Be the happiest version of yourself

Sometimes wellness can feel like a chore. Don’t get me wrong — I love cooking with coconut oil, while sipping my ashwagandha tea and rolling out the yoga mat. But it can take a lot of discipline to get there every day.

Sometimes we just don’t have time to meditate for hours, or add another workout into our mix. And, on top of everything else, it can be hard to keep up with the latest fads in wellness.

Sometimes we need to get back to the basics and keep it simple. Here are eight simple things you can do every day to become the happiest version of yourself — without breaking the bank or cramming two more hours into your day:

1. Always be reading a book.

Even if you only have 20 minutes a day to dedicate to reading, do it. Find time on the bus or train, or at night before bed. Even an audio book for quick car rides works. It doesn’t have to be lofty literature or self-help. Any book will do. Just make sure to start a new book whenever you finish one. It will make you more interesting, expand your viewpoint, and teach you something new every day.

2. Do at least one thing that terrifies you.

Whether it’s applying for a job you “couldn’t possibly get” or asking someone out for dinner, always find a way to challenge yourself. It will keep you constantly growing. When you’re afraid, it teaches you how to be fearless. When you’re accomplished, it reminds you to be humble.

3. Be completely vulnerable with one person.

It doesn’t have to be the same person every day. You can choose your mother, then your significant other, then your best friend. Just completely let your guard downand let someone in. It will remind you that everything about you is beautiful, even the “ugly” parts, and that you deserve to be loved for your strengths and your weakness. It will also teach you how to let love in and to love yourself.

4. Drop one thing from your life that you don’t love.

Each day, let go of one person, task, or object that you don’t love in your life, even if it’s as simple as those curtains that were never your style. Everything you own and everyone you associate with should be a reflection of you. If you keep anything in your life that you don’t love, it’s stopping you from loving your life entirely. Plus, dumping the dirt is just good feng shui.

5. Take a step in the direction of your dreams.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny step. It doesn’t even matter what the step is. Don’t measure magnitude; just measure direction. If you take one small step toward your dreams every single day, you’ll be 365 steps closer to achieving what you want by the end of the year.

6. Spend 30 minutes by yourself.

Find 30 minutes to spend on just yourself. Maybe it’s getting a massage or meditating. Maybe it’s as simple as a cup of tea. Or, better yet, you could double up and make it your time to read. Whatever you choose, just let yourself know that you are worth spending 30 minutes with every day. And fight for its spot on your calendar as ardently as you would for a work meeting.

7. Look in the mirror and tell yourself you love yourself.

You are so blessed to be who you are. And you don’t know how much time you have left with yourself. So don’t let a day go by that you don’t say “I love you” to yourself — even if it feels uncomfortable at first.

8. Be amazed by someone, and tell them.

There’s no shortage of amazing things people do. From voluntarily doing the dishes to writing beautiful poetry to just making you laugh, people are full of amazing qualities. So find a reason to be amazed by someone, and let them know they amazed you. At the very least, you’ll make someone’s day. And that’s not a bad thing to do every day of your life.