There are times that you feel that your life is lacking something. Or that you need to find ways to improve your life so you can feel better in general. When you start to feel like this the best thing you can do is look for some simple ways to improve your life.
A few years ago this was something that I struggled with big time. I felt that my life was going nowhere fast and there was nothing I could do about it. At that time I took a big step back and tried to pinpoint what I could change that would make some positive improvements in my life.
That is when I took a deep dive into my mind and heart and did a lot of soul searching. By trying quite a few different things I was able to improve my outlook on life. And that in many ways improved my life for the better.
Below is a list of the small simple things I started doing in an effort to make some improvements in my life. Hopefully, they will help you out if you are feeling the same.
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Small Ways Improve Your Life
Making small changes to your surroundings or to your personal spaces can have a huge impact on how you feel. Even if it seems like there is no immediate impact, trust me. Soon you will start to feel better about life in general.
Make Your Bed Every Morning
By making your bed first thing in the morning you set the stage for a more productive day. It also helps you at night because that is the last chore that needs to be done before you get in bed. If you do it in the morning then you don’t have to worry about it the rest of the day.
Clean out your closet
Or any space that may get overrun with junk and/or clutter. Chances are if it is stored somewhere out of sight then you probably don’t need it as much as you thought you did.
Change up your style
Personally, I’m a graphic t-shirt and jeans kinda girl. But sometimes I like to change it up and wear a nicer shirt for a change. It makes me feel good if I’m having a bad day and gives me a little mood boost when people notice that I changed it up a little.
Get Yourself Outside Everyday
Go for a walk around the block or go sit at a local park for a bit. Anything that will get you out of the house and outside for at least an hour every day. The sunlight and fresh air will do wonders for you. It can help lower stress and keeps you active for a time each day. If you have kids just getting outside and playing with them does the trick too and it’s a great way to spend time together.
Break a Sweat Everyday
Even if you can’t go to the gym to work out, you can still do a simple home workout that will get you moving and helps to keep you healthy. I’ve never been one to do a full workout. But one of my favorite things to do is throw on some good dance music and dance in the living room. Or laundry room, or wherever I feel like it. A lot of time the kids will join and we will have a mini dance party for a few minutes. It really is a great way to get moving and the kids love doing silly dances with me.
Eat Healthier (at least a little)
You don’t have to always eat healthily. But there should be some balance to your eating habits. I try to make sure that each meal contains either fruits or veggies and some grains. The biggest trick is to not FORCE yourself to eat a strictly healthy diet. But to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet most days. I know I definitely feel better when I eat foods that are better for me instead of junky foods all the time. One of the best ways to make sure you have enough fruits and veggies is to try a garden. We have done this the past few years and it has encouraged us to incorporate more vegetables into our home cooking.
Related Reading: Changes to Improve Your Mindset and What is Self-Care
Read a Book
Taking a break from the TV and your phone is a great way to start improving your life. You don’t realize all the time you spend watching TV or mindlessly scrolling until you stop. Picking up a book is a great way to get that much-needed break and do something that will help you in the long run. One of my favorites is the Handmaid’s Tale. (sure the show is great but the book is always better)
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is something that I think we all need in our lives. The reason is that it makes you more aware of your surroundings and yourself. Check this book out for more information on the importance of mindfulness in life and the way it can improve your life.
Talk to a Friend
I mean TALK to them on the phone or in person. One of the drawbacks to our current digital age is that no one really talks anymore. It’s usually a text, email, or DM. But sitting down and chatting with a friend on a regular basis is a great way to increase your contact with others and has even more benefits that you might not realize right away.
Start a Journal
One sure-fire way to figure out ways to improve your life is to see the areas where it needs improving. If you can pinpoint the different areas of your life that you are unhappy about or would like to change. It’s a lot easier to start making those changes a little at a time. Try some of these Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery if you aren’t sure where to start.
Write a Real Letter to Someone (on paper)
Remember how nice it was to get something in the mail other than bills? Well, you can get that feeling back by starting to write letters to family members that live far away. Especially older ones that may not have access to social media. I’m sure they would love to get a letter from you in the mail to see how you are doing.
Do a Social Media Detox
Oh, social media and my love/hate relationship with it. While I like to hop on there and read all the funny memes out there. I can sometimes get a little envious of some of the people I come across that seem to be doing better than me. If you feel like this then it’s time to close out all the social media for a few days and focus on the world right in front of you. You’d be amazed at how much better your life really is when you aren’t comparing it to every picture-perfect family you see online. (I’ll tell you a secret: they feel the same way you do, they just hide it)
Avoid Negative People
Avoid these people as much as possible. I like to stay as far away from them as I can. Because they really bring down my moods and I like to be a happy person as much as possible. If you have to be around them try to listen as little as possible if you can. Negative people can suck the joy and happiness right out of you. Making a good day a bad one. One thing that I like to do is try and get them to a least smile a few times in the day.
Choose to be Happy
There are some days that choosing to be happy is hard to do. But I like to fake it till I make it. If I am having the worst day ever I try my hardest to pretend to be a least in a sort of good mood. Usually, that works to get me out of whatever funk I’m in and I start to feel better. It’s a little tricky but has worked well for a few years now.
Find Joy in the Little Things
It’s overused I know. But taking the time to find joy in the little things around you is one of the easiest ways to improve your life. Even if it’s the sun on your face or a song on the radio. Once you start to look for little things to enjoy and appreciate. You will find that you always look forward to the small things that make you happy.
Final Thoughts on Ways to Improve Your Life
One of the best things you can do if you are looking to improve your life is to stop and see what changes you should make. Whether you decide to eat a little healthier, change up your style, or just take a step back from things. Any change for the better that you make will help you start on a path that makes you feel better about yourself and your life.
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