10 Ways to Enhance Your Life
Or my personal survival guide
What’d I tell ya? First it’s Halloween and two weeks later it’s New Years Day. Why this time of year passes so quickly, yet the journey so arduous? This being the planet inhabitants only second year in major adjustment mode, I feel like we’re appropriately in the terrible twos. Saying ‘No’ to everything and getting into things we shouldn’t. Personally, I’m still struggling with not putting everything I see in my mouth. Terrible twos indeed.
Turns out old dogs can learn new tricks
The last couple of weeks I’ve made it a point to call someone I haven’t spoken to in awhile. Instead of hemming and hawing about why it’s taken me so long to call, I simply say “You were on my mind, I wanted to hear your voice.” Remember the days of long-distance calling? When you had to wait until a certain time until the rates went down? Grateful that rarely exists anymore. The sickness and death and depression and loneliness entirely palpable, permeating the air like a heavy, unavoidable stench. The appreciation I’ve received from merely dialing the phone and saying ‘Hello’ has been overwhelming. I highly recommend it.
“Write the vision and make it plain..” Habakkuk 2:2
Through the aforementioned conversations, I compiled a list of things I need to make my life feel enhanced. I decided to make it entirely personal and things that I believe in. I fall short on many of these, but, I believe writing the vision down where you can see it everyday is crucial. Since I’m sadly my biggest fan, I go to this website almost everyday and reread my own stuff and look at my videos. I am so grateful to acquire these new skills at my jurassic age. Gives me an appreciation for those that do this for a living.
10 Ways to Enhance Your Life
1. Keeping a gratitude journal – Write down 5 things I’m grateful for everyday. Easiest way to keep track of the good things in life. Challenging, but rewarding to reach 5/day, 365.
2. Meditation/Spirituality – Spending at least 15 minutes/day leaning in to the silence and mindfulness of thought. Prayer to many, time outs to some, done first thing in the morning enhances my entire day.
3. Exercise – Written about often during my 2 years as a blogger, it’s also my biggest challenge, consistency wise. I spent decades where it was apart of my daily lifestyle and am desperate to reclaim that gift that comes with undeniable benefits. No matter the ability or skill level, there’s always a way. I’m back to trying Yoga. Fingers crossed.
4. Getting on a regular sleeping schedule – For this, I need to embrace the terrible twos. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is clinically proven to help sleep at night. waking up at the same time enhances sleep Mostly a night owl, something else I’ve been working on.
5. Eat to live, not live to eat – Clearly my biggest hurdle with this time of the year seeming more like a mountain. I’ve done well this year with intermittent fasting, but still need work with the what. Eating between 11a and 7p only has, in some ways turned competitive. As a result, I feel panic around 630p and race to shovel down the left side of the menu. I highly recommend it if you have had stomach issues like I have. It’s done wonders.
6. Turning off all devices for one day each week – So far it’s Sundays. I have football to watch all day. Technically, the TV is a device, but the tablet goes off and the cellphone for phone calls only. I hope to eventually eliminate ALL devices for one day. Makes a huge difference. Smartphones have made us meaner and more judgmental. Remember the days when you answered the phone every time it rang? I do. Dating myself. Don’t care.
7. Volunteering – One hour a week can change your life. I’ve written about my experience with Westside Foodbank a few times on this blog. A plea from the Foodbanks, Raising Awareness-The Hunger Walk. A no-brainer enhancer. You get back way more than you give.
8. Learn to cook – Understanding that I’m preaching to the choir in many of these, if you don’t know how to cook, there are no less than 20 delicious and easy recipes on this blog. Many of them with how-to videos that are expertly edited. Simply click Blogs on the menu, scroll down, and experience how food prepared with your own hands tastes so much better.
9. Laugh more – Laughter is food for the soul. When did laughter become offensive? Making sure to purposely laugh each day is a major enhancer.
10. Embracing nature – I’m blessed to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Embracing it is a challenge sometimes given logistics and time. During meditation, I often picture Alaska, the last frontier, as a calming factor. This week we breathe – Alaska.
Conclusion
It’s impossible to narrow it down to only 10, so I didn’t. I added the following and then will ask for your suggestions in the comments.
-Listening
-Traveling
-Stepping outside of your comfort zone
-Reading
-Approaching all things with Love
-Music Appreciation – An important one to me. While I love all types of music, this piece by Debussy always takes me there.
Good stuff Chris!
Although “stepping out of your comfort zone” is a little redundant because, for me, it applies to…..well….all of them!
Seriously though, thanks Chris.
I’ve always admired your passion for a life of joy and laughter. These are great ways to achieve that!
You rock!……and cook and laugh and travel and…..
😁
Thanks Mike. Your comments always make my day!
LOVE THIS! #1 Gratitude of my morning five – this blog! (#2 gratitude is in conflict with a couple of the other ten, – that ole school macaroni & cheese recipe (you can use it as a dip for crackers:)
Wow Chris so many wonderful things addressed here. it’s your best recipe yet using only 10 ingredients!
Miche, your support means everything to me. I am so grateful for you! 😍
I know you too well. My choice of your song was exactly what you posted. Hope all’s well.
Thanks Beverly! Hope all is well with you too!
👍🏽 100%
Thanks David!
A fantastic list for going into the holidays and the Debussy is the perfect score. Beautiful! I remember making calls on a party line, and having to wait for the neighbors to finish using it to be able to place your own call. Now that’s dating myself.
Thanks Tom. Hilarious! 😂
Thanks Chris! Love reading your blogs!
Over the past year +, I’ve struggled with many of the issues you hit on. The worst being electronic devices. I also have several journals with way too many blank pages. Thank you for the tips and inspiration😘 Each day a new beginning 👍🏻💪🏻
Thanks Sandy. Always great to hear from you. We missed you yesterday at Farmers Market. Hope you can make the one in December 🤞🏽
Thank you Chris. Love the Debussy piece. Reading your blog could be on the list and reaching out to friends and family in unexpected ways – just a little surprise.
Thanks BA! Totally agree👍🏽