It’s been a bit since we went back to our roots of what it means to truly live intentionally. I figure it’s probably best to update this ongoing conversation with some 2022 Positive Habits. We touch on this topic every few months because just as we evolve, change and grow, our habits and lifestyle should grow with us. If you were to practice the same routine or habits every day for the rest of your life, how would your life or skills expand? Instead of upping a regimen or trying something new, you might be confining yourself to a routine that once worked but no longer challenges you. Without wiggle room or space for change, we’re limiting ourselves to only the potential we maintain now. And, as time goes on, that potential may run out.

This isn’t to say that we need to change everything about our current lifestyle every three months; just a simple revamping will do. Before I give you my list of habits that I think are worth a try for the remainder of this fabulous year, I encourage you to revisit your daily routine. Take inventory of what seems to be working—what is helping you thrive, and what could use a little updating? Habits fit into routines. If your work routine or daily routine has shifted from any new changes in your life, like a new job or relocation, then your habits should ebb and flow with that change as well.

Tried & True Positive Habits

With each post on this topic, I’m certainly not looking to iterate the same habits to you every time. However, I believe essential tried and true habits follow us throughout our intentional living journey. These habits, like all others, can continually be honed and adjusted. As habits relate to intentional living, there are about three that stand out: meditation as a relaxation technique, movement as physical stimulation, and journaling as a mindset relief. These three habits should see a continuous rotation through your daily routine as they each pertain to a critical portion of living intentionally: mind and body, career and education, self-care and relaxation, lifestyle development, and experience. Fulfilling these categories each day in simple yet meaningful ways will help offset the more chaotic parts of your day-to-day.

Habits are not a finish line to be crossed, they are a lifestyle to be lived.

James Clear, author of atomic habits

2022 Positive Habits

one | EFT Tapping

EFT, or Emotional Freedom Tapping, has become an essential tool in La.Rue. If you’re unfamiliar with EFT, it’s a form of body tapping that capitalizes on the power of releasing through the meridian points on your body. In a simple definition, you attempt to create a strong emotional response to something that feels very heavy. Once you’ve got it, you begin tapping on these points of your body using affirmations to reframe the narrative around the original emotion. You do this repeatedly until the original emotion no longer resonates with you. For tutorials on DIY tapping, visit Brad Yates or Haley Hoffman Smith.

Tapping is a wildly powerful tool to help you release all doubts, fears, triggers, and anger you may feel. It’s something you can quickly begin incorporating into your day-to-day with 5-10 minutes of tapping with Brad, following his videos. Once you feel like you’ve practiced enough, you can tackle EFT on your own with more focus driven to your specific issues or scarcities. As time goes on, you’ll notice the significant changes and begin tapping when something immediately triggers you.

Two | cut your daily Electronics Time by over half

We all spend far too much time watching TV or scrolling through our phones. And if you’re someone who already works on a computer during the workday, you’re virtually spending your entire day on a screen. Not only does this have us wearing lenses in the world beyond our screens, but it keeps us antisocial and inactive. We’ve made it too easy to tune out and jump into a reality that isn’t our own. Time and time again, I’m meeting with clients whose number one habit complaint is “I spend too much time on my phone.” And as hard as it may sound (and I’m writing this for myself too), there isn’t an easy way out. You simply have to put the phone down.

There is a whole world of things to do beyond our phones and TV. Every list on “habits of millionaires” or “best daily habits” all talk about replacing what could be considered time wasted on our phones with productive time. Each time I pick up my phone, I remind myself of other things I could be doing that are more productive, like reading. Self-help reading always reminds me where I have space to continue expanding and growing as myself and as an entrepreneur. By cutting our screen time by at least half, you’ll create a less chaotic space for yourself to do more of what you love and enjoy. Take your time making dinner, read a book, go for a walk, listen to a podcast— something that can call you back to relaxation and happiness.

Three | Daily Gratitude Dumping

Despite the onslaught of issues we face in the world each day, there is so much to be grateful for. Showing gratitude is one of the easiest and simple ways to increase your manifestation power. According to the Law of Attraction, showing gratitude for everything and anything lets the Universe know you’re ready for an uplevel. It indicates your happiness and acceptance of the life you have now. By showing gratitude for the life you have now, you’re letting the Universe know you’re not only ready for change but prepared for it.

Daily gratitude dumping is always an excellent tool to put your mindset at ease. We live in this great big Universe; yet, it’s so easy to get lost in the difficulty of our particular problems. Of course, it’s our life, so we’re going to focus on what’s going wrong for us. We become so consumed by our emotions that one issue begins to feel like it outweighs everything. In moments like this, taking 5 minutes to write out everything, big or small, that you’re grateful for creates a great amount of ease. It allows you to see the good in something as simple as the cozy floor your feet touch or the smell of your burning candle.

So, there you have it, your 2022 Positive Habits. When you google positive habits, we all know the laundry list of things that will come up: make your bed, exercise, read, eat healthy, etc. And while these are all great and things I do every day, it’s the deeper rooted habits that will change your life. Tapping will heal you, cutting out screen time lets you be more present and productive, and gratitude dumps remind you of everything you have to be grateful for.