Introduction
Looking for the top ten ways to improve your life? Are you seeking to grow your insight, finances, and health? Welcome, to Delightful Insights. Let’s dive in.
1. Focus on Health
Health is the most important thing you can focus on. If you don’t start here, you can’t be successful in other areas of your life. This involves getting good sleep, drinking lots of water, and making time for self-reflection.
Sleep
First, before anything else you need good sleep. Often you hear motivational stories of the men and women who pull all nighters to work on their business or self-growth, etc. But the vast majority of us normal folk need good sleep. Now, the exact amount of rest you need is dependent on the person.
Some people need 8 hours. Some people need 6. You really have to experiment to see what works best for you. This can be as simple as setting alarms to test your sleep schedule to see what works best for you. Now, you might ask, “What if I set my alarm and can’t get to sleep?”
There are a few simple tips you can use to help you get to sleep faster:
- Turn your screens off 1 hour before bedtime
- We’ve all heard the studies showing the effects of screen time before bed. Often cited are the effects of blue light on the brain as it stimulates the brain to think that it is daytime, when in reality it is time for bed. However, most people don’t think about the effects of the apps we use on the dopamine system and anxiety response in our brain. Spending time scrolling Facebook or Instagram can lead to the dopamine system being activated within our brain, which leaves us lonely and anxious due to the mental strain it places on our brain.
- Read a book before bed
- Often reading a book in place of a screen can be extremely helpful in calming the brain before bed. I personally find that fiction books are the best for this as non-fiction books often require more processing power to focus on whereas fiction books do not. Reading a fiction book can put your mind in a calm state and reduce the effects of anxiety on the brain, allowing for an easier time going to sleep.
- Utilize breathing exercises
- Breathing exercises are extremely helpful in calming the brain before bed. By utilizing breathing exercises, you can slow the heart rate and induce a sympathetic nervous system response that allows the body to calm, and important precursor to sleep. A simple breathing exercise is known as box breathing. Box breathing works as follows. You breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, hold for four seconds, repeat.
By using these suggestions, you can effectively get some good quality rest. Emphasis on quality. Without quality sleep you will negate the benefits you are trying to get from sleep.
Water
Water is extremely important for someone who is serious about changing their lifestyle. Dehydration can lead to negative side effects such as irritability, brain fog, and fatigue. None of these things are helpful if you are trying to stay focused and increase your productivity.
It is recommended that the average person get roughly 8 glasses of water a day. There are plenty of water tracking apps to help you track your water intake and remind you to drink. You can even use fruit infusion (putting fruit in your water bottle) to make drinking your water more enjoyable.
Self-Reflection
Self-reflection is an important component of building a healthy mindset around your lifestyle journey. Specifically, a growth mindset. By utilizing tools such as journaling, you can grow your self-awareness and gain insight into various parts of your life, such as your mental health, your goals, your habits, etc.
There are various types of journaling methos you can use, such as:
- Freewriting
- Lists
- Morning Pages
- Gratitude Journaling
- Prompt Journaling
- And much more
There are even journaling apps if journaling on paper isn’t your thing.
2. Focus on You
You need to focus on you. Part of that means evaluating your circle and only interacting with those who support your goals and desires. We have a good post on recognizing toxic and dealing with behavior linked here. You need to only include people in your circle who support your goals. To do that you have to determine what your goals are. How do you do that? Check out this guide on how to embrace your personal development journey.
One good way to develop these goals is to use the S.M.A.R.T. goal method. See the video below for more information.
Once you determine your goals, look around in your circle for like-minded individuals who have the same or similar goals. You want people going in the same direction as you. But what if you don’t have people who are going in the same direction?
If this is the case for you, then you may need to find a new friend group. As hard as it is, you have to evaluate where your friends are going vs where you want to be. There is a saying that goes, “Your five closest friends are who you will be in five years”. This couldn’t be more true. There was a study done a few years back that found that income was more correlated among brothers than height or weight. Who you hang around is critical to who you will become.
3. Focus on Time Management
Time management is going to be key in your journey. Eventually as you progress further, you will begin to see things that take more of your time, such as creating an online business, or building a family, or cooking healthy meals, etc., etc. These things take time, and the more things you add, the more you need to manage your time.
There are various tools and techniques for time management. One of my personal favorites is a technique called Time Boxing. Time Boxing consists of breaking your day down into 30-minute segments. Breaking your day into these segments allows you to give each hour of your day a specific purpose. By assigning a purpose to your time, you can spend more time focused and therefore get more done i.e., be more productive.
A tool that greatly compliments the timeboxing method is the pomodoro method. This consists of working in small sessions, usually 25 – 30 minutes at a time, and taking small breaks in between. Basically, for these sessions you eliminate all distractions that you can. If you eliminate these distractions, it allows you to enter a state of deep focus (often referred to as flow) which allows you to get significant amounts of work done very quickly.
4. Maintain a Positive Mindset:
Cultivate a positive outlook on life by focusing on gratitude, optimism, and self-compassion. Practice reframing negative thoughts into more constructive and empowering ones, and surround yourself with positivity through uplifting books, podcasts, and affirmations. Cultivate a sense of resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges, knowing that setbacks are opportunities for growth and learning.
Part of this goes back to our discussion of journaling here. By using a gratitude journal, you are able to place an emphasis on the things you are grateful for in this life. Without this perspective, it can be difficult to stay focused on your goals.
There are various methods one can use to practice gratitude journaling, but by far the simplest one is to simply write down a bulleted list of the things you are most grateful for in your life. This can be anything from the roof over your head to someone special in your life. Practicing daily gratitude allows your brain to focus on the positive aspects.
5. Practice Mindfulness and Stress Management:
Chronic stress can take a toll on both our physical and mental health. Incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga into your daily routine to help reduce stress and promote relaxation. Take regular breaks to rest and recharge, prioritize activities that bring you joy, and learn to say no to unnecessary commitments.
There are many different types of meditation, but the one I am specifically referring to here is mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation entails focusing on the present moment and observing your reality. Being, not doing. Trying to experience the moment.
6. Move Your Body Regularly:
Regular physical activity is key to maintaining a healthy weight, improving cardiovascular health, and boosting mood and energy levels. Find activities that you enjoy, whether it’s walking, jogging, cycling, yoga, or dancing, and aim to incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine. Remember, every little bit of movement counts, so find opportunities to be active throughout the day.
7. Practice Gratitude Daily:
Take a few moments each day to reflect on the things you’re grateful for. Whether it’s a beautiful sunrise, a kind gesture from a friend, or a personal accomplishment, expressing gratitude can help shift your focus to the positive aspects of life and cultivate a sense of abundance and contentment.
8. Limit Screen Time and Digital Detox:
In today’s digital age, it’s easy to spend excessive amounts of time staring at screens, whether it’s smartphones, computers, or televisions. Set boundaries around your screen time and prioritize activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading, spending time outdoors, or engaging in hobbies that bring you joy.
9. Embrace Lifelong Learning:
Keep your mind sharp and engaged by embracing a lifelong learning mindset. Seek out opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills, whether it’s through reading books, taking courses, attending workshops, or learning a new hobby or language. Cultivate curiosity and a thirst for knowledge and challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and explore new ideas and perspectives.
10. Connect with Nature Regularly:
Spending time in nature has been shown to have numerous benefits for physical, mental, and emotional health. Make time to connect with the natural world by going for walks in the park, hiking in the mountains, or simply sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Disconnect from technology and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural world to rejuvenate your spirit and foster a deeper connection with the world around you.