 Heading off to university this September? Now is the perfect time to start planning. With your exams out of the way and a few months of free time before you head off, you have the opportunity to get organised and plan. Here are some ideas for going about it.Learn to cook Moving away from home for the first time means you need to be able to feed yourself. If you’ve always had the luxury of your parents putting dinner on the table every day then you might not have ever needed to learn- but that needs to start now. You need to be able to prepare nutritionally balanced and tasty meals on a tight budget, so start practicing recipes. Pasta and rice dishes are great as you can buy big bags of the dried grains and keep them in the cupboard. They’re things you can make in bulk and eat throughout the week, and it’s easy to adapt them depending on what ingredients you have in your freezer or whats on sale. Pasta with tuna, sweetcorn and light mayo for example is pretty well balanced, serve with a salad and it makes a hearty lunch or dinner. But it’s just as good mixed with a tin of tomatoes, some chopped chorizo and some basic herbs and spices. Have some idea of the basics and the things you plan on making to eat when you move away. Practice household tasks It sounds simple, but so many young adults move away from home for the first time with no real understanding of how to look after themselves. Ensure you know how to work a washing machine, including how to wash different clothing items and what the different settings on machines are. Ensure you can iron your clothes properly, and how to keep your surroundings clean with different products. Again, if you’ve had the luxury of parents doing things for you then it might be things you’ve never had to do for yourself. Save some money Depending on where you live and your parents financial situation, you might get access to grants which can cover the cost of living while you’re away at university. However, it’s not all that much and so knowing how to budget is crucial. Even if your parents have looked into college planning and are paying for you or you plan on working part time, it’s worth having some money put away before you go. A buffer to fall back onto can give you real peace of mind if you need access to cash. It can help the money you receive to stretch a little further too. Get a part time job in the months leading up to leaving for uni and keep it in a savings account. Write a list of things you’ll need Finally, organisation is key. When you move away to uni, there are a lot of things you’ll need to bring with you. You’ll be living here for a large part of the year! Write a list of everything you are going to need from kitchen equipment to bedding to clothes and start getting things bit by bit. The last thing you want to do is turn up and realise you’re missing a load of essentials.
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When a person feels depressed, there is a tendency to go over the same negative thoughts over and over again without resolution. Continually revisiting these thoughts doesn’t just fail to solve the problem, but it can also create anxiety. For instance, a person can self-attack by believing that they are “worthless” and then this, in turn, can create new feelings of anxiety which make the problem of tackling rumination worse. Rumination is fundamentally a negative neural network. The brain is stuck in a rut: a pattern of activity which creates negative thought processes and drains a person of energy. In this article, we’re going to take a look at how to tackle rumination. Take a look at some of these ideas to fight it.Switch To A Positive Neural Network  The problem with rumination is that the brain is going through a learned process. Each time it retraces its steps, the path becomes more well-worn, and you find it easier to slip back into old thinking habits. The key is to think positive thoughts by switching over to a different neural network - one that focuses on solving problems and coming up with solutions. It’s worth pointing out that being positive isn’t just about avoiding problems or going somewhere nostalgic in your mind, like a childhood memory. Instead, it’s about focusing on solutions and achieving a positive frame of mind. Use Music To Change Your Frame Of Mind People often find that music is a helpful tool for putting them in a better frame of mind. Music has an uncanny ability to transport you to a different place and time, often to before your problems emerge. For instance, many people have positive experiences of college and university before the challenges of adult life really ramp up. For many people, it can be helpful to listen to the same music that they were listening to while in education to remind them of the good times that they had. Just reliving those events can often change a person’s mood for the better, providing a platform to get on with solutions. Relive Bodily Sensations For many people, anxiety isn’t just a mental experience, but something that they feel in their body. And so too is the absence of anxious feelings. Often, therefore, it’s helpful to take yourself back to how your body felt before you began ruminating. Just imagining the feeling can often have profound effects in the here and now, changing how you think in the present moment. Talk About When Things Turned Out Well  Finally, rumination is usually a response to the times in your life when you feel like there’s a problem that you can’t solve or that won’t go away without serious pain. Many people dogged by negative thoughts find it helpful to talk to family and friends about their experiences and discuss the times in their lives when things have turned out okay in the end. Usually, what you’ll find is that most things do turn out okay, and even those that don’t are survivable.
