Even if you are happy with your life, chances are, you could find some areas you’d like to improve. Life is a continuous growth process, and there’s nearly always a way to make things better.
Are you ready to feel more alive, purposeful, fulfilled and invigorated? Use these six tips to make your life 1% better every day.
1. Take Time for Self-Care
You don’t need money for an exclusive spa to participate in self-care. The practice also consists of those pieces of your daily routine that nurture your mind, body or soul. Cooking a nutritious and tasty meal instead of settling for fast food is one example. Making plans to meet a friend at the gym after work is another.
Self-care can also involve a bit of pampering, but it need not be expensive. For example, brushing your teeth immediately after having tea or coffee prevents tannins from damaging your enamel and takes little in terms of time or money.
Part of self-care also entails setting healthy boundaries. It means having a heart-to-heart with your supervisor instead of tackling the extra project they piled on top of your already-full plate if it will impact your ability to do the best job possible. It involves limiting your contact with negative people who drain your energy so that you have more to spend on those who matter.
2. Tell Your Loved Ones You Care
Few people lie on their deathbeds, thinking, “If only I had spent more time at the office.” People tend to lament the time they didn’t spend with loved ones more than anything else.
Tell your loved ones that you care and show them by spending time with them. Play hooky and have a mother-daughter date day to go out for fancy tea and scones or wander through the zoo.
Leave the carpets unvacuumed and spend Saturday morning watching cartoons with your kiddos in bed.
Don’t neglect the adults who make your life special. Why not call that old college roommate whom you haven’t spoken with in years? Pour yourself a cup of tea and catch up — you’ll both appreciate the human connection, perhaps now more than ever.
3. Nourish Your Physical Self
As the saying goes, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. You owe it to yourself to take care of your physical body because when things go awry, it colors every other area of your life, from family to finances.
Ensure you get some physical activity each day, even if it’s only a few gentle yoga stretches in bed when you don’t feel well. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), you should get at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of more vigorous physical activity weekly.
Working out need not be expensive or burdensome. You can pick up light dumbbells and exercise bands for relatively little, and sites like Craigslist often feature bargains on larger equipment from folks who no longer need the extra “laundry rack.” Alternatively, you can master some bodyweight strength moves and walk for cardiovascular conditioning.
You also need to fuel your body with quality octane. Please try to reduce your consumption of processed flour and added sugars, as these can increase your Type 2 diabetes risk. Red and processed meats can increase certain cancer risks, so keep things like bacon and steak as rare treats, if you eat them at all.
4. Learn Something New
If you want to keep your mind young and sharp, you need to use it. Try to learn something new to grow 1% better every day.
What should you tackle? If you have a little extra money and time, why not opt for a language learning app and finally polish that French you started speaking in high school? If your last trip left you reliant on Triple-A, why not learn how to change a tire?
5. Spend Time in Thought and Nature
If you haven’t looked into mindfulness yet, please do some reading. This practice takes your mind out of the uncertain and anxious future and returns it to the present by building your awareness. By observing your thoughts without judgment, you can start to see how they influence your behavior — helping you make better choices.
Spending time in nature gives you time to think and may cut your chances of getting sick. Scientists who investigated forest-bathing in Japan found that those who spent time in the outdoors had increased numbers and activity of natural killer cells. Plus, the beauty and tranquility ease stress and give you a deeper appreciation of the world’s wonders.
Why not go for a mindfulness walk in the park? Both your body and mind will feel refreshed when you finish.
6. Perform a Random Act of Kindness
When you give, you also receive. Volunteering releases a flood of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. These substances improve your mood and lift despair.
If you want to make your life 1% better, therefore, you should try to do the same for someone else. Help your neighbor carry their groceries in the house or sign up for a highway or beach cleanup project.
Make Your Life 1% Better Every Day With These 6 Tips
Life is a continuous series of improvements culminating in a masterpiece. Make your experience 1% better each day with the six tips above.
About the Author:
Reynolds is the Editor-in-Chief and founder of Momish Magazine. Mom and step mom living her best life while managing anxiety and normalizing blended families. She enjoys pilates, podcasts, and a nice pinot grigio.
