We all know that change is good for us. But it can be scary too. We tend to associate change with loss and sacrifice. To make big changes, we usually need to say goodbye to an old part of our life, even when we don’t feel ready to do so. But changing your life doesn’t mean that you need to move cities or switch careers. Even little changes have the ability to transform your life for the better.
Get outside every day
Yes, every day. Yes, even on the coldest, darkest winter days. You don’t have to go for a run or even a long walk. Just getting out in the fresh air can do wonders for both your body and your mind. Not only does the sunlight give us our much needed dose of vitamin D, but it boosts our energy too. Our mind is stimulated when we go outside, in part because of the power of nature. Getting outside and soaking up the greenery makes us feel in awe of natural beauty surrounding us.
Although a daily boost of energy might not seem like much, it can be life-changing in the long term. This energy allows you to start living life to its fullest, and you can take control of your future. Being outside also helps us focus our minds. So use this mindset to do some life planning. Take the time to think about where you’re going, and what you want to get out of life.
Find a new hobby
Not only will this small act change your life, but you’ll have great fun doing it too. A hobby is a great outlet for your emotions, especially after long, challenging days. Taking the negative energy you feel and channelling it into your hobby is a great way to improve your mental health. It doesn’t matter what type of hobby you choose. Creative, physical or logical — whichever you enjoy most is the best type for you. In no time at all, you’ll begin to feel the stress of the day melt away and be replaced by feelings of excitement for your new passion.
Taking up a new hobby may even benefit your social life too. This is especially the case if your chosen activity requires teamwork, such as tennis or dancing. But even if your hobby can be done alone, this doesn’t mean that it needs to be. Most hobbies can be done in a group. Maybe look into joining a book club, or join your local dog-walking group. When you take the time to look, you may be surprised by the number of local groups in your area. A great way to find these groups is through Meetup. And if you can’t find a group for your hobby, you can even make one yourself.
Do small chores straight away
Do you ever see a tiny task that needs to be done, and tell yourself that you’ll do it later? Then you ignore another one… and maybe a couple more after that. Before you know it, those tasks will be piled on top of you and you won’t know how you got there in the first place. So when you see that first tiny task, do it right away. Don’t tell yourself you’ll do it in a minute — you won’t. This tip is especially helpful if you’re going through a period of poor mental health. If you’re feeling depressed or anxious, a big load of chores is the last thing you want to do.
Doing easy tasks straight away makes life far more manageable. And you’ll have more time for doing the things you love too. If you do find yourself overwhelmed with a mountain of tiny tasks, first things first, take a breath. Despite the tasks being small and simple, it can seem pretty daunting. Start off with the easy chores, then work your way up to the ones that you’ve been avoiding like the plague. Once you’ve got some momentum going, the tasks you’ve been dreading the most won’t seem so difficult.
Learn how to say no
This is probably the hardest small change that you’re going to make. It takes a lot of practice and self-restraint. But once you get the hang of saying no, it’s definitely worth it. There are a number of reasons that we struggle to say no to others. Sometimes we’re worried that saying no means we’ll miss out. We don’t want to turn down a night out, just for it to become the best night of the year. Or maybe we don’t want to say no when a friend asks a favour of us, in case they end up resenting us for it. If you identify with this, remember that you do not owe anything to anyone.
This isn’t to say that you should stop doing things for others, or avoid social events altogether and live life as a hermit. Just remember that you deserve the same love and respect that you give to others. Putting up boundaries and saying no once in a while doesn’t make you a bad person. It isn’t healthy for others to constantly rely on you, for you or for them. If your friends begin to drop you when you learn to say no, this is actually good news. You don’t want to be stuck in toxic, give and no take relationships. You deserve better.
Take a break
The chances are that if you struggle with saying no to others, you’ll struggle with this too. This is something I find really challenging. Why take a break, when you can be productive and get things done instead? If you have this mindset, you should learn to shake it off. Because believe it or not, taking a break can be one of the most productive things you can do.
Taking time off means that when you’re ready to work again, you’ll be recharged, refreshed, and more productive than ever before. And it’s great for your health too, which is something we should all be prioritising at the minute. So find the time to relax and switch off. Everything else can wait for a little while.
Written by Siobhan Kelly
WellBe is spearheading the way to a brighter future for corporate wellness. Our innovative portal is scientifically designed and tailored to each individual employee to improve their wellbeing. We specialise in a range of services from coaching and therapists, to meditation and reading materials. Our aim is to reduce workplace stress that costs UK businesses £42 billion per year. Get in touch with us by visiting our site wellbe.global for more information.
