Discovering What Makes You Happy
Nurture the relationships in your life. It can be easy to take the people we love for granted. Yes, friends and family are what get us through the tough times, but they are also there for the problem is that we don’t always notice. Show them in little ways that you care. Bring flowers for your mom when it’s not her birthday. If you’re a wiz at working on cars and you hear your friend’s car sputtering, offer to change the spark plugs. A small gesture of love can a long way in making those who are special to you feel good! When you have a conflict with a loved one, be willing to work it out. Giving up and slamming the door behind you is not the path to happiness! Sometimes it can be as simple as accepting an idea or opinion that is different from our own. The person will probably recognize that that wasn’t easy for you to do and will appreciate you all the more for it.
Take action. Don’t just think about what you want to do in life. Get out there and do it! You’re responsible for making things happen in your life, no one else. Many people at the end of their life wish they would have stepped out more on the tether rope of life. Don’t you be one of them! The key really is action. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, though. Otherwise, you might quit. Small, incremental steps and consistency is how you accomplish big goals in life. Choose short-term goals that are clearly connected to the bigger picture of what you ultimately want in life and who you want to become. Set aside regular time to review and reflect on your progress, which will help you maintain focus and motivation.
Focus on areas of neglect. Have you noticed that you love beautiful surroundings yet your personal space is a mess? Then start working on creating that gorgeous environment for yourself, and then invite your friends over when you’re done! Did your art teacher in school comment on the amazing artwork you would create? Even though you’ve thought about it, you still haven’t created one thing since graduation. So pick up some paints today, and start rendering those Picasso-like pieces that you have in your head!
Manage your time well. Each day, make a list of your three most important tasks (called MITs) that need to be completed in any given week. Make another list of smaller, less important tasks which, if you don’t do, could cause problems for you later on. These might include writing a brief letter, responding to emails, making calls, completing paperwork, etc. Set a time later in the day to do them all at once (say 4:30 p.m.). Then, start working on your MITs for the day, and when the time rolls around, do the smaller tasks. Towards the end of the day, take a look at what still needs to be done. Transfer tasks from the small list to the next day, and continue focusing on the MITs. This method ensures that the bulk of your time isn’t consumed by tasks less important than the bigger priorities in your life. Like anything new, it will take time to perfect, but stay with it. Eventually, you will be an expert at managing time versus it managing you!
Learning New Skills and Hobbies
Take on a new fitness challenge. Consider incorporating a 30-day fitness challenge into your routine. It’s a terrific way to supplement your regular workout regimen. Most challenges only take 20 to 30 minutes a day to complete; however, you’ll be considerably more active than you usually are. The reason 30-day fitness regimens typically have good results is because they entail 5 SMART principles, which means they are time-bound, specific, achievable, relevant and measurable. Think about doing a plank, kettlebell swing, or pushup challenge. The choice is yours based on what part of the body you wish to train the most. Keep in mind, however, that a 30-day fitness challenge is not meant to replace your normal routine. In theory, you’re supposed to still maintain what you’re doing regularly. You will probably be a little sore at first but, by the end, you should be moving right along with both routines, not to mention in much better shape. Here’s an example of how to incorporate the SMART principles using kettlebells: Specific - I’m going to do a 30-day fitness challenge incorporating kettlebell swings. Measurable - I will do 500 swings 20 times within 30 days in order to reach 10,000 swings total. Achievable - I will reach my goal by breaking them down into 5 rounds each with sets of 10, 15, 25 and 50 repetitions. Relevant - I wish to build the core part of my body, and this is one of the best ways to do it. Time-bound - My goal is to reach 10,000 swings within 30 days. Consider training for either a 5K or for a smaller event. This has become a huge sport with almost too many benefits to list here. Signing up for one will help you stay in shape, get your competitive juices flowing, hone your discipline, and you’ll meet lots of people. If you haven’t run in one before or you’re a little out of shape, consider participating in a shorter run, or only do the walk portion of the event. You should be able to find a 5K event where you live. If not, find out where a race is being held, train every day or every other day for 30 days, and go there.
Volunteer for an organization that does meaningful work. Volunteering gives you new skills while putting into practice ones you’ve already developed. It’s also a great way to meet new people, and you’ll be participating in worthwhile activities with other like-minded people. Further, you’ll be helping to make change in an area you’re passionate about. Think about volunteering with kids. There are lots of areas you can delve into here. You can participate in a youth group, be a mentor, help out in juvenile detention, or work with one of the big scouting organizations. This could be an ideal direction to go in if you’re planning on becoming a youth worker or a teacher. Offer your time at a local animal shelter. If you want instant gratification, do this. There is nothing like a scrawny puppy with big eyes looking up at you as your putting food in his bowl to make you feel good. You could also work in fund-raising – an area that’s highly needed in animal rescue work, train to be a vet’s assistant, or work in the field picking up stray cats and dogs. Just like the rewards, the choices are endless.
Start making and baking things in your kitchen. Your family and friends will probably like this new hobby of yours a lot. You can make yummy jams, tasty pickles, or become a cupcake aficionado. Once you’ve got the recipes down, think about entering your scrumptious creations in a local taste contest or one of the fairs in your area. You can also make homemade beer. If you can boil water, you can brew beer – even premium, at the fraction of the cost of commercial beer. Home brewing beer has come a long way since it was first legalized in 1979. (A one-person household can make 100 gallons a year and a family household can make 200 gallons.) Over the years, the techniques have been refined and the variety and quality of supplies and brewing ingredients that are available practically ensure great results. These days home brewing has reached a state of high science. But, you don't have to practice at that high a level to make a tasty beer. Brewing is an inexact and forgiving science, which allows for experimentation. To learn, just look online or in your local book store. Each will describe a different procedure for fermenting and brewing and will include recipes unlike the rest. Interestingly, most of them produce terrific results. Finding the ingredients and equipment for home brewing is not the big challenge it used to be. Chances are good even that there’s a beer-making store where you live. If not, you can get everything you need by mail.
