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TOP FIVE
Ways to Avoid the Daily Grind
Life can be a work of art, but unless you’re a Van Gogh, it’s hard to create an interesting piece out of just one color (what I call the ‘bogged-down blues’). Let me help you add some different hues to the canvas of your daily life. And don’t worry, your masterpiece won’t take long to dry. While it takes a couple weeks to sink into the blue, it only takes minutes to get yourself out of it.
1. Love List
Compose a list of what you love in life – whether it be sweet potato fries sprinkled with sea salt, the first day it feels like Autumn, or seeing clouds expand in your morning coffee. Try to keep an eye out for your own balms.
2. Paper Yoga
Write a letter to a friend. Doubt you’ve got anything to write home about ? Trust me, you actually do. Become ‘one’ with the paper and see where your pen takes you. If there’s absolutely nothing noteworthy, tell your friend why you appreciate having him/her in your life. No need for a sappy paragraph. Instead, aim for a playful numbered list... like a Top Five!
3. The Road Less Traveled
Your commute to and from class/work is a perfect formula, but lately it doesn’t add up. You need to change a variable by going off your beaten track. If you’d rather shoot yourself than go to your Research Methods in Psychology class, take a different route. You might pass by an eye-catching flower, or maybe a whole garden. Change is healthy – it’ll prevent you from going nuts.
4. Mind Over Matter
I’ve never had faith in my ability to meditate because I am rarely able to turn off my thought turbine, but perhaps this age-old form of relaxion could work for you - just put your mind to it. Mystical music could help, too.
5. Born-Again Curio
Get artsy and you’ll stop feeling antsy. Do some Autumn cleaning and grant a second chance to one of those trinkets you thought about tossing into the dumpster. Instead, spin it into a piece of art. If you’re not feeling your creative juices flowing, there’s always paint-by-numbers. And for wannabe art enthusiasts who can’t even draw a straight line: Go to the art section of your local library and take any book off the shelf. Flip through thumbnails and stimulate your visual soul.
By Kathleen Flaherty. Kathleen is a rising senior at Northwestern University.
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