9 Small Things You Can Do That Promote Greater Change
Big changes often start small.
They begin with the little things. The everyday decisions that eventually add up and accumulate into a grander tapestry. Sometimes the best way to change yourself is by starting small. Like maybe brushing your teeth, or washing those jeans you’ve worn two weeks in a row. Just as examples, you slob.
1. Make your hygiene/appearance a priority
If you’re a girl (because really, we spend waaaaay more time on our appearance than dudes – at least in most cases) be sure to make time to feel ‘pretty’. To feel attractive. To feel good about yourself. If you’re in a funk of sweat pants and messy buns, pick out your favorite shirt, style your hair, maybe throw on a new lipstick. Yes, even if you’re not going anywhere. Even if you’re unlikely to meet another soul and will probably be on your couch watching Netflix. Set aside time on the weekends to cater to yourself; face masks, manicures/pedicures, and long baths. When you feel better about yourself, your life usually decides to tag along.
Dudes, you feel free to do every single one of these things or find your own way to feel your best, most appealing self. Don’t be afraid to go get those mani/pedis; good cuticles look good on everyone.
2. Step outside the box when it comes to how you dress
I think it’s really easy to get complacent with ourselves. To fall into a routine that we’re afraid to step away from. I spent a huge part of my life avoiding dresses like they carried some sort of transformative disease, when really I just lacked the self-confidence to strut my stuff. Try a new look, a new style. One that maybe you thought ‘you couldn’t pull off’ and realize it doesn’t actually matter. The most important aspect of pulling off a different look is feeling confident and good and not giving a shit if anyone else agrees or not.
3. Try something new
Test out that new restaurant that just opened up down the street. Experiment with new drinks at the bar. Get off the elliptical at the gym and try some of the machines. Take small leaps of faith that change you a little bit at a time, that open up new experiences, that you bring you into contact with new people.
4. Complete small tasks that you’ve been procrastinating on
Pull those weeds. Reorganize that closet. Or hell, go even smaller. Get basic with that shit. Maybe just load that dishwasher and put away those clothes from the drier that you’ve been casually ignoring every time you walk into the house. Accomplish something, feel good about it. Repeat until things feel awesome. Or until you no longer feel like a total failure. Whichever comes first.
5. Take the time to reach out to a friend or some lost connection
Sometimes people just stop talking for no real or apparent reason. Friendships fade or family relationships deteriorate. Rekindle those connections. Touch base and see what they have going on in their lives, maybe hang out and catch up. Relive some of the good ol’ days and maybe even some of the bad ones. See where these reconnections take you or if they are better left in the past and why. Maybe they have really awful breath and are not so closet-y racist. Hey, at least you tried.
6. Treat yourself to something you’ve been wanting for a while
You talked yourself out of that new video game. You told yourself you didn’t need that nice foundation to replace the store bought crap you’ve been making-do with. You were being responsible. You were being a grown up.
Go get it homie. Go get it. Whether you deserve it or not. Sometimes that best way to capture the courage to make some life changing stuff happen is to uplift yourself a bit beforehand. Treat yo self.
7. Step outside your comfort zone
You don’t like big dance clubs? Why not give it another shot? Let your freak out for a night. You don’t like reading science fiction? Maybe pick up something anyway, see if maybe things have changed since you were in college. Pretty sure you don’t like sushi? Eat that raw fish anyway and at least be 100% sure you don’t like it. And then you can tell everyone to suck it when they try to tell you that you can’t hate something you’ve never tried. Point proven. Boom!
8. Learn something new
We all have things that interest us that we wish we maybe knew more about. That we haven’t been able to justify taking he time to explore and understand. Take that time. Pick up that book. Watch that documentary or take that class. Never be afraid to learn new things. Never be afraid to open yourself to new information or experiences.
Even if it’s knitting or whittling or maybe ballroom dancing. Go get ‘em, tiger.
9. Do something nice for a stranger
Buy that lady struggling with her two kid’s lunch because she kind of look like she might start crying at any second. Maybe offer to take some extra hours at work for a coworker who is worn out or really needs some time off for important family stuff. Hell, if you feel like getting really crazy, go volunteer some of your time at a homeless shelter or with baby animals or something. Do something for someone else, it’s guaranteed to make you feel at least ten times better about yourself. Which is probably not the best reason to volunteer, but whatever.