Life is full of things to do. We fill our days with work, running errands, and maybe some TV in the evening. Sometimes, it feels like we don’t have extra time for anything. The ten things on this list, however, are worth making time for. Each one improves our personal lives, whether it’s by improving our health, our minds, or our relationships. We tend to let some of these things go as we become adults, but each one helps us get closer to a more meaningful life.
Listening
Most of us know we don’t listen enough. People tend to listen only as long as they must, just waiting to shoot their opinion into the mix. When a friend is facing a problem, we tend to only listen until we can tell them how to fix it. Listening, in and of itself, is a valuable skill to learn, however. If it’s been awhile since you listened, with no agenda, take some time to practice this week. If necessary, take a refresher course in how to listen well.
Asking for Help
If you love your independence, and your ability to handle things yourself is a matter of pride, you might have a hard time asking for help. It may seem that asking for help is something children do, but wise adults ask for help often. You might need to admit your relationship with an aging parent is wearing you out, and ask for the support of a friend. Maybe you must contact injury lawyers after a car accident, instead of tackling an insurance claim yourself. Help gets you better results, so why ignore the option?
Creating
Everyone should create something from time to time. As adults, we tend to leave the artistic side of our minds behind, since there’s not much room for creative expression in a day job. You should keep your creative side alive, however. Creative, for you, might look like creating an app on the weekend, or doing a watercolor painting of your backyard. Don’t let the creative neurons in your brain get dusty.
Making Mistakes
Whether it was your parents, your friends, your teachers, or your culture, maybe you grew up feeling like you couldn’t make mistakes. A mistake was always a bad thing. Perhaps you even carried that same mindset into your adult life, and you don’t let yourself fail. If you do fail, you feel terrible about it, and consider it a personal issue. Remember that making mistakes is part of being human, and you should embrace small failures as an acceptable part of life.
Getting Exercise
We should all get exercise on a regular basis. If you’ve been skimping on a regular workout routine, find new ways to help yourself commit. If running with a friend helps get you out the door, ask a friend if they’d be willing to run with you. If a fun form of exercise, like learning to surf Hawaii would help get you active, commit to one. You could try dance classes, martial arts classes, and more to stay active during the week.
Doing it Yourself
When something breaks down, we tend to purchase a new one. When we like a certain product, we tend to find it in a store and buy it. If we prize a certain look for our home, we tend to pay a remodeller to make it happen for us. On the whole, however, we could be creating some of these things for ourselves. If your shirt has a hole in it, see if you can repair it instead of replacing it. If you love those half-gold home decor bottles, see if you can make them yourself. Search online for DIY home repair ideas. Not only will doing it yourself scratch that creative itch, it will save you money.
Enjoying Silence
With so much to do, and such packed schedules, we seldom take the time to do nothing. Even if we do nothing, we have something going on in the background, like the TV or a piece of music. Silence, however, has a positive effect on our health. If you don’t often go for walks alone, turn off all noises, or just sit in silence, you should start doing it on a regular basis. Silence might seem strange at first, and you might start remembering all the things you’ve “pushed off for later.” In time, however, silence could have a positive effect on your health.
Relaxing
Stress is a regular part of life for most Americans, and many of us experience stress on a regular basis. Stress can wear out your heart sooner, and keep you from sleeping well at night. Stress tends to snowball, so you should do what you can to combat it. Have a safe haven where you can relax every day, or at least a few times a week. A backyard hammock, residential hot tubs & spas, or a small study are all good places to seek relaxation.
Getting Organized
Do you have trouble getting organized? If you do, you’re not alone. With all the stuff we own, it can feel impossible sometimes to keep it all neat and tidy. Great organization saves a great deal of stress in the long run, however, so it’s worth it to commit to bins, shelves, and extra hooks. Take advantage of the vertical space around your house, even if it means installing extra shelves or rods in your closets.
Traveling
Traveling might be last thing you budget for at the end of the month. After bills, debt, mortgage payments, grocery bills, and more, it often seems like you don’t have enough left for travel. Traveling regularly, however, can help reduce your stress, and it’s always good to get away from normal life. A trip doesn’t have to be pricey to be enjoyable. You can explore places to see on Florida’s Gulf Coast, head to a nearby bed and breakfast, or go camping.
