This is not a self-help post
...but it does contain a list of things that might improve your life.
This post is shamelessly inspired by Emma Gannon’s article: 65 things that have improved my life. Emma’s list is all about the simple, everyday things that have made a difference to her life. And isn’t life about the small things anyway? A collection of small really nice things can equate to a pretty awesome life without us having to try too hard. And I like the idea of not trying too hard in a world that can feel really hard at times.
So here’s my offering. 65 things - maybe - will I make it that far? (spoiler alert: I don’t) - that have or are currently improving my life. Let’s see where this list takes me…
I’ve stopped buying self-help books. Okay, not completely but I’ve dramatically reduced the amount of self-help books I buy. If we’re constantly desperately trying to improve ourselves, I think we’re missing the point. We don’t need to improve ourselves. No, don’t take that the wrong way - no one is perfect. But we do need to start by loving ourselves just as we are. A pretty big one to start off with…
I’ve simplified my skincare routine. I’m a big advocate for good quality skincare. Skin is our biggest organ after all! But less really is more. Do you really need that 8 step skincare routine or are you being sucked into another marketing ploy?
I mostly only buy clothes second-hand now. Vinted, clothes swaps and charity shops are the places to be for sustainable, unique and beautiful outfits at bargain prices!
I wear crocs. Sorry but those gorgeous shoes are killing my feet so crocs and comfy shoes it is. And anyways, crocs are kind of trendy now, no?
I have a shopping wishlist. If I want to buy something - unless it requires immediate purchasing (petrol, toothpaste…) - I write it on my wishlist. I then give myself at least 72 hours before buying it. Nine times out of ten, I realise that I don’t actually need it or want it enough to spend money on it - or I find a much cheaper alternative. This has been the best way for me to save money and cut down on impulse spending.
If I don’t want to do something or go out somewhere - unless it’s just outrageously unacceptable to decline - then I politely decline. Life is too short to waste time doing things you don’t really want to do…
I make a conscious effort to smile at every stranger I walk past and unless their face screams ‘don’t you dare’ then I say hello.
I actually water my houseplants. Not sure if it’s improved my life but it’s certainly improved theirs!
I’ve deleted Instagram and Tiktok off my phone. This isn’t meant to be a holier than thou point but oh my, does it make a difference. So much time is wasted scrolling.
Without fail, I wake up at the same time everyday. Even if I’m not feeling it, I count to 5 and then I get out of bed. I do wake up early but I have never suffered from being tired as a result of getting up early.
I write down everything I spend and all the money I receive. Mindfulness around money helps me to feel calm about my finances.
I’ve started swapping long Facebook messages for handwritten cards. When I receive a handwritten card, it makes my day. There’s something about the effort of writing a card that screams ‘I really took the time to think about you’. I love the road less travelled when it comes to communication.
I keep my apps to one page on my phone. If the apps go to a second page then it’s too much.
I have a subscription review every month. This has saved me SO much money. Do I really need that Audible subscription? If I’m not using it and getting value from it then I’m deleting it.
I’ve swapped manifestation deck cards for bible verses in a jar.
I start my day by practising Julia Cameron’s morning pages. This involves writing three pages of unfiltered, unedited thoughts before I get out of bed and get on with the day. Starting the day with all the gunk out of my head and feeling like I’ve had therapy before 7am has been a game changer.
I no longer set goals. I used to set monthly goals for all 7…8...9 areas of my life- however many different ways I could categorise my life. And every month I would almost hit the goals and end up feeling like I’d failed or my goals would look very similar each month (and so feeling rather repetitive and dull). Now, I give myself one word to meditate on for the month and allow that word to unfold exactly as it’s meant to for me.
I’ve been on a (get ready to vom) weight loss journey and very much in a happy and healthy place when it comes to my weight. People often ask me how I’ve done it. For me, it’s simply been about moving more (and I do move a lot!) in ways that feel good to me and being aware of what I’m eating by logging food on apps. It’s worked for me and most importantly, I have a great relationship with my body.
I actually use body lotion. It dawned on me the other day that I take skincare for my face very seriously but neglect the rest of my body. My dry elbows are very grateful for the extra attention!
I commit to things that make me feel good. I am committed to writing weekly posts for my Substack and for nourishing my writing practice using Beth Kempton’s SoulCircle.
I make time to actually pet my dog. When he comes over to me and chooses to interact with me, I make sure to give him some love back.
I never feel the pressure to complete a list. Especially if I’m wondering how I’ll reach 65 points…
As soon as someone shares details of an event or somewhere I need to be at a later date, I pop it in my Notion calendar straight away.
Talking of my Notion calendar, Friday afternoons is admin time for me. Every Friday, I make sure to check in with my calendar, see what’s coming up and make sure my calendar is up to date. Then I can go into the weekend knowing that mentally next week is taken care of.
I have breakfast in the garden everyday, regardless of the weather (*this excludes torrential downpour). This is my favourite time of the day. Just me, nature, robins, squirrels, bird song and a warm cuppa.
I’ve treated myself to matching socks because I’m over the frustration of odd socks.
Who knows if it’s better for my hair but yes please to the 3 in 1 shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment! Don’t tell my hairdresser but it’s so much easier…
Talking of hair, my hair is THICK. I could blow dry it every day, style it with heat but oh my, it is SO much easier to air dry it and let it be in all its mermaid glory.
I don’t stress if I have spots. When I choose not to pick them or cover them, they normally listen to my prayers and varnish in no time - thank you simple but GOOD skincare!
I always have a couple of butter mints and mint humbugs to hand. You never know when you might need one. Not quite the profound point I had intended to end on but here we are.
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…and here we are. At point number 30, not quite the 65 I was aiming for. Emma - how did you do it? Maybe I was waffling on some of the points. Maybe the points were a bit deeper than I had imagined. But here we are - a list of 30 things that have improved my life. Nothing grand or earth shattering - although this is of course all subjective - what might be small or easy for me might seem tough for someone else. Like, no one in the history of someone saying ‘don’t stress about spots’ has stopped stressing about spots.
This is also not meant to be a ‘holier than thou, look at me I have my life together’ kind of list. I really don’t have it ALL together. But you know what? My life isn’t too bad after all. In fact, I’m pretty happy you know?
Happy, healthy, imperfect, making small improvements, slowly but surely. And knowing when to stop improving and just be me. Imperfectly me. In fact, maybe I need to read the first point on the list again…and maybe you do too…
Questions to ponder
What is one thing from the list that might help you improve your life? How do you feel when you think about making improvements to your life?
What would your own list look like? How similar or different is it to my list?
So many goodies in here, I love it! I'd like to incorporate #10 in my day, waking up at the same time every day would be so good for me! Thanks for sharing!