As your brood get older and like flexing their independence muscles, it can be hard to let go of the quality family time that you have built up over the years. Family meals may be drifting further and further apart as your kids develop busier social calendars than you. You don’t have to succumb to the possibility that your quality family moments are gone forever. You just might need to plan them a little more. While they might not be as plentiful, the memories that you create as a family can still be magical. Take a look at these three simple ways to enhance your family’s moments together. Go Away Together There’s nothing better than venturing off on a trip. This could be a simple road trip to visit relatives or it might be a more extended vacation to experience new things together. If you aren’t sure how best to cater for everyone’s wants and needs on a holiday, why not consider heading off on a vacation that will see every family member becoming nostalgic and reclaiming their youth. Keep your eyes peeled for discount Disneyland tickets and think about spending some time with Mickey and Pluto. The youngest kids will adore the fun filled trip, and their older siblings will enjoy reminiscing about their favorite Disney characters. Seeing your kids with their heads out of their tablet screens will remind you just how innocent and childlike they really are. Banish The Screens It’s a great idea to have an amnesty on screens within the home for a week. Don’t demand that your kids abide by the rule of no tablets, laptops or smartphones, only for them to see you sneakily scrolling through your Facebook feed. You need to be in this together so announce it over dinner and say that every person in the household will be sticking to it, just for a week. This will be tough for your little cherubs to begin with, but as the days go on, they will see the power of conversation. You need to ensure that you have activities planned for them otherwise they will get bored and yearn for their tablet. Bake, go shopping, head to the park, go to a funfair and check out the movies together as a family. With any luck, when the amnesty comes to an end, your brood will be more willing to put the laptop down to spend time together as a family without screens.  Get Outdoors Being outside is the best way to spend quality family time together. While it may need more pre-planning, you can head to the park for a picnic at the weekend, invite extended family over for a barbecue, or head to the beach for a fun day out if you live near one. Don’t expect your kids to say no in favor of their social media feeds. You’ll be surprised at how much your kids want to spend time with you. Make it a regular event and set aside one weekend a month for quality family time. Being together as a family gets tougher as your little darlings get older. However, follow this guide, and you can enhance the memory making times you spend together.
There are times in your life that you need a little bit more support, a little more understanding, patience and a little more help to get you through. Far from making you weak, this acceptance that you need to reach out makes you stronger as you tackle head-on the issues that you are facing. With the current drive to make mental health issues a priority and the public encouragement from celebrities and sports stars alike to talk about these issues, there’s never been a better time to get the help you need in your life. If you’ve been suffering in silence, trying to deal with the issues yourself and putting a brave face on things, then it’s time to speak out. In this short guide we take a look at some of the help out there for you to access and what you might expect CBT This is cognitive behavioural therapy, which you should be able to access through your doctor or through a specialist in this field. It works to address the negative thoughts and behaviours that you are experiencing which may be leading to destructive behaviour in your life, such as excessive alcohol or drug consumption. It will help you to tackle the negative thoughts that anxiety, stress and depression can trigger. What it won’t do is delve too deeply into what has caused those issues, that might be something a counsellor will be able to go through with you and we’ll discuss a little later. Your therapist will help you to understand the triggers for the negative patterns of thinking and behaving and work with you to send these patterns in a different direction. You will learn how to respond differently when these thoughts arise and hopefully learn to take a step back, teaching your brain and your body to respond with more healthy actions and thoughts. These sessions can feel intense but show good results if you’re committed to following them through and practising what you learn in therapy. Counseling Another talking therapy but one that helps you to explore your past and try and work out why you have got to the point you have. You will be given talking prompts from your counsellor and explore your early years as well as the key relationships in your life. This therapy can feel intrusive and uncomfortable but can also help you better understand yourself and your situation. With any therapy you’ll need to set clear objectives with your therapist and feel free to ask any questions about your treatment, such as what is neurofeedback, particularly if you’re not clear how the process works. Your health, both mental and physical, is paramount so don’t put off feeling better any longer. There might not be any quick fixes but taking that first step and getting back on to the path for wellness is a brave and necessary step. Find a therapist that will suit your needs and take that first step today for a happier and calmer future.
