Easy Ways To Live Your Best Life In 2019
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At the start of each year, we are presented with a chance to start again. We can choose to improve our lives in many different ways, and the end of the old year is a chance to set any negativity and self-doubt behind us and move forward to replace destructive habits, alter the behavioural patterns we fall into and transform our relationships. We could actually be living the dream life that we picture in our heads. What is stopping us from reaching this ideal version of ourselves? It’s usually our mindset. Once we become open to the possibility of change, making improvements to the way we live can become second nature.
So take a deep breath and think about all the areas where you could be living your best life. By this time next year, that could be a reality. No one ever said that personal development was the easy route.. It can often be very challenging to do things differently, switch up our routines and make a big change. That’s why it’s important to set realistic goals for ourselves that are broken down into small, achievable changes. A lifestyle overhaul is done one step at a time with lots of little improvements along the way. So get started on shaping your life into the one you’ve always dreamed of – the one you deserve.
Schedule In Your Self- Care Time
What could make you a better partner, a better parent, a better friend? Not many would answer time for themselves, but actually this can be the key to it all. We all lead busy lives these days, often with multiple responsibilities, from work to parenting to caring for our own elderly relatives. Many of us in this situation coast along a few steps away from burn out. But if no-one cares for the carer, what happens? Investing some time in yourself is not selfish or indulgent.. It’s a form of insurance to make sure that you are able to care effectively for others. Often we have good intentions, but our time for ourselves gets sidelined or compromised as we get busy. It always seems to be at the bottom of the list. Guard against that happening by actually working self care into your daily schedule. What that means to you will be very individual. It may be squeezing in an hour in the morning for a bit of yoga. It could be time on a Sunday to just sit with the newspapers and a pot of coffee. You could be using a mindfulness app to release stress each evening or booking a massage. Whatever it is that makes you feel good, combats anxieties and soothes the soul, you need to make an appointment with yourself and keep it.
Keep On Learning
We feel good about ourselves when we continue to grow and develop as people, and challenging our minds with education is a great route to keep our intellects challenged. You may imagine that you simply couldn’t disrupt your life and go back to learning, but the rise of part-time and distance learning degree courses over the past few years is making anything possible. Now you can do anything from a bachelor’s degree in history of art to a masters of civil engineering online. Attending lectures virtually means you can fit learning in around your career and family commitments, as well as not needing to move location to earn a degree from a prestigious institution, plus learning becomes way more affordable and realistic when you don’t have to factor in the cost and hassle of accomodation and visas. With higher education institutions launching YouTube channels to host their lectures, virtual Open Days and Skyping with your professors, a new world of learning is now open to you – and one that would really amp up your personal and professional development. Learning not only enriches the mind, challenges you and opens you up to new experiences, but it can also turbo-charge your career in a new direction. So, if you’ve been weighing up doing that MBA for years, perhaps 2019 is when you can finally make it happen.
Learn To Live With Less
Although last year’s festive period may have been enjoyable, for many people it will have left them with a sense of too much excess – in food, and in possession. When you have a young family, there are bound to be lots of gifts, and the tide of incoming possessions can feel quite stifling. So it may be time to reassess your values and your things in search of a simpler life. If your wardrobe is groaning at the seams with unworn items still with the tags on and sales ‘bargains’ that have never seen the light of day, taking on a Minimalism challenge could be just what you need to hit refresh on your life. If you feel like you’re on an escalating treadmill of working more to pay for more things, it could be time to realise that possessions are not going to make you happy, and that you probably have more than enough of the things you’re working to accumulate. Would your life, your home and your bank balance be happier if you tried to consume less? When we sever the tie between material possessions and our sense of self-worth, we become infinitely richer. See your money as literally your life force that you have expended at work and it becomes a lot more valuable. Do you really want to waste that on a bunch of clothes you won’t even wear? Try to refocus your desires on experiences that will enrich your lives and enhance family bonds. In the process, it’s a great opportunity to have a serious home declutter. Take a look at the new Marie Kondo series on Netflix and you’ll be hard pressed not to desperately want to organise your sock drawer afterwards! Re-evalute buying multiples of things you have no need for, and take a trip to your local charity shop with items that you’re needlessly hoarding. Also, stop saving things ‘for best’. That expensive bubble bath or box of gourmet chocolates are there to be enjoyed, not saved up for a day that never comes. Celebrate yourself every day by using and enjoying your best rather than keeping things in your life and your home that you aren’t using. The power of doing this can be pretty transformative on your life.
Feel the joy of reaching your potential. Image via Unsplash
Follow The 10,000/ 3 Rule
Changing your lifestyle to become more healthy with higher energy levels can seem like an impossible task. So instead of getting overwhelmed by the scale of the big picture, focus on just two small changes that are easy to make and act as keystone habits to form a healthier life. Firstly, make sure you’re taking 10,000 steps a day – FitBits have become popular devices for this reason, or most smartphones will have a simple pedometer function. Just moving a little more, especially outdoors, can have a wide range of extremely beneficial effects, from reducing anxiety and improving your mood and mental health to helping you shift those creeping extra pounds. It can also help to reduce your risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Adding these extra steps into your daily routine can be as simple as escaping the office for a lunchtime walk or parking your car a few blocks further away. Make it an integral part of your day and it won’t seem like such an impossible chore. The other magic number to introduce is the habit of drinking three litres of water per day. Most of us are chronically dehydrated, which has negative effects ranging from poor concentration to premature wrinkles. Purchase a reusable metal water bottle and keep it with you at all times. Our bodies are 60% water and if we don’t replenish this we can experience side effects from persistent, debilitating headaches to overeating as we confuse our thirst for hunger. It’s quite extraordinary the range of benefits that can be derived from adopting just two simple habits. And with those in the bag, you’ll feel more motivated to tackle other areas of your health and fitness too!
