Want to create more meaningful life experiences? Want to enhance your well-being? Want to align your values with your life goals? Such lofty intentions often seem beyond us, as we strive to meet our obligations, take care of our family, and work to the point of exhaustion. We can feel burned out and used up. Life is passing us by, and we seem helpless in its thrall.
If that’s how you feel, consider life-crafting, a way of developing strategies to get the most out of your time on this planet.
Instead of going through your life reacting to circumstances, life crafting helps you shape your destiny in a proactive way. You can live your life according to what matters most to you. You can take control.
Here are some suggestions:
Rethink your thinking. There are some things in life that you just can’t change. You may have to look after a household, for example, and doing dishes and scrubbing the toilet are part of your responsibilities. You can reframe how you think of these less-than-delightful duties. Instead of drudgery, think of cleaning the house as an opportunity to make things nice for you and your family. If you want to influence your thinking long-term, practicing gratitude will help. Focus on the good aspects of your life and remind yourself what you’re grateful for. Accentuate the positive and reduce the negative.
Shape your environment. Sure, there’s not much you can do to change your office cubicle, but you can enhance it with things that make you happy. Photos of your family, for example, or a lamp you bring in to use instead of the harsh overhead light. And maybe you can’t move out of your home, but there are plenty of things you can do to make it a place you enjoy. Your favorite paint color is an inexpensive way to brighten up your environment. A good purge of unnecessary clutter can make you feel better, too. Make your home a place where you can thrive.
Be intentional with your relationships. Yes, you do have to interact with your toxic boss, but maybe you can limit your interaction with other toxic people in your life. Set boundaries. Don’t accept calls or texts, or at least limit them. Maybe you can even do that with your toxic boss. Be proactive about connecting with people who enhance your life, give you a lift, make you feel good. Schedule some time with those people who add quality, and nurture those connections.
Find hobbies that bring joy. It’s amazing how many people do things because they just sort of go along with the group. You can get swept up in things that aren’t fun for you. Instead, think of what you’d love to do. Pursue your passions. Try things that might contribute to your personal growth. You may even discover that a night class you love might lead to a new career path. But finding joy for yourself may involve some trial and error for a while, so be aware if something is not meaningful for you and drop it. The point is to be intentional about how you spend your time.
Be stingy with your time and energy. You only have a finite amount of your own resources. Don’t squander them on things that aren’t important to you. Maybe you could take on fewer tasks at work. Maybe your partner could help more with chores at home. Maybe you could prioritize a yoga practice or meditation that would help rejuvenate you and shore up your resources. The idea is to get a better alignment between life’s demands and your own energy. You will have a better quality of life if you reduce your stress and increase your well-being.
Be intentional with your life. As the poet Mary Oliver said, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Nancy Travers is an Orange County Counseling professional. If you need safe, effective counseling services, please get in touch. You can reach her here: https://www.nancyscounselingcorner.com/comtact