The new year is fast approaching and more and more of us are taking the time to think up some new year’s resolutions. Now, the goal of a new year’s resolution is to make a change in your life that will make your life better in some way. A huge number of people choose health related goals, such as exercising more or eating a healthier diet. Some will quit bad habits, such as quitting smoking, drinking or spending less time on social media. Some people will set themselves goals, such as learning a new language or picking up new hobbies.

A Different Approach

Of course, there are countless different resolutions that you can set yourself, but why not make yours something to do with your home? By choosing to improve your living space, you can enhance your overall quality of life! Here are some suggestions to help you along the way!

Moving Home

Moving home can be an exciting journey. But it is one that you need to plan for thoroughly. It can be a long process with countless factors involved – especially if you own your home and need to sell it, as opposed to simply ending the lease on a rented tenancy. When you move home, there are plenty of things to consider.

You may want to think about location and area. Perhaps you want somewhere nice, safe and with plenty of amenities around, such as this site. You should consider safety – is the property in a safe area with low crime rates? Do you need to be located near good schools for your little ones? Are there specific transport options or routes that you need to be close to? Think about everything you want from a property before you start browsing local estate agents’ offerings.

Renovations

Of course, you don’t have to completely move home to experience a major change in your living space. If you’re reluctant to move – perhaps you love the property you’re already in and simply want to tweak it a little – you may want to consider renovations. Renovations involve undertaking architectural and building work to change the structure or design of your property in a significant way. Some popular options when it comes to renovations include creating extra living space through extensions, loft conversions, basement conversions or garage conversions. Some people choose to have an en suite fitted in an existing room. Others will want skylights or extra windows fitted for more natural light in their living space. The list of potential renovations goes on and you could really make your home better suit your needs and preferences. Of course, there are a few steps to take before getting started. Before renovating, you should set yourself a budget, gain planning permission and source reliable contractors with good reviews and an impressive portfolio to complete the work.

These are just a couple of options, but they should help to get the ball rolling when it comes to securing a new home in the new year! Hopefully, some of the information above will help you on your journey!

If you want to take measures to ensure your happiness, then you need to look at ways to enhance your levels of well-being. Well-being is all about your quality of life, your wellness, and the things that have value in your life. So, when you are looking at ways to increase your sense of well-being you need to take a holistic approach and think about everything in your life. To give you a few ideas, here are some things you can do to take care of your overall sense of well-being.

Minimalism

Minimalism is a way of life that allows you to find more freedom. It helps you reduce your attachment to things by helping you get rid of anything that no longer holds value. That can be in terms of physical items, such as helping you get rid of all that clutter in your home. It can also mean relationships with people who no longer bring you up, so any toxic friends or a partner that is no longer right for you. It can also mean other things like helping you move jobs, or stopping any unhealthy habits, etc. Minimalism is about freeing you up and finding more air to breathe in to be you. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help you move forward in your life rather than stagnating. 

Your Health 

Your well-being is very much linked to your health. So, if you are not taking proper care of yourself, then you can be sure that your well-being is not as high as it can be. So, what can you do to improve your health? Your diet is prime. Do you eat a lot of unhealthy foods? If so, start in the supermarket and buy more fruits and vegetables. Ensure you drink more water too. Water has a huge effect on your health and can help prevent many illnesses, maybe even stopping you from needing urgent care. However, you should never be in denial. If you are experiencing issues, you need to see a doctor straight away. Exercise is another key way to protect your health. Just three brisk walks a week will help if you haven’t exercised in a long time. The very act of improving these will have a positive psychological effect, and the benefits will begin to show too if you keep at it.   

Learning 

You may not be in school anymore, but that is no reason to stop learning. Learning something new such as a hobby, can be so rewarding. Not only can it open you up to other perspectives, but it can increase your mood and reduce things like stress and anxiety. Learning can make you more communicative if you are on the shy side. It can give you a topic of conversation at social events. It can even mean that you join a group or a class of like-minded people and that increases your social circle and allows you to discuss the things you are really interested in. By doing this, your levels of well-being will be raised. 

