8 Steps to Improve Life’s Quality
Today I’m celebrating my birthday and to mark the occasion, I’ve decided to share with you 8 steps to improve life’s quality that I chose to incorporate into my daily routine. I hope you enjoy reading it and maybe even consider adopting some of the ideas here ???? Please note that I have divided the list to steps in the physical sense and in the mental sense, but the body and mind are of course inseparably intertwined and affect each other.
Steps in the physical sense:
1) Baking and cooking: I try to bake and cook as much as I can and I believe there are a lot of benefits in making our own food. It can be challenging to find the time for it, buy the necessary ingredients or learn the desired techniques, but I find that baking and cooking really calm me and enable me to control the components of the food I consume and its way of assembly. If you are interested in taking up cooking, baking or both, you can find many great, simple recipes under the recipes category here on this website.
2) Drinking plenty of water: Since a very early age I didn’t like drinking water, as I felt that they lack taste and preferred to drink sweetened beverages. Lately, I have reconsidered this issue and decided to try drinking mostly water during the day, something I barely managed to do until now. After a few months, I felt less of a need to drink sweetened beverages and when I do occasionally get to drink any, it feels overly sweet and less satisfying than water. If you are in a similar situation, I would recommend gradually switching to water with herbs like mint or lemongrass, lemon or cucumber slices and pieces of fruits like apple or orange. Remember – when there’s a will, there’s a way!
3) Exercise: Over the past few years I tried to integrate some exercise into my weekly routine, but struggled to keep it up. Recently I’ve decided to stick to regular walks and to also include some aerobic workouts and Pilates exercises a few times a week. It’s highly advantageous to walk as often as you can and it provides a nice opportunity to get some fresh air, explore less frequented areas around your neighborhood and if you wish, you can always offer a friend to join you and spend some quality time together ????
4) Rest: In today’s modern world, there’s plenty of stress, tiredness and a sense of being worn out. It’s super important to know when to take a break, slow down and get some rest. You could practice a pleasant routine to unwind before going to bed with things like a warm shower, a soothing cup of tea or reading a good book (more on that later on) or try to use the weekends, holidays and vacations for true relaxation, without screens, phones or chores – just get some rest instead, dedicate time for a fun hobby, spend time with loved ones, or anything that will allow you to properly restore your levels of energy and motivation.
Steps in the mental sense:
5) Writing: I feel that writing is, at least for me, a meaningful tool for venting out emotions, worries and hopes for the future. Every time I get confused, troubled or excited, I will probably express it in the form of a written piece or a poem that will articulate my sentiments, and I would often feel more peacefulness and clarity in my mind afterwards. You can find many written pieces and poems that I composed about various subjects on this website under the writing category.
6) Reading: For as long as I can remember, I always loved reading books. I’m into a different genre every time: once it was fantasy books, afterwards it was novels, then it was nonfiction. I really enjoy reading before bed, on weekends and on every spare moment that I get. It allows me to wind down, learn about new subjects and drift into new and exciting worlds. I consider it to be the ultimate spare time activity, and on any given day I would always have a high stack of books patiently waiting for me to read them ????
7) Listening to podcasts: If you’re not into reading books, podcasts are another convenient and accessible means to acquire information about many topics. Whether it’s an informative podcast or just an entertaining one, it surely is a fascinating, exciting platform that provides an enjoyable way to spend time. You can listen to a podcast on public transport, play it in the background while cooking or in any other instance you choose.
8) Meditation and mindfulness: Prior to trying it myself, I was pretty skeptical – what’s so great about sitting and doing nothing? Nevertheless, ever since I tried a guided meditation video online, I found that it’s a wonderful way to calm down, let go of anxieties and just focus on this moment. I try to listen to this video whenever I get a chance and it certainly feels very beneficial.
