A little change in your pocket is a good thing, but a change of pace is equally important. In order to keep things interesting, it’s important to consider changes that might open doors, provide serenity or lengthen your life. Here are some ideas that might be just what you are looking for.
Attitude: A positive attitude is key. Studies show that it takes less energy to smile than to frown and that pasting a smile on your face will actually release endorphins that will make you feel like smiling in your heart.
Diet: You are what you eat, so eating junk food will probably make you feel like junk. Spring is in the air. Take time to head down to the farmers market and find some local produce to use in an easy recipe you find on line.
Body: Your body is a shrine. Keep it fit. Bike or walk down to the market, call a friend and make a standing date for an hour-long sunset walk. Dedicate the extra hours of longer days to keeping up your shrine.
Spirit: Twenty minutes a day of meditation can relieve stress and anxiety and make you better able to approach life’s challenges with calm and clarity. But even taking a few minutes to notice the beauty of nature, take a breath of clean air or enjoy the gentle swaying of spring leaves can rejuvenate your spirit.
Perspective: It’s easy to judge people, but why waste that energy? Catch yourself in the act of judging the people around you and try to imagine walking a mile in their shoes. Trying to see through their eyes might inspire you to understand them – or at least to send them a little compassion.
Focus: Life is busy. Try to trim down the extraneous and focus on what is truly important. In most European countries, shorter work weeks and longer vacations are the norm. There, people value human connection and quality down-time over elusive financial gain.
Location: Play a game of “get lost.” Jump in your car, hop on your bike or lace on your shoes and go explore a part of town that you haven’t known before. You might find a favorite new coffeehouse or discover a funky gift shop that strikes your fancy.
Habits: It’s easy to forget how short life is. Instead of thinking that you can’t do something or that you’ll get to it “someday,” embrace life right now. Sign up for that French class, learn to throw clay on a potter’s wheel or buy a book and start doing yoga.
Noise: Turn off the noise. Don’t waste precious moments blocking out your thoughts or conversation with people around you by zoning out on the TV, Wii, iPod, computer, DS or other electronic device. If you’re alone, grab a book, do a crossword puzzle or take a deep breath and listen to the birds outside.
Style: Add a little zing to your outfit with colorful scarves and necklaces from across the color wheel. Do some little unexpected thing with your outfits every day, and you will be lauded as a style guru.
Horizons: Go farther afield than you ever dreamed. Don’t have a passport? It’s time to get one. Save up for a trip to another country where you can taste food, hear sounds, meet people and experience a whole different way of life. Savor the change.
The World: Volunteer or donate your spare change to causes that will leave the world a better place than you found it. Making a change in the lives of less fortunate people will not only improve their world but will fill your own emotional cup.
Undeez: Our great-grandmas were right. Your skivvies may not be seen by anyone but you or an emergency room doctor, but if they are lovely, you will have a foundation of beauty. You’ll approach your day knowing you are gorgeous from the skin out – and that can change your life.
