Many people think that if you want a dramatic difference in your life you must make dramatic changes. This is false information and can discourage people from going after a positive change in their life. The truth is, just creating a few new small habits can make a large impact on how your day goes and overall life.
Create New Habits
There is always room for self-improvement and making a few little adjustments can go a long way.
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1. Smile more
A simple smile has more influence on your day and others than you may think. Smiling improves your mood and you can even trick yourself into feeling better. Next time you are upset and frowning force yourself into smiling, it will make you feel better.
2. Wake up early
This was a hard one for me but probably one of the most life-changing. I used to sleep in until noon and would wake up with half my day wasted. Once I turned off my snooze button and set a routine for my mornings it became less challenging. By waking up early you are giving yourself more time in your day to accomplish the things you need to get done. This also provides more time to hang out, chill, and have fun!
3. Name three things you’re thankful for
Keeping a gratitude journal
4. Read
Life gets crazy and it might seem like you don’t have enough time to read. But just by setting aside 15 minutes a day to read a chapter or 10 pages can help you in several ways. Reading keeps your brain activated and engaged. It also has been shown to improve focus and mental stimulation. Plus, you are always gaining some type of knowledge by everything you read.
5. Drink water
Most people are consistently dehydrated, do not be like them. We are supposed to drink half a gallon of water each day, I suggest to drink a glass right when you wake up. Also, try to limit your soda and other sugary drink intakes. Drinking water will flush out any toxins and can increase energy. This will lead you to feel better throughout your day, I noticed a large difference when I cut down to just one soda a week.
6. Volunteer/Give back
Not everyone has spare change to hand out to everyone. If you do, great! But there are a variety of other ways to help others without spending money. You can give them a meaningful compliment or even volunteer to help them with something such as washing their car. There is absolutely nothing to lose in this situation, this habit will not only make the other person happy but you will feel good as well!
7. Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are literally my favorite. They are easy to access and can help you escape from reality for a little. By listening to podcasts you are staying informed and growing as an individual. I optimize my time by listening to them while I am in the car driving somewhere or getting ready for my day in the morning.
8. Meditate
With a frequent practice, meditation has been proven to reduce stress. Anxiety is very common among many people in this world and by forming a new habit to relax the body and mind will do nothing less than help you. Not only will this reduce stress but it can help with mindfulness and sleep.
9. Exercise
Getting exercise does not just mean the gym, there are a variety of ways to get in your workout. Exercising makes feel-good chemicals called “endorphins” release into your body, sparking a euphoric feeling. Along with this, it can help build confidence, energize you, and relieve stress. Not to mention, it’s good for your health and you will look great and in shape if you do this on the daily!
9. Educate yourself
I have heard people say that they are done learning now that they finished school. I disagree. By learning something new each day you are expanding your knowledge and can use what you learn later on. The more education you have the more likely you are going to know what to do in a certain situation. Everything you learn can be used in some way or another.
10. Invest in experiences
New materials are only exciting until you adapt to them. You will have a deeper connection with your experiences because they are a part of you, unlike any object. They are also memorable and keep your house cleaner because you won’t have as much stuff! I have been cutting down on how much materials I buy and instead I invest in experiences, I appreciate it more.
11. Forgive
By forgiving someone, you are moving forward in your life. This can release you from misery and from holding onto the past. Forgiveness has helped me with living in the moment. Instead of holding onto grudges and disappointments, I have used this time to focus on more beneficial things that can improve my life instead of bringing it down.
12. Self-care
No matter how crazy life gets we all need to make time for self-care. Spending time loving yourself is important for our physical, mental and emotional well-being. This is important for you to have a healthy relationship with yourself. You need to love yourself too!
13. Tidy up
Every day take a lap around your home and pick up all the clutter. I am not saying to spend an hour of your day on this but a quick clean-up will do. If you do this every day it shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes to make your bed or if its time to take the trash out or do the laundry. This keeps your place clean on the regular and prevents a mess from building up.
14. Listen
You learn so much more when you are listening instead of speaking. By listening you can build a relationship with the other person because they will notice you seem interested. Also, you learn something new from each person you meet, why not take advantage of this and learn from their stories. Plus, you may be missing out on a good laugh by not listening!
16. Start smart money habits
Keeping track of your budget and saving all of your receipts each day can really help your expenses in the long run. There are numerous ways to really save up your money if that’s what you are trying to do! You can make DIY products/crafts, set financial goals (keeping yourself accountable), and buy your groceries in Bulks (Sams Clubs/Costco). Making this a daily habit will build up and you can save a large amount of money over time.
17. Repeat Self-affirmations
Self-affirmations are positive statements that can help you overcome negative thoughts about yourself. Repeating them and making this a new one of your habits will engrave the positivity into your mind and after some time, you will begin to believe them. They raise our confidence levels and can create new positive thoughts in your head. This can help you to believe you can achieve it all!
