"What can people start doing now that will help them a lot in five years?" This was the questiin a certain 23 year old student asked on Quora. Quora is a social question and answer site. Hundreds of answers came in to this one question but this collation contributed by Andy Giroux are some of the best answers to how you can begin to improve the rest of your life now.
1. Exercise. And if you can, exercise in the morning. This helps in so many ways. It will help you sleep better at night and be more alert during the day. It will help wake you up in the morning by getting your blood flowing. It will help to sharpen and focus your mind. It will help relieve stress. There are just so many benefits.
2. Don’t procrastinate. Never say “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I don’t have time.” Tomorrow tends to be the imaginary land that never arrives, it never ends or it may never come. 95-99% of the time when people say “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I don’t have time” it really means “I’d rather just be lazy.”
3. Don’t make excuses. Just do it. If there is something that you want to do, whether it is just something that you think would be fun, a new experience, or something to better yourself then do it. This sort of goes with point #2. If you’re making excuses then all that means is your really don’t want it that badly.
4. Read books. Get off the internet. Stop reading pointless 3 paragraph articles and read something substantial. It will help expand your vocabulary, it will open your mind, it will inspire real thinking and creativity, and more.
5. Save money. Be aggressive about it. Don't save just for the sake of saving, save to invest. Actively seek out opportunities to invest. In the next 5-10 years, you’ll probably be extremely happy that you did so.
6. Don’t hold grudges. Do not harbor hate. It takes a lot of energy to be mad at people so don’t bother. Just let things go. And if someone continues to inspire these bad feelings in you, then let them go. It’s that simple.
7. Laugh and smile. Always. Having a bad day? First, Smile. A big one. Ear to ear. Force it. Smiling doesn’t just happen when you are happy, but it always happens to make you happier. It’s scientifically proven. Then go to YouTube (I know earlier I said get off the internet, but laughter is a necessity), look up a funny video or your favorite comedian and just laugh. Just let go. It’ll help.
8. Stop and smell the roses. It’s good to want to better yourself, but you also need to know when to take time for yourself and relax. Let your batteries recharge.
9. Be thankful and grateful. Sometimes it can be hard in the moment to realize that you actually have it pretty good, but every now and then just stop and think about everything that you have in your life. There is always someone who has it worse so you should be happy that you have what you have. It’s also good to want to be better and to not just accept things for what they are, to challenge the status quo, but at the same time if you are always surging forward and you never stop to appreciate what and who is around you then one day when you finally do stop, you may realize there’s nothing left.
10. Be charitable. Not just with your money or your time, but with who you are. Being charitable isn’t just about giving when it makes sense, it’s about being the type of person who will go out of their way to help the old woman cross a slippery, snow covered street. It’s about tipping the waitress even when she was bitchy because maybe she’s just having a really bad day. It’s about smiling at that person across from you on the bus who looks upset, maybe even ask them if they need to talk. It’s about giving that kid who won’t stop asking for a job a chance even though their resume doesn’t look that great.
11. Keep your phone in your pocket when with friends and family. Enjoy your time with them. You can always use technology, you won’t always have time with your loved ones.
12. Don’t be shy. Talk to people. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with strangers. What’s the worst that will happen? They’ll ignore you? Be rude? So what? You don’t ever have to talk to them again. Not only will this teach you not to be afraid of rejection, but it will teach you how to network, be personable, read people, and maybe meet some really great people.
13. Listen. When someone is talking to you, LISTEN. Don’t just think about what you are going to say, but really listen to what they are saying. Then when they are done you can take a second to think about what you want to say.
14. Travel. If you can, travel. It’s a great thing to do. It can open you up to so many things that you will never experience in your own little corner of the world. Whether that be lifestyles and culture you could never have imagined, seeing nature in a new light, or giving you the shocking realization that there is something horribly wrong with the balance of power and wealth in this world. Traveling can lead to some great introspection and thought provoking experiences.
15. Be open minded. You don’t know it all. You never will. You also couldn’t possibly understand everything so be aware of that.
16. Love like a puppy. Don’t be afraid to let others in. Love unconditionally. If your heart gets broken, it will heal, and you will learn. But do not let it close you. At the same time, make sure that just because you love so openly that you don’t let others walk all over you. You can leave someone behind who treats you wrong, but still have a strong love for them. A lot of us have experienced that.
17. Ask why and be curious. 'Why' is one of the single most powerful words we have as humans. It can open so many doors and lead to so much knowledge. Next time someone tells you something, instead of just accepting it, ask why. Dig deeper. Learn.
18. Follow your passions and your dreams. Do what you love and what you enjoy. Don’t settle. Not for a job. Not for a spouse. Not for anything. If you believe that you are capable of more, then go for it, but don’t forget to keep at least 1 toe on the ground so that you don’t lose everything great that you may already have.
Which one(s) do you already do? Have you been inspired to start doing some extra?
Adapted from “22 Things To Start Doing Now That Will Improve The Rest Of Your Life,” by huffingtonpost.com
Cover image via Theunboundedspirit.com
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