I have been using the Relief Cream constantly. It does works so well for my headaches, it helps with period cramps and sore muscles from workouts – it’s a wonder cream!

I recommend starting with the Brilliance Box as it features all 3 of my favorite products- The Daily Softgels, the Daily Drops and the Relief Cream. If you subscribe you’ll get the most savings (20% off!) and you can cancel without penalty or change up the products at any time each month. I get the Mint Brilliance Box because the Mint Daily Drops are my personal fav!

But if ingestibles aren’t for you – I highly recommend their newly launched Body Box! It includes the gorgeous face + body oil, my beloved Relief Cream and the bath salts that are one of my favorite ways to wind down.

Once you order, set up a time to speak with your dosage consultant to set up your regimen. The dosage specialist is also there whenever you need to check in or make changes in your regimen. With the right regimen, you can find a new sense of balance and lessened anxiety that make it so, so worth trying.

All of last year my DMs were filled with stories from you guys about what a difference Equilibria CBD made in your life + your stress levels and I’m so glad to hear it. If you decided to place an order for the first time – use code witwhimsy for 15% off. And have any CBD questions? Leave them below and I’ll get back to you!

Set app limits on your phone.

Stop what you’re doing and do this right now. It’s *that* good of a habit. In December I finally used the iPhone Health app and Screen Time to set up my bed times and freeze 99% of my apps at my bed time. No more waking up and scrolling Instagram when I can’t sleep. No more staying up too late checking too many apps. I also set a daily limit on Instagram for myself and I began filling all my extra time not on Instagram with reading and other means of spending my time. It has truly made me so much more aware of living with a bit more intention in every single day. (Which was a big goal of mine for the year!)

Abide by the 1 minute rule.

I learned about this rule from my friend Helena and it has made a really positive impact on me day to day. The rule is that anything you can do in one minute you should do now. Right then and there. Don’t let it bother you for the rest of the day. Instead get it over and done with. I have a tendency to forget the things I am intending to do so this rule has allowed me to have a bit more smooth sailing through my day instead of having little things nagging at me.

Tidy on a Friday night.

I started doing this habit mid-last year and I have to say – it is a game changer. Since Friday night plans don’t really exist anymore I turn off my computer at the end of the work day and set a timer and tidy my place. It means I get to enjoy a cleaned up, neat home all weekend long and let me tell you – it’s a major mood booster.

Practice gratitude daily.

I’ve talked about this so much over the years but truly – and studies prove it – practicing gratitude daily has an almost instant effect on your day. You’ll feel a bit lighter, a bit more empowered and a bit more calm. I practice gratitude through a few minutes writing down in my Five Minute Journal but you can use any piece of paper or notebook. It takes a few minutes.

Do one thing every day that brings connection.

Zoom fatigue is real by now isn’t it? And it certainly doesn’t fill the void of missed in person socializing. But what I’ve learned is that every day we have time to make a personal connection so whether that’s sending a text to tell someone you love them or are thinking of them. Or recording a quick video to friends. Texting a friend you’re outside their place to wave hi – whatever it is take time every day to make connection with a friend or loved one. 

Move your body with intention every day.

Much of last year I spent thanking God for my able body. Working out is really important to my mental health yet I sometimes reach lulls where I’m not moving or working out at all and then I’m left wondering why I am feeling down. The moment I start back up with workouts – no matter how small or how intense – my mood is lifted, I have better focus for my work and I sleep better. 

With gyms largely closed and the cold days dragging on it can be hard to motivate but I’ve been working on moving with intention a bit every day. Some days that’s just a walk. Some days it’s a Melissa Wood Health workout. Some days that’s just foam rolling. Some days it’s just some sit ups. But if you move your body intentionally every day – in ways big or small – I can promise you’ll be feeling a bit better in no time.

Focus on the present.

As a tried and true planner I really struggle with this one but it is a priority for myself this year. I’m working on concerning myself with what I need to do to get through today or just this week. Not the month. Not the season. Not the year. There’s so much right now we can’t control that focusing on what we can in short periods of time leaves me feeling a bit more empowered and less anxious.

Pause your inboxes.

I’ve actually been doing this with one of my work inboxes for over a year and have now started pausing my wit & whimsy inbox on weekends, too. In an effort to do less work on weekends and truly prioritize having time spent away from doing or thinking about work – pausing my inboxes ensures I don’t see anything pop up that I feel inclined to address. I can’t emphasize enough the wonders pausing my inbox has done for my mental health and for giving myself breaks. I use the Gmail Boomerang plugin to do this.

Read calming words.

Morgan Harper Nichols was one of my favorite follows last year so I decided to download her Storyteller app and it’s been such a lovely daily practice for myself. Her words are incredibly calming and in the time I spend on the app I have found myself cherishing the time of reflection. 

So much of our days is spent reading for work and reading the news – it can feel draining. But taking time in our days to read words that uplift, inspire & provide hope – it is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves.

Get outside.

We all know that fresh air is good for us but how hard is it in the Winter, am I right? Lately I’ve been bundling up and getting outside no matter the temperature. Even if I feel so cold I come home and feel more energized and more calm and my mood is lifted. I head out and just see where my feet take me and try to spend the time either listening to an audiobook or just being present with my neighborhood to see what I discover. 

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Do you have any best practices for feeling better right now? I’d love to hear about them!

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Everlane Lounge Set (M) // Target Pajamas (M)

p.s. my goals for this year and things I’ve bought and loved recently.

This post is in collaboration with Equilibria. Thank you so much for supporting the brands I love to work with! All opinions are my own. As per FDA guidelines, Equilibria is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any ailments or disease. As always, consult with your physician before starting any new program that may interact with your current health plan.

[Pret a Provost Photography]