10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Start Living a Better Life (with features from CLUES)!

Written By: Carly Burr

As we reach the end of April and slowly start to enter into the warm summer days of May, many of us find it hard getting out of our usual routine. You may be a student finishing up school, starting a new job, starting a family, moving, or maybe nothing’s really changing around you except the weather. Since the new season is so close, I thought I would outline 10 different things you can do right now to start living a better life. This way, you can kick off summer the best way. If you are a student, you're probably extremely burnt out from final projects and exams, and need to find time for yourself. If you aren’t, you may want to change some habits in your life or need some tips to feel more fulfilled. Either way, all of these points should be useful for for you in some way!

1. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

This is by far the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about living a better life. Have you ever heard of the quote “comparison is the thief of joy”? Comparison causes extreme psychological pain and can make you feel depressed, unworthy, sad, and unmotivated. It can be used in a healthy way, like if you compare yourself to your past identity after you’ve grown as a person. But, there's also an extreme dark side to comparison. Most of the people you're comparing yourself to you probably don’t even know. You have no idea what their life is like or what they’ve been through. So, why are you comparing yourself to someone you could be perceiving in the totally wrong way? Even if you are comparing yourself to someone you do know, you are NOT them. You are unique and different in your own way. With the rise of social media use, it can be very difficult to not compare yourself to others. Try to focus on the good in your life, what you’re grateful for, and what makes you special.

2. Give Yourself a Break

In today’s world, we are so used to the hustling culture and working non stop. Are bodies are not used to receiving breaks, and most people usually ignore when their body needs rest. This one is simple: just give yourself a break. Sit outside and read a book or take yourself out to the park. Sleep in one day or take a nap when you feel tired. Instead of pushing away the feelings you get from your body when it needs a break, accept them and nurture yourself.

3. Get Enough Sleep

Like I was discussing above, we are so used to the hustling and bustling culture in the society we live in. Many people don’t get enough sleep and are immensely sleep deprived. Sleep is a huge part of our health, and impacts your body in so many ways. When I don’t get enough sleep, I have major brain fog and feel physically ill. According to the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, sleep affects your heart and circulatory system, hormones, metabolism, respiratory and immune system, and your cognitive functions and memory. They stated that “adults who sleep less than 7 hours a night may have more health issues than those who sleep 7 or more hours a night”. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will release higher levels of hormones that control hunger, which can lead to weight gain and obesity. It can also lead to problems focusing on tasks and thinking clearly, and prevents your immune system from building up its forces to fight sickness. You will probably also find yourself moody and quick-tempered after you were cramming for your test or project the night before.

4. Wake Up Early and Plan Out Your Day

This may seem like no big deal, but waking up way before I need to be ready has changed the trajectory of my days. It has made me feel better, more productive, and satisfied. I like to wake up around an hour before I need to leave my house so that I can have a slow, non-stressful morning. Many scientists say that your brain is the most impressionable right after you wake up, which is why I try to meditate and journal before going on my phone. In addition, if I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I find it so helpful to write down my thoughts and everything that I want to accomplish that day. Getting your thoughts down on paper works wonders because you can visualize exactly what you have to do. Just keep in mind that if you don’t accomplish everything you wanted to get done, that’s okay! You tried your best and that’s all you can do. Try switching up your morning routine and see how it makes you feel.

P.S: I actually just posted a video on Tik Tok about the benefits of getting up early! Check it out at @MelissaCButterworth. We post daily!

5. Go Through All of your Emails and Clear them Out!

This one may also seem trivial, but going through those thousands of random emails you have from a variety of different websites and brands you have subscribed too will likely make you feel less cluttered and more arranged.

6. Take Yourself Out on a Date

Who said we needed a partner to go on a date? Date yourself! Even if you are in a romantic relationship, it’s important that you not only spend time with yourself, but ENJOY your own company. After all, you are your biggest supporter and it’s important that you treat yourself right and show yourself love. Some ideas are: going for a walk while listening to your favorite music/podcast, signing yourself up for your favorite workout class, getting your nails done, getting a massage/facial, buying yourself a treat from a cafe or restaurant, going to the beach, picking up a new book and reading, or even just doing a self-care night at home.

