Things that have significantly improved my wellbeing

As of late: Better lifestyle choices, more intentional shopping, and nature's soundtrack.

Apr 21, 2025

On December 27, 2024, I turned 30. Four days later, the year turned a page, and 2025 began. January beat me to a pulp. Two days into the new year, I lost a long-term friend, work had me running on fumes, and I was spiraling at the state of the world. My birthday and New Year’s have historically never made me feel any different, but this year, something shifted for me. Changes, both within and outside of my control, were hitting me all at once, and it felt like I was being slingshotted into a new era of my life.

Instead of with my usual paralysis and anxiety, my brain recalculated to approach these changes more constructively - with courage and care. I hope a few of the things that I’m prioritizing this year can help you in the same way that they’re helping me.

Mindful grocery shopping & eating

Like a lot of kids of the ‘90s and early 2000s, I grew up eating absolute garbage. One summer, I ate an entire Costco box of fruit roll-ups in three days. I’m sure the red-40 permanently altered my brain chemistry. From Kid Cuisines and Hamburger Helper in my grade school years, to ramen and quesadillas in my broke college and early 20s, I feel like I’ve eaten nothing but processed garbage for the majority of my life. I am fortunate enough to finally be in a place in my life where I can explore a wider breadth of options outside of boxed mac ‘n cheese and Spaghettios when I go to the grocery store. I recently discovered an app called Bobby Approved that I use religiously when I want to try out new organic snacks or meals (just because it’s “organic” doesn’t mean it’s good for you! Everything feels so green-washed these days ). The app is free to download, and all you have to do is scan the barcode of the item you’re interested in. It scans for “Bobby Approved” ingredients, ensuring your snack or meal is free of harmful preservatives, ultra-processed ingredients, artificial food colorings, and more. After it scans, it’ll give you either a thumbs up or a thumbs down, and tell you why it rated the item accordingly based on the ingredients it found. It feels good to eat better foods, and I mean that literally. I have more energy, am less irritable, and with how EXPENSIVE grocery trips are now, feel better knowing that my money is going towards foods that will actually nourish me.

Pretending like Instagram Stories doesn’t exist

I’ve read a million different articles on this platform about people quitting social media, encouraging others to do the same. I admire these people more than I can express in writing - you are god’s strongest soldiers. I, however, am more of a cadet. While I have no intention of quitting the app anytime soon for several reasons (of which I started writing out, but then thought - Why do I feel the need to explain myself? Who cares.), I have cut out the parts of the app that trigger shitty feelings. Instagram Stories is one of those triggers.

I do watch a few of my close friends’ stories, but for the most part, I avoid IG Stories like the plague. If we barely talk “IRL”, I do not need to know what you’re doing or who you’re with at all hours of the day. I do not need fuel for comparison or to see what my ex-friend from 10 years ago is eating for lunch. Less surveillance, more social.

The 2025 unsubscribe

There is no greater dopamine hit than smashing that ‘Cancellation” button. Since January, I have cancelled my Amazon Prime, Spotify, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and Audible. I’m no longer interested in being a means to appease shareholders, and it feels so good knowing my money isn’t going towards inauguration brunches and Katy Perry’s little space vacation. Take 20 minutes to look through your card statements and list out all of your subscription services. Tally up how much these cost you every month, and think about what you could put this money towards instead - maybe it’s an omnichord or a trip to Portugal. Whatever it is, it’s benefiting you and not another billionaire.

No headphone walks

My work days are packed with Zoom meetings and Pomodoro YouTube videos guiding me to lock the hell in and focus. It’s rare when I’m not wearing my over-the-ear headphones, but my walks have become the exception. Nature’s soundtrack is so incredibly beautiful. I love focusing on the sounds of the birds, the pitter-patter of my Reeboks hitting pavement, and the ocean-esque whoosh of tree leaves waving in the wind. My days are so full of stimuli, and my walks wipe it all away, like swiping a magnetic drawing board clean.

Bye TikTok

When TikTok got banned the first time in January, I decided to ban it for myself for good. Every other night, I’d find myself spending hours upon hours scrolling my weird algorithm, looking for a mental escape from my busy job and, honestly, what was probably a bit of depression. The January TikTok ban felt incredibly dramatic and weird. Creators were making videos about the platform going away, like a death hit their family. People seemed more upset about a potential TikTok ban than the dissolving of reproductive rights, war crimes, and attacks on LGBTQ+ folks. I no longer wanted a part in the weird, addictive cult of this platform, but I was still in a chokehold of the dopamine-hitting algorithm. It wasn’t until I read this SubStack article - recently revealed text in legal briefs tells a damning story about the company, in its employees’ own words - that I hit my tipping point. Our time and data are our most valuable assets, and I decided to take back both.

The local neighborhood recreation center

The thing about me? I can start and cancel a gym membership like it’s my job. I’ve been a member at Planet Fitness, the YMCA, LA Fitness, 24 Hour, Orange Theory, and various yoga studios. For some reason, I can never commit.

Recently, my partner encouraged me to get a membership with him at our local recreation center. The gym portion of the rec center is tiny, a bit outdated, and has an AC unit that’s barely functioning. I love it. The people I share the gym with, if there’s anyone at all, are mostly older people in their 60s-70s who, like me, just want to be healthy without fixating on “gains”. My partner and I hold each other accountable and go every other day from 7 pm to closing time (8 pm), and use that time to catch up on YouTube videos or podcasts while we run, walk, and do strength training. Since I regularly started doing this, I’ve noticed a significant shift in my mental health, stress levels, and how I cope with stress. I feel stronger and healthier. When I have a high-stress, exhausting work day, the rec center is now my after-work dive bar. I’m drinking less, listening more to my body, and challenging my heart to break up my compounded stress at 190 BPM. What they all say is true - routine exercise is one of the best anti-depressants (and this is coming from someone who’s been friends with Lexapro for 12+ years - it’s making THAT much of a difference).

What about you?

Is there anything you’ve incorporated into your day-to-day or week-to-week that’s been a big life changer this year? I’d love to hear about it, and I’m sure others would to.