No matter what your age or your circumstances in life, it is so important to take care of yourself and your health. We all know that taking care of our health is important and know the role that eating well and exercise can play on our physical health. But we often don’t remember just how important taking care of our mental health is too. When you’re able to take care of yourself in all aspects, then it can be a really important as it can help you to live your life in the best way. If you have been neglecting your mental health, then here are some practical ways to look after your mental health and improve things. Making simple changes to how you live and do things, doesn’t have to take up a lot of time or cost you a lot of money either. So anyone in any way of life can follow these steps to make improvements. So here are some things that you can start doing today. Talk Talking about your feelings is one of the best things that you can do. And it is so important to remember that talking about how you feel is not a sign of weakness. It is part of taking charge of your feelings and well being, and helps you to stay healthy, rather than bottling things up. Talking can be a really good way to cope with problems that you’ve had, whether recently or that you’ve been carrying around for a while. It could be a family member, a friend, or a mental health practitioner like those at somewhere like Meridian Partners. Saying how you feel and having someone simply do the step of listening to you can help you to feel supported and that you’re not alone. Move More Exercising doesn’t mean just going to the gym and running on a treadmill for an hour, as that is definitely not a lot of people’s first choice of fun. It doesn’t have to even mean sports either. Exercise can mean walking outdoors, doing housework, and generally having a more active life, rather than just sitting on the sofa when you have spare time. We are told that around thirty minutes of exercise per day is ideal, but the key to being able to do that is to find the things that you really enjoy. When you enjoy it, you will stick at it. When you try to make physical activity part of your day in whatever form that takes, you’ll get into the habit of it. Keep in Touch Having strong family ties and friends that are supportive can be something that can really help you deal with the pressures and stress of everyday life. You can feel cared for when people take the time out to include you or get in touch, and that can be something that you can do for other people as well. Being able to catch up with friends, whether face-to-face or not, can be great. Chat online, call them or meet up. Talking is good for you!
 Relationships are one of the most critical aspects of health and wellbeing. Without these strong connections, you may feel isolated and vulnerable especially in low times. In the age of social media, it can also feel more challenging to have positive interactions with real people, as everything seems to take place over an Internet connection. However, looking at the importance of relationships and how they affect you will help to improve your wellbeing in the long-term. Check out some of the reasons that forging strong and meaningful relationships will help make you happier and healthier.Builds your confidence levels When the right people surround you, it can make you feel better about yourself and your abilities. This in turn also boosts confidence levels, as you have a support network around you to deal with harder issues and life goals. Having a strong connection with people will also help you see and act on the negative aspects of your life such as getting out of a toxic relationship. Friends and family are often a great way to help you come to terms with a breakdown with a partner, and give you the confidence to seek advice on divorce and arranging spousal support agreements to ensure you get the best outcome from a bad experience. Helps you set boundaries Boundaries are critical in every relationship. However, there will be different levels depending on the person. This is often based on trust and how far you let people into your life. Some people may be kept at arm’s length while others may know your deepest darkest secrets, but its good to know your personal boundaries with each. This helps to protect your feelings and determine the level of trust you can give people depending on the circumstances. It’s not a bad thing to keep some things guarded, as there can be times people manipulate situations. It can be a tricky lesson to learn, but trust your gut as most of the time its right! Increases happiness Healthy relationships are known to improve happiness and general wellbeing. It’s no surprise that when you’re around people that make you happy, you smile and laugh more. This happiness releases chemicals into the brain that give us those feel-good vibes and help you to feel more relaxed. Improves overall outlook Negativity spreads like wildfire, and often it not only affects you but others around you. When you have positive relationships with others, you are often more motivated and positive in your own outlook. Much like the latter, positivity is contagious and not only helps to bring up your mood but also improve the mood of others. Happy people are more productive and determined to take life by the horns. So surround yourself with a strong and supportive network, and you’ll reap the benefits tenfold.Building good relationships can take time especially if you’ve had a few bumps in the road. But by creating these connections, it will help you grow stronger and happier in the long-term.
