10 Ways To Renew Your Life For The New Year

Here are some fresh ideas on how to renew your life this year!

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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!

This blog post contains affiliate links from Amazon. I may be rewarded with credit or commission to fund my love for movies & popcorn, which keeps me happy and able to post quality content. Please note that I only recommend products or services that I absolutely love!



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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?)

    1. Forgo straws, but if you do like them then purchase an alternative to plastic 

    2. Use Eco-bags for shopping

    3. 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!)

    4. Refill the hand soap container (instead of buying a new container each time)

    5. Compost food scraps

    6. Recycle properly (find out what plastics are allowed in your recycling bin)

    7. Buy paper towels made from recycled paper

    8. 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.



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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



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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

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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


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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






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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.






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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



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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



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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:

  1. Become Eco-friendly

  2. Minimalism - Learn more about it and start implementing this lifestyle

  3. Be present - No tech

  4. Take up a spiritual practice

  5. Slow living

  6. Practice gratitude – Giving thanks, writing in your log, and showing gratefulness

  7. Live in harmony - Perfect balance and sans ego

  8. Treat your body to health & wellness - Do a simple exercise every day

  9. Take up a new creative hobby - Practice exercising your creativity in something you enjoy

  10. 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.

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Releasing Negative Energies

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January 2020 Bujo & New Year Resolutions