13 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life

Have you ever awaken from a night’s sleep feeling off-balance before your feet even touched the floor? Were you stumbling to get your day started because you went to bed later than you wanted to, had heavy thoughts weighing down your mind and body, have you accumulated the stresses of everyday life, are you a pregnant mama, or are you a new papa?

Stress is a silent killer but there are big, and little, ways to manage it. Here are 13 easy ways to get closer to living a better day-to-day life.

1.) Make Your Bed When You Wake Up

Before you have your glass of water, eat breakfast, and get ready for your day, make your bed. It doesn’t take long, and it sets the tone for a productive day. Plus, getting into a neat, made bed at night creates a more peaceful sleep.

2.) Start Your Day with Water

When you first wake up, drink a glass of water. You can have it cold if that’s what invigorates your spirit, but I suggest drinking water at room temperature with lemon. Making hydration the first step in your morning routine gives your metabolism a jumpstart and helps your body flush out toxins.

3.) Spend Time in Nature

This is my preferred stress-reliever. Breathing in the fresh air and soaking up some sun brings me joy and allows me to clear my head so that I can see life openly. Take a walk through your neighborhood, have lunch by the river, go hiking, or take a snack with a book and lounge in the park. It’ll serve your soul nothing but goodness.

4.) Mind Your Manners

Do you realize how much hate there is in the world? We’re all dealing with something – domestic terrorism; family, friend, or colleague confrontations; road-rage; and so on. If you have even a drop of humanity in you, be kind to yourself. Take a long, observant look at yourself in the mirror and pay yourself a compliment, appreciate who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. Take note of your habits, good and bad, and be fair when deciding what you can afford to change. If placing sticky notes around your house or apartment works for you, then write some positive affirmations on them and stick away!

Be kind and sincere to others, even when they aren’t kind to you. It’s easier for me to say but I’ve learned lately that when I’m kind to others and kindness isn’t reciprocated, it means that they are harboring negative energy, not me.

Don’t be the person harboring negative, misguided energy. Remember that you are better than that. Also, don’t forget to keep eye contact and say “Please” and “Thank You” with a smile, and mean it. Words have power and eye contact boosts people’s confidence and connections. If the words you’re going to say will bring people down or carry negative energy, think about staying silent this time around.

Compliment others the way you’d compliment yourself. Complimenting another man or woman doesn’t take any value away from you. It adds value and will brighten your day.

5.) Get Moving

Working out makes you feel better by releasing endorphins, a hormone produced by the central nervous system and the pituitary gland that triggers a positive feeling in the body. You can get your heart rate up by swimming, jogging, running, power-walking, cycling, playing a sport, or going to the gym.

6.) Try Something New

Take a walk on the adventurous side! Test your limits, step out of your comfort zone, and be spontaneous. Book that overseas trip, ask out your crush, take a dance lesson – whatever interests you, just dive in! Life is to be lived so ignite your creativity, build laughable memories, and share your story!

7.) Keep Your House/Apartment Clean

If you keep up the cleanliness of your living space, life will be smoother and you’ll reap the physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Sort and purge the things you need to get rid of. Donate old clothes, shoes, and books; shred old papers and documents; throw away old products in your bathroom; clean out your refrigerator and cabinets, and take out the trash and recycling. What you’re doing is creating a space where you and your energy can flow freely.

8.) Have Solution-Focused Thinking

I often tell people, “Don’t tell me what’s wrong without telling me what’s right.” People are very quick to state the problem and complain without offering a solution, which is counter-productive. Productivity comes with figuring out several answers to an issue and choosing the best one based on the desired outcome.

 9.) Check On Your Loved-Ones

Do you think you have problems? Well, so does everyone else. Check on the people you care about because you never know what they are going through. Keep your line of communication open. Call a different person every weekend – all it takes is a few minutes and it shows that you care.

10.) Assess Your Finances

Money doesn’t buy happiness but it sure does help. At least once a month, decide whether you can function without the cup of pricey, inorganic coffee every morning or happy hour twice a week with your colleagues. The money you save will add up over time, which can be allotted to funding your passion projects, a down-payment for a house, or your savings that’s stashed in a safe deposit box.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

11.) What Are You Grateful For?

Life is a roller coaster, but your lowest points should make you appreciate your highs even more. You must make a conscious effort to remind yourself of all the beautiful things in your life, and that every moment is an opportunity for change. This is where journaling comes into play. I find that it helps to get a journal set up for daily entries where you can write down the things you’re grateful for every morning or evening. Consider all things, grand or minute.

If there’s anything you feel you want or need, make a plan to reach your goal and remember that the universe is conspiring to help you, so dream big, aim high, and claim your desires!

12.) Pace Yourself and Focus

Take a look at your to-do list. Instead of tackling everything at once, place the bullets on your list in order of importance. Work toward checking off your tasks one by one. This may mean that you plan to carry out a task every couple of hours or once a day. Either way, focus on what you’re doing at the moment. Don’t worry about what comes after because it’ll distract you from your current task. You’ll end up being more productive, and the feeling of accomplishment is unlike any other.

13.) Make Doing what You Love a Priority

Nothing or no one in the world, well, except your little ones, should take precedence over doing what you love. Say yes to yourself and pursue your interests and passions, and cultivate a life you love without feeling guilty. It could be something as simple as running around the park with your dog, sitting outside at your favorite café and reading a good book, taking a candlelit bath, volunteering at a shelter, designing websites, or maybe it is friends visiting over for tea or cocktails. Engaging in activities you enjoy fulfills your spirit and makes dealing with difficult moments easier, so whatever it is you like, do it!