30 Tiny Ideas That Cost $0 to Live Better Anytime, Anywhere in The World
You can change your life without spending money.
Leave behind the idea that you have to be a new person in the new year.
As Steve Jobs said:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect the dots looking backward.”
Just see what worked and what didn’t work during the year. And add these little ideas for good energy.
1 — Praise others more frequently
You give what you get, and then you get what you give.
Compliments can be so simple, and yet they can change someone else’s life.
A simple hello makes someone else’s day better. Hours or days later, a feeling spreads when someone, maybe even a stranger, says something nice to us.
2 — Spend more time with people of good energy
It might start with a good phone call or spending more time chatting online.
Maybe you’ll realize that you still have a lot more to say to each other and set up a date for coffee or a date.
3 — Take more time for you
Time just for you. Alone by the sea. A trip by yourself. A walk in the forest. Eat in restaurants. Drinking coffee. The list goes on.
Being alone is not for everyone and needs to be learned. Spending more time alone is one of the best feelings in the world.
4 — Spend more time with the family
No more unnecessary overtime or excuses not to visit your mother. Make it easy. You only have one family.
5 — Spend more time with senior citizens
To let go of the old, sometimes you need to actively engage in confronting painful experiences from the past.
Spending more time with people more experienced than you helps to avoid making unnecessary mistakes.
6 — Walk more often
It doesn’t matter if it is a half or full marathon. The only important thing is that you have a goal in mind that you are pursuing and that you can train towards.
7 — Try a new sport
Horseback riding lessons, boxing, or a friend dragging you to field hockey makes all the difference.
New sports are good for your physical health, boost your self-esteem, get you out of your comfort zone, and allow you to meet new people.
8 — Fewer snacks and fewer sweets
Say goodbye to French fries, and chocolate, and add dipping food to your menu.
It’s best to avoid the supermarket snack and candy shelves altogether and always have a healthy alternative at home for emergencies.
9 — Go to bed earlier
This is the perfect recipe for beating burnout. Sleeping early and being fit during the day improves your day.
10 — Learn new words in a new language
I speak Portuguese (my native language), English, and a little German.
The feeling of speaking a new language makes you more confident. Not to mention that you make new friends and get to know new cultures.
11 — Read more books
I keep getting that book on my bedside table that I really want to read, but when I have time. But then I end up in front of my laptop or my phone.
The cold season is perfect for a cozy afternoon with a cozy blanket, hot chocolate, and a good book.
In spring, you can enjoy the first rays of sun in front of a coffee shop, and in summer, you can simply take the book with you to the pool. So no more excuses!
12 — Live more environmentally conscious
There are many ways to lead a more environmentally conscious life.
Use plastic-free alternatives, cycle more or test the local public transport network and leave the car at home.
13 — Take a painting or interior design course
Not everyone has the talent to dance, but everyone has a creative side. Just take a painting or interior design course.
14 — Live with more emotion
Staying on the couch and watching TV is boring.
I am adventurous and addicted to adrenaline.
So it’s time for a little more adrenaline. Do crazy things, overcome old fears, jump off a cliff into the sea (but only if you are sure you won’t get hurt), or bungee jump off a bridge.
15 — Learn to dive to the bottom of the sea or pool
Still talking about adrenaline.
A diving course can be a good way to combine the two. You don’t even have to travel far to do this.
Many diving courses for beginners start in the pool; you can already gain your first diving experience in lakes. After learning the basics, you can use this directly on your next vacation and plan a dive.
16 — Pay more attention to culture
You can plan to visit museums more often, take guided tours or visit memorials.
17 — Make room for a new look
Be it a new haircut, hair color, new clothes, bold makeup, and so on.
18 — Spend more time with your loving partner
It’s okay to spend a lot of time in front of the television or with a time-consuming hobby as long as your relationship doesn’t suffer.
However, it’s not always just a matter of the amount of time spent, but also the quality of that time.
19 — Buy regionally
For example, at the corner farmer or the local butcher.
You can also try not shopping online. This saves you money, among other things, and helps local retailers.
20 — Write something
Be it a fiction story, a poem, a fairy tale, a novel, a list of good intentions, a letter, or a postcard.
Finding the right words is not always easy, but in the end, it feels great. I feel this myself when I write.
21 — Say hello to old contacts
What are your high school friends up to today?
Find out by calling them, writing an email, sending them a nice message, or just driving around spontaneously. Together you can reminisce about good things.
22 — Focus just a little more on your career
You can take control of your career by working on new projects or even staying focused.
23 — Or put the corporate world on the back burner
If you can, try to do less overtime.
Don’t take work home with you (not even mentally) and don’t take work-related setbacks so seriously. There are other beautiful things waiting for you out there.
24 — Helping a social cause is good for the soul
Whether you help with dirt track campaigns in your town, walk dogs from the animal shelter, or support people in care facilities.
25 — Donate to a good cause
It doesn’t matter if it’s money, blood, or time.
26 — Have less anger
There are many tactics you can learn to better control your anger.
Also, you can try to see the world in a different way by focusing on the beautiful things in life, taking a breath before reacting, and not taking the traps of unfriendly people personally.
27 — Discover new music and melodies
It doesn’t matter if it is the new album of your favorite band or a completely new genre.
Find more time for music. Go to concerts or engage with new tunes at home. Music makes life so much better.
28 — Include small health promoters in your daily life
It’s the little things in life.
Climbing the stairs instead of the elevator; working standing up or exchanging French fries when you are watching TV for raw food with gravy.
The difference is small, but it improves every mood.
29 — Cut off contact with people who are not good for you
Not all friends are really friends.
Not all friends want the best for you. Not all your girls are really there for you and loyal when you are not there.
If you have recognized this in your life, turn around and leave her alone. you don’t need them. And they don’t deserve you.
30 — Chase after things that used to make you happy
There are things you suddenly stopped doing.
Just be happy more often. Listen to yourself and do what makes you happy. No more excuses.
The new year will be yours.
And all the others too.