Small Experiments to Find Alignment in Your Life
Yesterday I was suffering from a bit of a hangover... a book hangover that is.
I've finished 4 books in the past week, staying up far too late with each of them, getting drawn into the stories and feeling the hangover effects when the story wraps up and my sleep deprivation catches up with me. Somehow it all still feels worth it, to feel that little bit changed by living in another world for a little bit, sort of like an experiment.
Experiment with your life
How can you experiment in your own life a little bit? Not in a mad scientist sort of way, but with an intentional curiosity to test something out.
Like, what would happen if you...
used the first 10 minutes each day in a mindful way
set up water breaks to drink more water each day
took a moment to breathe and regroup your thoughts before switching tasks
did a dreaded task first thing in the day rather than procrastinating all day
took laugh breaks during the day
went to bed at reasonable time (ahem, cough, guilty)
These are all ones I'm experimenting with. Nothing huge, but I know that they each could help me feel like a better version of myself, help me feel more in alignment with my true self. Orienting my actions in small ways will help me shift my mindset and show up with more of that glow I keep working toward growing.
Related Reading:
Unexpected Life Lessons From A Summer: What I Learned About Myself At Summer Camp
So now what?
I want you to make a list of experiments you could test in your life. Make a list of things that you feel could help you feel more in alignment with where you want to go in your life.
ways you want to spend your time
health oriented habits you want to adopt
mindset orientation you want to embody
practices you want to add to your day
And if you feel stuck, grab your journal and write out your response, or take yourself on a walk and talk it out with yourself as a voice note. (I love to use the Otter.ai app) Don't censor yourself and allow your stream of consciousness to flow out. I talk about how I've used this sort of “word vomit” journaling method as a podcast guest in this episode. (Apple, Spotify)
With that list, decide what experiments you want to run and see what results you see. And tinker and repeat. This isn't about getting it "right" the first time. It's a lesson in self-exploration, noticing what works for you through knowing yourself better.
Explore and Experience
Remember, life is meant to be explored and experienced. The best way I know how to do that is to keep trying things, keep exploring, keep experimenting. Soon you'll see that even your hobbies can be a way to help you on this journey (that is if I manage to stop letting it sabotage my sleep).
If you are looking for a good read, check out my list of what I've been reading lately.
And if you want to go a bit deeper into some of the books, I've created questions for some of my favorite reads that can be used as journal prompts or questions to spark some good conversations with your book club.
What experiment are you going to try? Leave a comment and let me know.
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Stephanie Rose is a mom, wife, business owner and a forever student in finding ways to know herself better. She acts as guide for your own journey, sharing insights, tools and practices to help you remember your magic and live a life that lights you up. Sign up for her newsletter and check out her free resources.