Improve your life!
Life is an ever-changing journey with different twists and turns. At times, we may encounter a point of stagnation in our lives where we feel like we don’t seem to be making much progress in some areas of our lives. Constantly striving to improve one’s life is the mark of a quality and purposeful life. There are always areas in your life that could do with some improvement. Here are four tips to help you add some fulfilment to your days.
Wake up earlier
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. These famous words are from Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. Hard as it may be for most people, there are a good number of benefits of rising early. Starting your day early gives you time to accomplish more.
It gives you time to exercise, thus improving your health; have breakfast – the most important meal of the day which most people never get to enjoy as they rush to work; avoid rush hour traffic, which adds to stress levels; and enjoy the sunrise – one of nature’s most amazing feats. It also enables you to get to work or appointments on time, and gives you time to work uninterrupted.
Waking up early is not a habit but a lifestyle. Don’t just wake up early without a purpose. Be early. Be there before others. Look for opportunities and embrace them. Waking up early also means keeping your eye open to every available opportunity.
Learn something new everyday
You probably remember being asked by your parents or an older relative about what you learnt in school at the end of a day. Why is it that we don’t ask ourselves this question as adults? We may think of a school setting as the only place to learn yet life is one of the greatest teachers of all time. We should take time to learn daily lessons that will allow us to be open to change and growth.
Every day, ask yourself, “What have I learned?” This will enable you to remain focused on your personal growth and self-transformation rather than perceiving yourself as a finished product. You will also get inspired to find lessons from everything you experience. It will also make you try to get the best out of things and grow from even the most difficult circumstances. Write your lessons down if you can, and look back on them in future.
Get rid of clutter
How many of us have amassed a wealth of utterly useless paraphernalia under the excuse that “I may need it sometime?” Whether at home, on your workspace or on your desktop, we’re all guilty of piling up things we may never use. Excessive clutter is often a symptom and a cause of stress and can affect every facet of your life; from the time it takes you to do things to your finances and your overall enjoyment of life.
Clutter can distract you, weigh you down, and generally it invites chaos into your life. You may look at the amount of clutter you may have amassed and feel tired or discouraged, never knowing where to start. The best way to do this is by taking small steps. You can identify a specific area of your life that needs to be decluttered and pick a day for it so you don’t have to do it all at once. You may start with your office PC, deleting all the unwanted files and cleaning up your desk, then drawers, before moving to other areas like different parts of your home, and so on.
Try something new
Maybe you are stuck in a rut because you are bored. Nothing exciting seems to be happening in your life. It’s time to make this happen for yourself by trying something you have never attempted before. Go for a challenge; learn a language, an instrument, or a new sport. You could also start a blog, volunteer at a charitable organisation during your fee time, or even start a monthly challenge, be it physical, mental or social.
This opens up your mind to new possibilities and also enhances your creativity. A creative mind keeps you on your toes mentally and helps improve your quality of life by allowing you to find the bright spots when others might not be so inclined.
Published in April 2012