Live a more interesting life by following some of these ten tips
Too much uncertainty can make us feel stressed. For example, we need to know we won’t lose our job; we need to know we have a home, and enough money to take care of our basic needs; we need to know there’s people around us that we can trust.
However it’s equally important that we make our life exciting. Having an existence that’s dull, boring, and repetitive could be frustrating or even lead to mental health issues such as depression.
As human beings, we are curious: we need to do and see new things often, meet new people, experience things we don’t necessarily know the outcome of. It’s perfectly fine to stick to a certain lifestyle if you enjoy it, however doing more interesting things is never a bad idea.
Check out the following ten tips to have a more exciting life.
1. Travel or move somewhere new
Whenever you change your environment, you automatically feel happier, more excited, and more creative. You can find the full explanation of why and how in this article.
In short, experiencing a different environment (whether it’s going to be just for a weekend, or permanently) is the easiest way to reinvent yourself and see new things.
When you travel or move somewhere new there will never be things you take for granted, things you had the time to get used to, or things that got boring. You will feel the need to discover your surroundings: your curiosity will grow.
If you take the time and think of all those moments in your life in which you truly changed, you will realize most of them were linked to a new environment — perhaps it was a new city, a different workplace, or a short trip abroad. Maybe it was a meeting or a party at a place you had never seen before.
As I’ve explained here, your environment controls you, so if you want a more interesting life, consider changing your surroundings first.
2. Read the most inspiring books
To make your life less boring and be more inspired, read books written by amazing people — people who used to struggle and found a way to change their life; artists, scientists, or philosophers; successful entrepreneurs; people who were able to discover new things, and so on.
My advice to you is: make sure the author actually accomplished something before writing the book, and never because of it.
For example, if it’s a book written by an entrepreneur, check this person actually achieved success by creating a business. If it’s a book written by an artist, check whether the author’s work was popular before they published their story. You want to be inspired by smart, courageous, talented people — not someone who is good at selling.
Almost everything can be learned, so learn from those whose life is or was amazing.
A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors.
— Charles Baudelaire
3. Learn a new hobby
One of the easiest ways to make life less boring is to pick up a new hobby.
Learning something new will make you discover your true talent, skills, and interests. I will also make it easier to meet new people and see new places.
Don’t be afraid to brainstorm, and don’t automatically rule out something because you’ve been told it’s silly, or childish. The goal here is to have fun and learn something new regardless of what other people think.
Also, when you practice a hobby you thoroughly enjoy, you are in a different state of mind, and you lose track of time. It’s almost as if you were meditating. For example, when I was a kid I would create drawings for hours on end. I would immerse myself in the experience and constantly try out new color combinations and shapes.
If you’re looking for hobbies that could also reduce stress and anxiety, check out this post.
4. Adopt a new habit
Do you live life on autopilot? Sometimes a new habit is all it takes to make your life more exciting.
The list of potential new habits you could try out is endless, so think of something you would like to achieve after doing something new for, say, a month.
For example, to improve your physical health you could try eating more vegetables, join a gym, or walk for thirty minutes every day (even if you usually drive to places). If you’d like to improve your mental health, then meditation or journaling could do wonders.
What matters is that you are consistent. In the beginning you may feel a bit awkward, but the more you do it, the better you’ll feel. We feel excited whenever we accomplish something, so stick to your plan until you notice some results.
5. Be awake at a different time of the day
This isn’t ideal if you have a strict sleep schedule, but it can definitely be exciting.
Wake up at 4am, drive to the closest beach or river and watch the sunrise. Get up earlier, exercise and have an amazing breakfast. Walk around your town when it’s quiet and everyone else is sleeping (unless it’s dangerous, of course).
Chances are your mind subconsciously links a certain time of the day with a certain activity. For example, 8am could be when you wake up and brush your teeth; 9am could be the start of your work day; 8pm could be dinner time. This basically happens on autopilot.
However when you are awake at a different time, your mind doesn’t know what you are supposed to do, so it’s as if you had more freedom.
This doesn’t need to be extreme: it could be as simple as waking up one hour earlier when the house is quiet, listening to relaxing music and meditating.
6. Completely forget about your past
Are you doing the same things over and over again simply because your identity is the same?
I believe most people would feel liberated if their past (or at least part of it) didn’t exist. And while it sounds cliched, it’s true: your past does not exist. The only thing that truly matters is how you feel and what you do now.
Notice if there’s anything that reminds you of your past too often. This could be always wearing the same clothes, meeting the same friends, using social media all day, having the same habits you had ten years ago, or having a job that’s not right for you anymore.
Forget about the past and start thinking about the present and the future instead. Ask yourself better questions and have visual reminders of your goals and dreams around you. I guarantee it will make your life more exciting.
7. Earn or spend more money
I do believe financial minimalism makes life a lot easier, and there’s nothing wrong with living below your means.
However if you feel your life is boring, making or spending more money could be the easiest way to create more excitement.
If you were able to come up with a business idea, put in the time, and generate a side income, then this would create excitement for two reasons: you would feel really proud for creating something that earns money, and you would be able to spend more of it.
If some of your dreams require money to come true, then there’s nothing wrong with wanting more. Do learn to be happy with less, but don’t be afraid to go after what you want. Never assume your current income will be the same for the rest of your life.
8. Write down your dreams
The key is to be as specific as possible, so you can visualize those dreams and perceive them as real. Don’t be vague, because that’s what everyone else does, and it doesn’t work.
Also, don’t stop at just two or three. It’s easy to think of just three desires, goals, or dreams. However when you try to think of twenty or more, your brain will have to come up with something new.
To make life less boring, you first have to make it less boring in your mind. You have to take the time and think of how you want to improve your existence and make it more interesting.
Writing down your dreams (in your journal, or using a sheet of paper) allows you to brainstorm and get really clear on what you want. Make sure you often re-read what you have written — you may want to change some of your goals.
My advice is to dream big (think of something that’s super exciting) but at the same time focus on a goal that is achievable. Make it difficult, but don’t make it impossible, or completely unrealistic.
9. Discover new songs or music genres
All music changes our emotions, so make sure you listen to songs that are inspiring and make you feel happy.
Don’t be afraid to discover new kinds of music, because different songs will produce different emotions. If you listen to a particular song and you instantly notice its positive energy, that’s what you want to listen to. If you discover a track that makes you feel more productive, that’s what you should put in your playlist.
Music is art, which means it allows the composer to express and share their thoughts or emotions. By listening to music, you are able to tune in to the composer’s frequency (literally) and instantly change your state of mind.
Again, make sure to listen to songs that make you feel good.
Music is so easy to explain, yet so inexplicable, as it reproduces all the emotions of our inner being without reality, remote from pain.
— Arthur Schopenhauer
10. Practice intermittent fasting
This totally depends on your current fitness goals and physical condition, so use common sense, however do keep in mind: whenever you eat (especially if it’s a lot of calories), your body will use a lot of energy to digest and process the food. This, in turn, could easily cause brain fog, sleepiness, and tiredness.
I am not telling you to stop eating, however do consider intermittent fasting. This refers to eating only one or two meals a day, so you can fast for up to twenty hours or more every day.
Surprisingly, this comes with many health benefits, including less inflammation, better digestion, and more energy. Many people find their life boring simply because they constantly feel tired, so practicing intermittent fasting could help.
Another benefit that comes with not eating all the time is, of course, having more time. So if you have a demanding job, or you’re always busy, eating less frequently may give you one or two hours of extra free time every day.
Again, use common sense, and don’t skip meals if you suffer from certain conditions. Consult a health expert before you change your diet or eating schedule.