5 ways to help you create your best life
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“It’s only after you have stepped out of your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow and transform.”
– Roy T. Benett
Moving to a new country is a massive step many people take to improve their lives. This decision comes with several benefits – new opportunities, better lifestyle, a new perspective on life, and an expansion in social and professional relationships. It also allows you to hit the reset button and reinvent yourself. This is a great opportunity to start creating the life of your dreams.
You can begin this process by reviewing aspects of your life that you wish you could change, and by adopting practices that can lead you to the life you’ve always desired.
Below are 5 simple things you could do to design the life of your dreams:
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Learn something new regularly
This can drastically improve the quality of your life. First off, learning new skills or hobbies can provide you with meaningful and enjoyable experiences. You will never have a dull moment once you become a lifelong learner. Secondly, learning something new regularly will boost your sense of pride and accomplishment. Seeing your knowledge and skills grow builds your confidence and contributes positively to your mental well-being.
Whether you choose to pursue a hobby, or pick up a new skill for personal or professional development, learning will contribute positively to your life. Don’t know where to start? Follow the link for 101 ideas to start your learning expedition: 101 New skills to learn starting today
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Start an annual bucket list
A sure shot way to have more enjoyable and meaningful experiences is creating a bucket list. But don’t create just any list. Create one that you actually achieve.
The first thing to remember is to set realistic goals. Don’t make them too hard that they remain a dream, or too easy that you lose interest quickly or don’t feel fulfilled when you achieve them. The second is to set a deadline. Put an actual date next to each item on your list to develop urgency. Lastly, post your bucket list where you can see it frequently. It will become a constant reminder and can drum up excitement for you.
You could create a separate bucket list for travel, career, self-improvement, finances, goals and hobbies, or you could have a comprehensive bucket list with all these ideas. For more ideas, read: 150 Bucket List Ideas + Printables to Help You Live Your Best Life
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Listen to at least three self-development books in a month
Self-help books contain capsule theories that can inspire and motivate you to make better choices in your life. They can also provide a guide that can address whatever it is you want to change or achieve. The first thing to do is to define your purpose – do you want to give up a bad behaviour? Be financially independent? Learn the art of public speaking? Organize your mind? Choose a self-development book that targets that aspect.
You could choose to read or listen to a self-help book. However, take note that listening allows you to multitask as you take in the lessons to achieve your best life (aside from improving your vocabulary, pronunciation, and listening skills of course). If you’re not used to listening to an audiobook, maybe start small. Try listening to a TED Talk which usually runs from 30 minutes to an hour. Listen as you do small tasks for the day. Try listening to longer talks and make your own system for noting down important points (you can have a small notebook to write down things you want to remember or you can note down the timestamp on the video so you can listen again). Soon you’ll be listening to audiobooks as a daily routine.
Follow the link below for a compilation of self-help or educational books on a variety of topics: The 33 Best Self-Help Books of All Time to Read at Any Age
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Organize and declutter
Did you know that bringing order and organization into our lives relieves stress? Having a clean and orderly environment contributes to a relaxed state of mind not only because your surroundings look clean, it also makes everything efficient. You don’t have to spend hours looking for something you need when everything is in their right place.
Moving to a new country is the best time to resolve to live simply. Say no to clutter or to unnecessary things that complicate your life. This can also extend to your daily activities. For example, adopting the habit of meal-planning minimizes the chances of over shopping for groceries. It also ensure that you’ll have a balanced and healthy diet.
Organizing your life is all about creating and maintaining order so that you could use your time and energy for things that are more important. Need tips to declutter? Follow the link: Five ways to declutter fast, from the More than Organized blog.
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Volunteer at least once a month
Volunteering is essential for newcomers because it helps build connections, establish networks, and gain new friends. It also allows newcomers to gain Canadian work experience. And when you’re lucky, it can translate into a job offer at a later stage. Aside from all these benefits, volunteering allows you to participate in the Canadian practice of giving back to the community. This, by far, is the best benefit of volunteering. Getting into the habit of serving others is one the best ways that you can improve your life. After all, as Winston Churchill said “we make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”
To know more about best places to volunteer in Manitoba, follow the link: 5 best places to volunteer in Manitoba.
Going through a life makeover is not a one-day task. But to make progress, you have to start somewhere. Take it one step at a time and you’ll get there!
By Tanveen Tatke
Community Resources
If you have a goal that you wish to achieve, you may want to watch this video:
Journalling is another wonderful way to get your mind in order. To learn more about journalling, go to: 17 journalling tips for beginners (and how to start), from Vanilla Papers.