5 Habits That Changed My Life

1. Waking up at the same time every morning

   1. every morning my alarm goes off at 6 am and it honestly just helps set up my day as well as makes it easier to follow my daily schedule

2. Writing to-do lists (starting small)

   1. making to-do lists really helps me get things done during the day. it also helps me so I don't forget my tasks. make sure to start small with your to-do lists at first. for some people, to-do lists can be intimidating and make them anxious but if you start small you can always work your way up.

3. Reading

   1. getting back into the habit of reading has helped me better my focus by clearing my mind and basically forcing me to focus on what's happening in the book. it honestly doesn't matter what you read but I 100% recommend getting into the habit of reading.

4. Finish the most difficult task first

   1. it's easy to get intimidated by your tasks so starting with the most difficult one will make all the others easier and no matter what task you leave off on, you will feel accomplished.

5. Take a mental health day

   1. often when we're working too hard we forget to take care of ourselves. so I recommend taking at least one day out of the month to take care of your mental health

*note: it's okay to fall out of line with your habits as long as you get back on track at some point

until next time xx,

chiar <3

study tips/ study routine

as we continue into the semester I have a good study routine you can use to make studying easier and more enjoyable.

1. it's important to make sure you have all of the study materials you need so come prepared.

2. make sure you come prepared for the study session. not only do you want to make sure you have all your study material but you want to make sure you bring anything else you know you'll want to find an excuse to leave. for example, snacks, water, and a charger.

3. put away every. single. distraction. trust me when I say it makes a difference. I decided to delete Instagram until the end of the semester it has helped me a ton with my focus and it's just better for my overall mental health

4. to set the vibe for the study session I highly recommend making a study playlist. not only does it set the momentum but it will help you focus and hype you up.

5. now this one sounds intimidating but it will help you in the long run. make a list of all your assignments for that week. then highlight the hardest ones and do those first

6. then I like to complete the rest of my assignments in order of the due date

7. the last tip I'll leave for you is to have a study buddy who will hold you accountable, that also gives me motivation to do my assignments so it works out
   

*That's all I have for this week! until next time, (shout out to Zoë for this weeks blog post idea)

xx, chiar <3

Tips for people with anxiety and paranoia

I, like other people, struggle with anxiety and paranoia so I wanted to make this post all about tips to help people come out of that state of mind. At the end I'll also leave a few tips that your close friends can use to help you out. <3

1. Make a comforting playlist

   1. I find that listening to music can help me think straight and get out of my head, plus music helps calm me down in general

2. Do active things that relax you

   1. whenever I get overwhelmed with anxiety I like to use my coloring book. it sounds silly but it seriously helps me get my thoughts in order and it helps keep my hands busy instead of picking.

3. Make sure to get enough sleep

   1. I know it's easier said than done but I find that if I don't get enough sleep the next day my mental state is just not 100%. I take magnesium at night to help me stay asleep the whole night, instead of waking up periodically through the night.

4. Try grounding techniques

   1. there are a ton of different grounding techniques that you can try. My favorite is the square breathing method. It's where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4, and repeat.

Now that you have a few tips to help you get out of your head I want to give the people close to you some tips on how to help you.

1. use simple directions

   1. for someone who gets paranoid easily, the best thing to do is just to use simple directions when helping them through it.

2. Talk the person through their thoughts

   1. sometimes talking about their thoughts can help them realize that they are safe and get them out of their head

3. tell the person everything you are going to do before you do it

   1. I really like this one especially when I get really paranoid because it just makes me feel safe and secure. an example of this would be saying "I'm going to take out my phone now" before you actually take out your phone

I hope you try some of these tips out and let me know how they work for you! I'll talk to you guys next time

xx, chiar