[photo courtesy of Robert May, my inimitable boyfriend/photographer/partner in crime]
- Get rid of old things with bad energy. You know what I’m talking about. Delete old emails from people you stopped speaking with on bad terms a long time ago. Purge your files of research papers from undergrad (after all, you’re probably never going to remember those all-nighters with fondness). Get rid of remnants of old projects that gave you hives and anxiety attacks. Empty your fridge of everything rotting, sour, or unhealthy. Finally [[[get it together]]] and take those clothes that don’t fit you right to Goodwill, damn it.
This goes for people, too, you know. Remember the girl who backhandedly congratulated you for your recent weight gain, telling you that you look much healthier than you used to? Take the scarf she made you for your last birthday, and give it to a homeless person. That stupid guy who used to be your friend until he made out with your ex-girlfriend? Call him and tell him you need to pick up those books he borrowed last summer…and then don’t call him again.That one person who shoots down your ideas because “It just doesn’t work like that”? Delete her number from your phone. Stop responding. These people are toxic and you gain nothing from having them around.
- Spend time outside. Natural light helps combat depression. Fresh air can give you energy. Surrounding yourself with pretty things is stimulating. And time alone in nature allows you to sort through your thoughts—whatever’s bothering you, all the things you need to do, how you’re going to deal with doing that one thing you’ve been dreading. Do it now.
- Drink more water. I shouldn’t have to tell you how important it is to stay hydrated—good for your moods, good for your energy level, good for your heart, good for your digestive system, good for your immune system. Flavor it with lemon or mint if you really, truly don’t like the taste.
- Clear out your GTD inbox a bit. Finish one project you’ve been avoiding. And by “finish” I don’t mean move things around or make lists or form committees. Just do it. Do whatever you need to do in order to make it easy to complete. It’ll probably take a lot less time and energy than you think it will. Cross it out of your inbox and get on with your life. This weekend I did this and finally put away my laundry after having it back from the laundromat for over a week. My room feels so much more spacious,and I don’t have to sort through stacks whenever I need to get dressed. I also did this a few weeks ago when I stayed up all night to finally detangle and sort my yarn stash, which I’d been avoiding since before I moved to New York [which happened in January 2007, people]. The trick to getting through that was an all-night marathon session of Friday Night Lights.
- Compliment a stranger. Here’s what happened to me this weekend:
Me: [walking about in midtown, humming along to my Blackberry headphones, skipping a little]
Woman with two dogs: [walking by, distracted]
Dogs: Ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-arf! Ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-arf! Ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-arf!
Me: Ohmygoodness! Your dogs are so adorable!
Woman: [startled, then smiling] Aw! They say thank you very much! [walks away smiling]
Dogs: Ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-arf!
See how easy that was? She felt better, I felt good, and the dogs loved it.
- Discover new music. And then dance. I’m serious. Put on something sparkly or slinky and crank up the music and bounce on your bed shaking your ass. My current suggestions: Alaska in Winter, Amusement Parks on Fire, The Tough Alliance, and Jefferson Starship. [Shut up. I really like it.]
- Spend time with someone that makes you squee. Whenever I see Lori, we end up drinking and dancing and doing silly things like Swiffering the walls of her apartment. [No, seriously. They needed it.] Molly and Ben are two of the most generous and amazing and hilarious people I’ve ever known, and road trips with them are unbeatable. Last night I went to bed hoarse from talking all day to Robert, and we woke up talking this morning. Whenever Katherine and I are on the same coast, we’re constantly writing, talking, taking pictures, and goofing off. Cait and I have the best email correspondence ever. When Jon makes me a Red Oktober and turns on MST3K, hilarity ensues. A text from Myrrh brightens my day no matter what. Jay is one of the smartest, silliest writers I know. And Grant always has silly stories about what he did when he was drunk that one time. Find your people like this, and see them every day.
- Make something and then use it immediately. A cake. A bottle of wine vinegar. A jar of salt scrub for pretty summer feet. A pretty tote. A summer hat. A new web page. Do it, and be glad about your self-sufficiency.
- Hang out with an animal… especially if it’s especially affectionate, energetic, or entertaining. My dog saves me from bad moods at least weekly, and before I had him, I loved visiting cats at my friends’ houses. If you don’t have pets and don’t know anyone who does, go volunteer to play with animals at your local no-kill shelter—they’re always looking for help.
- Eat some fruit.Bonus points if it’s fresh-picked. One of my favorite memories of my second summer in New York is grocery day, when I’d take the bus home laden with fresh fruit I’d gotten on the cheap, and then spend an hour or so preparing it so that I’d always have something fresh to snack on whenever I was hungry. One of my favorite memories from my childhood is picking blackberries every day in my grandmother’s backyard and eating as many as I put into the pail.
What do you guys do to make your life immediately better?
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