One life – just one.
A while back, I interviewed a life coach about habits that create happiness – as in; how we can live our very best and happiest lives every single day. She spoke passionately about habits and routines and mindsets – and it really hammered home for me just how much we really are in control of our own lives – and how it really is an inside job, this happiness business.
One advice she gave – and that has stuck with me ever since – is how we really need to be the editor in our own lives. As in, she said, she likes to think of her life as if it is a glossy magazine, and that she is the editor. It is her job then, to make sure it is catchy, interesting, beautiful, inspiring, and fun. “Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly,” she told me. “It is your life, you decide what it looks like and who and what you want in it.”
This is so true, I have come to realise. And I think the past two years really brought it home for so many of us, just how important the relationship we have with ourselves really is. During the pandemic, IRL interactions between ourselves and others ebbed and flowed with the near-constant changes in restrictions, and so for the very first time for many of us, we were more or less forced to spend long stretches of time with ourselves and our immediate ‘bubbles.’
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And so I started developing some routines and rituals, many of them during the different lockdowns, at first, just to put some structure into my days, and then, slowly, it morphed into ways to just spend more intentional time with myself. And in the process, I think I started to really fall in love with my life, with my own little habits and ways, and what I ended up with, was a life that is slower, more focused and where I really find happiness from all the smaller things, from my morning coffee run to the pancakes we all cram into the kitchen to make on a Sunday morning.
Ready to start elevating your everyday life a little? Here are 10 easy, enjoyable, and totally game-changing tips for making the most of your life, from sunup to sundown.
1. Make your morning beverage into an event you look forward to
The minute I wake up, I have to drink a cup of hot lemon water. It makes me feel like I press reset, and get myself and my body ready for the day – and hydrating first thing, before coffee, is really, really good for you, so win-win.
But my morning coffee is where I really feel like I am giving myself some love. I usually only drink one coffee a day, and so that coffee, it is special to me. I have a couple of coffee places near me that make the perfect oat milk latte, and so after a morning walk (no matter the weather!), I swing by and pick up my java. And having delayed the gratification until after both my lemon water and morning walk, it makes it all the more special.
2. Read books over scrolling on your phone
Yes, I scroll too, at times too much. But ever since getting into the habit of bringing a book I am currently reading with me everywhere I go, it makes it so much easier to reach for that over my phone while I am waiting outside my little girl’s ballet classes, or at the denitst or simply cathing the Luas into town.
3. Give yourself enough time for tasks
I hate rushing, and so will do anything in my power to not end up in situations that feel rushed. Yes, that means getting up an hour before I have to get up in the morning, and leaving for the airport a good while before I actually have to when we are flying somehwre, but as a reward, I don’t have to rush, and it leaves me feeling much calmer and happier overall.
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4. Create a playlist for your different activities
Music is such a mood booster, and I love having music on for all sorts of activities, be it cleaning, working – or driving somehwre in the car with my kids, when we belt out every Encanto hit with gusto. I also have playlists for my morning walks or run, and ones for when I am just relaxing at home – and it truly adds another level to some very mundane situations, I think.
5. Craft your perfect morning routine
Mornings are how you start your day, and I love feeling like I am getting mine off to a good start. During lockdown, we got into some really lovely morning routines in my house, and I am doing everything in my power to keep them going now that normal life has returned.
I start by waking up an hour before I have to, sip my morning lemon water in peace, often with the windows and door open if I can, to get plenty of fresh air and sunlight. Then I do some yoga, before eating breakfast with the kids, and soak up their messy heads and morning chit chat. And then, when all that is done, I get dressed and ready for my day. It might not seem like like groundbreaking stuff, but the routines we create are important and make us feel grounded and centered, and it really does make me happier every day.
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6. Make your home feel inspiring
During the past two year, most of us spent more time inside the four walls of our homes than we have ever done before. And in doing so, maybe realised just how much having a happy home feels. One that makes you feel happy, safe and grounded. I am forever changing things up at home as I feel like it gives me little bursts of happiness to do so. Try moving some furniture around for a fresh feel, or changing up the pillows on your sofa, or hanging some new art – you’ll be surprised at just how little it takes to give your home a new burst of energy.
7. Grow something
Plants are in fashion – and it is easy to see why. Growing something and keeping it alive, well, it might just be one of the most rewarding, mindful activities there is. Garden centres are my favourite, and I love nothing more than pottering around one and bringing a new plant (or two) home to add to our growing collection.
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8. Get excited about your weekends
I am a sucker for that Friday feeling, knowing we have all weekend ahead to do all the things we love. And while you might think it sounds boring, the perfect weekend in my life is getting up early on the weekend, taking a trip to the farmer’s market for some treats and fresh veggies, going for a cycle or hike with the kids, baking our favourite cookies, buying myself some flowers, inviting some friends over for pizza or cosying up for a family movie night.
And so every weekend, I make sure to do at least some of these things, knowing they give me energy and joy that’ll last all week long.
9. Unplug more often
For the past two years, and counting, the news have been mostly bad and scary and overwhelming. And so I have learned to tune out. I don’t need to know the ins and outs of what is happening in Ukraine from hour to hour … it is too much for me. I don’t (and never did) need to know how many have tested positive for Covid on any given day.
And so I tune out, don’t watch the news every day and don’t scroll Facebook or social media around the clock – simply because by opting not to, I am protecting my own energy. And that might just be one of the most important things we can do for ourselves.
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10. Cook more from scratch
I love cooking, and I have come to realise that making time to do it from scratch more often is vital to my happiness and sense of wellbeing. I love getting to the farmer’s market and stocking up on in-season vegetables. Love flicking though my cookbook collection and finding some new recipes to try. I love putting on some music and lighting some candles and getting into my kitchen to cook, knowing I am making healthy, nourishing food for my family.
Cooking as a ritual is so soothing, it forces me to be in the moment, and I love sharing this with my little ones too, knowing we are making memories and creating happy, healthy habits.
What are your favourite ways to spend time with yourself?
