. IMPROVE YOUR LIFE, ONE SIMPLE STEP AT A TIME .
Sometimes when we take a look around at our lives, we can be caught thinking ‘how did I get here’, maybe it’s that you’ve snuck on a few pounds, realised you’ve not seen your friends or family in months, or simply forgotten that work life balance you once had. I’m no master, but I think this feeling is quite normal, and what’s important is that you realised it, and are making some small changes to get your life back on track.
For me, this situation usually occurs when I haven’t given ‘me’ enough time and attention, and I realise that time spent on things that matter to me have shrunk away, in replace for usually something like work.
But don’t worry … it’s easy to get back on track, to improve your life, and it doesn’t have to be hard, there are some super simple, super easy tricks and today I wanted to share a couple of them with you.
. POSITIVE LIFE CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE RIGHT NOW.
#1 LET’S GET BACK TO YOU
First things first, you need to spend some time getting back to basics, getting back to you. Often we can find ourselves feeling stressed, lost, unhappy because we’ve lost sight of ourselves, the things that matter to us and the things that make us happy.
So the first super simple thing to do, is to sit and listen to you. Make a list of all the things that make you happy, make a bucket list, write down the things that make you unhappy … just get it all out. Once you’ve done this you should feel much clearer about the things you need to do to keep YOU happy.
For me, things like time to blog, feeling healthy, holidays, time with my loved ones & a good book, make me feel happy, and when I spend a little time doing these things I instantly feel more content.
#2 GET MORE ACTIVE
We all know being active keeps us healthy, happy, positive & in a much better state of wellbeing than being a couch potato. But often our lives get taken over with chasing never ending work demands, and time for exercise can slip to the wayside. But a simple change you can make right now, is to prioritise a little active time … a day shopping, a cycle to the next village, a walk to the pub for dinner, or even a little yoga or pilates class. It doesn’t have to be dramatic … but just adding a little more movement can make the world of difference without you even realising.
And lets not forget, one of the best ways to clear your mind and stress is by exercising it all out.
#3 BE INSPIRED & HAVE AMBITION
For me, working towards something always makes me feel excited, motivated & focussed, knowing your working towards something you really want, really helps give your life and work a little focus. Whether it be a work goal, a blogging dream, or simply saving up for a holiday or a new bag (Chloe Faye, yes please). Whatever that ambition is, channel that motivation, get inspired & start working towards it. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself ‘coast’ along in life without chasing those dreams.
And most importantly, make sure the ambition is something YOU want to achieve, what is it that you want? Define it, and go get it.
#4 DRINK MORE WATER
How many times are we told we need to drink more water, and how many times do we nod and agree, yet go on drinking a measly amount and topping up with coffee for the rest? Too much I bet.
This week, get yourself a water bottle & try and tackle that 2.5 ltr target … you may feel a little bloated at the end of day 1, but give it a few days and you’ll feel healthy, hydrated and probably a little less bloated now your body doesn’t have to hoard every bit of water it gets.
#5 SET SOME RULES
Yes rules are there to be broken, YOLO n’ all that, but actually having some rules, boundaries & guidelines in your life can help you stay on track, help you keep positive and help keep your life at the pace you want it to be.
The rules to your life should be set by you, based on what makes you happy & how you want your life to be, but a couple of ideas might be: I shall never work past 10pm in the week (in a career like mine, setting yourself some work / life balance rules is really important, to ensure you keep that positive balance in check), I will do one Pilates class a week because I know it helps me relax, I want to travel 3 times a year minimum, I shall drink that 2.5 ltr of water i’m told to, a day, everyday, we will have date night, every week, no matter what … and so on.
The rules don’t have to be boring, if anything I like to think of my life rules as the guardian angles that keep my happiness and work life balance in check, but just making some things that are important to you THE absolute priority, will help ensure you always have a good balance in your life.
#6 BE KIND
Being kind to people not only makes them feel great, but actually it makes you feel great too. Whilst being kind, for self love isn’t the most selfless act of kindness, there’s no harm in killing two birds with one stone right.
Start being a little more kind to others, hold that door open, give up your seat in the morning for someone more in need, treat your friends or colleagues to a coffee, simply send a loving text to someone. Kindness doesn’t take much, but the affect it can have not only on you, but those around you is hard to ignore.
There’s something to be said for Karma!
#7 PMA, EVERYDAY
I talk about well-being and happiness quite a bit, and i’m no hippy, but I really do believe in the power of positivity. It change a chore into an opportunity and make an ordeal and adventure … positive people attract positive people, are more open to opportunities, and generally get more out of life experiences. I know not everyone is naturally an optimist, but spending a little effort on being a more positive person is one super simple way to improve your life, immediately.
Start your day by thinking of the 5 things you’re grateful for. Having a positive mindset before you’re even out of bed will set you up for a good day.
It doesn’t take much to make a positive change to your life, so if you’re feeling in need of a little happiness boost, then why not try one of these out today, this week or set yourself a challenge for the month ahead. I bet you’ll feel better about ‘life’ before you even realise it.
I’d love to know if you have any other tips to throw into the mix, or if you already practice any of these little tricks to keep your life positive?
Amanda says
What a great post =)
Rhiannon says
Fab tips! Just want I needed before a new week:) Tip from me is to always have a happy playlist you can turn to when you’re in a bad mood! X
Everything But The Kitchen
Sam says
Great post! These are some really helpfully tips. I feel giving myself some rules/goals keeps me focused and I’m so much more productive. =^-^=
Sam | Momentarily Dreaming
Sincerely Lara says
Very true advice. I think getting active and having ambition are the two most important ones. But the key is to have the right balance in life.
Nadia Ghazi says
I have been a stay at home mom for two years now. For this long, I spend all my time nurturing my son and all the house work. This month I decided to take some time to love myself. I have started to exercise for two weeks now and I feel good. It only take 15 minutes but the impact is so big and I’m going for the next step, fulfilling my dream ?.
Gemma Carey says
Lovely tips! I know I need to drink more water and I do try to exercise AT LEAST twice a week. Up until now I’ve known what I want to do career wise and now I’m having lots of second thoughts which is really getting me down. I’ve never felt like this before! But I do try to stay positive :)
http://www.gemmacarey.com/
Mademoiselle Coconath says
Such a great post!
xx
Mademoiselle Coconath
http://mllecoconath.com
Camille says
Just what I needed to start my week!
Silly Medley: Lifestyle and Travel
Lizzy says
Lovely advice. I also find if there’s anything you’re worried about instead of acting hastily always give yourself time and sleep it off, I tend to think far more positively about situations in the morning when I’m less tired:)
Lizzy | by Lizzy x
Vaida says
oh wow. that is really honest, and touching piece of advice.
bunch of super useful tips. not sure if i’m so exciting reading these because they were so much needed to me lately, but i’m pretty sure they still can work to anyone, anytime, anywhere!
thanks for sharing it!
Vaida @ http://www.donttellanyone.net/blog
Jenny Kim says
I’m always telling my husband to be more positive that way people will be more positive around him. It really is a state of mind to be happy, and you can’t let things bring you down. There is not much control outside, but you have control inside so that is very important to understand.