 Being diagnosed with asthma can be a worrying time for most people. Even though it isn’t always a life-threatening condition, there are still some lifestyle changes that you will need to make in order to continue living as healthily as possible. By managing the condition correctly, you will be able to lead a normal life and will be able to carry on with the majority of your hobbies and pastimes. So, if you are living with asthma, be sure to follow these dos and don’ts.Do Speak To Your Doctor About Treatment When you are diagnosed with asthma, your doctor will give you an inhaler to use. He might also give you some tablets or another form of medication. If he doesn’t, you might want to ask if there is anything else that he can give you or anything that you can buy over the counter. Quite a few doctors are now starting to recommend prednisone treatment alongside the use of an inhaler, so it’s worth asking about those tablets. Thankfully, these can be bought online without a prescription so you won’t need to keep going back to your doctor for them. Don’t Get Cold Getting cold can trigger the symptoms of asthma, so you need to try and always stay warm. First of all, if you do need to go out in cold weather then make sure that you take your inhaler with you. You should also wrap up well and wear a hat, scarf, and gloves. You might even want to wrap the scarf around your mouth and nose as this will warm the air as you breathe it in. Do Keep Your Inhaler With You At All Times As an asthma sufferer, you need to always keep your inhaler with at all times. This is especially the case if you are going to be in a situation which might make your asthma worse, such as doing some sport or going out in the cold. You will then always be able to take action and use your inhaler should you ever from any bad symptoms. Don’t Forget Your Vaccines It is also essential that asthma sufferers get annual vaccines that can help them stay fit and healthy. For instance, you will be at a higher risk of catching the flu, so you should always get your flu shot every year. If you do end up with the flu, then you will find that your asthma symptoms worsen and you will be very ill indeed. So, be sure to get your annual shot, a long with any other that your doctor thinks is necessary, to stay as healthy as possible. Do Avoid Potential Triggers Everyone has different triggers that can trigger their asthma. These might be dust, cold air, and pets. It’s important that you figure out what yours are so that you can stay well away from any possible triggers. Hopefully, all of these dos and don’t help you manage your asthma a lot better in the future!
So here are some of the harsh realities of life and |
 | By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors |
| When you’re going through your teenage years, is can be tough. We all know that. It’s not always an easy ride growing up. As a teenager, you’re going from childhood to adulthood. In the process, there’s a lot of changes that take place. It can be a stressful and confusing time for anyone to go through. However, even with that in mind, it doesn’t have to be the worst time in your life. Sure, we all go through things in our teenage years, but it doesn’t have to be an entirely tragic period in your life. Instead, it can be a learning period, a time for you to have fun and enjoy your innocence and really start to work out where you want to go in life. And while this s a time for learning, and for you to make the odd mistake, it’s also nice to grow up and really blossom into adulthood. | These days, we here all about the glow up. About being able to transform into a woman, to blossom and bloom, and to feel as if you’re really grown into your skin. And while this isn’t all about looks, it’s nice to be able to grow as a person. Because that’s what a glow up is all about – it’s not just skin deep. |
So let’s take a look at how you can excel in school, decide where you’re going in life, look after yourself, and really start to feel incredible in your own skin.
1. Build Your Confidence
To start with, you need to work on your confidence. This won’t be easy, but you have to stop worrying. Don’t care about what people think of you. Don’t feel like you have to look or dress or be a certain way. When you’re happier in yourself, you’ll be more confident.
2. Stop Comparing Yourself
To help you to do that, the next thing that you’re going to need to do, is stop comparing yourself to others. In this age of social media, it’s so easy to look at the lives of others and compare yourself. But it doesn’t do you any good. Instead, you really do need to focus on yourself. Remember that everything you see on social media is just what people want you to see, not reality.
3. Focus On Yourself
Next up, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re focus on yourself. What makes you happy? How do you want to spend your time? Do you have the best friends? Focusing on yourself and your own life, not the lives of others, will always be the best for you.
4. Invest In Your Interests
Another thing that’s going to help you to grow into yourself as much as possible, is for you to invest more in your interests. If you’re going to enjoy your teenage years and make the most of school, as well as prepare for the future, you need to have interests. This is where your extracurriculars come in. Just make sure that you’re choosing things you know that you’re passionate about, and that can add to your life.
5. Get Excited About The Future
It’s also a great idea for you to get excited about the future. Don’t worry so much about what you should do with your life, but think about your own skills and passions, and start to get practical about college or what you might want to do for your career.
