Are you stuck in a rut? Or do you just want to step up your game so you can live life to the fullest?
Like a mechanic working on a vehicle, there are specific things you can do to tune up your life. Here’s how.
1. Exercise 5 Times a Week
Some guidelines recommend exercising 3 times a week, but ask anybody in great shape and you’ll hear that they only take one or two days off of their exercise program each week. That means at least 5 days they’re doing cardio, strength, training, flexibility training, or some other type of exercise.
2. Get Rest
Do you normally burn the candle at both ends? At some point you’re gonna run out of wax. Even with responsibilities at work and at home, you’ll still want to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Doing that will ensure you’re working at your peak energy and performance levels each day.
3. Eat Right
Some nutrition “gurus” make us think that there are secret formulas to eating right. But the reality is that eating right is actually pretty simple. Your first step is to cut out all the processed stuff that masquerades as food, and replace that junk with real food–vegetables, fruits, lean meats, beans and nuts.
If you look at the ingredient list and can’t pronounce anything, put it back and try again.
4. Take Time for Yourself
Do you take any time each day for yourself? Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, take a breather each day to do something you love. It could be a new workout routine, playing a video game, or just taking a walk. The goal is to do something you love, and be mindful while you’re doing it.
5. Know Your Purpose
What’s your purpose in this world? If you’re like most people, you don’t know it. But defining what your purpose is can be the most important activity you ever do. Once you know what you’re meant to do, you should then–
6. Set Goals
Setting goals is the way super-achievers get things done. You’ll want to set a combination of long-term goals with short-term goals. Once you have those defined, you should then–
7. Create a Plan
Having defined goals will set you head and shoulders above your peers, but that’s just the beginning. Create a long-term plan to get you to your goals so you can turn those wishes into reality. This plan should include steps you’ll take each year, month, week and day to help you get to where you want to be.
8. Write it Down
You may have heard the term “Don’t think it, ink it”. There’s power in writing down your goals and your action plan. Once you put pen to paper you’re turning that wish floating around your head into something real. Magic can happen once you do that.
9. Decide Your Life Will Be Great
You know the difference between people who really enjoy life, and people who just get through it? Those who enjoy life have decided that they’ll embrace the experience. Sounds simple, right? Well it is. So do it. Now. There’s never been a better time.
10. Embrace Change
Change is inevitable so you might as well welcome it instead of fight it. Every change in your life can offer something to learn, and as long as you’re learning, you’re improving, which is the key to long-term growth and living a meaningful life.
11. Replace Complaining with Problem-Solving
It’s raining? Grab an umbrella. Your sandwich fell on the street? Go buy another. Get fired from a great job? Find a better one. The time you spend complaining on what’s wrong with your life will just lead to other problems. When something happens you don’t enjoy, just get to thinking about how you can make it better. There’s no point in doing anything else.
12. Know When to Say No
There are more demands in today’s world than ever before. You probably have everyone from your boss, partner, neighbor and everyone in between asking you for help. But you’re just one person and you can only do so much. More important than that, if you’re only spending time on other people’s requests, you won’t be able to get the stuff done that will get you ahead in life. So know when you need to say “no” and set up some boundaries so you can strike the right balance between helping others while also tending to your needs.
13. Give Back
Giving back to those in need can help you realize what you already have. More importantly, you’ll be able to help others who are less fortunate than you. So if you want a tune-up in your life, just spend some time helping others, whether it’s volunteering at a homeless shelter, cleaning up your neighborhood, or anything in between.
14. Be Thankful
There’s a funny thing about people who are thankful. They often have everything they need, and then some. And those complainers, always focused on what they don’t have? They’re often struggling.
The simple act of being thankful for what you have can help attract more of it.
15. Think Positive
The positive thinking movement can sound a bit phony, but there’s been lots of studies referencing benefits of positive thinking. So do your mind and body a favor by thinking with a “glass is half full” attitude.
16. Make Time for Friends
One of the most common regrets of the dying is that they didn’t spend more time with those they loved. Call your friends. Plan a guys or girls weekend. Just spending time with those you care about can give you and them the life tune-up you both likely need.
17. Learn a New Skill
Did you ever want to learn how to play the guitar? Or how to speak a new language? Learning new skills is not just great for your brain, but can help you meet new people and give you something fun to talk about with friends, old and new.
18. Develop Yourself
The world’s most successful people spend serious amounts of time developing themselves professionally and personally. This means reading books, attending seminars, and feeding their mind the food it needs to grow. This often means personal development programs and seminars.
Some people laugh at personal growth products and learning. These are the same people who will get lapped by their peers in a few years because they’re not growing at the same pace. So do yourself a favor and treat these programs as an investment in yourself, which just so happens to be the best investment you can make.
19. Get Organized
Clutter can cause stress, anxiety, and can even be dangerous. Do an audit of your home and clean our your closets and cupboards. Donate what you can and throw out the rest.
20. Get Rid of Negative Influences
Are you in a toxic relationship? Do you have friends or coworkers who always tear you down, or just want you to join them in their misery? Sometimes it’s best to cut the chord and move on. Freeing yourself from negative people can be difficult but wise. And doing that can send a message to them that they’ll need to get their act together if they want to enjoy the type of success you’re bound to have.
