What am I keeping and what will I change in my personal wellness routine in 2025

Every year, I find myself trying something else healthy. I like habit stacking (combining a new habit I want to create with a good habit I’ve already established) but I like to take it easy and only add one or two new things a year and really focus on them so they can continue if I want them to. And if I end up seeing an improvement in my well-being, I’m all for it! What works for me may not work for someone else, but I’ve found a lot of my favorite tricks and tools through word of mouth. (I’m including Insta and TikTok in that.) So, in the spirit of a new year and new habits — from sleeping better to hydrating to exercising — I’m sharing my list of wellness routines I’ve added throughout the year. Years and they simply won’t quit because they made a huge difference.

Here are the practices I tried and loved

Mouth bar

Last year, I started mouth taping in January, and I still do it every night! It took about four nights to get used to it, and about two weeks to become completely addicted to it. But now I can’t sleep without it. I was mouth breathing at night, and it was causing me jaw pain and sagging skin under my chin. This has worsened the bags under my eyes (my dermatologist told me it was due to lack of oxygen due to mouth breathing). Not only does it make my jaw feel like it’s in a hammock all night long (no pain!) and I’ve been able to completely stop getting Botox in my masseter muscles due to grinding, I’ve also noticed that I’m sleeping deeper (my Oura ring tracks that) and I’ve seen changes In my facial structure.

Gua sha

I started using Gua Sha two years ago and noticed an immediate reduction in inflammation in my face. (I bought this on Amazon and loved it. It comes with full instructions, or there are a million videos online). I apply it to my skin and lower neck twice a day, every morning and evening. In the morning I do this after I splash cold water on my face. At night, I use this cleanser and Kiehl’s Midnight Concentrate, which is what I use as a base for my Gua Shi, then I apply Altrino (prescription tretinoin) and moisturizer.

weight lifting

Shop for a home gym

Lifting weights is one of the best things I’ve done for my body in recent years. In the Playbook app, I do Hannah Pointer’s exercises: I’m currently doing the Lean and Tone 2.0 exercises for 4 weeks. I have done all of her exercises, usually 4-6 weeks. It visually guides you through the entire exercise, so it’s really easy to follow. I love having someone tell me exactly what to do step by step, and this is exactly what he does. I had to stay away from HIIT exercises because they were causing inflammation for me. Hannah was experiencing the same things, and that’s how I found her. All you need are dumbbells and a bench!

Marco Polo with friends

Communication is really important to me! I check in with my girlfriends every day. We use Marco Polo: a video and audio chat app similar to SnapChat, but the messages don’t disappear. We talk to each other every day. It feels like a treat. Sometimes, it feels like a comedy club! It’s so nice to be able to chat with them even though we don’t live near each other. Time zones make it difficult, so I like to listen to their texts while I’m getting ready, and I usually answer them on my way to the gym while they’re all still asleep on the West Coast.

Focus on sleep

Sleep is very important. I’m happier, more creative, a better wife and mother, less emotional and more productive when I get more than 7.5 hours of sleep, so I schedule it. I really like the Sleep Focus schedule in the Health app on my iPhone. You can select the time you want to wake up, and the app will calculate the time you need to go to bed. You’ll receive a notification when it’s time to get ready to go to bed, and then the store will close for you! I won’t receive direct messages or texts anymore, everything is in sleep mode. The alarm clock in the morning is not annoying – I have the “drops” tone. When you adjust your sleep schedule, your phone will ask you to wind down. I set it to days of the week only, and then it shows me my sleep results.

Dress for the day

Early on, when I was a young mother, I found myself wearing comfortable clothes and sweats every day. I’ve been in the trenches! I didn’t feel like I had time to do much except shower and I wasn’t going anywhere, so I kept it very casual. I wasn’t styling my hair. Every day, I was rocking a messy bun! The first thing I remember intentionally doing for myself when I had kids was getting dressed for the day. And then I realized that I am a better person when I wear my everyday clothes. That’s why I always wear shoes, even at home. I also do a 5-minute makeup routine, even before I go to the gym (I mean, half the time I’m facing the mirror, needing to boost my image!!) I’m more productive and happier when I feel more put together. It’s a gift for your future self!!

