Do you often find yourself feeling unsatisfied, annoyed, unhappy? Turn that frown upside down! It's easy. Anyone can do it and it won't cost you a thing. Here are 4 easy ways to improve your life... today!
4. Personal Development – Continue to check yourself. How
are you doing? No, how are you REALLY doing? What are you not happy with? What
steps can you take to change the aspects of your life you don’t like? Make a
list. Discuss it with your significant other and family members. Hold each
other accountable. Instead of complaining about it, do something about it. Have
goals… career goals, family goals, life goals. Learn something new every day. Reading
fiction can be enjoyable and inspiring, but reading non-fiction can help you
learn about history and topics you may not otherwise know anything about. It
may prompt you to dig deeper and give you interesting things to discuss with
your friends and colleagues.
3. Finances – Take a good, hard look at where
you are and where you want to be. Do you rent an apartment but want to buy a
home? Do you stress about money every month, because you’re spending more than
you’re earning? Do you have any money saved or any investments? Write down your
regular monthly expenses. Some things you can’t cut out, but do you need to
stop at the coffee shop every day or can you just have coffee at home? Do you
have to eat out as much as you do? Do you search around for deals before
purchasing clothes, planning a trip or buying the latest electronics? And do
you really need any of that anyway? Create a detailed spending plan and make
sure you’re sticking to it. Cut out the things you really don’t need and put
the money you’ve saved aside. Set savings goals. Having a six-month “rainy day”
fund is always a good idea. You may be living large right now, but things can
always change. Expect the unexpected and be ready for it.
2. Health – Are you getting enough movement
during your work shift or has your position become rather sedentary? Get up.
Move around. Walk around the block if you have to. Do you go to the gym
regularly? Run? If you find yourself stressed out, exercise can help your body
AND your mind. If traditional forms of working out aren’t for you, find an
exercise you like – maybe martial arts or dance will get you moving. Are you
getting enough sleep? Often times, our work schedule or situation prevents us
from eating as healthily as we would like, but filling up on fast food can put
you on the fast track to weight gain, lethargy and depression. A little
planning can make all the difference. Pack a meal and snacks at home and bring
them to work in a small cooler or cooler bag. Portion control is much easier to
accomplish when you’re preparing your own food. If you need something crunchy
to sustain yourself, pack carrots or apple wedges instead of chips. Drink lots
of water, right when you wake up and all day long. Keeping a food log helps to
keep you from indulging on gummy bears and French fries. Setting up a weight
chart and wearing a pedometer can also help you stay on track and monitor your
progress.
1. Happiness – Are you suffering from baditude?
It happens to the best of us, but we have the power to turn it around. Have a
good attitude. Be positive. Express gratitude. Compliment others. Smile! Stop
looking at what everyone else has (or seemingly has) and comparing yourself.
Despite what you see on social media, not everyone’s life is picture perfect.
Do what you can to be as content and happy as you can be. Don’t sweat the small
stuff. If someone’s dragging you down, stop hanging out with them. If you’re
missing quality time with your family or closest friends, make a plan to get
together. Give them an actual phone call, instead of texting. If you’re feeling
overwhelmed balancing a full-time job with raising kids and being involved in
your community, schedule a date with yourself. Put it in your calendar. Grab a
magazine or a notepad and head to a quiet beach. Sit in your backyard when no
one else is home and just relax. Take a peaceful nature walk through one of the
scenic spots in your area. And perhaps the most important thing to remember to
improve your life… laugh. Laugh often. Laugh long. Find humor even in the most
challenging situations. It helps. Life tosses all of us difficult situations.
It’s how we choose to deal with them that makes the difference.
