There comes a point in each of our lives when we feel like we’re stuck in a rut. Our job feels like it’s going nowhere, we seem to be trapped in the same routine and we’re plagued with uncertainties about our future. When we find ourselves in this situation, we can take one of two paths. We can either wallow in self-pity but make no effort to change things or we can rise up to the challenge and steer our life in the direction we want it to go. Transforming our lives can seem like a monumental task, but it’s the small things we do that make all the difference. If you feel like you don’t know where to begin, don’t panic because we have you covered.
This 4 week step-by-step guide to making a positive change in your life will push you to try new things and face old fears. There will come points in the next 30 days when you feel like giving up, when you feel like no matter what you do, your life is simply going to remain the same. At these times, remind yourself that if you don’t do something dramatic now, you’re going to continue to remain dissatisfied. It might seem intimidating and impossible at times, but if you commit to the full 30 day plan, you will notice a huge improvement in your life later. You will finally have a clear idea of what your goals are, how to reach them and most importantly, what you need to be happy. So take the first step today and change your life for the better.
Week 1
Step 1: Wake Up Early
We don’t mean wake up at 9 if you’ve thus far woken up at 10 everyday. We mean wake up at 6 am. For most people, this first step can be the hardest in the whole plan. If you’re used to waking up late every morning, getting up at 6 can seem close to impossible. However, waking up at 6 is essential if you want to make a lasting change in your life. At 6 am, everything is quiet and you’re left alone to do whatever it is that you really want to do (except go back to sleep). This is the perfect time for you to sip a hot mug of tea, curl up with a book or go for a walk. Reclaiming ‘me’ time is the most important step for becoming happy. Having a happy start to your morning can change the way you feel about the rest of the day. It can make you less short-tempered at work and help you become a lot more productive.
Step 2: Start Eating Better
If you’re guilty of skipping breakfast and eating junk the rest of the day, it’s time to stop. No more making excuses or procrastinating, this is the week when you change your old habits for good. Apart from improving your health, eating the right food can also improve your mental state. When we stop loading our body with toxic foods and empty calories, our body feels cleaner, becomes more energetic and is ready to take on new tasks. If you drink fairly often, bring that down to just one drink a week, or even less if that’s what you want.
One of the first ways to start eating better, is to cook your own food. By cooking for yourself, you’re in full control of what goes into your food, you can adjust it to suit your tastes and you become more independent. An important habit you can add to your everyday routine, is to take a probiotic supplement. New studies have shown that healthy gut bacteria can directly influence your mood. So a happier you could actually begin from your gut.
It’s important to set yourself realistic nutrition goals though. Telling yourself that you will only eat salads from here on is just setting yourself up for failure. Follow the principle of restriction and not elimination. A few cheat meals a month is perfectly fine. Giving up foods completely will only cause you to binge on them later on. Binging will fill you with feelings of worthlessness and that’s exactly what you want to avoid.
Week Two
Step 3: Declutter Your Personal Space
You might call your messy room ‘organized chaos’, but that’s no excuse to not clean up. A cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind. Go through all your belongings and throw out everything that you don’t need anymore. Set a box aside for donations and put in any clothes you aren’t using or household objects that you don’t need in it. Don’t hoard things just because you have a sentimental attachment to them. If you haven’t used something in a while, it’s got to go. Once you’ve decluttered, it’s time to clean up. Put everything away where it belongs, change your sheets and organize your wardrobe. You’ll be surprised by how much calmer you feel once your home has been tidied up. Decluttering also plays a strong psychological role because you’re symbolically putting your life back in order too.
Step 4: Evaluate Your Friendships
Back when we were 12, we might have believed that having more friends would make you happier. But now that you’re an adult, you should let go of this belief. You don’t need a lot of friends, you only need people who leave a positive effect on your life. Toxic friends use you to meet their own ends, only come to you when they’re in trouble, constantly belittle you and feed you with negative thoughts. If you have friends like these, you need to take a decisive step and distance yourself from them. Don’t let feelings of guilt or any false sense of obligation prevent you from doing this. People who do these things to you aren’t your real friends. True friendship is one of the most fulfilling relationships you can have. If you’re still hanging on to toxic friends or if you’re in an unhappy relationship, it’s time to cut the cord.
Step 5: Tick At Least One Thing Off Your Bucket List
Have you ever dreamed of going on a cross-country road trip? Or bungee jumping off a cliff? Why leave these things to later when you can do them right now. Don’t use all your responsibilities as an excuse for not being able to do something. You can take a few days off work, your family can manage without you for a while. When you finally get to scratch something off your bucket list, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. Doing something new also pushes you out of your comfort zone. When you get caught up in routine, stepping out of your comfort zone is one of the best things you can do to switch things up.
Week 3
Step 6: Start A To-Do List
Sometimes it feels like all your commitments are piling up and you just can’t seem to keep track of them. A short to-do list could help you stay on top of things. Break up all your tasks in order of priority so you can schedule them through the week. One small but effective technique to getting everything on your list done is to draw a small checkbox by each task. An unchecked box will create some anxiety within you, pushing you to get it done. Be realistic with your to-do lists. Don’t schedule twenty things for one day when you know you can’t get them all done. A well-structured, concise to-do list will help you complete things you’ve been procrastinating and will give your life some order.
Step 7: Write Down All Your Ambitions
If you feel like you’re stuck in a job that you don’t enjoy, it’s time you did something about it. Your ambitions aren’t going to come to anything unless you start working towards them. When you’re caught up in a set routine, it can be easy for you to forget what you wanted to achieve in the first place. You might have wanted to start your own small business, but twenty years later, are still working for someone else. The first step to realizing your dreams is to write them down. Write down exactly what you think you need to make you happy. This could be a new career path, moving to a different city or growing higher within your current job. Once you set down your goals, formulate a comprehensive plan on how to attain them. When you know what you need to do, you can immediately start working towards it.
Week 4
Step 8: Make One Change To Your Routine
A never-changing routine is the death knell for personal growth. We might find comfort in our routine, but doing the same thing everyday could make you dissatisfied. You don’t have to transform your routine completely, just one small change could make all the difference. If you come home everyday and watch TV shows, try reading a book instead. If you’ve been eating cornflakes for breakfast every morning since you were 10, you could try having a smoothie now. Just one alteration to your usual routine will give you something new to look forward to, shaking you out of that slump you’ve set into.
Step 9: Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Your comfort zone might be, well, comfortable but it’s not giving you room to grow as an individual. Stepping out of your comfort zone every once in awhile encourages you to take risks. It ensures you’re always open to new things and never get set in your ways. If you have old, irrational fears, it could even help you overcome them. It might seem terrifying at first, but make an effort to step out of your comfort zone. If you’re afraid of being alone, try going on a solo trip. If the thought of public speaking makes you nauseous, then get up on stage at the next karaoke night.
Step 10: Be Alone With Your Thoughts
Start taking at least ten minutes everyday to sit alone in silence. Keep your phone aside, turn off the TV and let there be no distractions. Use this time to analyze what you’ve done that day and whether you’re any closer to reaching your goals. Doing this everyday will help motivate you to work towards realizing your ambitions. It will also keep you in closer touch with your thoughts and will help you understand yourself better.
