Here are 10 things you can do right now to improve your life:
1. Accept yourself for who you are right now. Accept all your imperfections and idiosyncrasies because that’s what makes you unique. There are over 6 billion people on this planet, but there is only one You.
2. Write down or review all your goals in life and then take action right now on one of them. What can you be doing right now that will bring you closer to what you really want in life?
3. Turn off the computer (after you read this article, of course), turn off your phone, turn off the TV, turn off anything that distracts you from doing something of importance in your life. Take time right now to look within yourself and find out what is important to you. Close your eyes and meditate if that helps you. The most amazing answers come from within ourselves, as long as we can quiet everything and really listen. Right now, listen to yourself.
4. Take the time to play. Play with your children, or your pets or the neighbour’s children’s pets. Life doesn’t have to be such a struggle and so serious all the time. Take time to rediscover what you liked to do when you were a child and play like one right now.
5. Look around your space and get rid of some stuff that has been cluttering up your life. Our environments affect us so much. Why are you putting up with that ugly old knick-knack that your stepmother’s great aunt gave you for your wedding ten years ago? Get rid of anything that doesn’t have great sentimental value, brings you joy or makes you happy. Go through your surroundings right now and get rid of things that you hate.
6. Get some exercise. Right now, go for a walk, pop an exercise DVD in the player, dance around your room, skip rope or start sparing with an imaginary opponent. Do something that makes the blood flow and energizes you. Keep doing this every day and you will notice the difference. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to incorporate exercise and movement into your life.
7. Go around your home and do something that has been on your to-do list. Fix that wobbly chair. Throw out those old magazines that have been lying in the garage for months. Take out the caulking gun and recaulk the bathroom tub. Clean out your underwear drawer. Do that one thing that has been taking up so much room in your mind and which you have been meaning to do. Just do it right now so that it will be done and so you will not have that task sucking up your energy again and again whenever you think you should be doing it. Just get it done right now.
8. Review your finances and take stock of all your assets and liabilities. Gather up all of your monthly bills, credit card statements (even the ones you are scared to open), investment statements, taxes, and other financial statements. Add up everything you owe and everything you own. Don’t be scared if you owe more than what you own. Get your head out of the sand and face whatever the number turns out to be and make a plan to get out of debt. Decide right now that you will stop digging the hole deeper and that you will start from wherever you are to get your finances in order.
9. Right now, decide that you will devote time and energy into your most-important relationships. Get out your calendar and make a recurring date with your spouse. Create a weekly family movie or game night. Go to your folks home for Sunday dinner, every Sunday. Call your friends more often and let them know what’s going on in your life. Invite your relatives over to your house at least once a month. Either devote time to your most-important relationships or find new ones so that your social connections do not whither. Having a close support network is one of the greatest joys in life.
10. If you are having any issue in your life that has been in your life for years and you’ve tried to deal with it on your own, then it’s time to talk to a professional. No matter what your issue is, there is a professional who can help you. They will be objective and have special training, which you do not have. Call one today so that you can start the process.
There are a ton of other things you can do to improve your life right now. What do you think should be added to this top 10 list? Let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!
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5. Are You Being Your True Authentic Self?
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
How easy it is to become a workaholic. I often think of how precious time is, and prioritize – family, health and overall well-being first.
Great reminder Karen.
Hi Hal,
I couldn’t agree more.It seems the older I get, the more I realize how precious the amount of time I have left.
Glad that you liked the article.
Karen
Karen,
10 great tips to change your life, very useful. Getting out of that continuous working every minute of everyday cycle. Some of them I’m okay with and they’re being done; others need more attention.
Regards
Paul
Paul´s last blog ..Special People
Hi Paul,
Glad to hear that you are already making positive changes in your life. Little tweaks can turn into major improvements.
Thanks for stopping by,
Karen
Awesome Karen
I love how simply these 10 things are. People often believe that making a change in your life involves massive changes. As we know sometimes the little things can make a huge difference.
Ben´s last blog ..I’ve won the Lottery
Hi Ben,
That’s right, small improvements over time can equal a huge change for self-improvement. It’s just taking that first step which can be the hardest.
Thanks,
Karen
Hi Karen,
Happy to meet you! By wanting to help your friend, you’ve created a wonderful blog that will undoubtedly help many others.
I’m happy to say your helpful list is one I revisit often. Nevertheless, it’s a great reminder I must share (tweet).
Take care
Welcome Kim,
I’m happy to meet you, too. Thanks very much for the retweet.
