Shake Things Up

If you feel like you are in a rut or are bored with where you are, then shake things up. It doesn't have to be a big shake-up, like quitting your job or running away with your personal trainer (grin). Small shake-ups can make a very large difference in your daily enjoyment of life. Here are a few suggestions to get the juices flowing again.

• Wake up two hours before your regular time and start your day by doing something you don't usually do, such as watching the sunrise, or walking outdoors, or meditating.
• If it is safe, walk downtown (with a friend or two) or in your neighborhood very late at night. Everything looks different at that hour.
• Eat at a new restaurant and order something you've never tried before.
• Pick an evening during the week and watch TV programs you've never seen. If you are not sure what to watch then do it randomly or ask a friend.
• Call someone you've just met for coffee. If this is hard for you, be brave!
• Read different newspapers (e.g., New York Times or Wall Street Journal) and magazines that you don't normally read.
• Start a new hobby by taking a class listed in your local daily newspaper or at your crafts, music or hobby shop. If you can't decide, flip a coin. After all, it's not forever.
• If you normally wear jeans and a t-shirt, dress up for a day. If you normally wear a suit and tie, dress way down for a day. Wear plaid or red or a scarf if you don't normally do that. Dress like someone else. Note what people say or how they react to you in this new persona.
• Write a song or a poem. Pick a theme, such as a love song or a children's song, then write the words. You can create a tune or use someone else's. Share it with someone.

Or create your own little shake-up. Let me know how it feels to do these things or what you thought of yourself.

All blog content is copyrighted, all rights reserved, Mary Anne Fields and Life Unfolds, 2006