8 Tiny Habits That Will Make You Feel Better Than 98% Of People
Simplicity can produce positive results.
Алекке Блажин, Africa images | Canva I know what it’s like to feel uninspired and just plain icky.
Often, it’s because I skip vital yet simple habits that maintain my self-respect and enthusiasm for life.
Here are 8 tiny habits that will make you feel better than most people:
1. Learn something for at least 20 minutes and take notes.
Note-taking has been shown to better internalize focus.
Whether via books, apps, videos, or courses, daily studying shouldn’t end at college graduation.
Studying is a practice that can lead to exponential growth, especially when you go deep on a topic to develop mastery in something specific and helpful to the world.
Photo: Tirachard Kumtanom/Pexels
2. Go for a pointless walk.
We can avoid walks when our days are busy because they seem low-priority.
But what if walking without a specific aim was one of the most valuable things you could do?
You could also take a new route to work.
When we understand the need for daily motion and reflection to fuel our creativity and raise our frequency, walks become ‘non-negotiable.’
3. Do one worthwhile thing.
Ask yourself this:
‘Of all the stuff I could do today, what’s one thing I can do next that would make this day worthwhile?’
The nature of the task would depend on your mental and physical capacity, so if you’re struggling, something like washing the dishes might be the thing.
Focus on one thing at a time, and prioritize the priorities. This is how to make significant progress quickly.
4. Fix one tiny problem.
We all have a list of to-do items that are growing thick.
Most of those items aren’t as important as we think.
Knock off one thing on that list right now that takes less than 15 minutes. This is a great way to give ourselves an identity boost.
Do one little thing, and now you’re a ‘doer’ in your mind.
Crucial. Nothing else will boost your mood and productivity than creating momentum, even if it’s a tiny task.
RELATED: 9 Tiny Habits That Can Instantly Make Your Life Less Dramatic
5. Write a 'wow!' list.
Write down everything you can think of about your life, experiences, and the world that makes you say wow!
You’ll find many things, and you may find you come up with fresh ideas that drive new creative projects.
This activity trains your brain to focus on what’s exciting and beautiful.
That’s the skill you need.
6. Do a social-stretch task.
We all have our versions of an activity that makes us a little nervous in the social context.
Maybe it’s talking to a cashier.
Maybe it’s just writing a message to a family member. Perhaps it’s going out to a club alone.
We can go through days wrapped up in self-absorption and wonder why we feel depressed.
Put the attention on others, especially if it’s a bit of a stretch outside your comfort zone, and watch your mood lift.
RELATED: 8 Simple Daily Habits That People With Peaceful Lives Never Skip
7. Meditate.
Yeah, I know.
Everyone’s talking about meditation.
I’ve often questioned the need to do this because it feels like nothing is happening at the moment.
But meditation is one of the best ways to not only train the mind and body to center itself and relax, but it also acts as a window to solutions when you are intentional about solving a problem.
Why deny your ability to access wisdom when it’s there for you daily?
8. Take a cold shower.
Beyond the long list of health benefits, cold showers train one key thing: your ability to handle what Julien Smith calls the ‘flinch.’
This is the moment we face before doing hard things.
When we get better at leaning into challenges and pushing through this ‘flinch,’ we become increasingly fearless.
We can handle and do more.
This is power.
RELATED: 9 Tiny Habits That Will Put You In The Top 1% Of People
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.