Small steps to a better life

Good changes come in small packages.  We don’t have to spend a lot of time and turn our life upside down to improve it.  Small things often have a big positive impact, and they are easier to stick to.  The challenge is to choose actionable steps or short routines that you can easily weave into the fabric of your day to brighten it up.  They may not solve your problems, but they can make you feel better about yourself and serve as a reminder to take care of your mind, body and spirit.  You can start with just one such life booster and then introduce more at a pace that is comfortable to you.  Here are a few things that I enjoy and you can try too:

• Start your day by stretching for a few minutes.  I like the Sun Salutation sequence. 
• Play your favorite tune as you are getting dressed in the morning, or better yet, sing it.  How about “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from “Oklahoma” – seems appropriate:

Oh what a beautiful morning,
Oh what a beautiful day,
I've got a wonderful feeling,
Everything's going my way.

Or choose whatever you like.

• Set times throughout the day to do some deep breathing.  Most of us are shallow breathers.  Deep breathing brings more oxygen to your body and calms you down.
• Choose to add a healthy fruit or vegetable to your daily diet.  Blueberries-brainberries are my choice. 
• Meditate.  It is an amazing practice.  A 15-minute meditation session can bring more insights for me than a full day of hard thinking.   
• Say affirmations or The Serenity Prayer, or simply read poetry.
• Make an effort to connect to your friends or loved ones daily in an easy but meaningful way.  It can be a kind word, a phone call, a short email, a kiss, a note, a home-cooked meal – whatever works in your circumstances.  Send your loving energy with it.
• Take a different perspective on something that tends to bother you or drain your energy.  Adopt a new more productive way to think about it and reinforce this new thinking with repetition. 
• Keep a gratitude journal where you write down all the things you are grateful for.   

Your list may be very different.  The idea is to find something that makes your life better.  What is that one little step you can take today?  Let’s hear from you.