Trace your family tree. This fascinating topic is called genealogy. There are plenty of courses available online on how to chart yours (or other people’s) family history. It can take time to do it properly, but when it’s finished, it’s a keepsake your whole family will appreciate. It also makes a great gift for one or more of your relatives. There isn’t a limit in how far back you can go. Keep in mind you need to be fairly detailed oriented and have a detective-type mind to be able to do a thorough and accurate genealogy report. Begin recording what you already know about your family. Start with yourself and enter as much information as possible. Preserve important stories and family information by developing a family tree generation by generation. Record marriage and death dates, names, birth dates, and other facts that you know.
Embracing Opportunities and People That Cross Your Path
Take risks. No successful person has gotten where they are without pushing through “perceived” limitations and failures. Winston Churchill flunked the sixth grade. Oprah Winfrey was told she wasn’t fit enough for television. Colombia Pictures thought that Marilyn Monroe wasn’t pretty enough, and Walt Disney was told he lacked imagination! However, none of these individuals sat around and sulked in their apparent faults. They went out and made it happen and you can, too!
Meet new people. Join a group that has the same interests as you, like veganism or chess. When you see someone you would like to meet, be natural and ask him or her about something that pertains to the moment. Does this cheese have rennet or is it a vegan cheese? Volunteering is another great way to meet people. It gets you out of your normal routine and helping others is a good feeling, too.
Learn to tolerate uncertainty and possible rejection. For all kinds of reasons, someone may not want to get to know you, and you may never know why. Try not to take it personally because they really don’t know you. Perhaps he or she is a particular religion or race and has been raised to only become friends with people from his or her community.
Wander into the unknown, even if you fall on your face. It’s okay to fail. It’s how we learn what works and what doesn’t. Whether it’s an inspired idea, a blind date or an unexpected career opportunity, embrace it as a chance to grow. Too many people live in fear, and never tap into how great they really are! Most people have lots of opinions. Take into consideration what others say, but you don’t always have to believe what they say about you. Often, it’s just projections based on their own fears! Many are fine going unnoticed in the world, not straying from the opinions of others, and not ruffling any feathers. On the inside, though, these are the ones hoping for positive change. Be the lone duck from the crowd, and stay true to yourself. As long as you’re not hurting anyone or yourself, then it’s fine. The most important thing is you tried. It takes confidence to put yourself out there, so pat yourself on the back for it! There are many people on the planet. Eventually, you will find your tribe.
Traveling to Interesting, Affordable Places
Set aside two weeks to visit a developing country, like Thailand, Vietnam or Laos, for $500 or less. While there are some pricey hotspots in the world, these three countries are doable if you’re on a budget. You can visit one of them for two weeks for about $500, excluding airfare. This covers accommodation, drinks, food, transportation and other on-the-ground expenses. Thailand is popular and for good reason. Cheap dining and accommodations, inexpensive trains and buses, beautiful mountains and beaches, and a happening metropolis in Bangkok all contribute to the perfect destination place for the budget traveler. Vietnam is another great place to make your money to go far, and it’s a beautiful country with so much to offer. Accommodation is inexpensive while still being comfortable and clean, the food is some of the best and cheapest in the world, and traveling by bus means you will save a fortune. As a backpacker destination, Laos has been gaining in popularity in recent years but the costs are still within reason. This stunning part of the world is known for its laid-back lifestyle and its gorgeous scenery.
Quit your day job and travel. Ask yourself, do you love what you do? If it isn’t a loud, enthusiastic YES, then it may be time to do something about it! First, sell everything that you don’t absolutely need. Two, save at least one or two months’ salary. And three, either volunteer your services, teach English online, or teach at an actual school in a developing country. Believe it or not, there are a lot of companies, individuals and non-profits looking for all kinds of help in developing countries. You could volunteer in an administrative capacity at a Tibetan school in India, on a coffee farm in Honduras, or on a horse ranch in Mexico. The choice really is yours. There are several big websites that regularly post ads for people, companies and NGOs that are looking for volunteers. Though they don’t pay, most cover room and board. You just have to get there and have some money for living expenses each month. You can also teach English online or at an actual school abroad. If you teach online, you can either freelance or work through a company. If it’s through a company, they may require you to have an “English as a Foreign Language” (EFL) certificate, which is only a short, inexpensive course. There are also hundreds of schools on the Internet canvassing for teachers on a regular basis – entry level or experienced; many require an EFL certificate but some do not. Most provide room, board and a decent salary. The biggest criteria for teaching EFL are patience, creativity, organizational skills and English fluency.
Read travel blogs. Most of these writers are not being to paid to write. So you will usually get a personal, honest glimpse into what a country looks like. Since you’re on a budget, veer towards backpacking blogs. Along with giving you a frank portrait, many also give lots of details on what things cost.
Peruse travel forums. Many travelers sharing on websites have just come from your future destination, are genuine and want to help. Though take what they say with a grain of salt. It’s part of human nature to filter memories through a few specific events, negative ones usually.
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