The Little Things in Life…

#221

Once again, a happiest new year to you all!

On that note, I wanted to share that I read this amazing article from the Guardian on how to be happier with the little things in life. It lists a hundred different ways to make life better with minimal effort.

A few tried and tested from these that I'd '+1' on are:

1. Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night). From my experience, Sunday mornings and Monday nights are the two best slots for a workout as they set the tone for the rest of your week.
2. On the fence about a purchase? Wait 72 hours before you buy it. Many a times, when I wait, I end up realizing I don't really need that item but it was a whimsical want at that point in time.
3. Sharpen your knives. This may sound silly or irrelevant, but there's nothing like the joy of experiencing a sharp knife slice through an onion or a tomato as though it were hot butter.
4. Buy a plant. Think you’ll kill it? Buy a fake one. Tried and tested with a set of miniature fake plants, which 'liven' up the 'living' room even more than bright-colored furniture!
5. Drop your shoulders. Instant relaxation technique. To that end, consciously also try loosening the muscles in your face. It works!

Here are some of my own ways to make a good day even better:

1. Relook at items from what I like to call the 'Memories' folder - it's a physical multi-compartment folder containing letters from my cousins written to each other when we were younger, birthday cards made before the age of WhatsApp wishes, and trip souvenirs that bring back fond recollections.
2. Browsing through a virtual folder of pictures and videos known as the 'Booster' folder - apart from family memories, also contain quotes from my favorite movies, TV shows, and the never-disappointing, ever-enlivening Calvin and Hobbes.
3. Mindfully make something, and when you eat it, relish and eat it.
4. Video call a family member or friend and ask them how they’re doing. Bonus: ask them about a specific thing they might’ve mentioned once and enjoy their pleasantly surprised reaction of you having remembered after all this time :) 
5. Sing your favorite song lyrics out loud and groove to them.