Good morning everyone! I love reading about what people do to better their lives, and so I thought I would share some of mine lately. The simpler the better and the more free they are, the happier I am;)
*I made the goal a few months ago to talk to someone everywhere I go. It’s so easy to get on my phone when standing in line or stay in my own thoughts as I’m walking around, but I’ve made a habit of starting the smallest of small talk with someone anywhere I go. It could be someone next to me in line for the restroom, someone filling up their drink at the same time as I am at a restaurant, a cashier, or someone else watching their kid play soccer. Sometimes, we end up talking for longer than just a sentence or two and connecting over something in common, and I leave feeling like a million bucks because that is what connecting to other humans does to us.
*I moved my phone charger into the bathroom. I have a hatch alarm next to my bed, and my phone is plugged in the bathroom when Andrew and I get into bed. This has been a game changer for me and helped me break the habit of looking at my phone when I don’t want to be looking at my phone at night and when waking up. A sunrise alarm clock >> than the previous alarms I would use that scared me half to death each morning. It starts out so gentle.
*I’ve also been taking our ‘home phone’ (aka a phone we have that babysitters use or the big kids take with them if they are going somewhere at night and there isn’t internet) with me when I go places where I want zero distractions with my family. This way, Andrew can still get ahold of me if he is at work, and I can still take pictures, but I’m not getting notifications or checking emails, etc, when I don’t need to and want to be fully present. Disconnecting feels so good.
*Let go of dressing or decorating your space for anyone but yourself. The more I dress or decorate true to myself, the better I feel. If you think something looks good, that is all that matters.
*Bring a book with you. Sitting in the car with a book waiting for kids at pickup is so much more enjoyable for me than scrolling.
*This is just a mental trick, but I decided to leave the world at my doorstep. When I come into my house from whatever is stressing me out lately or craziness in the news, I leave it at the doorstep. I want my home to feel like a refuge from the craziness, and I especially want my kids (and their friends) to feel that way, too—and it starts with ME!
*I started to tell myself that I am what I want to be, not particularly what I think I am (does that make sense?). We act what we believe we are so for example, if I tell myself I am a good mom even when I feel like I’m not because I made a mistake, my actions follow that. If I tell myself that I am a bad mom, my actions will continue to follow what I’ve told myself. The same goes for anything I’m doing in life.
*Follow your plan, not your mood. Mood follows action. Decide what type of mood you want to be in and do the actions you want to get there.
*I’m saying ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong’ much more. I’m pretty good at hiding my stubborn side online ha, but it is there, and I woke up realizing I needed to change. I feel like a new woman saying I was wrong vs. being stubborn that I am right and going over and over in my head how they were wrong. It feels so much better to take responsibility for my actions and try to be a bit more humble and say I’m sorry. I’ve apologized more in the last few months than I have in the last few years;)
*Unsubscribe from as many emails as you can (search “unsubscribe” on your email and that makes it even easier) and subscribe to Nice News Newsletter. I love reading about the good things going on in the world.
*After decades of my mornings feeling like I’m going to explode because I’ve given myself 12.6 minutes to be out the door for a run, I’ve changed to moving around at 1/2-pace or even 1/4th-pace. Whatever time it usually takes me to do XYZ, I give myself 2-4 X the time so I can move slowly in the morning. It means I have to wake up earlier, but it allows me time to get ready slowly, write for a few minutes in my journal, listen to a meditation, and start the day chill rather than stressed.
*Plan things. When I went through my divorce and life felt so heavy, I would focus on planning at least one thing a month that I could look forward to. PLEASE start the group message to schedule something with a group of friends or your family. Or find something new to try that interests you and add it to the calendar. Make a little or big plan each month (or weekly) for something that excites you and makes life much better. I swear the looking forward to/planning/preparing part is just as great as the actual event.
*Of course, going for a walk helps everyone on the planet, but something I have found to improve my life is what I’m walking ON. Each week if I can walk on whatever the season has to offer me (grass with bare feet in warmer months, sand if on a trip, fresh snow in the winter, crunchy leaves in the fall), I feel so connected to the earth. Nature brings me some of my greatest joy, and walking ON different things besides just pavement makes a difference for me.
*I am so addicted to listening to podcasts or books, but lately, I’ve tried driving in silence for tenish minutes, and it’s nice to have a little conversation with myself.
*Newness… Taking a different driving route to get home, trying a new recipe, getting a different type of book than you normally do from the library, finding a new place in your city to visit. Variety and doing something new always perks me up.
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Any things that have greatly improved your life?
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