[continued from =
last weekend]
**Set a firm bedtime
Getting enough =
sleep can be one of the best things you can do for your health. Getting =
a solid seven to eight hours of shut-eye boosts heart health, helps with =
weight loss, improves memory, and reduces depression, among other health =
benefits. Yet good intentions are easily derailed by phone games, =
Netflix, work e-mail, or other distractions. Invest in your health by =
giving yourself a firm bedtime that will allow you to get eight hours of =
sleep, say 10 p.m., and stick to it.
**Start a gratitude =
journal
Making a =
mental note to count your blessings simply isn’t enough. To reap =
all the benefits of daily gratitude, you need to make a conscious effort =
to record everything you’re grateful for. Start off on the right =
foot this year by buying a fun journal, just for the purpose of =
recording three things each day you’re grateful for. Looking for =
things to be grateful for will give you a boost in the moment and =
re-reading them later will help you realize how great your life really =
is. Get started with these powerful gratitude =
quotes that will inspire you to be =
grateful.
**Smile at a stranger every day
A man who =
committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge left behind a =
note that read, “I’m going to walk to the bridge. =
If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.” That =
story had a heartbreaking ending for that man, obviously, but it shows =
the power of a little human kindness. Smiling at a stranger on the =
bus, in the store, at the gym, or on your way to work costs you nothing =
but could have a powerful effect on someone’s life. Make a =
resolution to give a smile, every day. Best part? You’ll probably =
get one in return too.
**Invite a new neighbor over for =
dinner
Quick: Can you =
name your next-door neighbors? What about the ones next to them? =
Everyone on your street? The more interconnected we’ve become =
online, the less connected we’ve become in real life, particularly =
to those we don’t have a reason to get to know. So make a reason =
to meet the people in your neighborhood by inviting a new person or =
family over for dinner, dessert, or a game night, once a month. At best =
you’ll make some great friends, at worst you don’t ever have =
to do it again, and you’ll still have one more person you can ask =
to bring your garbage in from the curb when you’re gone. For a =
little inspiration, check out these 22 heartwarming =
stories of good deeds from neighbors.
**Take a tech break every day
If Dr. Seuss =
were writing today, his next book would likely be Screens On =
Things—those screens, we see them in a box, with a fox, in a =
house, with a mouse. Those screens we see them here and there, we see =
them everywhere. And for good reason, they’re fun! But technology =
overload can cause depression, isolation, lack of social skills, =
compulsive shopping, and poor health. Take a brain break by setting =
aside one (or more) hours a day to unplug. Read a book, take a walk, =
work on a hobby, volunteer, or simply use the time to think your own =
thoughts, uninterrupted. You’ll sleep, eat, and feel =
better.
**Set a cleaning schedule
Chores are =
called chores for a reason—no one loves scrubbing out the toilet =
or loading the dishwasher, yet they are all things that must be done for =
life to run smoothly. But sometimes you procrastinate doing them (no =
judgment here, we’re all guilty of this!) and they pile up. Keep =
your personal (and mental) space clean by creating a daily, weekly, and =
monthly cleaning schedule. Doing a little each day will make sure the =
garbage never overflows into the next room again.
**Call your bestie
We’ve =
all been there: You see a good friend in passing, yell “We need to =
get together soon!” as you sail by, and then…nothing. Even =
if you really mean it, setting aside social time can be difficult. But =
maintaining close friendships is worth it. So make a resolution that =
this is the year you make time for your loved ones and schedule a time =
each week or month to see them. If you write it in as an appointment, =
your brain will think of it as non-negotiable and you’ll make =
those good times happen.
**Plan a day trip
Become a =
tourist in your own town by finding a list of popular attractions and =
then making a goal to visit a new one each month. You’ll learn =
about the history of your (current) hometown and gain an appreciation =
for the people around you. Plus, it’s just fun. Stop waiting for a =
reason to go to a play, visit a museum, hike a trail, or tour a landmark =
and just go.
**Visit the =
library
Libraries have =
bunches of books, sure, but they also provide a lot more: calendars of =
community events, clubs, support groups, release parties, performances, =
movie rentals, and audiobooks. Take advantage of all your library has to =
offer (and pick up a good read or three) by making a goal to hit your =
local library once a week. For a more concrete goal, check out this list =
of the most impressive =
libraries in every state and visit =
yours.
**Eat at home more often
A home-cooked =
meal is delicious and usually healthier than any take-out or restaurant =
fare, not to mention cheaper. Yet too many people think they can’t =
cook or that it’s too time-consuming. Not so: You can do this. =
Commit to making a healthy, home-cooked meal at least once a week. Your =
health and wallet will thank you.
**Pamper yourself a little
Everyone =
deserves a little love and happiness in their life. Make sure =
you’re taking care of you by scheduling a little pamper time in =
once a week. Take a hot bath, paint your nails, buy a small treat, =
wander through a bookstore, bake cookies—whatever feeds your soul. =
Find out some more little things =
that happy people do every day.
**Put some money in savings each =
week
Nearly 60 percent of Americans =
have less than $1,000 in savings—far less than the six =
months of expenses that experts recommend and not even enough to get =
through a minor emergency like a medical bill or car breakdown. Yet =
saving extra when you’re already living paycheck to paycheck, or =
seriously in debt, can feel overwhelming. Start small by putting a =
little into savings each week. You can simply stick all your cash in a =
jar in your closet or you can install an automatic savings app, like Digit, to =
make it practically painless. You won’t even notice the money is =
gone, and you’ll build up a nice little nest egg that will =
hopefully inspire you to save even more. Here are some more New Year resolution =
ideas that might just change your =
life.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
"Jesus Knows Me, This I =
Love!"