Remember what you feel like on a good day? Now imagine if you felt like that all the time… what could you accomplish?
Sometimes it’s the little things that can really make our day, that can give us a lift in our mood or energy levels and that can help us to move closer toward accomplishing our goals and getting what we want out of life. This principle is called ‘kaizen’ – the idea that small changes can sometimes add up to have the most profound results. And when it comes to improving our lifestyles, happiness and fitness, this is often a very good tact to take.
With that in mind, this article will list a number of ‘small things’ you can do today or perhaps this week in order to feel more energetic, more optimistic and more confident.
Get a Haircut
Getting a haircut can very often put you in a fantastic mood. This is something that many people will attest to but there are actually a lot of logical reasons for it too. For starters, haircuts make us look better and that immediately makes us feel better about ourselves. We receive compliments and we enjoy catching our reflection in the mirror.
On top of this, getting a haircut means getting pampered. If you go for a hair wash or massage then even better – but just having your hair stroked along is enough to help you relax and to release positive hormones.
Finally, for some people, getting more light to the brain may also play a role. This might sound odd but actually light can affect the brain through the skull which is one of the mechanisms that enables us to wake up in the morning. If you’ve just had a lot of hair cut off and especially if you have seasonal affective disorder, this could potentially play a role.
Get a haircut and you will find your day instantly picks up and you feel better about yourself.
Tidy Up
This is an obvious one that we all know well – but it’s also something that bears repeating. If your home is untidy, then this will make you feel more stressed and disorganized and is one of the biggest factors that makes us feel life is getting on top of us. When your home is tidy and clean and has order, you can relax better in the evenings and enjoy your space more and you’ll also feel less stressed about the constant pressure to clean.
Throw Things Out
The problem with tidying is that it takes a lot of time and that as soon as you’ve done some tidying, you find it starts creeping back. For many of us, our homes will never look completely tidy and organized because we simply have too much stuff to put away properly.
Now think of the last time you went into a hotel. Hotels feel relaxing and are great for de-stressing because they are so tidy. And what makes them this tidy? Minimalism.
Most of us have boxes of junk we haven’t looked at for months. And if you haven’t looked at it for months, you probably never will look at it! So instead of letting it take up room and prevent you from keeping your home tidy, throw those things out and hide more away. This is highly liberating and it allows you to keep more of your belongings out of sight. You know what they say: out of sight, out of mind!
Get Your Shirt Pressed
If you wear a shirt to work, then you’ll be familiar with the considerable stress this can cause. Ironing some shirts takes forever and it’s impossible to get all the wrinkles out. The result is a stressed morning that leaves you feeling self-conscious about those creases.
But did you know that most launderettes will wash and press those shirts for you for just a couple of dollars? The result is that you have perfectly crisp clothes that make you feel and look great.
Have a Smoothie Instead of a Coffee
You might think that morning Cup A Joe wakes you up and gets you going but in fact what it does is get you wired and increase anxiety and tension. Coffee actually affects the brain in a very similar way to stress, so really you’re drinking a ‘cup a stress’!
While smoothies are calorific (vegetable smoothies less so), they also provide you with energy, tons of healthy nutrients and a refreshing flavor. Just try starting your day with a smoothie and you may well notice a longer lasting and more authentic type of energy.
Go for a Walk
Exercise is great because it floods you with endorphins and makes you feel proud of yourself for doing something so good for you. If you can’t bring yourself to go for a morning jog or workout though, try fitting a walk in somewhere. Not only are walks perfect for combating stress but they also provide sunlight (great for the mood), light exercise and fresh air.
And if you don’t have time for a walk? Try combining it with your lunch break, going for a walk when you’re speaking on the phone, or just getting off the bus a stop sooner.
Get Up Half an Hour Earlier
When the alarm goes off, this is going to feel like the worst idea in the world. You’ll feel like anything but you on your best day. But if you can overcome this initial shock and start the day half an hour earlier, the result will be that you can take it a little slower. That means breakfast with your partner in front of the TV, it means a longer shower and it means you’re not rushing out the door. This is a much healthier way to start your day and you’ll feel all the better for it.