7 Small Changes that Will Make a Big Difference in Your Life
Making a big change in life can be pretty intimidating. It can also be a source of a lot of stress and even more frustration. With some of those big life changes, results aren’t always immediate. As time goes by, you might experience feelings of self-doubt and irritation. Especially if you find yourself not meeting those high expectations you’ve set for yourself.
Thing is, your life really is what you make it.
Yes, there are some things in life that are beyond your control. There are, however, even more things which you do have control over, things you can… change.
We love saying: “If you don’t like something, just change it.” Thing is, it’s not always that simple, or easy to do. This is why focusing on making small changes in your life can be a great place to start.
A small change can still deliver those big results. It can help you create a huge, wonderful transformation in your life. By changing as little as one small daily habit, you can introduce more positive and healthy patterns into your life and daily routine. It can bring more joy and bliss to this seemingly ordinary, “everyday” life, as we like to call it.
7 SMALL LIFE CHANGES THAT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE
1. GET ACTIVE
Start small. Take longer walks with your dog, go for a 15-minute run in the morning, take the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Park your car a little farther from that store entrance. Eventually, introducing some light exercise will become easier. Then, try to incorporate daily workouts into your routine (if it’s not already a part of your daily routine)– it doesn’t have to be anything intense at first- just find something that works for you. You will feel better- both physically and mentally. You will find that you have more energy and that you are generally in a better mood. Being more active will also help you cope with stress in a much healthier way.
2. SPEND MORE TIME IN NATURE
There are countless studies proving that spending time in nature not only inspires creativity, but it also boosts happiness and the immune system. People who spend a lot of time in nature are also less likely to develop feelings of anxiety. Whether it’s a hike in the forest, a bike ride or a walk in the park- being in nature has a calming and soothing effect. Making this a habit will help you be more calm and mindful.
3. DO YOUR WORK AT YOUR DESK
I bring work home with me quite often and I noticed that if I don’t sit down at my desk with my computer and try to do my work in the living room sitting on the couch with my laptop, it takes me much longer to complete my work. Truth is, we all think that we’re great at multitasking. In reality, though, multitasking is a productivity killer. Sitting at your desk when working on an important task will keep distractions to a minimum, which in turn will make your work much more productive. The same thing goes for turning off your phone or TV while working on something important- it minimizes distractions. This also doesn’t apply just to your “work” but also other important things you need to take care of- like having to make important phone calls, set up appointments, etc.
4. CLEAN THAT UP (OR PUT IT AWAY, OR PICK IT UP) RIGHT AWAY
Ever woke up late and didn’t have enough time to make your bed in the morning? Maybe you always leave that empty cereal bowl on your countertop and don’t pick it up until after you get home at the end of the day? Things like doing your dishes right away or making your bed in the morning only take about 2 minutes of your time, if you think about it. It’s those little, seemingly insignificant things that can make a big difference in your daily routine and… your mood.
The dishes won’t keep pilling up and when you get home, you won’t find your bedroom looking like a mess, with empty water bottles, clothes, and pillows laying all over the place. It really might seem like not that big of a deal, but cleaning up after yourself right away leads to developing other good habits. It also sort of gives you a small feeling of accomplishment, knowing that you started the day on a positive note. It’s a small change, but it can make a big difference. Plus, it’s much easier to pick up those little items and clean them up or put them away “as you go,” rather than having to devote an entire day to clean your place. When you get home, you won’t feel annoyed or irritated at your past self for leaving the place in a state of a chaotic jumble.
Related posts:
+ How to stop procrastinating right now
+ 7 Life-changing morning rituals
+ Morning affirmations to start your day
+ How to Clear Your Mind With a Brain Dump
5. SMALL LIFE CHANGES: PRACTICE GRATITUDE
Swap complaining for feeling thankful and watch your life change. This is one of the best small life changes you can make. Regardless of your current circumstances, there are many things that you might be taking for granted. Things that we think are “simple” or “not a big deal.” Things like running water, electricity, our jobs, relationships, health. Make it a daily habit to feel thankful for those things. Every night, before you go to sleep, think about one, good thing that happened to you that day and say “thank you, thank you, thank you!” The more you think and talk about these things, the more often you will notice them. With regular practice, you will begin to notice that those “bad” or negative things that once felt “normal” and natural (innocent office gossip, that constant, toxic self-criticism, etc.) actually affect your mood and energy. They won’t feel “good” or natural anymore. This practice really changed my life- I started noticing and acknowledging all these amazing things, people, places, opportunities that I used to take for granted. Life became more beautiful, peaceful, simple. If you truly commit to this and practice gratitude daily, I guarantee that you’ll notice your life change within the first month. Gratitude rewires your brain, in a way, and redirects your focus to things that are good, positive, things that bring you joy. I know that a lot of people have a very skeptical attitude toward these things (I thought that writing down things I feel grateful for was kind of silly and awkward when I started my gratitude practice) but it has been scientifically proven that practicing gratitude can improve your wellbeing and health.
6. GET AN EARLY START
To me, getting an early start to my day is not necessarily about arriving to work early or getting more things done before the day officially “starts.” It’s about having those extra few minutes just for yourself, to really enjoy that morning coffee, to get in a good workout or have a light stretch, get a positive attitude and prepare yourself for the day ahead. You can try doing this even if you don’t consider yourself a morning person, even as little as 15 minutes of extra time in the morning (or evening, if you work night shifts) can make a huge difference. If your life is very busy with work and family, this might be the only chance where you can get to experience a couple of minutes of that joy of solitude, to do something just for yourself.
