10 Ways To Renew Your Life For The New Year
Here are some fresh ideas on how to renew your life this year!
Hello, Explorers!
As we find ourselves deep in the winter season with most of us opting to stay indoors more often, it serves as the perfect time to reflect on our resolutions that we set at the beginning of the year. Read, My New Year's Resolutions, if you are looking for some inspiration. However, if you are a person who is maybe looking for one, two, or many lifestyle changes to put into play instead of a list of resolutions then here are 10 ways you can update your life for the better!
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1.Become Eco-friendly
Fires, deforestation, earthquakes, storms, tsunamis, endangered species, melting ice caps, and the diminishing number of resources that have affected our planet have become a major need for concern. Travel has made us extremely appreciative of the incredible, natural beauty that is our planet. However, we cannot turn a blind eye at what we have been losing all these decades. This is why becoming Eco-friendly has been a real joy to switch to. It makes me feel like I am an advocate for the earth, its oceans, and its inhabitants. I have been inspired to play a bigger part in my role as an Eco-friendly conservationist. Here are the easiest switches my husband, Kyle, and I have made together for the earth:
Switch to bamboo & charcoal toothbrushes (they packaging and the toothbrush are both compostable! Did I mention that bamboo is anti-bacterial?)
Forgo straws, but if you do like them then purchase an alternative to plastic
Use Eco-bags for shopping
Use wool dryer balls (with a few drops of our favorite essential oils, it is the perfect way to prevent static in your laundry and have natural scents instead of synthetic ones found in dryer sheets, plus, they last forever!)
Refill the hand soap container (instead of buying a new container each time)
Compost food scraps
Recycle properly (find out what plastics are allowed in your recycling bin)
Buy paper towels made from recycled paper
Buy glass or stainless steel containers instead of plastic
For these Eco-friendly products and more click on, The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide, for more inspiration.
2. Minimalism
The concept of minimalism has proven to be very popular these past few years. Minimalism has become quite the buzzword, especially when linked together with the term "spark joy". We learned more about becoming minimalists and the process of decluttering your home when we read, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Mari Kondo.
Here are some lessons we have learned about Minimalism:
Minimalism is about not giving into the consumer mentality
Less is more
Declutter your home, as it is your place of zen
Quality > Quantity
Keep only things that spark true joy
Fewer options, and fewer material objects to choose from means more time for yourself.
Enjoy moments instead of material objects
3. Be present
This is often one of the hardest things to do. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in thinking about what we haven't done, pending items, and the chaos of life. Step aside, take some deep breaths with your eyes closed, zone into your senses, and come back to the present scene. Enjoy these precious events in life as they fleet away. There will be no two moments that are the same. You will realize how many memories you can take away from any moment if you focus only on being present.
4. Take up a spiritual practice
Spiritual self-care doesn't necessarily have to relate to religion. Taking care of yourself fully includes your body, mind, and spirit. Most of us forget to engage that part of ourselves. Here are many ways to practice taking care of your spirit:
Travel
Participate in community service
Spend time in nature
Meditate 10 minutes every day
Donate to a charity or cause
Pray for someone or yourself
Reflect on the meaning of your life
Find your purpose
Have a phone-free day
Learn the power of crystals
Practice herbal healing
Learn about your 7 Chakras
5. Slow living
One of my favorite things that I learned last year, thanks to Kyle, is the calm nature of "slow living" and practicing "Hygge". To read more about slow living click on, The Secret to Happiness, a collaboration post by @thejourney.man. Here are some examples of Hygge and Slow Living:
Decrease your use of electronics
Listen to relaxing music
Take quality time at home
Practice in quieting your thoughts
Become a listener instead of a speaker
6. Practice gratitude
Every morning when I wake up at 6:30 a.m. I make sure to write in my gratitude log. I find at least one thing to be grateful for every day. When you commit to do something so simple as to write what you are grateful for, you subconsciously begin to find joy in the simple things in life. In my post, How To Be Happier, I talk about how to increase your daily happiness by practicing acts of gratitude. Giving thanks, writing in your log, and showing gratefulness through reflection, annotation, or a verbal affirmation will significantly keep your spirits up. Give it a go for two weeks and experience how full of joy you can become.
