Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count. 

Express yourself

My boyfriend and I took a fantastic painting class, after not painting for years. It was pure fun.

Everyone has a creative side, and you don’t have to be a van Gogh to express that. Allowing yourself time to be creative opens the opportunity  to express yourself with activities you enjoy, and you very well may surprise yourself. There are plenty of ways to express yourself, including making music, painting, drawing, planting flowers, fixing cars, writing, or photography. And those are just a few, of course. Stimulate your mind!

Try something different

My boyfriend, Tim, at our trapeze class in the summer of 2013. Exhilarating.

Whether it’s skydiving, shark-diving, trapezing, parasailing, volunteering at the animal shelter, sitting in on a new class, running a mile, cooking a big meal, or writing that novella, there are so many extraordinary things this world has to offer. There’s an infinite amount of learning and experiences to be had, and all you have to do is step outside of your comfort zone to open your life to rejuvenating, exciting adventures.

Laughter

Me acting like a weirdo as one of my best friends took my picture in Manhattan in 2010.

Everybody knows that an eye-tearing, stomach-aching laugh can bring immense joy to ourselves and those around us like like nothing else. As children, we laughed with ease. In fact, most of us seeked fun or funny things on a daily basis. As adults, we often need reminders to allow ourselves to be silly and see the humor in everyday situations. Bonus: laughter is also good for your health. Research shows that laughter may strengthen your immune system, and it reduces stress. Read More