It’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t have time to do anything except sleep, eat and go to work with a few minutes thrown in with your kids or significant other so they remember what you look like. You are shortchanging yourself. It may feel like a sacrifice you have to make for success, but it’s not.
It’s called the daily grind because it wears you down. It’s time to uplift yourself; feed your heart mind and soul. It does not need to take hours or be one more hardship to throw into your already packed schedule – start small and see how it goes. Pick one thing off the list that speaks to you and do it today. No excuses.
Change is a choice. Do you want to be stuck in the grind or are you ready to choose a more meaningful way of living and leading? I want to see you be bold and finally choose you, choose joy and choose to be and do your best today and every day.
What’s it gonna be?
Ready to Be and Do Your Best? Let’s Go!
1. Exercise
2. Smile
3. Hug someone you love
4. Celebrate with a high-five
5. Email that old friend you’ve been meaning to write
6. Phone a friend
7. Read a book
8. Write in your journal (or do this almost-journaling instead)
9. Take a half day at work
10. Go to sleep early
11. Sleep in this weekend
12. Turn on some music and dance while you make dinner
13. Share a laugh (remember… laugh with, not at someone ;))
14. Get a massage
15. Grab coffee with a friend
16. Take a break and eat your lunch somewhere that’s not in front of your computer screen
17. Invite a new colleague to lunch
18. Bring in breakfast for the team
19. Go for a walk (I know it can be hard during the winter…)
20. Purposefully walk in the sun light
21. Eat a super ripe piece of fruit
22. Treat yourself to a glass of wine and savor it (or grab a beer)
23. Watch a movie and let stressful thoughts go
24. Take a MOOC
25. Give yoga a go and don’t worry about how you look
26. Travel somewhere new and explore without a plan
27. Order in dinner
28. Have a moment of pure joy and don’t post about it on Facebook. Relish it.
29. Tweet with someone new
30. Hello! Date night!
31. Make the leap to take your Twitter friendship offline
32. Let the laundry go today
33. Take out the good china. The day you’ve been waiting for is today
34. Wear something that makes you feel amazing
35. Load up your iPod with your current faves and put it on shuffle
36. Sing in the shower
37. Kiss, hug and get it on (not at work, please)
38. Play a game with friends or family
39. Read a good night story to your kids
40. Bake some cupcakes or cookies and share with neighbors
41. Order something new off the menu besides your tried and true
42. Give yourself 15 minutes to take a brain break
43. Get up from your desk to stretch
44. Walk around when you’re on the phone
45. Open your shades and let the natural light in
46. Volunteer
47. Donate money to a charity that’s near to your heart
48. Call your parents
49. Send flowers just because
50. Pet your pets. They need love too and have lots to give
51. Close your computer and be present where you are (but not before you get to the end of this list!)
52. Change your sheets and enjoy the feeling when you hop into bed tonight
53. Cuddle with your kids
54. Instead of thinking about writing that book, start writing
55. Go on an adventure this weekend – step out of your ordinary
56. Bake some treats and share them with friends
57. Hold hands
58. Watch your favorite show on TV, turn off your inner dialog and enjoy
59. Walk away from the office gossip and step out into the fresh air
60. Speak up and share that idea you’ve been too nervous to share
61. Go to a concert to smile, sing and move to the music with the crowd
62. Get up and stretch once an hour
63. Thank someone when they help you. Tell them why you appreciate their effort
64. Start to blog… share your ideas in a bigger way
65. Ask: “How can I help?” and be prepared to dive in
66. Say yes to something joyful and no to something that is a time sink
67. Strike up a conversation with a stranger
68. Eat breakfast at your table instead of at your desk or in the car
69. Practice meditation and be kind to your heart and soul
70. Tell someone I love you because you really, really do
Well, what will you commit to doing today?
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Love your list, Alli and especially your “call to action” to choose just one way to live life to the fullest!
I am choosing to take a few breaks today to just dream without judgement. I am in need of free thinking with a friend. Friends are my lifeline and grabbing coffee or dinner with them is the best medicine and way for me to rejuvenate.
Thanks for the reminder to step back and breathe! Have a great weekend!
It’s awesome when you have friends that you trust to help get perspective and just let go!
Dreaming without judgement sounds good to me!
Thanks so much, Terri!
Great list Alli! I had to laugh when I saw “yoga” on the list. My husband and I are in a 3rd year of a 300/year workout plan. We’ve been successful the last two years and are ahead of plan so far this year. About 2 months ago, we were trying a “beginners yoga” routine that was available on cable’s On Demand. It was so not a beginner’s yoga. We laughed, grunted, & abandoned it after about 10 minutes. It was total confusion. We do something different everyday. Still hoping to find a beginner’s yoga routine that is actually for a beginner. 🙂
300/year workout plan! Wow! For the past seven weeks my husband I hit six and this week, four… Three years is fantastic!
As for yoga, I’m with you. To say I’m not flexible is an understatement. I know many people who love yoga and a few who are instructors but it’s just not for me based on my attempts to date. If I find a great beginner routine, you know I’ll send it your way!
~ Alli
Beautiful post, Alli. Today I cannot commit to anything as I am feeling like crud sitting on the couch in my jammies and watching horror movies. Oh wait, I can commit to be lazy today. 🙂
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
B
I was on my couch yesterday watching movies! Sometimes, I think that’s self-care at it’s best.
Thanks so much, B! Hope your lazy day was fantastic!!
I LOVE this post, Alli!
So much wisdom packed into those 70 tips! I couldn’t pick a favorite—although there were many ties.
Love the way you look at life through a lens that makes all of these suggestions both practical and necessary!
Thanks, LaRae! I wrote it and I’m still using it to remind myself that we can choose little things to create big richness in our lives. Work matters but having a whole, full life matters even more.
Thanks so much!
GREAT list Alli! After working all day on a big project I am going out to lunch with a friend tomorrow! Hope you’re having a great weekend my friend!
YAY! Sounds great! Self-care and feeding both our hearts and minds can never be overrated.
Thanks, Cindy!