6. Look After Your Body
But you then also need to start thinking about the things you can do to take better care of yourself. Because you’re not just going to feel your best if you’re not looking after yourself. Exercising, drinking water, sleeping well – all of it will help you to feel your best as you’re growing!
7. Nourish Yourself
Now when you think about a glow up, you’ll find that you are going to need to take as much care of yourself as you can. In order to allow your body to glow, you need to eat the right things. Constantly indulging in junk will only ever make you feel like junk. But making sure you eat foods to get gorgeous skin, and focus on whole grains, lean proteins, and lots of veggies will help you to glow up.
8. Take Care Of Your Mind
The next thing that you’re going to want to do here is make sure that you’re looking after your mental health too. And this can be a really sensitive topic for some people – because there’s a lot of emotions that you go through in your teens. But you have to make sure that you are really pushing to work on your mental health and find your own happiness. Treatment is important here. Whether it’s talking to someone, looking into a specific TMS treatment for OCD, or more alternative remedies, you need to make changes. It’s important for you to make this a priority.
9. Let Go Of Pressure
Now, when you’re a teen you are going to feel some kind of pressure. Maybe it’s from other kids in school, or your parents. But, you really need to just let that you. You are you. This is your life. You are free to live it your way, and to do what you feel is best for yourself and your future. And you’re only young once, so don’t spend your teens stressed out and trying to please everyone else. Stay true to yourself and enjoy your teenage years – you don’t want to grow up too fast!
10. Have Fun
And above all else, remember to have fun. Because these years really are going to fly by. At this point in your life, you have no responsibilities and nothing to tie you down. So just enjoy it while you can. Make memories, say yes more, do what you need to do to live your life and just have a ball. You have plenty of years ahead of you to get into a serious relationship, or work a million hours, or buy expensive things. For now, just live in the moment and have a blast. Because that is how you’ll have the best glow up of all!
To start with, you need to work on your confidence. This won’t be easy, but you have to stop worrying. Don’t care about what people think of you. Don’t feel like you have to look or dress or be a certain way. When you’re happier in yourself, you’ll be more confident.
2. Stop Comparing Yourself
To help you to do that, the next thing that you’re going to need to do, is stop comparing yourself to others. In this age of social media, it’s so easy to look at the lives of others and compare yourself. But it doesn’t do you any good. Instead, you really do need to focus on yourself. Remember that everything you see on social media is just what people want you to see, not reality.
3. Focus On Yourself
Next up, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re focus on yourself. What makes you happy? How do you want to spend your time? Do you have the best friends? Focusing on yourself and your own life, not the lives of others, will always be the best for you.
4. Invest In Your Interests
Another thing that’s going to help you to grow into yourself as much as possible, is for you to invest more in your interests. If you’re going to enjoy your teenage years and make the most of school, as well as prepare for the future, you need to have interests. This is where your extracurriculars come in. Just make sure that you’re choosing things you know that you’re passionate about, and that can add to your life.
5. Get Excited About The Future
It’s also a great idea for you to get excited about the future. Don’t worry so much about what you should do with your life, but think about your own skills and passions, and start to get practical about college or what you might want to do for your career.
6. Look After Your Body
But you then also need to start thinking about the things you can do to take better care of yourself. Because you’re not just going to feel your best if you’re not looking after yourself. Exercising, drinking water, sleeping well – all of it will help you to feel your best as you’re growing!
7. Nourish Yourself
Now when you think about a glow up, you’ll find that you are going to need to take as much care of yourself as you can. In order to allow your body to glow, you need to eat the right things. Constantly indulging in junk will only ever make you feel like junk. But making sure you eat foods to get gorgeous skin, and focus on whole grains, lean proteins, and lots of veggies will help you to glow up.
8. Take Care Of Your Mind
The next thing that you’re going to want to do here is make sure that you’re looking after your mental health too. And this can be a really sensitive topic for some people – because there’s a lot of emotions that you go through in your teens. But you have to make sure that you are really pushing to work on your mental health and find your own happiness. Treatment is important here. Whether it’s talking to someone, looking into a specific TMS treatment for OCD, or more alternative remedies, you need to make changes. It’s important for you to make this a priority.
