Artwork by Carol Marine
Sometimes life is tough and demanding, and we don’t see a way out of this misery. I wanted to share a few small decisions that have made a difference for me. Whether you’re navigating a health challenge, recovering from surgery, or simply moving through a tough personal season, I hope they help you, too.
Here are six daily decisions you can control, no matter what life throws your way:
What You Put Into Your Body
When I feel stressed, I tend to make some wild choices about what I put in my body. The instant gratification often leaves me feeling lousier in the long run, so I’m trying to pay more attention to the difference between foods that numb and foods that nourish.
I’m not trying to be prescriptive about what anyone eats. But especially when you’re stressed, and your body and brain need extra support, it’s worth asking: Is this actually making me feel good, or just making me feel less bad for two minutes?
Try this: Identify two or three nourishing foods that leave you feeling satisfied and energized. Keep them on hand for the days when you need a little extra support.
The Content You Consume
A question I’ve been asking myself lately: What am I allowing into my mind every day, and how does it make me feel?
When it’s so easy to succumb to the mindless scroll, it’s worth being a little more intentional about what we let influence us. Otherwise, you might find yourself watching a complete stranger unbox their 16-step skincare routine.
I’ve made a running list of content I actually want to consume, mainly documentaries, nonfiction books, and podcasts that spark curiosity or teach me something new.
The goal isn’t to make every minute of screen time productive. It’s to notice the difference between things that leave you feeling informed, inspired, or entertained and things that leave you anxious, agitated, or wondering where the last 45 minutes went.
Try this: Before you hit play or open an app, ask yourself:
- What kind of content do I want to seek out on purpose?
- What consistently leaves me feeling anxious, depleted, or like I’ve lost time I won’t get back?
Use your answers to curate what you follow, watch, listen to, and read. You don’t have to give up your favorite reality TV show or comfort rewatch. Just make sure you’re choosing what you consume, rather than letting the algorithm choose for you.
What You Buy (or don’t)
Stressful times can lead to some serious add-to-cart activity. But the dopamine hit of a new purchase is fleeting, while the aftermath can stick around a lot longer: credit card debt, piles of cardboard cluttering up your home, and the occasional pang of buyer’s remorse.
On the flip side, spending can be a powerful way to support the kind of world you want to live in. Your neighborhood bookshop, your family-run grocery store, the small business whose values you believe in, the organization you want to support: where you spend your money matters.
I keep a running list in my Notes app of businesses, brands, and organizations I want to support, alongside things I actually need. It’s a helpful gut check before buying something I don’t need from a business whose values I don’t share.
Try this: Start a running list in your phone of things you need, businesses you love, and local spots you want to support. Check it before your next impulse purchase and let it guide where your money goes.
How You Care For Yourself (and others)
When life feels uncertain, it’s easy to let the basics slide. But rest, hydration, fresh air, movement, sunlight, and a little self-compassion aren’t luxuries. They’re the infrastructure that makes everything else possible.
Think about what would give you a little boost this season. Maybe it’s a morning walk, a journaling practice, a mini meditation, reading a magazine, or simply staring at the sky for five minutes without your phone. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to make a difference.
And while you’re at it, remember that kindness is a choice, too. Look for one small opportunity each day to make someone else’s life a little easier: offer a genuine compliment, send a check-in text, or let someone go ahead of you in line. Small gestures can shift the energy around us, often more than we realize.
Try this: Identify one small thing you can do for yourself and one small thing you can do for someone else each day this week.
How You Care For Your Home
When life feels chaotic, I find it especially helpful to focus on my immediate environment: my home. It doesn’t need to be perfect or magazine-ready, but a little care can go a long way toward making everyday life feel calmer and more manageable.
That might mean clearing the kitchen counters, changing your sheets, putting on a load of laundry, opening the windows, or tackling that one depression pile or perpetually cluttered surface. You don’t have to take on an entire room or embark on a full-blown organizing project. Sometimes a fifteen-minute reset is enough to make your home feel a little more like a sanctuary.
Try this: Choose one small area of your home that would feel better tidied, refreshed, or simplified.
What You Choose to Think and Believe
We can’t control everything that happens to us, but we often have more say in how we make sense of it than we realize. Try not to get stuck in a why me? mentality. Life can be wildly unfair, but there are so many positive things in life too. Choose to believe that this experience teaches you something. For example, that it will deepen your resilience, empathy, and gratitude rather than define or diminish your life.
That doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine or opting for toxic positivity. It means making room for two things to be true at once: is is obvious I would rather not be in this situation, but I am incredibly lucky that I am healthy and am able to look for other options with a clear mind. We may not get to choose our circumstances, but we can practice choosing the stories we tell ourselves about them.
Try this: Think of something difficult you’re navigating right now. Can you identify two things that are true at once, even if they seem contradictory? Is there any small thing that feels hopeful, helpful, or worth holding onto?
