5 Ways you can improve the quality of your life now

How we choose to live our lives has an impact on our health, our state of mind and therefore the overall quality of our life. If you have ever asked the question, "How can I improve the quality of my life?", then read on. Remember change isn't always easy but small steps in the right direction is easier and more sustainable. Here are 5 ways:

1) Reduce the amount of clutter in your life

Do you ever feel weighed down at times or that you have no space to breathe? Then it is time to look at decluttering your space. We have all heard the saying less is more. Start noticing how you feel when you walk into a room in your home or open a drawer that is disorganized. The reality is that some of us hold on to things that add no value in our lives, whether its outgrown clothes, souvenirs, experiences and even people. Its simple, ask your self this question, is this adding value to my life. If the answer is no, then you need to let go to create the space for something better to come along.

2) Spend less time around negative people

This is a slightly more difficult one. Whilst its simply impossible to be positive every minute of every day as life does happen and we are only human after all, there are however some individuals whose brains are just wired towards negativity. This is usually a deep grained habit and these individuals find every opportunity to complain. Whether its their job, the weather, the government, the rising cost of living or their financial struggles, the reality is that if you surround yourself long enough with people that constantly complain, it will not only have an influence on how you view the world but also have a detrimental effect on your frame of mind and eventually your health. The key is to spot a negative person from a mile away and only engage with them when necessary.

3) Tune out your inner critic

Have you ever taken notice of what your inner dialogue is? Believe it or not that inner voice has a huge impact on your frame of mind and more so how you feel about yourself. If you are constantly criticizing and judging yourself, bombarding yourself with negative self talk, then its time to become more aware of what you are doing. Its time to let yourself off the hook, life is hard as it is, it doesn't serve you by you being hard on yourself too.

4) Forgive, do it for yourself, not others

Most of us have been disappointed by someone in our lives, whether its a past lover, a family member or even a close friend. In some circumstances, its easier to forgive than others but the reality is that holding onto past grudges only weighs you down. Ultimately the act of forgiveness is not about letting the other person off the hook but rather about setting yourself free.

5) Find more opportunities in your day to just do nothing

Most of our days are busy, whether its work deadlines, chores around the house, to-do lists that never seem to end, we are constantly on the go. At the end of the day we are exhausted and depleted. The next day we wake up and do it all over again and life eventually becomes a rat race. We only have 24 hours in a day. It is important at some point in your day to just take a breather, create some time to unwind and let go. There will always be a deadline or something we need to finish off, but taking a moment to pause is also okay. Give yourself the permission to just be, even if its only for a few minutes a day.

You can improve the quality of your life, its all about the choices you make in every waking moment. What will YOU choose differently today that will improve the quality of your life?

About the author: Anashree Hansjee, is MD and founder of Infinity Expressions, a Coaching practice based in Johannesburg. She specializes in several areas of coaching including life coaching, executive coaching, holistic coaching, body coaching and NLP. If you are keen on a complimentary coaching consultation to find out how coaching can improve the quality of your life, contact her on Anashree@infinityexpressions.com