9. Let Go Of Pressure
Now, when you’re a teen you are going to feel some kind of pressure. Maybe it’s from other kids in school, or your parents. But, you really need to just let that you. You are you. This is your life. You are free to live it your way, and to do what you feel is best for yourself and your future. And you’re only young once, so don’t spend your teens stressed out and trying to please everyone else. Stay true to yourself and enjoy your teenage years – you don’t want to grow up too fast!
10. Have Fun
And above all else, remember to have fun. Because these years really are going to fly by. At this point in your life, you have no responsibilities and nothing to tie you down. So just enjoy it while you can. Make memories, say yes more, do what you need to do to live your life and just have a ball. You have plenty of years ahead of you to get into a serious relationship, or work a million hours, or buy expensive things. For now, just live in the moment and have a blast. Because that is how you’ll have the best glow up of all!
 | By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors |
Breaking a bad habit is never easy. No matter what your habit is,
here are some ways in which you can help overcome it.
here are some ways in which you can help overcome it.
Understand why your habit is bad
For a habit to be considered bad, it has to have some kind of negative consequence. In the case of picking one’s nose in public, it could simply damage your public image by making people assume you’re less civilised. In the case of bad habit like smoking, the negative consequences may be more serious – it could be seriously damaging your health, costing you a lot of money and affecting relationships. Remind yourself of these negatives constantly and you’ll be more motivated to quit.
Create physical barriers
Setting up physical barriers can prevent you from giving into your bad habit. This could include not keeping snacks in the house to prevent you from snacking or keeping your bank card at home when going on a night out to prevent you overspending. You could even get other people to create barriers such as having a relative lock the wi-fi with a password during certain hours to prevent you checking Facebook. As for subconscious habits such as biting one’s nails, you could try wearing gloves at times when you’re most likely to start biting them.
Replace your bad habit with a healthier habit
Giving up a bad habit often leaves a void. Filling this void with a healthier habit can make giving up your bad habit feel like less of a loss. Common examples include vaping instead of smoking, drinking no-alcohol substitute drinks instead of alcohol, drinking decaf coffee instead caffeinated coffee or using words like ‘fiddlesticks’ or ‘sugar’ instead of swearing. This strategy doesn’t work for everyone and some people may feel that they’re teasing themselves by substituting something similar.
Set goals and rewards
Goals and rewards will keep you spurred on. You could use a calendar or an app to record your progress – by seeing how long you’ve gone without giving in to your habit, you’re more likely to stay motivated as you count up the days. You can then treat yourself every time you meet a goal. When it comes to bad habits like drinking, staying sober can be hard and you may have some relapses. The key is not to let these relapses take you back to where you were – simply continue give up the habit as you were before you relapsed. You may be able to punish yourself with less serious bad habits, such as having a swear jar to prevent you swearing.
Let other people help
Having support of other people will keep you motivated. With more serious bad habits, you may decide you want to get professional help. There are lots of forums out there where you may also be able to meet other people who have also given up.
For a habit to be considered bad, it has to have some kind of negative consequence. In the case of picking one’s nose in public, it could simply damage your public image by making people assume you’re less civilised. In the case of bad habit like smoking, the negative consequences may be more serious – it could be seriously damaging your health, costing you a lot of money and affecting relationships. Remind yourself of these negatives constantly and you’ll be more motivated to quit.
Create physical barriers
Setting up physical barriers can prevent you from giving into your bad habit. This could include not keeping snacks in the house to prevent you from snacking or keeping your bank card at home when going on a night out to prevent you overspending. You could even get other people to create barriers such as having a relative lock the wi-fi with a password during certain hours to prevent you checking Facebook. As for subconscious habits such as biting one’s nails, you could try wearing gloves at times when you’re most likely to start biting them.
Replace your bad habit with a healthier habit
Giving up a bad habit often leaves a void. Filling this void with a healthier habit can make giving up your bad habit feel like less of a loss. Common examples include vaping instead of smoking, drinking no-alcohol substitute drinks instead of alcohol, drinking decaf coffee instead caffeinated coffee or using words like ‘fiddlesticks’ or ‘sugar’ instead of swearing. This strategy doesn’t work for everyone and some people may feel that they’re teasing themselves by substituting something similar.
