Every day is a new opportunity to bring something novel into your life. You will be amazed by how doing something small and sticking with it can have an impact on how you live.
Assess Your email
The first thing you need to do regarding email is to add or update a signature on your email account. Use this tutorial to walk you through the process: https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-add-signature-to-gmail. An email signature shows people who you are, what your pronouns are, where you work, and what you represent. It is also significantly easier to have the signature automated instead of typing it in every single time you send a message.
Next, look at your inbox. If there are unread subscription emails that you no longer want to read, lose the guilt and unsubscribe from them. By putting forth the effort now, you will save time later from sifting through them while looking for important messages.
Reconnect with someone
Time goes by way too fast for everyone. If there is someone special in your life that you think of often but have not communicated with for a while, do not let another moment pass. Search for them online and make a quick connection to reach out and say hello.
Should you have their phone number, you can call them. Yes, people still do that. You might be amazed at how hearing one another’s voices allows you to reconnect quickly. A quick chat to say hi, tell them they are in your thoughts, and ask what is going on in their life will make their day, and yours, too.
Move your body
Exercising is a fraught word and brings a different response for each person. If you have a complicated relationship with exercise, it is ok. But, physical activity is essential for your overall health. You do not need to buy the latest athletic wear or sign up for an expensive gym. Put on some comfortable clothing and shoes and go outside.
Remember to wear a hat and sunscreen, too. Play on a favorite podcast or music and keep the volume down to be mindful of your surroundings. Start walking at a comfortably brisk pace for at least 20 minutes. You can do this on a lunch break with co-workers, on your own for some alone time, or with your dog because they need to move, too.
Alter your approach to getting things done
If you have a pile of laundry looming over you, the lawn needs proper mowing, or perhaps you have a project at work with a fast-approaching deadline, you might not want to do anything about them. But the fact remains that they need to be completed.
The key is to reframe your approach to how you accomplish your tasks. Put on ankle weights and a new audiobook to listen to while mowing. Move those weights to your wrists and stream a favorite show while folding your laundry. Tackle your work project by breaking it up into reasonable bites.
Go on a date with your significant other
Another thing that happens as time passes is that our relationships can change. Sometimes this happens without you even noticing. You are busy with life, and so are they. It does not have to stay that way, however.
Make a change for the better and invite your special someone on a date. Pretend you do not know everything about them already. Ask those get-to-know-you questions, such as “If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would you go?” And, “What is your favorite color?” You might be surprised at how their answer is different today than it was a few years ago.
Learn a new language
If you used to be proficient in a second or third language but have become rusty due to lack of use, it is never too late to dust off your language skills. The same goes for learning a new language entirely. Having new language skills can benefit you socially and professionally as it opens new opportunities.
There are several opportunities to learn another language which vary from quick and easy gamified apps on your smartphone to in-depth, in-person courses. You can take classes synchronously or asynchronously as you like.
Ask about your family history
You may assume you know everything about your family’s respective histories, but there is always more to learn. Call your parents or grandparents to say hello. Ask if they will share some favorite memories or family stories. Even better, go and visit them. If they will allow it, record your conversations. Those video or audio recordings will become cherished possessions later in your life.
Sit with yourself
Take some time each day, even if it is only for 10 minutes, to turn everything off and take care of yourself. Silence the world around you, including your devices, and see what happens. You can do this at bedtime during the moments before falling asleep. Quiet time can occur in the morning while you are drinking your first cup of coffee and before anyone else wakes up. Other options for quietly sitting with yourself can happen during a mindful meditation or a journaling session.
The idea of just being one with yourself is that nothing around you is influencing your thoughts or feelings. No one is talking to you, offering information or advice, and you do not have a task to accomplish at that moment. You simply get to be who you are at that time and feel whatever you are feeling without looking at a clock.
Now that you have some proactive and positive ideas for taking action to bring new things in to improve your life, it is time to incorporate them into your everyday routine. Start small with one or two things, and then move on to more as time allows. You will be amazed by how these little changes will impact your life.
