All of us want to change our lives for the better but wanting to change it and acting on it are two very different things. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to make drastic changes in order to notice an improvement in the quality of your life. All you have to do is take small steps, and take them consistently. Here The Week lists our some great ways you can start taking some positive steps and make your life better and happier. The best thing is you won’t have to wait too long to see measurable results with these small steps.
On the home front
First, create a list where you decide what you will be focusing on that day. For instance, on day one it could be cleaning your magazines and books, day two it could culling your DVD collection, and so on. Create this list for a week and update it weekly and follow it. Then live by the mantra: a place for everything and everything in its place. Follow these four rules to keep your house in order: If you take it out, put it back. If you open it, close it. If you throw it down, pick it up. If you take it off, hang it up. And lastly, walk around your home and identify things you have been tolerating and make it a point fix one each day. It could be a light bulb that needs to be changed, a doormat that needs to be replaced, or a sticky refrigerator shelf that needs to be cleaned. Doing little things every day will add up in the long run.
What's keeping you sane?
Money matters
Create a spending budget and track your expenses. Not only is this a great way to know where your money is going, you’ll also find that you are less likely to spend on things you don’t really need this way. Try to shop with cash and not use your debit card for purchases. We tend to keep our spending in check when paying with actual cash. A financial whiz told us that she sets an hour aside every day to devote to creating one source of passive income. Whether it be an investment that pays back or developing an online course, passive incomes can be a great way to uplift your standard of living. We also recommend that you create a savings plan and work on ways to save more. When you have a solid plan in place, make sure you follow through by being rigorous about it. Involve your spouse or other family members in your financial plans to make the
most of it.
Investing on relationships
It can’t get any simpler than this: Connect with someone new every day, whether it’s by greeting a neighbor you’ve never spoken to before, taking the time out to have tea with the new recruit at office or, if you aren’t up for such drastic measures, leaving a comment on a blog you have never commented on before. Another really good way to change your life for the better where relationships are concerned is to take a minute to think over your response instead of answering right away when someone does something to upset you. Try to do one kind deed for someone every day, however small, even if it’s just sending a silent blessing their way and make it a point to give praise and approval to those who deserve it. And nothing feels better than active listening. When someone is talking to you, remain focused on what they are saying, instead of rehearsing in your head what you are going to say next and practice empathy. If you disagree with someone, try to see the world from their perspective, put yourself in their shoes. Be curious about the other person, their beliefs and life experiences, and about the thinking process that they followed to reach their conclusions. You will definitely come out a better person.
More time (for everything)
It may sound improbable, but the secret to finding more time in your day is spending more time in bed at night. A study by a sleep researcher at Cornell University found that being sleep-deprived makes you do everything more slowly and with less focus. Most people don’t realize what it’s like to be fully awake and how much they can accomplish when they are. To determine if this is the solution to your time crunch, add one hour to your nightly rest for a week. When test subjects at a research center in America did this, their level of alertness jumped by 25 percent. One of the reasons we aren’t able to enjoy life to the fullest is because we are always running from one task to the next, and learning to make the most of your time might help with that.
For health and fitness
Start with simple things: Eat at least a serving each of fruits and vegetables every day. Choose one food that constantly sabotages your efforts to eat healthier – whether it’s the decadent cheesecake from that bakery that’s just opened or pizza at your favorite joint and go cold turkey. We aren’t telling you to put an end to all your bad eating habits. Just pick one and quit that before moving on to the next. Try eating from a smaller plate to help control portion size and drink water instead of carbonated drinks. Some fitness enthusiasts also say that keeping a food log/diary really helps them control what they eat, and wearing a fitness tracker or a simple pedometer helps them walk more and stay active. Try these and add your own fitness and health tweaks to the list and work on one or two a day for a week before adding another.
