Small Changes that have made big differences
Most of us are trying to grow into healthier and better versions of ourselves as we get older and everyone’s journey toward that end is different. What comes easy for some people may be incredibly difficult for others, and some people have build in hardships that others may not have.
All that being said, I’m going to throw out a few small changes I’ve made over the years that have made big differences to me. These have worked for me, they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but maybe one or two will resonate.
If you want to get better at something, you have to do it most days of the week, if not every day. If you don’t enjoy doing the thing most of the time, then evaluate how important it is for you to get better at it. I’ve found this to be true with everything, physical, creative, job related, etc. I’ve also never had anything that I’ve really worked at consistently that I couldn’t look back a year later and say, yeah, I got better at that.
If someone does something for you, no matter how small, say thank you. If they do something awesome, send a card. I’ve been in positions where I’ve been lucky enough to have someone buy something for me, or do something that I didn’t feel I could adequately repay at the time. Even if the person helping you out is happy to do it, it never hurts to express how grateful you are. If you’re someone who feels guilt around this type of thing, sending a card does two things; it allows you to put time and effort into a small something physical to alleviate the guilt and it let’s the person helping you know that you really did value their assistance/gift/whatever and there’s less chance they’ll feel taken for granted. No one’s ever called me an idiot for sending a card.
If you’re really too busy to respond, say so. Clear communication is amazing. I’ve been in places where friends and family have texted and sent emails, but it’s during the workday, and I’m swamped so I can’t get back to them the way I feel is necessary. When that happens, I usually just send a text explaining that things are crazy, I got their message and to hit me up over the weekend (or whatever date) if they haven’t heard from me. I’ve also contacted a friend wanting to vent about something, they listened for a bit, then said they really had to get to bed because they had worked all day and needed to do it again tomorrow, but were happy to talk to me the following day if I needed to. I found this perfectly acceptable. It wasn’t an emergency. This way no one is resentful and tired. You should be happy to talk to your loved ones.
You can learn something from anyone. Even when I feel like I am proficient at a certain skill, I do try and listen when someone is trying to explain something to me. If someone is trying to tell me something about creative work I’ve done (and they’re doing it in a constructive way) even if I completely disagree, I usually let it sit for at least a day, then see what I think about it. Most times I will find something in what they’ve said.
Get up earlier than you need to, go to bed earlier than you have to. I don’t have much else to add to this. It’s a miraculous thing.
This is all for today. I may throw entries like this out on occasion, and I would love to hear the things you’ve learned if you’d like to comment!