When you think of changing your life, you might imagine bold moves such as moving overseas, quitting your job or getting a radical makeover. While moves like this will definitely shake things up, they may also be daunting or simply unachievable, depending on your situation. However, there is no need to be stuck in a rut simply because the thought of making huge changes is overwhelming. Shaking up your life can be as simple as making small changes and taking baby steps towards the version of you that you’d like to be.
Here are ten of our favourite ways to start:
Simple Ways to Shake Up Your Life
Rearrange your furniture
When things seem a little stale at home, switching up your interior décor and furniture can make a big difference. Start by finding a focal point such as a window, alcove or a fireplace, or create your own with a TV and place your furniture around it. Consider the space you have, how easy it is for people to move around the room and the accessibility to the rest of the house. Use this as an opportunity to work out what furniture is necessary and if you need to get rid of or buy new items.
Put down the technology
Many of us spend a large amount of our day looking at our cell phones, tablets and computers. Switch off the technology, even if just for a few hours a day (and particularly when you’re outside) and look up instead of down – you might be surprised by what you see!
Learn something new
Always wanted to know more about something? Have you been intrigued by a new hobby, or wanted to learn a new skill? Whether it is learning a new language, being creative, researching a topic you’re interested in, learning something new can shake up your mindset and bring enjoyment to your day. Browse the internet for local classes or tutorials, hit your local library or archives and surprise your mind.
Have a do-nothing day
When we are used to being ‘busy’ all the time, taking a step back and doing nothing all day may seem like a difficult task. Take a day just for you – take a nap, have a long soak in the bath, pamper yourself with your favorite products, read a book, listen to music – taking time off and doing as little as possible allows the brain to reset and recharge. Put all those ‘to-do’s’ and ‘should-do’s’ to one side for a while, ditch the lists and let yourself breathe for a while.
Start a meditation practice
Meditation can help to improve focus and concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, regulate emotion, improves general mental health and can even improve resilience. Even 10 – 15 minutes a day can make a difference to how you feel. To help with your meditation, why not create a designated meditation space or meditation room?
Get ahead when you’re feeling motivated
Do you always feel like you are catching up? When you’re feeling motivated and have more energy than usual, take the opportunity to get ahead with the smaller tasks that have been on your list for a while. It’s amazing how the things we put off for so long can take such little time to complete.
Be a tourist in your hometown
When we have lived in an area for a while it isn’t often that we take time to go out and find what it has to offer. Explore your hometown through the eyes of a tourist in the same way you would when visiting somewhere new on vacation. Look for interesting architecture, places of historical significance, nice cafes and restaurants and guided tours – you never know what you might discover!
Declutter
Look at the material items in your home and work out what you really need. Whether it is in individual rooms like your closet or creating more of a minimalist look around the home, free up your space and energy to allow new things to come in.
Incorporate stretching into your daily routine
Stretching helps to increase blood flow, assists the joints and muscles to move more freely and can help general mobility throughout the day. Done carefully, a few minutes of stretching each day will make a difference in how you feel and move.
Improve your commute
Commuting is often the part of the day that many of us find difficult, particularly if we have to deal with busy traffic or cramped public transport. Shake up your commute by listening to your favorite uplifting playlists or podcasts, use it as an opportunity to brainstorm ideas or solve problems, take time to do some deep breathing and relaxation techniques, or even (if possible) take a slightly different route to get where you need to be every so often just for a change of scenery.
Manifesting change in your life can begin with small adjustments to your daily routine and, often, won’t cost you anything at all. So what are you waiting for? Choose one from the list, or come up with something that suits your routine, and start shaking up your life today.