Karen
hi karen,
how are you?
i loved this and has been focusing heavily on points 3, 4 and 8 in the last two/three months.
it really does make a difference in my life and it creates a sense of fulfilment, satisfaction and prudence.
take care
ayo´s last blog ..Don’t Give Up On Life
Hi Ayo,
I’m very well, thank you. I’m so glad that you liked the list and are already making improvements in your life, including getting rid of distractions so that you can play more and getting a handle on your finances. That’s great that you are already reapiing the rewards of the small changes in your life.
Thanks very much for stopping by.
Karen
A few more things we can do to live a happier life is to make new friends. I always believe that making new friends and establishing good relationships with them not only develops your personality but it greatly improves your social life. Apart from this, another thing which I do is to list down the minor and major things I’ve achieved during the past few months. This gives me a sense of appreciation for the things I’ve done and provides me with more self-confidence.
Julius´s last blog ..>When Sound is not an Option: A review of Vibrating Devices for Deaf People
Hi Julius,
Those are great tips! It can be kind of hard to make new friends the older you get and when it seems like everyone is so wrapped up in their already-established relationships, but making new friends and being exposed to new ways of thinking can certainly have a positive impact on your life. It’s very much worth the effort.
Having your goals front and center and then being able to cross them off is a great motivator. It motivates you to make more goals that you will achieve and it also provides you with a lot of confidence in yourself, knowing that you are able to do what you set out to do.
Thanks very much for stopping by and adding to the discussion.
karen
Thanks for your response Karen.
Yesterday evening, I spent time with my girlfriend and her nephew, and I remembered one of your tips which is to interact and play with kids, and my girlfriend, her nephew, and I had so much fun. Playing like a child and appreciating the simpler things in life from time to time really takes away a lot of stress in our lives.
Julius´s last blog ..>When Sound is not an Option: A review of Vibrating Devices for Deaf People
Hi Julius,
What a great story! It sounds like you were able to have some fun playing around and what a stress reliever, eh? Good for you for taking the time out
Thanks for sharing,
Karen
These are really great ways to improve your life. I’m still looking into some professional help just a bit with some things still on my mind. However, our new home and all is really inspirational and something else. I’m happier we’re in a nicer place.
Good list.
Eric´s last blog ..Want To Fail With Me: Lets Help Each Other Succeed
Hi Eric,
I’m so happy that you are feeling better about your situation and congrats on your new home. It’s amazing how much our environment influences us. I hope it brings you joy and inspires you.
Thanks for visiting,
Karen
Great list of life improvements. Like the fact that these are simple things that people can start doing today.
I especially like idea #9. This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis. There are a lot of people I care about, but I find it hard to stay in contact with everyone. What I’m starting to do every week is review my list of important people and make sure that I figure out a way to see/talk to them in the next 7 days.
The one thing I would add is additional comment to #1. Accept 100% responsibility in your life. Resign yourself to the fact that you are the only one who make things happen.
Steve Scott Site´s last blog ..Successful Info Product Creation and Marketing [Part 1]
Hi Steve,
That’s a great addition – I’m a firm believer in taking personal responsibility. Everyone has choices in life and they should be able to accept the consequences of their choices. So many people hide behind the victim mentality – that drives me nuts. Especially in so-called mature adults who should know by now that no one owes them anything.
A friend of mine has something similar to your list – he keeps in contact with his close far-away friends by phoning at least once per month, plus frequent emails and even sends cards. It’s easy to fall into the out of sight, out of mind trap when you are wrapped up in your own world and don’t see friends who live far away. Having some sort of system or reminder in place is a big help. This is also something that I struggle with, too.
Thanks for stopping by,
Karen
Sounds like your friend has an excellent plan. One of these days, I’m going to write down the people that mean the most and proactively make sure they stay close in my life.
Steve Scott Site´s last blog ..Successful Info Product Creation and Marketing [Part 3]
Hi Steve,
Why not take a few minutes and do the list today? That’s the whole point of the article
Just do it.
Thanks,
Karen
I think the common theme is that it doesn’t matter what you do, you need to do something. I think that’s exactly right. Too many people spend time worrying about the problem, rather than actually doing something about it.
Your post Karen is an excellent reminder. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Matthew,
There are so many different ways to do something today to improve your life. It doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, but deciding up on and then acting upon that change is the key. I think if we stopped worrying and actually brought our problems into the light, we would be better prepared to overcome them.
You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by,
Karen