Three years ago I was deeply burnt out and wasn't sure if I wanted to keep working on CurlMix. My weight had gotten out of control, I didn't have any hobbies, and I gave everything to my business and family...and very little to myself.
To combat the burnout, I went on a weight loss journey and made a "Joy List". I wrote about it in Inc. Magazine too. Here's an excerpt of what I wrote.
Make a list of 10 things that bring you joy, and try to accomplish all 10 within six months. These should be things that will leave you on a high for 12 to 24 hours once you’ve done them. Once you’ve made the list, block out the time to accomplish them on your calendar.
My list looked like:
- Go skating once a month
- Walk by the lake weekly
- Going salsa dancing
- Paint something
- Practice my instrument
- Practice my French
- Get all the way dressed up (nails, lashes, eyebrows)
- Wine nights or date nights with friends
- 3 hour long hot bath
- Lift heavy weights
- Take a weekend trip (domestic or international)
Being happier helps you make better decisions. According to Dr. Steven Stein, an emotional intelligence expert, stress literally makes you dumber and makes you take fewer risks.
So, take the time to do the things that will make you happy. It will change your life and the lives of the people surrounding you.
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