7. Read an Inspirational Book

Reading improves focus, memory, empathy, and communication skills. It also reduces stress and improves your mental health. In CLUES, Melissa discusses an important time in her life when she was at the peak of her struggle with anxiety. She was living thousands of miles away from home, lonely, and was allowing “fear and victimhood to overwhelm [her] life” (page 55). As a solution, she immersed herself into reading. She read “dozens of books, including The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill” (page 55). The characters, tools, and advice included within the pages of these books allowed her to move on with her life and taught her valuable lessons she would have never learned otherwise. So, pick up a book and read! Even if it’s 10 pages a day, that’s better than nothing. You always have to start somewhere.

8. Create a Vision Board

In addition to being a fun arts and craft project, vision boards are a great way to manifest and imagine what you want your life to look like. Discussed on page 81 of CLUES, a vision board “is a physical structure of your desired reality” and is valuable because it “forms a clear image of your ultimate goals”. While creating your vision board, you want to put images and words on there that create a snapshot of your ideal life, the dream life you are trying to achieve. You can create it on a physical piece of paper, canvas, or digitally. Just make sure you keep it somewhere where you can see it every day. I keep my canvas right next to my mirror so I see it every morning when I wake up!

9. Try the Helium Balloon Technique

Remember when you used to suck the helium out of balloons to make your voice sound funny? I would do this after every one of my birthday parties when I was a child. The helium balloon technique, discussed at the end of page 83 of CLUES, is a basic visualization and manifestation technique that helps you become closer to your desires.

Here are the steps of how to go about the technique, outlined in CLUES:

1. Sit down somewhere comfortable, whether it’s on the beach, indoors on your favorite comfortable chair, or outdoors in nature with your feet stable and comfortable on the ground.

2. Close your eyes and breathe deeply, becoming aware of each breath, as you count backward from 50 to 1.

3. Imagine something that you wish to manifest in your life. Imagine that this has already happened. Picture this clearly in your mind and allow yourself to feel the sensations of having already accomplished your goal.

4. In your mind, picture a helium balloon filled with all of the things that you want to accomplish: your biggest dreams, something you want to bring into your life, or an opportunity you’ve been hoping for. Use color to brighten your visualization: maybe a bright green balloon if your envisioning prosperity or a pink balloon if you wish to bring love into your life.

5. Imagine the balloon is filled with all of your (future) accomplishments and then let the balloon go, floating off into the universe, while still focusing on your vision. (You may consider releasing an actual balloon into the air.)

6. You can do this practice once, daily, or once a week as a ritual. The more often you do this technique, the more your desires will come to pass.

“This exercise symbolizes letting go of control over the vision and turning it over to the universe (or a higher power), allowing it to bring your manifestations to you. You are not letting go of your vision itself, just letting go of the outcome. Remember, once you let the balloon go, it is out of your hands. The universe is now in control”.

10. Try Something New

I know that many of us are creatures of habit (myself included) and that it can be hard to break from the tendencies we have. I love having my routine every single day, but I’ve found that switching it up every once and awhile and trying something new is amazing for my mental health. Whether I decide to take up a new hobby, workout class, or just do something spur the moment, it makes me feel like I’m living my life to the fullest and soaking up every minute of what life has to offer.

No matter what stage of life you are in, you can always make a choice to do what's good for you. Take a look at the areas you struggle in and see which of these recommendations apply there. Try something new, and if you don’t like it, you never have to do it again! Don’t be afraid to try something you are nervous about. When I first thought about meditation, I always pushed it away in my head. Now, it’s something that I practice almost every day and helps me feel less anxious and de-stress. I hope you can find at least one new idea to try and stick with!