Set goals and rewards
Goals and rewards will keep you spurred on. You could use a calendar or an app to record your progress – by seeing how long you’ve gone without giving in to your habit, you’re more likely to stay motivated as you count up the days. You can then treat yourself every time you meet a goal. When it comes to bad habits like drinking, staying sober can be hard and you may have some relapses. The key is not to let these relapses take you back to where you were – simply continue give up the habit as you were before you relapsed. You may be able to punish yourself with less serious bad habits, such as having a swear jar to prevent you swearing.
Let other people help
Having support of other people will keep you motivated. With more serious bad habits, you may decide you want to get professional help. There are lots of forums out there where you may also be able to meet other people who have also given up.
 | By Iconic Chica Contributors |
Health and social media might not be things that you immediately put together, but they actually go hand in hand these days. Some people are inspired to take care of their health better because of social media, while others may begin neglecting their health because of it.
Here, you’ll find 7 questions you should ask yourself to make sure you’re using social media in a way that’s best for your health, as well as some quick tips. Take a look!
1. Are You Following Accounts That Make You Feel Positive and Confident?
Take a look at the accounts you follow. How many of them make you feel positive, confident, and like you’re great as you are? There’s nothing wrong with going to the gym and eating nutrient dense food, of course not, but if you feel under pressure to behave or eat a certain way because of accounts you’re following, you should probably unfollow.
There are all kinds of accounts on social media. Some following various diets and ways of eating and encouraging others to do the same, and others that encourage self love before worrying about anything else. It would be a good idea to focus on the latter so that you don’t find yourself constantly comparing yourself to other Instagrammers.
It all boils down to whether you feel positive or negative when looking at a page. If you feel bad, unfollow.
2. Are You Taking Care Of Both Your Physical And Mental Health?
Taking care of both your physical and mental health is a must, so make sure you’re following pages that offer advice on both. Follow healthy health and fitness pages, and follow mental health pages. Don’t neglect one or the other.
It’s also important to note that when not used correctly, social media can have a negative impact on mental health. If you feel this is happening to you, it could be a good idea to take a break.
3. Are You Working Out For The Right Reasons?
Working out is a great way to let off steam, improve your mental health, take care of your physical health - it has amazing benefits and should be incorporated into every routine in one way or another, whether it’s swimming, walking, or weight lifting. However, you should be working out for the right reasons. If you’re working out because you see Instagram models doing it, but you don’t enjoy it, you should rethink.
If you’re not doing something for you and you alone, then it won’t last. Doing it for positive reasons, such as wanting to take care of your body, rather than because you don’t like what you see in the mirror is a must, too.
Take a look at the accounts you follow. How many of them make you feel positive, confident, and like you’re great as you are? There’s nothing wrong with going to the gym and eating nutrient dense food, of course not, but if you feel under pressure to behave or eat a certain way because of accounts you’re following, you should probably unfollow.
There are all kinds of accounts on social media. Some following various diets and ways of eating and encouraging others to do the same, and others that encourage self love before worrying about anything else. It would be a good idea to focus on the latter so that you don’t find yourself constantly comparing yourself to other Instagrammers.
It all boils down to whether you feel positive or negative when looking at a page. If you feel bad, unfollow.
2. Are You Taking Care Of Both Your Physical And Mental Health?
Taking care of both your physical and mental health is a must, so make sure you’re following pages that offer advice on both. Follow healthy health and fitness pages, and follow mental health pages. Don’t neglect one or the other.
It’s also important to note that when not used correctly, social media can have a negative impact on mental health. If you feel this is happening to you, it could be a good idea to take a break.
3. Are You Working Out For The Right Reasons?
Working out is a great way to let off steam, improve your mental health, take care of your physical health - it has amazing benefits and should be incorporated into every routine in one way or another, whether it’s swimming, walking, or weight lifting. However, you should be working out for the right reasons. If you’re working out because you see Instagram models doing it, but you don’t enjoy it, you should rethink.
If you’re not doing something for you and you alone, then it won’t last. Doing it for positive reasons, such as wanting to take care of your body, rather than because you don’t like what you see in the mirror is a must, too.