If you struggle to get to sleep because of thoughts or ideas about the past you might have some trauma in your life. Trauma can also manifest in social isolation, substance use, and panic attacks. If you think you might have some trauma it’s important to acknowledge this and seek out ways to start your healing process. Start right now with some helpful ideas in the article.   

Acknowledge your trauma 

Many people who experience trauma don’t realize they have trauma and suffer as a result. The effects of trauma can include trouble sleeping, panic attacks, substance use, flashbacks, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. It’s important that you don’t ignore signs of trauma. 

The first step to healing from trauma is acknowledging that trauma is what you have. This can come as a sudden insight to some people who thought it was related to something else, contact honest nursing home abuse attorneys, if you think you suffer from care home abuse trauma. 

Understand the need to heal 

Once you have acknowledged you have trauma it’s time to start the healing process. Everyone is different and will heal in a different way. Since there is no one-size-fits-all solution to trauma you might need to investigate the healing methods that you respond to best – there are many! 

Healing from trauma might be as simple as focusing on yourself for a time and practicing your mindfulness techniques, or it might require a series of in-depth talking therapy sessions. Spend some time looking after yourself and exploring possible methods to start healing your trauma. 

Embrace positive affirmations 

Everyone has an inner critic, it’s that little voice that tells us we’re not good enough and can never heal from the past trauma. Of course, this inner critic is not speaking the truth and must be silenced in some way. One way is to use positive affirmations to replace negative self-talk.  

Positive affirmations can be effective but sometimes it can seem like hard work to constantly work against negative thoughts that come back again and again. If you struggle with unwanted thoughts, try some chanting or humming which takes all your attention away from thoughts.  

Create an active lifestyle 

Exercising is an excellent way to heal trauma because it allows the brain to release endorphins (feel-good chemicals) that raise your mood and improve your concentration. The other reason it’s so good is that it keeps your body physically active and splits your attention. 

If you like physical activity it’s easy to choose something new or get back into an activity you once enjoyed, but if exercising isn’t your thing choosing an activity might be a little bit more challenging. Some activities that are excellent for healing trauma include martial arts and yoga.  

Explore your creativity 

Art therapy works on a simple premise when you express yourself creatively the negative stuff comes up. The artworks you create are manifestations of your past trauma and pouting them on the page in some form helps you to explore and process them in creative ways. 

Art therapy includes things like painting, drawing, writing, playing music, and making crafts. If you think you are unartistic and for that reason, art therapy won’t help, it’s worth giving it a try. Art therapy isn’t about creating outstanding works of art, it’s about gaining new perspectives.   

Explore the natural world 

Nature is a tremendous healer! That means inner nature as well as outer nature, and you will need the impact of both if you want to fully heal from PTSD and other types of trauma. Of course, mindfulness and meditation are two of the most effective trauma-healing solutions. 

External nature can also have a very positive impact on your healing. Nature is full of oxygen that is excellent for your brain and lungs. It is also very inspiring, walking in nature is a chance to let your mind wander and heal. Some people believe nature also has magical energy.  

Discover helpful therapies

Everyone is different and heals from trauma in their own unique ways. Some people benefit from therapies like psychotherapy while others are afraid to go near it. For some people, psychotherapy is unappealing because it means sharing aspects of their lives with others.    

However, therapies can be very effective for healing past traumas and shouldn’t be discounted. There’s no need to commit to a series of sessions right away, it’s fine to try one or two sessions to see if they work for you – also consider other therapies such as CBT and hypnotherapy. 

If you are reluctant to commit to therapy as you have many other responsibilities to juggle, you may want to consider mental health outpatient treatment. Seeking therapy as an outpatient will help you get the support you need without staying away from home. This means that you will gain all the benefits of treatment for depression, trauma, and abuse while being able to return home each day. For many people, outpatient therapy is an effective solution and helps them access treatment while maintaining their other responsibilities.