Editors’ note: This post has been edited after publication. We review every post to ensure this place is a safe and inclusive space for all our readers and regret that we didn’t remove the polarizing language before publication. Thank you to the commenters who used their voice to speak up! 

The majority of us want to make one change or another in our lives, but how do we get changes to stick? Or when’s the perfect time to try a new thing you’ve been wanting to? What are some small changes to make your life exponentially better? Sometimes change can be uncomfortable, and that’s okay. Breathe and lean into the discomfort. You know yourself best and what’s best for you right now, so pick and choose from these ideas below accordingly. Start anytime, and do as many as or as few as you’d like. 

1. 1. Put a water glass by every sink and at your desk
   2. Figure out how much sleep you need and GET IT
   3. Abandon social media for a day
   4. Take an alternate route or transportation to work
   5. Avoid doing emotional labor for others in your workplace
   6. Get a lynda.com subscription and learn something weird or new
   7. Buy a houseplant and research how to take care of it (then, take care of it)
   8. Sit at the bar with a friend and order all the small plates
   9. Unsubscribe instead of delete unwanted emails
   10. Try kombucha or kvass to improve your gut’s health
   11. Have two friends over that don’t know each other, but should
   12. Start making your bed. A fresh bed is so much better to get in to.
   13. Get a library card (And use the online request system! It’s amazing.)
   14. Put a nail file in your car
   15. Go to the movies by yourself in the middle of the day
   16. Practice what you’d say if you witness racial or religious discrimination
   17. Stay home on Friday and write emails to your representatives about what matters to you
   18. Practice saying, “Hmm, I don’t know.”
   19. Pay attention to only one reliable news source, once a day
   20. Try doing breathwork
   21. Make an effort to check in with your neighbor(s)
   22. Delete all emails more than 30 days old (and never look back)
   23. Put five snacks in your work bag
   24. Put a lamp where you always need one
   25. Say no to plans that don’t sound fun
   26. Delete that toxic person from your phone
   27. Start practicing intersectional feminism
   28. Try oysters (or another food you’ve always avoided)
   29. Get a fresh notebook—always the best feeling.

If you’re feeling inspired, check out my last post about bettering your everyday life in small and meaningful ways.

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Image via Jen Peters

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Kate O'Reilly

Kate O’Reilly can’t really follow directions but manages to find plenty of work somehow. Loves food, affection and a big stack of things to read. Never uses the internet to argue or win things. Follow her on Instagram at @cleverkate.