5 Life Changes That Will Make You Jump Out of Bed Every Morning!

If you want to see how life is meant to be lived, just take a few moments and watch children play.  Their first instincts are to explore, create, experience and have fun! We carry this explorer instinct with us through our teen years and maybe through the first few years out of college, but then something occurs; we grow up.

After all, life can get pretty serious.  College graduates must find jobs, housing, pay bills and establish themselves.  Then it’s time to find a spouse, settle down and start a family. Next, gotta focus on promotions to get those big raises to provide for that beautiful young family.  And what about college educations and retirement? And by the time the college graduate realizes, 25 years has quickly and magically disappeared!  Becoming an adult is a process and it tends to result in people being formed and pressed into molds.  We learn as we grow older that being different isn’t always the best thing.

Many of us even learn to modify our behavior to make sure we don’t stick out of the crowd. Ever heard the expression “Fly under the radar?” There is one problem though.  Conformity suppresses our individuality; the essence that makes each of us unique.  And once our spirit is suppressed it may take years, if ever, to excavate.

In order to reawaken that child-like, adventure-seeking, explorer within, we must introduce new and exciting things to our lives to reawaken our authentic self and make us feel alive once again! My motto is: if you can change your thinking, you can change your life!  So here are 5 life changes that will make you jump out of bed every morning:

1. Begin planning a fall vacation in January

Nothing says excitement like getting away from it all and relaxing!!  And what better way to add excitement back into your life than to spend your year planning and anticipating an exotic vacation?!  Imagine beginning your year with the knowledge that you may end up anywhere in the world come September or October.

The possibilities are endless: cruises, Caribbean islands, United States, Asia, Europe, Disney, hiking, skiing, scuba, relaxing, cocktails, great food, etc.  Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps! And the fun of it all is you get to plan every aspect along the way.  Talk about adventure right from the same chair you boringly scanned the internet just 2 months prior!

Now your life has a purpose and you have some fun to look forward to.  Not only that, but the excitement of the unknown and the unlimited possibilities reawakens your dormant adventurous spirit which, in turn, adds excitement to a boring, mundane life!

2. Join an exciting exercise program

I cannot think of a better way to change one’s life than to begin living a healthy lifestyle. I experienced the benefits of a healthy lifestyle a few years ago upon losing 25 pounds following my MS diagnosis.  And let me tell you, it will change your life forever!!

What is keeping you from working with your doctor to develop an exciting fitness regiment that works specifically for you? Oftentimes we think of gyms and machines when we think of fitness and exercise, but what if you think outside the box and add some spark? Ever thought of martial arts, MMA training, boxing training, mountain climbing, parkour, anti-gravity yoga, plyometrics training?  There are so many new and exciting fitness regimen that will not only break the cycle of boredom, but will also get you into that ripped physique you’ve always imagined!

3. Begin planning the business you always wanted to open

I have always believed that luck occurs when opportunity meets preparation.  And what better way to add some zest to your life than opening a business!  Or at least planning to open a business.

Even if you don’t have the capital right now, why not start planning?  Go online and begin preliminary investigations on your business.  How much will start up costs be?  Will you need permits?  If so, where and when will you need them?  Will you need to lease a building or office space?  If so, what location, price and square footage?  Will you need employees? What is your operating budget?  Have you conducted demographic studies?

Now if these plans don’t get you motivated I don’t know what will!  Imagine spending an entire year planning and preparing every detail of your business.  Before any entrepreneur goes into action, they must do the leg work and develop a well-developed business plan and that planning process might just be what the doctor ordered to break you out of your dull-drums!

4. Start writing your autobiography

So you say you don’t have a story to tell?  You don’t think anyone would be interested? How do you know if you never try?

I can tell you some of my favorite blogs are those that tell the everyday stories of a person just like you! Maya Angelou said “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings).  With that said…let that story out!  Sit down with pen and pad or grab your laptop and get to writing.  It is that simple.

Reminisce about about your childhood.  Think back to family vacations.  What about the neighborhood in which you grew up?  Remember the names of your friends growing up and the times you spent together. Before you know it, your jog down memory lane will come to life on paper and paint a picture of an experience that no one on this planet has ever experienced!  You may just discover that your life isn’t as boring as you think!

5. Take up an amazing new hobby like skydiving or scuba

Extreme sports are not for the faint-of-heart and are not recommended for everyone. But, can you think of a better way to add juice back to life than jumping from a perfectly functioning airplane? Or maybe diving with sharks on a shipwreck at 80 feet?

I know several friends that have taken up some type of new hobby which acted as a jump-start for their life, making them feel alive again. Go online and see what excitement exists in extreme sports: rock climbing, skydiving, scuba, cycling, mountain biking, white water rafting, kayaking!  There are so many expedition companies whose experts are waiting to train you to experience a life lived on the edge.

Don’t be afraid, take the plunge today!

When all is said and done, life is about experiences.  And it is the lack of new and exciting experiences that kills our spirit as adults.  Life wants to compress you, stifle you and mold you.  But I say it is time for you to break free of this conformist thinking and get out onto the expressway of life and live!

Here’s the skinny: you may not all be able to work the job of your dreams, but you sure can live the life of your dreams!   The only question left: are you up to the challenge of changing your actions in order to get new and exciting results?

Featured photo credit: Alarm Clock/Phalinn Ooi via flickr.com

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