There is no better time to return to our safe space of journaling than the beginning of the year.

Below are five healthy practices to pursue in the New Year, as well as a recap of some tools and practices that the Balanced+Well community encourages.

My hope is the tools and resources below will help you to take a moment, a few moments or even longer to do some of your own personal reflection and goal setting.

Research shows that a daily gratitude practice increases feelings of happiness and fulfillment. It also improves self-esteem, empathy, and mental strength overall, creating a greater sense of calm. Even in tough times, practicing gratitude can open our hearts to the present moment and allow us to find joy in everyday experiences. This helps us let go of expectations and shifts our focus from life’s shortcomings to the generosity it provides.

Research shows that a daily gratitude practice increases feelings of happiness and fulfillment. It also improves self-esteem, empathy, and mental strength overall, creating a greater sense of calm. Even in tough times, practicing gratitude can open our hearts to the present moment and allow us to find joy in everyday experiences. This helps us let go of expectations and shifts our focus from life’s shortcomings to the generosity it provides.

Stress Relieving Mantras will help you manage and stay on top of stress.

Research and studies support that spending time on meaningful relationships helps you cope with stress and anxiety more effectively and also helps lower your chances of facing some types of stress in the first place. Connection can also help increase our sense of belonging and purpose, and improve our self-confidence. Bottom line is that human connection is good for our health!

Even in tough times, practicing gratitude can open our hearts to the present moment and allow us to find joy in everyday experiences. This helps us let go of expectations and shifts our focus from life’s shortcomings to the generosity it already provides.

September is a great time to revisit goals and accomplishments for the year 2021. It’s always hard for me to set goals or start new things in the summer, so here is to fall and starting a new season with routine and structure. Whoot Whoot!!!

In light of enjoying the last days of summer, this month’s journal prompts focus will be on being grounded in the present moment.

Do you ever find it hard to get a good night’s sleep—tossing, turning, difficulty falling, and staying asleep?If you experience a troubled sleep pattern that is chronically or clinically significant, you may be suffering from insomnia. The effects of this lack of sleep include low productivity, poor memory, irritability, loss of concentration, and strained relationships with others. Sleep therapy can help to ease these symptoms.

Although it may sound funny at first, WOOP is an acronym for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan. Clever, right? Developed by Dr. Gabriele Oettingen—a professor and researcher who spent 20 years studying the science behind goal setting and positive thinking—this mental practice is an optimal way to help motivate us to attain our various life goals.

Summer is my very favorite season. Everything feels lighter for me in the summer. I feel at ease and I have a lot of fun. In light of being in full summer mode now, let’s take some time for reflection on having fun and enjoying the beautiful, long summer days.

We often take the bonds we have with others for granted, yet they are such an integral part of our mental and emotional wellbeing.

I for one am so grateful to have gotten my kids through the school year! This was no easy task with homeschooling and working and running my business. In light of this success I wanted to take this month to spend some time reflecting on what we are grateful for.

High-functioning anxiety shows up for people in overdoing, overthinking, and overperforming. Recognizing that you suffer from high functioning anxiety is tricky because often times it feels productive or even beneficial. On the surface, you may come off as organized, high-achieving, proactive, and outgoing but you may be suffering in silence.

I view the month of Mayl as a time of revival and rebirth. The weather is starting to change, and it makes me feel hopeful for the future. It shows me that nothing lasts forever, so I have to keep working towards my goals.

So, it’s my birthday month and I LOVE my birthday. I feel like birthdays are so great for really reflecting on your accomplishments for the past year.

In the midst of a pandemic, regardless of whether you’re a mom or not, this is the perfect time to learn about a simple, everyday practice that can help alleviate your stress and anxiety.

Journaling helps to offer insight into our daily lives when we are amidst the daily hustle and bustle and don’t always have time to reflect in the moment.