People all over the world are doing things all the time to try to improve their lives. There are many different ways to measure quality of life, but what do we all want? To have fun.
We do so many things to try to make life more enjoyable. How about we just try to have more fun? Here are eight things you can do right now to get there in five minutes or less.
1. Put on a favorite song.
Most of us have digital music, cds, tapes, or even vinyl. We've got speakers, a car stereo, or headphones. One of the major benefits of this age of wonder that we live in is that we are never far from music. Take advantage of it! Your favorite songs are an easy bridge to enjoyment.
2. Go smile at yourself in the mirror
Find a mirror and smile away. Pick up your phone, leave it off, and smile at yourself in the screen. Smile at yourself when you're in front of a window or a glass door. Flip down that visor and give yourself a smile when you're stopped at the next light. If you don't feel like smiling hold your mouth in a smile, use your fingers to pull up the corners of your mouth if you have to. Soon the endorphins will make you feel like smiling. (A bonus with this tip is that you may find yourself smiling more in general)
3. Do something nice and then celebrate it
It doesn't have be big, a little act of kindness is an important gesture in itself. Put some change in a tip or collection jar, give someone (or yourself) a compliment, or even just think something nice about someone. The point is you've made an effort to do something kind. Give yourself a "Nice job!", a fist pump, or even a pat on the back.
4. Feel happy for someone else feeling joy
Emotions are contagious. Look around you, is there someone having a good time? Try to enjoy watching their enjoyment. It's easy. No one around you having fun? Go on youtube and do a search for "champions celebrate" or "kid gets surprised". You'll find lots of joy to share in.
5. Go on a Five-Minute Adventure
Set the timer on your phone for four minutes. Put it away way and start walking. When the timer goes stop walking and spend one minute taking a look around. Three things will happen: you'll discover how far you can walk in four minutes; you'll see a place you probably go by all the time as not an anonymous waypoint, but as a destination; and finally when you return, like after any journey, you'll have new discoveries and you'll see where you are from a fresh perspective.
6. Pretend it's Thanksgiving and spend five minutes writing down things you're grateful for
7. Spend five minutes remembering nice things you've done for people
Remember something nice you've done, then remember another. Keep doing it for five minutes. They may come quickly or they may take time, it doesn't matter. We've all done so many nice things, but so often we don't remember to give ourselves credit for them. It's important for us to remind ourselves.
8. Read this list over
Just reading about ways to enjoy life will help you enjoy life.
Gregory C. Buia shows people how to have more fun through kindness and awareness. Check out his blog and his book Have Fun. He is available to cause fun by public speaking and coaching.