Real Life

Do you ever feel like you are in a life slump and are just waiting for what must surely be your real life to start? Life can often feel monotonous, another morning begins with your phone alarm beeping, coffee, exercise, car pool, breakfast, shower, work, carpool again, dinner, homework help, reading, games on phone and maybe some TV, sleep and then we do it all over again. It almost seems as if you are stuck in a time loop continuum when you can anticipate when the annoying, high strung dog next door is going to freak out and bark its head off!

In a perfect dream, things would be set exactly the way you would want them.
But I think it's more interesting that in real life, things aren't exactly the way you planned.
-Naomi Osaka

There is nothing wrong with a well regulated and predictable life, but if it isn’t your idea of perfection, then perhaps it is time to shake things up a little bit. Set 2022 as your year to shine or accomplish something you have put off doing due to time or money constraints. There will always be something holding you back, but no one reaches the end of their lives glad they didn’t do something that they always dreamed of doing, a real bucket list item, because they didn’t make the time or save up to do it! If this pandemic has taught us anything, let it be that the time we are allowed on this earth is precious. In the United States alone, there have been around 920,097 Covid related deaths and 77,837,693 Covid cases since the pandemic started (according to the CDC). Those numbers are large and very, very scary and while this pandemic is not over, life does continue to march on.

Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.
-Theodore Roosevelt

So here are some suggestions on how to spice up your life so to speak, be open to the possibility of new adventures and see if anything on this list peaks your interest and sets your mind racing with possibilities:

Learn a new language:
There are several ways to go about this, you could find a native speaker or teacher and go about setting up a mutually convenient time to conduct lessons. Then of course there are multiple apps such as Duolingo, Babble and Rosetta Stone just to name a few, identify which one might work best for you and sign up! Of course the most important thing is to be consistent and practice!

Learn to play a sport:
Through your local YMCA or JCC, your city’s Parks and Recreation Department, or a local Sports park, you can find classes and beginner leagues. Do your best and have fun, it isn’t all about winning (although we totally get that competition can be fun as well).

Try something new or pick up something old:
You may have always wanted to join a book club, start working out regularly or learn how to do a two step. On the other hand, maybe you want to relearn how to play guitar, add a few dances to your basic or intermediate repertoire or pick up a sport you played in High School or College. Stop saying one day and make today the day you actually do something! You can take a class to learn just about anything through your city’s adult education programs or through a local community college, both have very reasonable class rates and often offer classes at a variety of times. Book clubs can be found through your local library, community centers, book stores and neighborhood groups. For anything else, Google it! You can add keywords such as your area code or zip code to specify the area of which you live or work.

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
-Søren Kierkegaard

Learn how to make 5 recipes:
Eating out is only so much fun, so challenge yourself to learn how to make a new dish every week. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to taste good. When you reach your predetermined number of recipes, rotate them throughout the month, maybe experiment by tweaking them a little, such as learning how to recreate the leftovers as a different meal. You could even try a cooking service, they basically hold your hand through the process by explicitly explaining exactly what to do, step by step. Afterwards, you can save the recipes and try them again on your own!

Life is meant to be exciting and a little adventurous! We hope these suggestions have prompted a small smile, maybe a little something that reminds you of excitement! We are never too old to learn something new or to recapture the joy of something from our youth. Explore, have fun and rediscover what brings you joy.

Wishing you all the very best,
Team SG