Some of the most worthwhile things in life aren’t easy. Now that’s a pretty broad statement, I realize, but it’s true. I think the stigma that if you “have the right mindset the rest can and will just fall into place,” is so misleading. I mean think about it, how many positive thinkers out there got what they wanted by just sitting, waiting, and thinking positively? Probably none… and if you have, you are quite lucky my friend. Now as much as I believe that our God truly provides, it’s gotta take a little effort on our end to really make the magic happen, you know?
I think that there are obviously a billion small ways that you can instantly make life just a little bit sweeter, but I have compiled a list of some of the most important… in my opinion. These aren’t meant to completely transform your life, and I’d be lying if I said I practiced these every day in my own life… but I can honestly say I work on these daily. And try to remember to celebrate the smallest things because life is too dang short.
1. Stop saying yes to every single thing. You’re allowed to not want to go to every party and hangout in your pjs at home instead. You’re allowed to skip a week of church and not be considered a “bad Christian.” You’re allowed to say “no” to helping out a friend without being labeled a terrible friend. You’re allowed to intentionally ignore a phone call or text once in awhile. None of these things make you a bad person. There will be other parties, other church Sundays, other times to help out a friend. Practice saying no every once in a while. Not only will it make you feel empowered and in control, it might give you a little chance to be alone and work on yourself.
2. Try complimenting at least 1 person every single day. Even if you might not 100% believe the compliment, give it anyways. Compliment your coworker on their new shoes, tell the barista at Starbucks you love the way they spell their name, tell your significant other how much they mean to you. Tell them. Providing others with compliments lifts their spirits, and it’ll make you feel pretty darn good to see their smile too.
3. Stop working at your job if you hate it. We are only blessed with ONE SINGLE LIFE to live and so why would you want to waste it on a dead-end job that you hate? Make the moves to update your resume, reconnect with past acquaintances, get your name out there, and apply to a few jobs. What’s it going to hurt to try? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Sure if you find another job you might be taking a pay cut, or maybe you’ll have to transfer cities… look at it like an adventure (not easy all the time, I know). Instead of focusing on your lower paycheck, focus on how you can improve your spending habits. Turn it into a game with your spouse- who can save the most $$ a week?
4. Quit comparing your life to your friend’s lives, your families lives, your brother’s ex- girlfriend’s life. Everyone is going to hit milestones at different times. Who cares if you are 35 and aren’t married with kids? I bet you have a pretty cool career and can travel a bit more than your friends that do have kids! Who cares if you’re 25 and haven’t found your dream job? You shouldn’t. You have so much more time for that. Who cares if you are 60 and have wrinkles because you didn’t get Botox like all of your friends did? Your wrinkles make you, YOU! They are a showcase of all of the laughs you’ve shared, tears you’ve cried, and sunshine you’ve felt dance on your skin. It’s beautiful, so stop caring so much. Quit comparing because your life is your life, and that’s the case for everyone.
5. If you aren’t working out, shame on you. Working out can mean SO many different things to different people. For some, that means hitting the gym 7x a week and working out till you’re nearly dead. For others that means grabbing your walker and walking from one end of the room to another. Neither are more impressive in my opinion- both individuals are working hard to make a change. That’s impressive to me. Plus did you know that working out LITERALLY makes you happier? It releases endorphins that actually make your brain happier. I don’t know anyone that wouldn’t want to experience that.
6. I don’t care what your doctor says, EAT THE SWEETS! Obviously moderation is key, but no matter what they are telling you… eat something sweet every once in a while. Being a nutrition major in college, we talked about this often: never EVER completely remove something from someone’s diet. It’s not realistic and it won’t kill you to have a little piece of cake once a month.
7. Apologize to those that you have wronged or even those that have wronged you. Whether they accept your apology or not, it’ll make you feel lighter (less baggage!) and it’ll maybe even place a little guilt on them 😉 (oops, I didn’t just say that).
8. Get yourself a weird hobby. I’m a firm believer that everyone should have something that they do that isn’t necessarily the “norm.” This could be taking up knitting at the age of 18, becoming a master griller, learning how to DJ, becoming a food blogger… anything that sets you apart from the norm is good in my opinion. My hobby is blogging, and while that might not be “weird,” I can promise that the amount of weird looks I get while photo-shooting a donut pretty much makes it feel weird. I think that having something that brings you back down to earth, no matter how normal and perfect your life is, is good for the soul.
9. Dream out loud. I can’t tell you how many times Zach and I sit on the couch in our tiny apartment and play the “what would you do if you won the lottery” game. It started out as a fun little way to shout out “buy a Lamborghini!” But it might just surprise you how good it can make you feel to hear the kind things your significant other/ friend might say, such as “donate $ to my favorite animal shelter.” Hearing things like this always brightens my day and restores my faith in others.
10. Break something. Yep you heard me right. Have you ever seen those places where you can pay money to toss glass plates at a wall? Never done it, and to be honest I definitely got the idea from an episode of The Real Housewives of Dallas, but why not? If it’ll help reduce some stress and get you out of the house with a few good friends, do it.
There are obviously so many more little ways that you can make life sweeter, but these are the ones I am currently focusing on in my personal life and so I always like to share that with you all! I think that life is hard enough already, so finding little ways that you can make things a little better, brighter, and happier for yourself is a win.
What do you do on days when you need a little pick me up? Let me know in the comments! 💕
xox- Lauryn