7. BE KIND
This, right here, is also something important to think about whenever people treat you poorly: “Always respond intelligently, even to unintelligent treatment.” (Lao Tzu). You never know where someone’s anger and frustration may be coming from. Remind yourself that how you treat others says nothing about them, but it does say a lot about you. I think now, more than ever, it’s very important for us to be kind to each other- even when we don’t always agree with, or particularly like the other person.
When it comes to those small life changes, you don’t have to make all of them at once to get big results- that, after all, wouldn’t be a small change at all, would it? Start off by changing something small and subtle, but something that will truly make a positive impact on your life. Begin with focusing just on that one change, one single habit that will make your life better.
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23 Comments
Candice Sandler
July 24, 2019 at 4:45 amThese are some great tips thanks for sharing!
Candice x
natalyaamour.com
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:21 pmThank you so much for reading, Candice!
Diana Maria
July 24, 2019 at 1:32 amThese are all great tips! I especially like how you mention being outside more and staying active- I’ve found that’s really helped me. This was a great read xx
My Lovelier Days
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:20 pmThank you so much, Diana Maria!
Lisa Autumn
July 24, 2019 at 2:27 amYou are so right girl!
x Lisa | lisaautumn.com
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:19 pmThanks, Lisa.
LindaLibraLoca
July 24, 2019 at 10:32 amI try to put everything away at once, but with everyone else around me NOT doing that I still get overwhelmed with the amount of clutter around me. That is where “be kind” comes in…
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:19 pmHaha, oh yes this is so true! It gets exhausting when you have to pick up and put away everyone else’s things too. I always “threaten” Mark that I’ll stop picking up after him until he gets into a habit of putting everything away, but I can’t. I hate the mess more than I hate picking up after him, so I always end up doing it anyway. smh
LindaLibraLoca
August 15, 2019 at 5:54 amWhat works with the kids is putting the trash bin in front of their room and telling them that everything they leave on the floor goes in there. Does not work for my husband and father sadly…
chloe
July 27, 2019 at 9:05 amRecently my days have been full of things to do, so I’ve been getting up so much earlier to get them all done but I love it! Having longer days just makes me feel so much better!
Chloe X http://chloelxuise.com
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:14 pmLove getting some of those things done early in the day!
Lucy
July 27, 2019 at 4:29 pmI’m a tidy person so I do like to clean things up right away when I make a mess! These are some great tips lovely! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:13 pmI do too- just wish my husband was the same way, haha! :)
Andrea
July 28, 2019 at 9:13 amI’m also guilty of doing my work in my living room. I know if I set myself up at a table, I’d be way more productive.
http://expeditiontoeuphoria.com
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:12 pmThis habit is so difficult to break!
Huong
July 31, 2019 at 11:36 amSuch a FANTASTIC article, Paula! I need to get better at doing my work at a table or desk myself. And I SO agree with #4! I’m of the belief that when we let those things pile up, we’re wasting time having to clean it all up later. My best guy friend doesn’t understand why he has to make his bed when he’s just going to get back in it or take the trash out even if the bag is half full. I’ve told him that it’s a sense of accomplishment and “how you do anything is how you do everything” and that his habits bleed into other areas of his life.
Oh, I’ll go outside…when it’s not 100 degrees out because that’s mosquito weather, haha!
She Sweats Diamonds
Paula
August 14, 2019 at 8:11 pmThank you so much, Huong! Not allowing all those small things to pile up is such a big time-saver. This is especially important to me when it comes to mail- it can seriously turn a kitchen counter into a mess, real quick! Ahh I hear you, haha! We recently had a few days of a cooler weather and it feels so good to actually be able to breathe for once, lol!
mparkventures
August 8, 2019 at 3:54 pmA few years ago I started attending a gym where at the end of the workout you take a moment to yourself for whatever you need. I started using this time to consciously have gratitude for myself and those around me. It has now become one my favorite parts of my day!
Paula
August 13, 2019 at 12:14 amI love that! Seems like such a simple habit but can truly change the way you respond to things. How amazing that it’s now your favorite part of the day- gratitude is definitely one of those things where more is… more :)
Kirsty Jarvie
August 24, 2019 at 1:50 pm4. CLEAN THAT UP (OR PUT IT AWAY, OR PICK IT UP) RIGHT AWAY
This one though. I am the worst for taking things out and not putting it away. I need to learn and remind myself that the simple task of putting something away makes the room look neater and in turn, makes my head feel clearer!
Kirsty | https://kirstyjarvie.com
lifestyle journal
August 28, 2019 at 7:25 amBeauty is the most powerful thing which is seen by everyone nowadays, behaviors, and behavioral orientations of an individual, group, or culture.everyone will notice you by your beauty. so we require day to day lifestyle changes.
Natalie
January 12, 2020 at 9:51 amGreat tips! Definitely using some of these!
http://www.upyourvlog.com
Fourseasonslasercenter
July 3, 2020 at 9:37 amGreat tips and advice! I am more of an organized person myself and I always aim perfection at it! Well done sharing these very valuable pieces of information in how small things can change in your life!