It’s not uncommon to fall into a rut. Life can be monotonous. Our routines are often the same day-to-day. It’s hard to feel excited about life when it feels like we are running on a treadmill.
While routine does help us be productive, it’s nice to change it up from time-to-time. It’s important to remind ourselves to have fun.
I love consistency and routine. But I do find myself itching to do something different or exciting. I was fortunate in my earlier years to have the opportunity to pack my bags and head overseas to live a handful of times. But things changed when our children came along and they started attending daycare and school. Life fell very much into a rather rigid routine.
Despite our commitments and obligations, we can still break out of the mundanities of everyday life and fall in love with life again.
Enrol in a class
Learning something new can be enough to elevate and enrich our lives. A happy life and healthy mind involves continuous learning throughout life, and being creative.
Enrol in a cooking class and learn how to make authentic Italian cuisine. Start getting piano lessons and set a goal to play a Bach piece by the end of the year. Jump on Coursera and learn about social psychology or nutrition. Attend a night school and learn how to speak French.
Read
We can also learn a great deal by simply picking up a book and reading. Reading is such a beautiful experience and encourages us to enter the world and imagination of another.
Wander through a library and allow yourself to explore, picking up those titles that speak to you. Or even revisit a book from the past that you recall enjoying. Join a local bookclub if discussing books with others appeals to you.
Slow down and notice
Many of us rush through our days not noticing the world around us. We are too focused on where we are going and if we will make it in time - with our to-do list and thoughts bouncing around in our minds continuously.
Allow time to stop at a cafe and just sit, or at a park and just look. Notice the life around you - the birds flying, clouds moving slowly, breeze blowing through branches, or people walking by.
Slowing down to notice can help calm our minds, and reminds us that there is a much larger world outside of the little bubble we often keep ourselves in.
Savour simple routines
Since most of our day is based on routine, why not make them as beautiful as possible by celebrating them in small ways.
Cook a beautiful meal and light a candle over dinner. Make your morning coffee and enjoy it sitting in the sunshine. Buy your groceries at a market, noticing how fresh the produce is. Smooth a beautiful scented cream on your skin as you climb into bed.
Change something up in your home
Sometimes something as simple as changing our home a little and freshening up a corner can lift our spirits.
Shuffle a piece of furniture or a few decorative items around. Seek out a little indoor plant to liven up a corner. Visit an op shop and hunt for a vintage treasure. Spend some time in the garden making it look a little more inviting.
Give your appearance some time and care
When we are time-poor, it’s not unusual to let our appearance slide. When we put care into our appearance and what we wear day-to-day, it can boost our self-esteem and confidence. When we nourish our bodies and exercise, we feel better within.
Schedule a hair appointment and get a healthy chop or new style. Rid your wardrobe of clothes that look worn and invest in a few new pieces. Spend Friday night giving yourself a facial and fresh coat of paint on your toes. Wake up half an hour earlier and go for a morning walk.
Disconnect and connect
We know all too well that we spend a great deal of time on our devices “connecting” with others. But face-to-face connection is so important and sadly being unprioritised by many of us. Connection and our relationships help us feel happy.
Schedule a lunch with a friend who works closely to where you work. Ask your mother or mother-in-law to watch the kids while you go out to dinner with your partner. Invite friends or family over for a simple Sunday brunch. Plan your morning walk with a neighbour.
Discover work you enjoy
Work to live or live to work - that is a question many of us ask ourselves. While I do believe that much of life and joy happens outside of work, a great deal of our life is also about work. So why not try to enjoy it?
Work is often a great source of pain for many of us. So it’s important to pause from time-to-time to reflect on the aspects about our work that we do enjoy, and try to include more of it into our day-to-day. Or reflect on those activities that ignite us and perhaps try to move into a line of work that includes them. This can involve a bit of hustling initially but it can be worth it in the long-term.
Laugh
Laughter is good for our health. It lifts your mood - triggering a release of endorphins, relaxes your body - decreasing stress hormones, and generally adds joy and zest to life.
Set aside a night to watch a funny movie, meet up with a friend who knows how to make you laugh, play a silly board-game with the kids, or even join a laughter club.
Allow yourself to dream
Too often we stop ourselves from dreaming and fantasising about the future for fear of disappointment. Yes, life doesn’t always deliver what we hope and we must understand this. But to progress and have goals, we first need to dream and imagine what could be. When we dream we learn about what we truly value in life.
Listen to some ambient music in bed before you fall asleep and just see where your mind goes. Think about what happiness means to you and notice what that involves. And then think about what action steps you need to take to move closer to reaching your dreams.
Travel
While some might say that travelling is escaping from your reality and that you need to be okay with where you are (which is true), exploring is incredibly educational and good for the soul. You learn so much about others and the greater world by visiting other countries. You see things that look different from what you’re used to. You discover strengths within yourself as you are often pushed outside of your comfort zone.
If money allows, book a flight to a country you haven’t been before. Spend time researching and learning about their culture. It’s often the build up of a holiday and looking forward to it that is the most enjoyable part. The excitement of it helps us feel happy.
If money is tight, explore somewhere close to home. Head in a new direction on the weekend with a picnic basket and rug packed in the car.
Feeling stuck in a rut can be frustrating. We all go through it. Stepping out of our bubble and taking action helps us move in new directions and possibly feel happier within.
It’s important not to close ourselves off to experiencing new things. But rather look at life with curiosity and say ‘yes’ a little more often.
