Spice It Up: 10 Generic Things To Make Your Own This Week
It’s easy to fall into the trap of monotony in our day-to-day existence. Try adding a little more lightness into your day through some very simple actions.
By 
Kim Quindlen
It’s easy to fall into the trap of monotony in our day-to-day existence. We wake up, we mindlessly scroll through our phones while commuting to work, we stare absentmindedly at a screen all day, we come home, we go to sleep. What we forget is that adding more excitement and joy to our everyday lives doesn’t have to involve any huge changes or decisions – all we need to do is add a little more lightness into our days through some very simple actions. So in partnership with SKYY Infusions®, we’ve put together a list of 10 ways to find the fun, positive energy that exists all around you in your day-to-day living.
- Pick something small that you treat yourself to each day of the week. If you’re trying to cut out soda, maybe Tuesday is the one day of the week where you’re allowed to drink a Coke. Maybe Thursday is the night you reserve for a couple glasses of wine and a free movie from On-Demand or Netflix. Little ‘treats’ like these allow you to enjoy yourself without spending too much money or developing any unhealthy habits.
- Find your own unique way to make getting out of bed in the morning a more pleasant experience. The options here are endless. Place a warm pair of slippers by the foot of your bed so you can slide your feet into them right away. Buy a new bathrobe you can throw on as soon as you’re up, so that you’re not immediately freezing. Find a coffee maker that has a timer, so you’re always greeted with an enticing smell. Do whatever you need to feel less dreadful about getting out of your warm, cozy bed.
- Add a little more excitement to your morning commute by curating some upbeat playlists or finally working through that list of books you’ve been meaning to get to for ages. You can put together – or borrow from others – a list of songs that will make you feel awake, positive, and ready to start the day. You could also try listening to some standup comedy, so that you’re almost always guaranteed to start the day laughing. And there’s always the option of reading on the train or listening to an audiobook in the car, so that you actually look forward to commuting in the morning.
- Find a way to pay it forward this week. Even the smallest action can change someone’s day. Pay for the stranger behind you when you’re at the tollbooth. Give a compliment to the person sitting next to you in the doctor’s office waiting room (as long as it’s appropriate). Smile at the customers you walk by in the grocery store. You’d be surprised how such a little thing can lead to such a sweet reaction.
- Spice up your cubicle at work with pictures, posters, and other memorabilia that make you feel confident and comfortable in your workspace. Even if you’re not consciously thinking about it, surrounding your space (a space where you spend at least forty hours of your week) with things that make you feel at home will always increase your inner sense of peace and contentment.
- Send a text to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, just to let them know you miss them. It could be a college friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with for forever, or the aunt that you’re really close with, or maybe a high school buddy that you’ve fallen out of touch with and want to reconnect with. The best part about this is that it allows you to spread your positivity into someone else’s life as well.
- Lighten up your email signature to make it more memorable and true to your personality. Simply including one of your favorite quotes or daily mantras means you’re already making it easier for people to relate to you.
- Bring in a box of donuts for everyone in your office. It’s easy, quick, and cheap. And the amount of gratitude and friendly hello’s you’ll receive is actually insane. After once bringing in a box of Munchkins to work on a Friday morning at my old job, you would have thought I had offered to give everybody a kidney.
- Send a card to your friend or family member with the closest upcoming birthday, instead of sending a text or writing on their Facebook. A card seems so small and insignificant, but people literally freak out these days when they receive a personal, handwritten piece of mail that’s not a medical bill or auto insurance junk mail. It’s an easy way to make someone’s day.
- Clean out some of the clutter in your living space. Even if it’s just one thing – the fridge, a single desk drawer, one section of your closet – the amount of accomplishment and excitement you feel afterwards is incredibly worth it.
