“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.”
— Henry David Thoreau
There are days I wake brimming with excitement, wanting to take on the world. Then there are days I’m feeling stuck in a rut, wondering what’s new on Netflix. Living a happy, productive and vibrant life takes clarity, courage and energy. And, unlike aging, it doesn’t just happen. It takes work. But it will be some of the best work you ever do.
Here are five simple tips you can do now to have a more exciting, fulfilling and vibrant life.
Start your day off right
Resist the urge to reach for your cell phone the moment you open your eyes. Mindful meditation or slow deep breathing while visualizing positive, inspiring thoughts can have a huge impact on your day, helping you clarify and set your intentions. In addition, the messages we tell ourselves filters how we respond to the world. “A daily routine using positive self-talk is one of the greatest ways to get immediate results,” says Kristen Helmstetter, author of Coffee Self-Talk: 5 minutes a day to start living your magical life. “Say to yourself every morning (while you drink your coffee or favorite morning beverage), ‘I am happy. I am kind. I am worthy.’ ” Your best cheerleader is you!
Be grateful
You can have the world at your fingertips, but if you don’t appreciate your blessings or the gifts you possess, nothing and no one will ever be enough to fill your cup. Begin and end your day with three things that you’re most grateful for or that went right that day. Cut yourself some slack if things didn’t go exactly the way you’d like. There’s always tomorrow.
Live with intention
Have a purpose or a goal, something to look forward to or strive for. It’s the journey not the destination that gets our juices flowing and makes life worth living. “Start working toward your goal every day. Daily progress will provide a constant drip of happiness and life satisfaction,” says Helmstetter. Think about what you love to do most (such as gardening, painting, traveling) or what brings you the most joy (quality time with friends, helping others), and try to find a way to integrate more of that in your daily routine.
Go outside your comfort zone
When was the last time you did something for the first time? It’s thrilling! So, try doing or learning something new. Even better if it’s slightly terrifying and truly challenges you, like public speaking, marathon running or anything that is beyond your normal routine. Not only does it get your endorphins sparking, it gets the synapses in your brain firing like the Fourth of July, keeping the brain sharp.
Take care of your body
There’s no denying that what you put in your body affects how you think and feel. A happy, vibrant life starts with taking care of yourself inside and out.
Eating a healthy diet (less: fat, sugar, refined carbohydrates, caffeine and alcohol), exercising regularly and getting a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep are key to waking up energized ready to take on the day. And if you feel stuck, go for a walk or get your groove on to your favorite song. “Moving your body changes body chemistry and gets you back on track,” says Helmstetter.
“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”
— Mark Twain
Getty Images
