We all worry from time to time, whether that’s small things like a new hair cut or more important things like losing a job. But here’s a crazy thought. Even when things in life are very serious, it’s generally much easier to handle them by not taking them too seriously.
Of course we aren’t saying that there aren’t difficult problems that can arise in our life that will test our patience and strengths, but no matter what you are up against in life, you need to stop for a moment, take a deep breath and lighten up a bit.
While worries are a natural part of being human, when our problems consume all our thoughts and actions, it is time to take actions to lighten up because it isn’t good for the sake of our sanity and health to let our worries dominate our life.
Here are our TOP 10 tips to lighten up and let life flow.
#1 Laugh Out Loud
What makes you laugh out loud? A stand-up comedian? A funny video on YouTube? Satire? A certain podcast? Whatever tickles you, use it to reduce your stress and lighten up. The actual physical act of laughing has a powerful effect on our body and calms us down. It relaxes muscles, increases our oxygen intake and boosts blood circulation, all of which is necessary to combat stress. And even better, over time laughter has the ability to enhance our immune system, ease clinical depression and reduce pain.
#2 Go Green
Being in nature or around plants has an incredibly calming effect on us and reduces our feelings of stress. Now, you don’t have to turn your home into a green house, but things like spider plants, philodendrons, aloe plants, snake plants or rubber trees are a great way to brighten up your home and lighten up your mood. And the best part is that they don’t just enrich your physical and mental space, they are easy to care for, so you don’t have to worry about guilt for accidentally killing your greenery.
#3 Be More Spontaneous
While a lot of success is based on making a plan, following the process and implementing it into action, sometimes it is even more efficient to scratch all that and do something completely spontaneous. A lot of us are guilty of over-planning. Instead, try to be more spontaneous, go with the flow of life and see where it leads you. It is hugely powerful and will certainly lighten you up.
#4 Sing
Music has the ability to change our mood and lighten things up in an instant. Whether you can sing or not, crank up your favorite song and have a sing along. Don’t just hum to the music, but really belt out that tune. Don’t stress about hitting the right note or getting all the lyrics right, just enjoy your favorite song to your heart’s content and immerse yourself in the music.
#5 Embrace Your Inner Child
As adults we are oftentimes just too damn serious and it’s understandable with all the responsibilities and financial commitments. But don’t completely forget to let your inner child out and play. Just think about it, when was the last time you played with a hula hoop, skipped through the park or blew bubbles? And if you have kids, don’t send them off to play, but get down on the floor and play with them any chance you get. Acting like a child takes off the pressure of all your obligations and makes life a lot easier.
#6 Gaze at the Stars
Whether you lie in the grass and watch the clouds go by or stand outside and gaze up at the night sky and watch the stars, marveling at the beauty of the sky is absolutely amazing and will instantly calm you down and reduce your stress levels. Sure, if you live in the city there may not be as many stars to see, but some are still visible. You could also take this as a great reason to take a short trip out to the country to lighten up your life with some stargazing.
#7 Stop Watching the News
Of course you want to be informed, but stop turning on the news the second you wake up or binge watch the news. It can be quite disturbing because the news highlight negativity and violence and they are not always accurate and most of the time biased. Instead of watching the news – or reality TV for that matter – find an inspiring movie that motivates you and lifts you up, giving you positive energy that will help you to deal with any real life problem you may have to deal with.
#8 Slow Down
Modern-day living is all about rushing from one place to the next, from one task to the next. But rushing around all the time, we often miss out on some amazing stuff that we don’t even know is there. Take your time and slow things down a bit, take more time to spend quality time with the people you love and be in this exact moment right here, right now without thinking about what you have to do next. It will significantly lighten up your life if you take the time to smell the roses.
#9 Stop Thinking About Work All the Time
Sure, work is an important part of our life and especially when you are self-employed you tend to think about work all day, every day. But while focus is necessary to advance your career and business, so is downtime and relaxation. Don’t burn yourself out by working – or thinking about work – all the time and make sure that you switch off on a regular basis.
#10 Chill Out
Many of us have forgotten to chill out, let alone know how to go about it. But it is detrimental for our well-being to sometimes simply chill out, relax and do nothing at all but soak up the joy of living in this very moment. There is enough serious stuff in this world, so lighten up whenever you can and just be for a while, chilling in this moment.
Take inventory of your life and consider if there are areas that you are taking too seriously like your job, your relationships or even yourself? A great way to tone down the stress levels in your life is to be more playful and lighten up as research shows that being more playful can actually prolong your life and increase your happiness.
DON’T TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked