As a health and wellness reporter, it's nearly impossible to walk away from my many conversations with doctors, therapists, and authors without identifying a few practices I want to incorporate in my own life.

In 2024, I interviewed countless experts, researched intriguing topics and read books that changed my perspective.

Here are three things my reporting inspired me to do this year that changed my life for the better.

3 things my reporting in 2024 inspired me to do

1. Take a social media break for a month

After feeling bogged down by mindless scrolling, I decided to spend an entire month without social media. I made the decision a few hours after interviewing George Jerjian, author of "Dare to Discover Your Purpose: Retire, Refire, Rewire" who changed his life after going on a 30-day silent retreat.

I knew I couldn't commit to an entire month at a silent retreat, but signing out of my social media accounts for that same amount of time would give me the solitude that I desired and put an end to the overstimulation I was feeling from receiving constant notifications.

"I think in the noise-filled world that we live in, silence is a secret weapon. It's a commodity that is priceless, because it allows you to shed the masks," Jerjian told me in September.

"When you shed these masks, you come to face your true self."

The experience allowed me to spend more time with myself. I journaled often and scheduled a minimum of 10 minutes each day to look out of my window and appreciate what I saw. Last month, I deleted my X account for good, and it's been life-changing.

2. Embrace the wintertime

Every year, I typically dread when the sun starts setting earlier and earlier and the temperature drops. I used to see the winter as a time to avoid plans as much as possible and stay in the warmth of my own home.

But reading Kari Leibowitz's "How to Winter" changed my perspective entirely. Leibowitz is a psychologist and Stanford-trained expert who lived in Tromsø, Norway for a year and learned that its residents enjoy their winter season, where the sun doesn't rise for two full months.

Here's what residents of Tromsø do right to make winter enjoyable:

• They appreciate winter by looking forward to it and having positive expectations about what the season brings
• They make the season special by planning fun activities and decorating their homes for coziness
• They go outside, regardless of the weather

It's my first holiday season living on my own, so I took a page out of Leibowitz's book by decorating my apartment. I also started burning the candles that have been collecting dust in my room, and dimming the lights in the evening for a cozy experience.

And for the month of December, I actually have plans every weekend which is drastically different from my usual hibernation schedule.

3. Gain 'the courage to be disliked'

At the start of the year, a close friend suggested we read a book together and then meet to discuss our takeaways. She chose "The Courage to Be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, which was trending on social media at the time.

The Courage to Be Disliked is based on Adlerian theory, a psychology created by Austrian psychotherapist, Alfred Adler, that encourages people to embrace the possibility of being disliked by others in order to live more freely.

Being disliked by someone "is proof that you are exercising your freedom and living in freedom, and a sign that you are living in accordance with your own principles," according to the book. 

Living your life for yourself requires that you be unconcerned with the judgement of others and accept that you may never be recognized for what you contribute — and still make those contributions anyway.

I didn't realize it at the time, but the book encouraged me to start embracing my truest self, regardless of other people's opinions. I started sharing my creative writing on social media, and I don't allow the possibility of not being accepted to stop me from doing what makes me happy.

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