Biometric tracking

One of the coolest things I got last year was an Oura ring. It takes about 3 months to “get to know you”, but you can start gaining insights on day one. The data I got from this episode – I’m not kidding – changed my life. It tells me if I went to bed too early or too late for my sleep type based on my ideal sleep cycles (rapid eye movement, sleep latency aka how long it takes to fall asleep, etc.). My chronotype is early morning. I’ve always loved waking up in the sun, and this confirms why this worked for me based on my biometrics. (Chris has a different time pattern: it’s late in the morning!) The app tracks my heart rate and can tell when I’m stressed versus working out and how resilient I am in the face of stress. It tells me what day my cycle is on, and when my period will start. I love learning about myself!

One thing I learned from my Oura Ring is that my resilience is higher based on these life adjustments. It is very important to be in tune with stress! Many of these changes, like taking post-workout recovery supplements, cutting down on HIIT, and solving problems right away instead of letting them fester, have helped a lot.

Drink (lots of) water

I drink a gallon of water a day – you’ll always find me with a Stanley or Hydrojug (love that color)! Here’s my secret: I put my drink mixes in it every time. This still matters! I put a BetterHydration bottle in my first 40 ounces of water of the day. I drink that when I get home from the gym. Then I fill it up again and usually shake out the Nello SuperCalm blend, which is great for restoring cortisol levels after a workout. If I need a boost, I’ll add a BetterGreens packet with caffeine to my water bottle in the afternoon or else I’ll use the decaf version. This helps with digestion and bloating.

After all that water, I don’t feel bad if I need a fun drink – I love a Dr. Pepper Zero once in a while!

What I’m adding and changing in my wellness routine

Hair health

This is a new one for me. I’ve been taking Nutrafol and a satin pillowcase at night, but other than that my hair care routine has been pretty simple. I wash it once a week! But I’ve been getting a lot of poetic inspiration on my For You page, and I’ve just been blown away. I’ll start small! Got rosemary oil that you massage into your scalp. My hairdresser recommended this hair mask for dry, brittle, and dehydrated hair, so I add it to the mid-lengths and ends of my hair. Leave it on for as long as you can (I do it for about an hour, but I’ve seen some girls put their hair up in a bun that looks wet all day), then you wash your hair normally. The shampoo and conditioner I currently use is this. You will only need to use the oil and mask once a week. I add my favorite heat protectant and then style as usual.

I feel like no one likes their hair, right? The grass is always greener. On the plus side, my hair holds incredible curl, so I only have to style my hair once a week — just wavy curls that I comb through (I’m loyal to that curling iron). Sometimes I wish my hair was straighter and softer, so maybe this change will help!

Walking

I used to run and it was giving me a lot of inflammation and joint pain, so I switched to walking for the past two years. Last year on the weekends I would go on 5-6 mile hikes and love it so much. This year, I realized I needed more of that, so I’m walking 10,000 steps a day. Ideally, all at once and outside.

There are great benefits to walking. When you reach 45 minutes to an hour, your mind opens, your cortisol level drops, and your endorphins rise. I get my best ideas when I walk, which improves my digestion dramatically, so I make this commitment a priority! Chris got me a weighted vest for Christmas this year, and I’ve loved using it while walking as well to develop extra muscle. (I picked up this sexiest red bra and leggings for extra “I look good and feel good” incentive.) On weekdays, when I have meetings or if it’s really cold outside, walking 10,000 steps at a time It can be difficult, so if you need to break it up throughout the day, this works too!! But this should be a dedicated outing, not a 10,000-step fluke. I need this time to calm my mind just as much.

Don’t confuse work with wellness

I’m adding this as a personal goal. Previously, I thought efficiency was more important. As an enneagram 3, I love to multitask. If I’m on the treadmill, why don’t I answer emails? But if I’m trying to focus on walking for health — including mental clarity — that defeats the purpose when checking in for work. Now, if you’re at work on a walking platform, that’s a different story. But if you’re doing something for your mental health or well-being, it’s best to skip multitasking.

Eating for pleasure

One of my goals this year is to learn how to enjoy food again. I think with all the restrictions I’ve had, I’ve numbed myself into eating only for optimal health and minimal discomfort. But in reality, there are plenty of foods I can enjoy, even if it means taking medications! (I found this digestive enzyme that has helped me a lot.) I’m still grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, pork-free, and eat things without added sugars. Last year, I eliminated carbs when I was diagnosed with CSID. But this year, if I want some Siete chips, I’ll look for the enzymes and try to enjoy them! I only have one life to live! It’s worth it for me to try to enjoy food again.

What are you adding or deleting this year?? I always love getting tips from you!