Written by Jenna Galbut
Here we are, a little over a week into the New Year, and everyone is trying to sell you the way to happiness, success, and achievement. If you’re anything like me, you’re sick and tired of seeing the same old sales pitch offering your dream on a silver platter. Why am I so sick of it? Because it doesn’t work – and I know you’re sick and tired of trying the same things over and over again and not getting what you want.
Here’s a list of 6 simple things that will actually change your life, and guess what?
I’m not gonna charge you a 1,000 bucks for it.
6 Ways to Win 2016
- Connect: Stop separating yourself from “the others”. We’re all in this game of life together. People want you to succeed and do amazing things. There is no limit on success, love, or happiness. We all need to realize that the way we all win is through collaboration not competition. There are so many people out there just waiting to work with you, to love you, and to create something amazing with you. End the game of isolating and comparing yourself to the people you’ve made strangers in your mind. The external world is a reflection of our internal state of consciousness and we have created a world full with opportunities to connect. Even if you have to start on social media or sending someone an email, do it. It may be scary at first, but I promise you could gain so much from just connecting. Remember that while there is so much to gain from connecting with others, there is truly nothing greater than deeply connecting with yourself. The way to connect and grow into your best self is by properly caring for yourself.
- Invest in Yourself: There are so many ways to connect and invest in ourselves that sometimes it can get overwhelming. Here is a list of awesome ideas to transform your life from great to unstoppable. Start with picking one activity from each of the four ways of treating yourself with love and respect. And of course if you feel you really want to dive in and get deeper I suggest finding a Life coach to work with. Whether or not you choose to work with a life coach you should still focus on adopting some of these practices.
- Adopt a Self-Love Practice: It’s may not seem easy to love yourself at times, but you do it by allowing yourself to do the things you get joy from (which could be absolutely anything). Draw, dance around naked blasting music you love, take a bubble bath, get a massage, give yourself a manicure, get a pedicure, cook yourself your favorite meal, paint, do whatever it is that you truly love and do it unapologetically. This is about being free to be fully who you are and loving every minute of it, so pick something that really calls out to you.
- Adopt a Physical Practice: If the gym isn’t for you there are still so many amazing options out there. Get a fitness DVD, or watch a workout video on YouTube. Stretch and do yoga in your own home. Go to an acupuncturist, spinal wellness center, or get Rolfed. Try a mixed martial arts class, find a boxing ring, or a dojo in your town (the feeling after one of these is incredible). Chase your kids around the park (your own, not others). Sign up for a dog walking service and walk some adorable animals. Walk around your block while listening to a podcast if you can’t stand walking. The important thing to remember is that you’re not tied to any of these ideas. Come up with your own idea you love or try out something new. You can always try something different tomorrow – and who knows, maybe one of these things will end up becoming your favorite physical activity.
- Adopt a Spiritual Practice: Now I know if you haven’t done any of these things, it may seem strange or intimidating…but just try one for this week and see how you feel. Try Kundalini yoga, saying positive affirmations, chanting, listen to creative visualizations, watch an inspiring lecture, pray, keep a gratitude journal, do breathing exercises, go on a retreat, get a reiki healing session, write letters to your past self and past experiences and burn the letters, text or call to fulfill your own forgiveness. No matter the spiritual practice you choose, the thing to always remember is that there is no judgment. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting now or if you think you will seem wacky… every single person with a spiritual practice out there once had to start and they weren’t good and they probably thought that their friends and family might think they’re crazy, but now they’re much happier people.
- Adopt a Mental Practice: This is about engaging your mind in a new way. If you choose one that also makes you more mindful that’s awesome, but truly any of these will be well worth it. Meditate, learn a new language (Duallingo is free and it rocks), memorize a poem, try out Headspace (an awesome app with meditation tools), get in a float tank, read a book, set new small manageable goals for each week. It’s so important to keep the mind engaged. When we leave school we think we’re done learning but we never are and we never should be. Creating new synapses and wiring your brain with new knowledge and connections is what living is about. Don’t worry if you’re feeling nervous, after the first time it gets easier. If you try one of these things for one week I think you just might get hooked.
And now: the one that will hold everything else together and make you love every minute of your life!
Give up the idea of a “means to an end.”
All of the things I listed above are amazing to do because those activities on their without getting anything out of them are amazing! It isn’t about doing one thing in order to get another. It’s about doing those things because those things themselves are the end. They are not just means towards achieving another goal. Treat each activity, each person you meet, each moment you have with yourself as an end in itself. Which means choosing things that make you happy…really truly happy. It means being fully present while doing it and not wishing for it to be over in order to get something. If that’s the way you feel than you shouldn’t be doing the thing or hanging out with that person. It’s really that simple.
I truly believe that adopting six things from this list will radically improve your well being in all directions. You don’t need to change your whole life, you just need to add a little bit more love and care into your life. I wish you a fantastic 2016. You can do it!
Originally posted @ Evolve & Ascend
