6 Tiny Actions That Will Radically Alter Your Life For The Better, According To Experts
Easy-to-apply actions to help you get on track to your best life.
Taryn Elliott | Pixels, pixelshot | Canva You can take small actions to focus on your well-being without creating another lengthy to-do list.
It doesn't take too much time or effort to make a small action that can resonate significant change to improve your life.
Here are 6 tiny actions that will radically alter your life for the better, according to YourTango experts:
1. Set boundaries.
You may have a great career, friends, lovers, and children, but the relationships with people at work and home can create joy or mayhem. So, one thing in your control is to treat each relationship respectfully and ask for respect.
"Asking" for respect is done in the small and big ways you treat yourself and others. How you model right and wrong sends a loud and clear message, as well as when you say yes and no.
Healthy boundaries are also a personal revelation of who you are and will be. Use boundaries not to keep people out and limit your relationship but to shape the relationship so you are both healthy and happy.
— Reta Walker Ph.D., Relationship Therapist
2. Stop making life more complicated than it is.
Stop making life more complicated than it is. Everything happens for a reason, and when one door shuts, another opens. Once we stop resisting life and live it, we see dramatic changes.
Some simple steps to "get over life":
Actively decide to change your life.
Learn to embrace discomfort.
Identify why you want to change your life.
Define the changes you want to make.
Identify what may hold you back.
Choose one thing to change.
Set a realistic goal.
— Maitry Joshi, Healthcare Consultant
3. Be kind to yourself.
For some reason, many women find it easier to be kind to others and give until their well runs dry. But when it comes to yourself, even basic self-care can be tough to work into your schedule.
The idea of being kind to yourself starts in your mind. For most people, their inner chatter is critical, harsh, and completely lacks any support or kindness. Many are far meaner to themselves with inner dialog than they'd ever be to anyone else in real life.
To make this life-changing shift, start by noticing when you're beating yourself up and STOP. Then say something nice to yourself immediately. For example, if you're beating yourself up about forgetting to put out the trash, you can say something about how you do remember 95% of the time.
Make a practice of turning around those negative, snide comments and instead, compliment yourself about something you do well. Then, take a deep breath and feel how good it is to acknowledge yourself and be supportive. That will lift your spirits and build self-esteem! Try it today.
— Ronnie Ann Ryan, Intuitive Coach and Wise Woman
4. Stop seeing yourself as the victim
This is not to say you have never been a victim. However, there is a time and a place to own your contribution to situations that have not worked out well.
Learn from past experiences and mistakes. Life improves by owning your mistakes, learning from them, and moving on with more wisdom.
— Lesley Goth, Clinical Psychologist
5. Ritualize self-care for mental fitness.
Prioritizing and investing in your mental fitness is a foundational piece that underpins fulfillment throughout your life.
Adopting a proactive approach to mental well-being sets you up for success.
Engaging in activities that work for you, such as practicing mindfulness, creating a focus on daily self-care rituals like exercise, good sleep, goal setting, connection with others, seeking support when needed, and fostering positive thought patterns, are good examples of how you can create a better mindset every day.
You can enhance your emotional resilience, manage stress more effectively, and cultivate a healthier mindset. Prioritizing mental fitness can positively impact various aspects of your life, from relationships to decision-making, leading to transformative changes for the better.
So, build your foundation of rituals!
— Sue Kohn-Taylor, Mental Fitness & Self Leadership Specialist
6. Stop dwelling on the past.
Happy people live in the present and stay focused on creating good experiences here and now. This builds a better life and a brighter attitude about the future.
— Gloria Brame, Ph.D, Therapist
Radially altering the direction of your life might seem like an unachievable task. A job better left for another day when time is available, and your headspace is clear. Yet, life is messy and complicated, and we seldom have the time and headspace to make an effort.
When we look at changing our lives from a slightly different perspective, we find numerous ways to facilitate significant positive change with only slight alterations to our daily mental habits and routines.
Will Curtis is a writer and associate editor for YourTango. He's been featured on the Good Men Project and taught English abroad for ten years.