We all want to be happy, healthy, and successful, but aren’t always sure how to do it. You do things here and there to improve your quality of life, but you seem to lack consistency. For example, if you want to feel happy, you may go for a hike, hang out with friends, or have a weekend getaway. To be healthier you may join the gym, take yoga classes, change your eating habits, etc. All of those things are great to do, however, it might be more helpful to look a little bit deeper than the short-term and find habits that stick.
Take a look at these 10 things you can start doing today to get you on the right track:
1. Make a bucket list and tackle it
Sit down and think about all the things you want to do before you die. Want to travel to another country? Skydive? Learn a new language? Whatever it is, write it down. Make a 30-day bucket list as well as a 5-year bucket list. Often times people tend to live as though they’ll live forever. They sink into “tomorrow” and end up with a lot of yesterdays that are filled with a whole lot of nothing. Don’t plan your ambitions around your life, plan your life around your ambitions.
2. Do a 24-hour internet detox
In today’s world, almost everything that we do is through the internet or a mobile device. You can become easily wrapped up in other people’s lives and forget about your own. Think about how often you go out to eat and see others on their phone and not talking to the person they’re supposed to be sharing their meal with. By detoxing yourself from the internet for 24 hours a week, you give yourself the opportunity to reconnect with the people you love and care about most. By putting your phone away, you’re able to give your undivided attention to your loved ones and form stronger bonds with them.
3. Be selective in what you read in newspapers
Most times, the media is pumping out information to get your attention and appeal to your fears. If they didn’t do this, most newspapers would fail because no one would be reading them. You can get a lot of accurate information from Google News. When you separate yourself from public news, you’ll be surprised at how much more optimistic your life will become. Occasionally, we fall into perceived realities when we are constantly filling our brain with the information we read in newspapers which can, and often times is, extremely toxic.
4. Do something daily that scares you
It is very easy to live in our comfort zones. It is our safe place, and it is where we escape to when we feel uncomfortable. You don’t need to do something drastic that scares you every day. Small things can make a big difference as well. If you’re able to take 20 seconds out of your day every day to do something that terrifies you, you’ll realize you’ll be in a completely different socioeconomic situation.
Ever notice how you’re always more nervous for a meeting or an event until it actually happens? The anticipation is far worse than the situation itself when it comes around. It’s important to remind yourself that most things out of your comfort zone are completely safe.
5. Do something kind every day
Ask yourself, “Have I done anything good for the world or another person today?” You’re busy, I’m busy, everyone is busy, I get it. But if you allow yourself to become so busy that you cannot take any time out of your day to help another person, you should make some adjustments so that you can make that a priority. Whether it is spontaneous or planned, you will realize that one of the greatest feelings in life is being able to help others. When you help others, you give yourself the ability to open up to them in a way you may not have been able to before. It can truly put into perspective what really matters in life.
6. Get rid of the things you don’t need
Start with your closet. You have probably looked in there countless mornings and said, “I have nothing to wear.” But you clearly have a ton of things to wear. Inside is probably a ton of clothing items you haven’t worn in months, maybe even years. It’s like money sitting in your closet. When you start getting rid of the things you don’t need, you’ll start to notice how much more motivated you feel. When you get rid of old energy, you open the doors for new and positive energy to come through.
7. Believe in your dreams
At one point or another, we have all dreamed of a life we’d love to live – from material items to all the things that money can’t buy. When you come to the realization and understanding that the things you seek can occur, the universe will work in very mysterious ways to make that happen.
8. Stop focusing so much on the outcome
Many times we find ourselves focusing so much on what could happen rather than just living in the moment and enjoying it for what it is. We do this because we really don’t want to mess something up. It can either be a relationship or work-related, but we can sometimes create negative outcomes when we focus so much on what hasn’t happened yet. Focus on the things that you can control. Better yet, focus on who you can control – yourself. Do what is right and let the consequences follow.
9. Surround yourself with people who inspire you
Have you ever heard someone say to you that you tend to act like the five people you spend the most time with? That is very, very true.
- What goals do they have?
- What kind of beliefs do they have?
- Are they a kind person?
These are just a few things that dramatically impact you. Becoming uncomfortable around people you’ve been friends with for a very long time can be very tough to grasp. It’s normal for people to grow, evolve, and realize that they may desire to hang around a different crowd. It’s okay to move on, but don’t detach from the genuine love that you have for those people.
10. Read weekly
It’s very important to always keep learning. Even the smartest and most successful people in the world still feel that they can always learn something new. Try to read one book per week. As time passes, you will have read hundreds of books and you will have gained knowledge on a number of topics. You’ll then have the ability to see the world differently, as well as open the doors to communicate with more people due to your knowledge on various things.