7. Live in harmony
Find your perfect balance and let go of the things that weigh you down. It is important to recognize the fact that where there is harmony and enlightenment, there can be no space for the ego or pride. Having to be right all the time, thinking you are above others, you are the wisest, you are all-knowing, you flash your wealth as to attract others, and you find yourself comparing others to yourself as means of self-righteousness. If you identify yourself in this way, try this different lifestyle and see how much you can evolve from who you are now.
Harmony:
Seek the connection between life & work balance
The realization that you have an impact on someone else, positive or negative, it is up to you
Be an agent of goodwill
Treat all those around you the same way you want to be treated
Compassion is stronger than your ego
There is strength in silence and being still
Coexist with nature
8. Treat your body to health & wellness
Be realistic and truthful with the state of your body. If you enjoy going to the gym every day, continue to do so, but remember to pamper your body with a bath or massage. Give yourself a day of rest. Your body is machinery, it is not meant to run forever, so treat it with care.
If you are like me and don't enjoy working out. Be disciplined in doing at least 1 hour of exercise twice a week. On top of that, do a simple exercise every day lasting 10 minutes to have your body be active in some way. But most importantly, stretch daily. Stretching can alleviate so many problems.
Health & Wellness (Body):
Take a walk
Stretch in the morning and at night
Yoga
Dance to a song at home
Take the stairs
Nap when given the opportunity
Take a bath
Save up for a monthly massage
9. Take up a new creative hobby
Using a different part of your brain, practice exercising your creativity in something new:
Pottery
Watercolor painting
Poetry
Drawing
Cooking
Baking
Knitting
Playing an instrument
Playing a sport
Taking a dance class
Learn a new language
10. Practice togetherness
Here are a few ways I have practiced building relationships this past year:
Write a letter to a pen pal
Call two friends a week for a 15-minute chat
If you think of a compliment for someone, don't let it go to waste, say it!
Start chatting with a stranger
Text people when you think of them
Tell people how much you appreciate them
Dedicate a song or poem to someone
Have someone over for dinner once a week
Have a movie-watching party
Play board games
Here is a quick recap of the 10 ways you can renew your life for 2020! Check the list below:
Become Eco-friendly
Minimalism - Learn more about it and start implementing this lifestyle
Be present - No tech
Take up a spiritual practice
Slow living
Practice gratitude – Giving thanks, writing in your log, and showing gratefulness
Live in harmony - Perfect balance and sans ego
Treat your body to health & wellness - Do a simple exercise every day
Take up a new creative hobby - Practice exercising your creativity in something you enjoy
Practice togetherness - Building relationships
Here are some of our favorite books to help spark your continuous journey towards Happiness!
Secrets to Happiness:
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking
The art of doing nothing, being cozy, and full of tips for self-care.
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia
The art of being part of a community, eating healthily, and living to 100 years.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Mari Kondo
Learn how to live a more joyful life by putting your hands on everything you own, and asking yourself, "does this spark Joy?". It is a perfect guide for jump-starting your journey of minimalism.
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams.
Great friends, who also happen to be the great spiritual leaders of our time, explore the subject of Joy.
We hope you discover the simple joys of living a life filled with togetherness, harmony, coziness, and being present.
Goodbye, Explorers!
Pear Life Content:
-Read my post, How to Be Happier, Increasing your happiness through gratitude. Learn how to use affirmations to set a positive mindset and learn how to start a gratitude journal today!
-Find out, The Secret of Happiness, a collaboration post with @thejourney.man.
-For these Eco-friendly products and more click on, The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide, for more inspiration.
-Read, My New Year's Resolutions, if you are looking for some inspiration for this upcoming year.
Resources:
-Follow @thejourney.man to see his amazing content, photographs, and travel adventures!
-Click here for a FREE Pear Life printable template to organize your day and manage your priorities.