4. Would You Feel Better If You Spent Less Time Using Social Media?
Think of how much time you spend scrolling on social media. We all probably spend more time than we should on there, but if we can stay a little mindful, we can spend our time in more useful ways. Time spent on social media could be spent meditating, working out, reading, writing, painting, and doing other cool things. Your phone can actually give you notifications on how you use it now, telling you how long you spend on certain apps. Pay attention to this and see if you can cut back.
5. Are You Using Your Own Social Channels For Good?
How are you using your own social channels? Be mindful of who might be reading your posts. If you post a picture of yourself looking beautiful and call yourself chubby, others could be looking at this and comparing themselves to you. The way you talk about yourself can have a big impact on others; you definitely don’t just need to be talking about them.
6. Are You Being Drawn Into Fads And Things That Don’t Really Work?
Social media is a minefield for getting drawn into fads and things that don’t really work. Waist trainers, detox tea, appetite suppressant lollipops - the lot! If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. It doesn’t matter who is plugging it, even if it’s your favourite reality TV star. They’ve been paid a lot of money to promote it, and to be honest, they really don’t care whether they work or not. Many of these products can even be damaging. The only things you can really rely on if you want to getting fitter and healthier is nutrient dense food and a great pair of runners shoes.
7. Do You Believe Every Celebrity You Follow When They Plug Something New?
Following on from the last point - it doesn’t matter whether it’s a character from Geordie Shore or a Kardashian; detox teas and anything else they might be trying to sell you do not work. The marketing teams behind these companies understand that there is money to be made from impressionable young girls who use the platform and follow/admire these celebrities. Question everything you see, do a ton of research, and make your health your number one priority!
Think of how much time you spend scrolling on social media. We all probably spend more time than we should on there, but if we can stay a little mindful, we can spend our time in more useful ways. Time spent on social media could be spent meditating, working out, reading, writing, painting, and doing other cool things. Your phone can actually give you notifications on how you use it now, telling you how long you spend on certain apps. Pay attention to this and see if you can cut back.
5. Are You Using Your Own Social Channels For Good?
How are you using your own social channels? Be mindful of who might be reading your posts. If you post a picture of yourself looking beautiful and call yourself chubby, others could be looking at this and comparing themselves to you. The way you talk about yourself can have a big impact on others; you definitely don’t just need to be talking about them.
6. Are You Being Drawn Into Fads And Things That Don’t Really Work?
Social media is a minefield for getting drawn into fads and things that don’t really work. Waist trainers, detox tea, appetite suppressant lollipops - the lot! If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. It doesn’t matter who is plugging it, even if it’s your favourite reality TV star. They’ve been paid a lot of money to promote it, and to be honest, they really don’t care whether they work or not. Many of these products can even be damaging. The only things you can really rely on if you want to getting fitter and healthier is nutrient dense food and a great pair of runners shoes.
7. Do You Believe Every Celebrity You Follow When They Plug Something New?
Following on from the last point - it doesn’t matter whether it’s a character from Geordie Shore or a Kardashian; detox teas and anything else they might be trying to sell you do not work. The marketing teams behind these companies understand that there is money to be made from impressionable young girls who use the platform and follow/admire these celebrities. Question everything you see, do a ton of research, and make your health your number one priority!
Quick Tips For Making Social Media Work For Your Health
Hopefully you’ve found a few things to think about using the above questions. Below are some quick tips to make social media work for your health:
Social media is an important part of life these days, and there are lots of benefits to using it. Whenever it feels less than positive to you, take a break. Thanks for reading!
Hopefully you’ve found a few things to think about using the above questions. Below are some quick tips to make social media work for your health:
- Regularly unfollow people, especially if they make you feel bad about yourself or you know they have questionable morals.
- Follow more pages based around mental health, self love, and acceptance of the self.
- Limit yourself to the amount of social media you use every day. Be vigilant and stick to it and you should feel better.
- When scrolling, ask yourself what you’re looking for. Hopefully, it should wake you up enough to help you stop.
- Never compare yourself. People only post their highlights.
- Think before you post and ensure you’re spreading positivity.
Social media is an important part of life these days, and there are lots of benefits to using it. Whenever it feels less than positive to you, take a break. Thanks for reading!
 | by Iconic Chica Contributors |
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