5 Ways I am Doing Things Differently In My Life This Year

This year, I wanted to actively start doing things differently in my life and make 2019 the best year yet. Every year I expect things to happen. I then realized every year that goes by I don’t really do things differently.  To stop waiting for things to go my way, or for things to happen, I decided to take action and evaluate what I need to do differently. Instead of being in the passenger’s seat of my own life, this year I am the driver.  Here are 5 ways to bounce back and do things differently in your life in order to see positive change.

1. Practicing Gratitude

I am at many times ungrateful, as I take my accomplishments for granted. If you recall I shared my post about feeling like an imposter. This year, I want to let go of self-deprecating thoughts, to feel empowered from my accomplishments and most importantly to embrace my success and value myself. Practicing gratitude has been a liberating feeling. I started practicing gratitude after I watched Marie Kondo’s documentary on Netflix. Marie instructed to thank your clothes before you throw them out and something inside me clicked. I started thanking and being grateful for the little things I take for granted in my daily life. Thanking the universe for being able to buy a cup of coffee every day, thanking the universe for having a loving family, thanking the universe for even the challenges it has brought my way and I was able to surpass. Practicing gratitude has taken my mind off negative thoughts, and has turned negative feelings to feeling thankful for the things I do have, as opposed to obsessing over things I do not have.

2. Buying Fewer Items

Minimalism is really not my thing, but this year is all about changes and doing things differently. I decided to embrace minimalism and to buy less. I love adding new things to my wardrobe or going on regular HomeSense visits. Over the years I have found myself purchasing items I do not really need. My thought for this year is to buy more things I need that add value to my everyday life as opposed to things I want, but are really useless.

Top | Coat | Boots | Purse | Pom Pom Hat  

3. Taking Care of Myself

Last year, my aim was to focus on what is important because I stopped taking care of myself years ago. Instead of complaining and feeling so helpless, this year I am changing the one thing, I never did before. Take care of myself. Exercise, eat more balanced meals, sleep better, book that massage and spa appointment. Unplug from technology, say no when I am tired. For years I found myself putting other people’s needs before mine, and at the time it felt good to do so, but in the process, I forgot to take care of me. I forgot to listen to my body. Your body is always giving you sings that something is off. There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself. If you are not well, then you can’t take care of others either.

4. Embrace Change. Keep Growing

I am so resilient to change. I am a creature of habit and change throws me off. This year I decided to take little steps, if not big ones, to accept change and embrace things out of my control. I am making an effort to be more flexible, and teach myself how to be open for whatever comes my way without going into panic mode. With change comes self-awareness. As a person, I want to keep growing and evolving into my higher self. Embracing change and trusting the process is how I am doing things differently in my life this year.

5. Do More, Complain, Less.

I found myself complaining about things that bother me, but I did nothing to change them. This year what I am doing differently in my life is taking a course of action to make things that bother me better. I found myself feeling in a rut many times. Complaining about how I wish things were like this or like that, but I never took an active role in changing the narrative. This became a cycle of constant complaining and I am not doing that anymore. Complaining is, of course, a human habit and many times it feels good to complain, but don’t make it your focus. Complain a bit then turn your focus on action and what you can do to make things better. Do things differently in your life to see change, to see things take a turn for the best.

What things are you doing differently in your life this year? 

Photography – Laura Clarke

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