Directions Blog

1. Take up yoga.
2. Assign your kids regular chores, and make them follow through!
3. Read for pleasure.
4. Walk a little slower and take in your surroundings.
5. Smile to at least one person every day.
6. Opt for the stairs a few times every week.
7. Shut off Netflix by 11PM.
8. Take up a new hobby.
9. Cook dinner more often.
10. Stop pressing “snooze.”
11. Do one new thing every single week. It doesn’t have to be major.
12. Get out of your comfort zone and explore more.
13. Make the iPad the exception, not the habit, for nighttime entertainment.
14. Make a meal for any friend or neighbor when they’re sick or stuck at home.
15. Give more away—even if it’s something you want for yourself.
16. Keep teaching your kids to have gratitude, and lead by example.
17. Practice an instrument more (or take up a new one).
18. Stop using your phone as a crutch. People-watch, instead.
19. Be more of a team player.
20. Live more minimalistically.
21. Try your best to stay in the moment and enjoy that sweet (but potentially stressful) hour between arriving home from work and putting the baby to sleep.
22. Step up your morning game. Wake up early enough to have a leisurely breakfast and enjoy a cup of coffee.
23. Post more unfiltered and realistic images on your social feeds.
24. Say “no” sometimes.
25. Finally donate unworn clothing to people who could use it.
26. Learn how to cook more of your favorite foods—no more take-out!
27. Become a smart grocery shopper (we’re talking lists and pantry inventory before you go).
28. Run a few miles every day.
29. Plan to visit extended family regularly.
30. Take fewer cars and cabs. Use your legs.
31. Spend one-on-one quality time with your friends every single week.
32. Talk to people on the phone more often.
33. Stop tying your 7-year-old’s shoes. They must tie themselves!
34. Go to the movies alone, or go to a restaurant alone, just to prove you can handle the “me time.”
35. Plan at least one weekend day-trip every month.
36. Have “date night” at least once a week.
37. Go on a blind date.
38. Get those piles of photos into scrapbooks.
39. Save money and make coffee at home.
40. Start using SPF every single day. Even in the winter.
41. Be less argumentative.
42. Strive to stand up for yourself more often.
43. Tackle three DIY projects you’ve pinned in the last three months.
44. Meditate for five minutes every day.
45. Opt for tea instead of coffee.
46. Stop drinking soda.
47. Make an effort to respond to emails quickly so they don’t fall through the cracks.
48. Learn how to make basic, easy things you normally buy, because homemade tastes better—and it’s better for you! Start with hummus, guacamole, marinara sauce, or a great vinaigrette dressing.
49. Stop beating yourself up over mistakes. Learn from them, and move on.
50. Resolve to work ahead. Buy birthday presents earlier, fill out school forms the day they arrive, and stop waiting until the last second.
51. Keep healthy snacks in the refrigerator consistently, not just every so often.
52. Read all of the books collecting dust on your bookshelves that you haven’t gotten around to.
53. Write more letters. Bring back snail mail.
54. Write down one thing you are thankful for every single day.
55. Organize all of your “junk drawers.”
56. Take art classes.
57. Get an extra hour of sleep every night.
58. Memorize all of the important phone numbers in your life.
59. Get a new stamp in your passport.
60. Keep your phone away from the dinner table.
61. Make vacation days count—that means no email!
62. Gather up family recipes and make a book.
63. Eat fresh fruit once a day.
64. Get all of your home videos transferred to DVDs you can watch from the couch.
65. Take an improv class.
66. Start a book club.
67. Clean out your garage.
68. Bake from scratch more often.
69. Try a bold haircut (it grows back!).
70. Deep-clean your bathroom.
71. Cut back on sugar.
72. Redecorate your cubicle.
73. Go after the job you want—or go after what you want at your current job.
74. Find a way to give back to your community.
75. DIY a home office.
76. Make a new friend.
77. Stay up-to-date on world news.
78. Start (and finish) a 1,000-piece puzzle.
79. Write a short story.
80. Cook a four-course meal (just to say you did!).
81. Take a wine tasting course.
82. Bike to work.
83. Make your bed five out of seven days every week.
84. Avoid the cafeteria, and pack your lunch instead.
85. Stop gossiping.
86. Get up and walk around more.
87. Plan more surprise visits to your family.
88. Clean out your Facebook friend list.
89. Send thank-you notes the minute you open the present.
90. Complain less.
91. Create a standing desk at work.
92. Indulge in something for yourself once a month.
93. Call instead of text.
94. Allow yourself five minutes to dwell on a mistake, then move on.
95. Redecorate a room in your home.
96. Create a calendar of friends’ birthdays and big events so you never miss anything.
97. Turn off your phone for one hour every weekend.
98. Be diligent about drinking water every day.
99. Develop a monthly budget, and stick to it.
100. Drink more hot chocolate.