18. Unplug
Sometimes life’s best features are hidden in plain sight, but we are all too caught up in our phones. I suggest setting aside two hours of the day to put aside any electronics. Spend this time getting other work done or even going out into nature, taking in everything around you. Staying unplugged has been shown to help you enjoy living in the moment and stop comparing your life to others that you see on social media.
19. Reflect on your days
Reflecting on each day has helped me so much lately. I have been able to celebrate the little successes and step back and learn from my mistakes so that I don’t repeat them. Another bonus is that this has helped me enjoy each day more and not just live on auto-pilot. If I didn’t reflect on each day, I feel like ‘before I knew it I would be 60!’.
20. Have a good night sleep
Making sure you get a good night sleep is important for your health overall. Not sleeping enough can have an impact on your productivity and mood. If being tired is dragging you down, try to go to sleep an hour earlier tonight, it’s not as hard as it may seem.
By following these small steps on a daily basis you will begin to form new habits that can change your life. You might not see it now but I can tell you that it has helped me a lot! I challenge you to take on at least three of these habits and add them to your routine starting now!
Do you practice any of these daily habits? Are there any that you are looking forward to adding to your daily routine?
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25 Comments
*LOVE* Great list of small habits that build up to big healthy changes. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, these all have made a dramatic change in my life and once I got started it wasn’t to difficult to keep them going and making them a habit. Thanks for reading Emily:)
Collecting experiences is so important. My hubby and I recently moved into a smaller apartment and had to get rid of a lot of stuff for storage reasons. But it didn’t hurt that much because we still have so many memories together!
Yes !! I always remember experiences better and my feelings are more connected and personal to them than any material. Objects can be lost, get old, or break but memories last a lifetime !! I am glad you agree(: thanks for sharing
I absolutely LOVE this list. Thanks for the reminder to listen to podcasts. I’m always adding to my list when I hear suggestions, but never remember to actually turn them on and listen to them. Lol
Thank you so much, I appreciate it !! This list has helped me a lot in my daily life. I created a podcast routine for when I am getting ready in the morning or while stuck in traffic, it has been productive and a good use of my time. Plus, why not learn from others ??
I stopped a few times while reading to do what was on the list! I drank some water, made my bed, and opened my mind to trying a few new habits. I wholeheartedly agree that small habits are still bey important.
I am so glad to hear this !! You just took your first step, applying them to your everyday routine will open your eyes to a difference, I guarantee it !! Thanks for reading and I am glad you enjoyed it(:
I love this list. I have started doing many of these already and the changes have been amazing. Thanks for sharing this list. I will use some of these daily. Still working on the waking up early though. haha, I am not a morning person. Great post!
Laurie,
I am not a morning person either but by making it a habit, it will change into a routine and become easier. Plus, you will be happier when you realize how much more time you have for your day and to be productive with your goals. Thanks for reading !!(:
This is awesome. Habits is key here for me, I am not real consistent with some! #guilty lol. I do several of these but look forward to trying some new ones also! Getting more sleep and unplugging are the hardest for me. Thank you for the inspiration!!
Thank you a lot ! I am so happy you can take something away from this post !! Unplugging can make getting more sleep easier, some of these habits can work together. Best of blessings????
All such wonderful tips! Listening to podcasts has really changed the way I think about things and I strongly encourage others to listen to one on a topic they love!
It’s crazy that I have to remind myself to do these things. Such basic steps that we should all incorporate into our daily life. Such a great reminder and refresher!
Isabella
Yes! & Don’t feel bad… I have to remind myself at times too!
As long as you are trying to improve and head in the right direction then I give you credit 🙂
I love all of these tips! I just recently started listening to podcasts and they’ve been awesome!
Podcasts are a game changer Lizzy, I totally love them! I am glad you decided to implement them into your routine 🙂
These are great! I really need to do better at getting more sleep!
Sleep is a difficult one to break as a habit, it takes a lot of self-discipline. Thanks for the comment Belle!
I love waking up earlier! I was never a morning person until I had our daughter and I’ve learned to really love being up early. I feel so much more accomplished during my day. And sleeping 8-9 hours a night is super important for me too. It’s crazy how much a good night’s sleep can affect your mood. Great list!
Thank you so much for the comment. I agree sleep is essential for energy, mood, work, just pretty much makes it easier to get things done!
These are great tips! I think waking up early and tackling your day or to-do list can really help you start your day off right. Helping others also can mean that when you need help that person will return the favor.
Heather, that is a great point! Thanks for sharing and checking out my blog 🙂
I love this! Great tips that everyone can benefit from.
Thank you so much Jaclyn!
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