Create the routine that is right for you. We don’t all have the same schedules or responsibilities and some of us struggle with certain parts of life more than others. All healthy routines should include eating a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep, but no two routines will be exactly the same. In fact, your routine may not even be exactly the same every day.

Start small. Changing up your day-to-day routine all at once won’t end up with lasting results. Pick one small thing each week to work on. It could be adding something new and positive, or cutting out a bad habit. Small changes add up.  

Add to your existing habits. You probably already have some habits worked into your routine, like drinking a cup of coffee in the morning. Try adding new habits to existing ones. for instance, if you want to read more, you could set aside ten minutes to read while you have coffee (instead of drinking it on your drive to work.)

Make swaps. Think about the things you do that aren’t so healthy and swap them with better behaviors. For example, if you feel sluggish in the afternoons and eat sugary snacks for a quick pick me up, try taking a brisk walk instead to get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing. Or if you find yourself having a few alcoholic drinks after a stressful day, try sipping hot tea instead.

Plan ahead. When life gets hectic, you may be tempted to skip out on the new parts of your daily routine. By doing these things like prepping meals ahead of time, picking out an outfit the night before work, or having an alternate home workout option for the days you can’t make it to the gym, you help set yourself up for success even when you’re hurried.

Make time for things you enjoy. Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, set aside time to do something you find fun or relaxing-it will release chemical messengers in your body that are good for your physical and mental health,

Reward yourself for small victories. Set goals and celebrate when you reach them. Have you added exercise to your weekly routine and worked out every day as planned for the last couple weeks? Treat yourself! Watch a movie you’ve been wanting to see or try out that new video game.

Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Making life changes can be hard and you might forget to do something that is new to your routine every once in a while. You don’t have to be perfect, just try to do better the next day.

Progressive Relaxation – Start by focusing on one part of your body. Inhale and squeeze each muscle group for about five seconds, then exhale and relax. 

Breathing Techniques – Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Breathe in with your belly; the hand on your belly should rise, while your other hand on your chest stays still. Breathe in for five seconds, hold it for five seconds, then exhale for five seconds. You may have to adjust the timing to find what feels comfortable to you. The point is to slow down your breathing and concentrate on a pattern.

Five Senses Exercise – Identify 5 things you can see, four things you can physically feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Color Shades – Pick a color. Identify the things you can see around you in that color. Take note of all the different shades you can see. If you’re still feeling stressed, pick another color and repeat the exercise.

Stress Ball – Stress balls can tether you to your present situation; flexing the muscle in your hands and forearms can help keep you in the here and now, avoiding unwanted thoughts or flashbacks. 

Mental Math – Choose an ongoing equation (counting backwards from intervals of three, going through a multiplication table, etc.) or a target number to think of equations for.

Mantras – Find a phrase that means a lot to you. It could be inspirational, calming, reassuring, etc. Repeat it in your head. Say it out loud if you need to. Find a phrase (or a few) that really resonates with you. 

• Boundaries are defined rules or limits that someone establishes to protect their security and well-being around others; we identify and express how other people can behave around us so that we feel safe. Boundaries can include setting expectations about how much alone time you need in a romantic relationship, preventing family members from speaking negatively about loved ones, or establishing physical safety measures when spending time together. They can be an important tool to help us feel secure in our surroundings and with other people, creating an environment for each person to be themselves and have their needs met.
• Grounding techniques are tools you can use to redirect your thoughts or bring yourself back to the present moment when you’re experiencing unwanted thoughts. Grounding can be useful in several situations. You may find them especially helpful if you experience anxiety, panic attacks, dissociation, intrusive thoughts, or urges to self-harm. 

Important to note: These strategies are meant to complement treatment, not replace it. These tools also are not intended to help you avoid a thought or feeling forever. Grounding simply allows you to delay processing an emotion until the time and place is more practical, such as when you are meeting with your therapist or trusted peer. 

Peer Support

• A peer specialist is an individual with lived recovery experience who has been trained and certified to help their peers gain hope and move forward in their own recovery.

 Brain Waves

• Sleep – Delta Waves (1-4 cycles/sec)
• Creativity – Theta Waves (5-7 cycles/sec)
• Relax – Alpha Waves (8-12 cycles/sec)
• Focus – Beta Waves (13-20 cycles/sec)
• Hyperfocus – High Beta Waves (21-40 cycles/sec)
• Meditation – Gamma Waves (>40 cycles/sec)

Traits Of Toxic People 

• Manipulation – They may seem genuinely interested in your company and getting to know you at first but will eventually use the knowledge they gain about you to try and get you to do what they want. They will often twist your words or make you feel guilty to get their way.
• They make you feel bad about yourself – Insults are the most direct way that toxic people can make you feel bad. When you are feeling happy or proud of yourself, they will find ways to “rain on your parade” or downplay your achievements. They might also act like they are smarter than you to make you feel dumb or insignificant.
•  Being judgmental – They see things in black and white and criticize anything that they don’t agree or approve of, instead of considering the circumstances or the feelings of other people. 
• Negativity.
• Passive aggression – a way that people express discontent without having a conversation about their problems. This type of hostility is less obvious than anger. ex. snide comments, sabotaging the efforts of other people, and purposefully doing something or not doing something to make things inconvenient for someone to get them upset.
• Self-centered – Toxic people care mostly about themselves. They don’t think about how their actions affect others and believe they are better than everyone else.  Someone who is self-centered is focused on getting what they want and is unlikely to compromise or consider another persons point of view.
• Difficulty with anger management – They will make you feel like you are walking on eggshells every time you are around them. The littlest thing can trigger them into a fit of rage, and often nasty, hurtful things are said. There may be apologies the day after, but often are insincere and the toxic person will repeat their angry, hurtful behaviors soon after.
• Controlling – They may try to restrict you from contacting your friends and family, or limit resources like transportation or access to money to restrict your ability to interact with the world around you.