7 Ways to Improve our Days!

Earlier this month I dropped my daughter off at school and then hit the streets for some exercise. As I am warming up I notice there is water flooding the path so I decide to cut through a cemetery to keep my feet dry. As I am doing this, I take a peak over my right shoulder and see something that stops me right in my tracks. What I saw was my last name, written in big letters on a headstone from 150+ years ago! 

As I thought about this experience I was reminded of a story I heard a few years ago. On every tombstone, there is the day of birth and the day that you pass on. In between those dates is a dash. At first look, one might think that the dash is insignificant but upon further examination, I came to realize that it represents our time here on earth. The dash is how we spend our days, the relationships we build, the connections we make, and the mark that we leave on the world.  

So how do we make our dash mean something? Mahatma Ghandi once said that "If you want to change the world, start with yourself". ​I believe that if we can improve ourselves then we can better serve those in our little network or community. So, after a little reflection, I have identified seven areas that I plan on working on this year and will outline them below!

1. Connect with people who support you. Remember, a rising tide lifts all boats so if you find yourself struggling to stay afloat, surround yourself with people who will grab ahold of you and elevate you.
2. Engage in real time with people or things that give you life. Social media, the news, and true crime docs can all really put you into a bit of a funk. Put down the device and make an effort to connect with real people. 
3. Exercise. A healthy mind cannot exist in a body that doesn’t move. In order for us to thrive optimally, physical activity must be a part of our daily routine. If this task seems to be too much, start with a five minute walk and go from there!
4. Train your mind like a muscle. Activities like reading, exercising, adequate sleep, efficient breathing, and pro-social activities build a strong mind. 
5. Let go of “keeping up with the Joneses”. Consumerism and other trendy things always leads to the feeling of being unsatisfied and always chasing more. You can still be cool without a Stanley tumbler!
6. Practice kindness and gratitude. If you can keep these two principles in mind with every interaction you have, your life will be a happier existence. 
7. View habit formation as practice. Starting something new or quitting a habit cold turkey is not easy. Start with small, realistic steps, rather than grandiose plans and then set reminders to “go to practice”. 

I hope you all enjoyed reading this and I want to encourage all of you to take some time to reflect on a few areas that you can work on this year. Write them down, put them into practice, and reap the rewards that come with self improvement. 

Chris Fluck