Start an experience list.
Instead of a bucket list of things you hope to do before you die, an experience list is uplifting and can be tackled now. This is an actively pursued and ardently desired list of things you want to experience to make your life richer.
What kinds of items might an experience list include? Here are three suggestions, but the possibilities are limitless.
Explore a Foreign Country
Not only do these suggestions offer exotic locale, centuries-old customs, distinct cuisine and extraordinary scenery, they’re a smorgasbord of opportunities for one-on-one interaction with fascinating, new people.
Learn to Cook
Some people have a knack for creating delicious recipes and have never had a bit of professional training. Enroll in a professional cooking school or even take classes through community education or a junior college.
Take a Photography Course
Here’s an example where enriching your life and adding to the experience list dovetail nicely. Not only can you learn by doing, you’ll also amass a treasure trove of memories in the photos you take. If you want to increase your photographic skills, taking a class can easily help you accomplish that.
Engage Your Curiosity Gene
We all have one, although it’s not a part of the human anatomy that’s called out on any medical charts. A curiosity gene is something that piques your interest, amps up your enthusiasm and motivates you to check it out.
You might, for example, have a longstanding interest in Egyptian pyramids. Surely a trip to Egypt to visit these architectural and historic wonders would be something that would help satisfy your curiosity — and create indelible memories.
What if you’re just curious in general? How do you capitalize on that and engage it on a regular basis? Here’s the key, and it’s really simple: If you’re curious about something, look into it. Don’t just think that you’ll get around to it someday. Without taking action, that day will never come. Also, if you never stoke your curiosity by following where it might lead, this gene will shrivel and die.
Make One New Friend Every Two Weeks
Some may advocate making a new friend every week, but that’s really putting a burden on an already overstressed life. You don’t need the added pressure of trying to accumulate new acquaintances who might become friends on such a short-term basis.
Instead of going for the numbers or adhering to a rigid schedule, how about adding new locations to your weekly routine? Go to a different coffeehouse once a week or check out restaurants in a different neighborhood. Maybe shop for groceries at a different chain or a store in another neighborhood. Exposing yourself to different locations and people you likely don’t know will broaden your horizons – and maybe your social network.
Be a full participant in friendships. Be willing to listen more than you speak. In order to qualify as friendship, each person must get something valuable out of the relationship.
Value the importance of play.
Play is important to achieving balance in life. In fact, getting lost in play is an excellent way to become more at ease with excitement’s ability to enrich your life. An activity you do purely for your own entertainment or because you really like it often turns into something larger. A pastime may develop into a career opportunity. An educational interest may lead to a degree and a change in life direction. When you pursue your passions in play, the sky’s the limit.
Be physically active.
Getting in shape is a good reason to exercise, but being physically active is so much more than that. You can take regular walks and be active physically. Climbing the stairs instead of taking the escalator or elevator is another way to put physical action to work.
The endorphins released during vigorous physical exercise or activity help in generating excitement. Endorphins are the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. You walk briskly, breathing in oxygen and getting up a sweat. The endorphins released produce a feeling of happiness, balance and contentment. You’re ready for a challenge.
When you’re less stressed and more relaxed, you want to take on new things – or opportunities for excitement become more readily apparent. Lounging on the couch or whiling the hours away surfing the Internet won’t prove exciting, but being physically active on a regular basis will help you add more excitement to your life.
Remember to Laugh.
There’s no question that life can be serious at times. That doesn’t mean that you have to go through life being dour and glum. It’s also true that life offers many opportunities to laugh, to find the humor in situations that may not seem all that funny at first glance.
Laughter opens your eyes to be able to see things in a different perspective. After a good laugh, the solutions to problems don’t seem as hard to find. You have more energy and your mood is elevated. It’s easier to think proactively and positively when you’ve had a good chuckle.
Exciting image from Shutterstock.
from World of Psychology http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2016/04/04/6-easy-ways-to-add-excitement-to-your-life/
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