Are you following the same routine week after week?
Is your life boring you to tears? And do you feel like you have fallen into a rut and can’t get out?
If so, you may be experiencing your life in shades of grey.
On the contrary, a life full of vibrant colour bursts with passion, joy, contentment and connection. You see, it is how we approach and participate in our life that causes our colours to become dull and fade.
So without waiting any further, here are my 8 simple but powerful ways that you can add vibrant colour back into your life:-
1. Be Grateful
Do you live with an attitude of gratitude?
The constant stream of materialism and acquisition being promoted by the media can make it hard for us to focus on what we have instead of what we don’t have.
To combat these feelings of lack, approach with gratitude all your obligations, activities and interactions with others. Decide that you are going to focus on the good in everything. This will not only make you feel good, but will draw more good things toward you.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward
2. Practice Forgiveness
One of the biggest ways to add colour back into your life is through forgiveness.
Forgiveness is something that you do for yourself, not the other person (although they may feel better knowing that you have forgiven them).
When you forgive someone it does not excuse what the other person has done; nor does it mean that you will forget their transgression. It simply means that you are making the decision not to be bonded to them through anger.
You see, forgiveness releases you.
When you harbour anger, resentment and other negative feelings towards another person, it is like you drinking poison and hoping that they will get ill. The truth is that you are the one that pays the price. Ask yourself who you need to forgive. Is it a friend, a relative or yourself?
“Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past.” – Unknown
3. Slow Down
This is probably one of the more difficult things to do to add colour to your life!
We fly through life in a hurry, barely noticing the details of our surroundings — everything becomes just one big blur.
Have you ever been so preoccupied by what was going on in your mind that you have driven somewhere without remembering the details along the route?
Ajahn Brahm a monk from the Buddhist Society of Western Australia explains that there is a chemical reaction that takes place in the back of your eye that brings the objects that you are looking at into focus, and when you move too quickly, the image does not fully develop.
It is like taking a Polaroid picture– when you first look at it, it is faded and as time passes, the picture slowly comes into focus boasting an array of colours.
In this same way, if we hold our gaze long enough at the things in our environment, we would see them come alive in full colour.
“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going to fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” – Eddie Cantor
4. Be your Own Best Friend
Do something for yourself first at the start of each day. This simple action reaffirms that you are the most important person in your life. It may be a cup of coffee, exercise, meditation or little extra sleep.
You see, we are taught (especially as women) to sacrifice and give to others and that giving to ourselves is selfish.
As a result we tend to feel guilty. We must stop thinking this way. It is not selfish. It is caring for ourselves, and when we care for ourselves, we can then be there more fully for others.
“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” – Anonymous
5. Give to Others
Giving to others is one of the best and easiest ways to add vibrant colour to your life. It helps you (by making you feel good) and provides the receiver with needed assistance.
You don’t need to give something grandiose like a new car or a large sum of money (although that may be nice); it can be a simple hello, a smile, a hug or a kind word.
Your seemingly small act of kindness to someone else may be the best thing they received that day, week, month or even year.
“It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.” – Richard Braunstein
6. Do Things you Enjoy
You may notice that you feel most alive and bursting with colour when you are engaged in an activity that you enjoy. So make time to “play.”
Remember when you were a kid and your only goal was to see how much fun you could have? Be like that again.
Avoid denying yourself your passions. It will only lead to the resentment, bitterness and frustration that lead to a mundane, grey existence.
Laugh, sing, dance, run, paint, sew and just be silly.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw
7. Spend Time in Silence
Take a break from all of the noise. Between radios, iPods, televisions, phones and computers, how do we ever hear the still, small voice inside?
Spend time in silence each day.
Reflect on our how you feel about yourself and your circumstances. Self reflection and positive change are the keys to achieving a sense of well being.
If we are not aware of the thoughts and feelings that we are having, we cannot affect them. Try meditation and yoga practices to connect to your spirit. Even taking 5 minutes to check in on you can be effective.
“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.” – Elbert Hubbard
8. Ask for Help
Many people think that asking for help is a sign of weakness. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Asking for help shows great strength.
It shows that while you may not have the answer, you are willing to find it.
Many successful individuals, including our current and past presidents have admitted to surrounding themselves with people who could provide them with answers. There is no point in struggling to get something done when you can ask for some assistance.
The Way Forward
Many people fill their lives with commitments that bring them little or no satisfaction.
Life is too short to live this way.
While we do have obligations that are necessary to our basic living like paying our bills and taking care of our families, this does not mean that we have to live a grey existence.
Your life is like a blank canvas waiting to be painted on.
So pick up your brush and paint your life with the most vibrant colours you can find.
Thanks for adding color to my day with this beautiful post, Lisa! I’ll be on the lookout for ways to add color to my life and the lives of those I encounter.
Hi Jean,
Thanks for stopping by. It was a fun article to write. Glad it was helpful. I use these tips to pick me up whenever I am feeling down. 🙂
Some great reminders here about really and truly matters. Thank you.
Btw, I’m delighted to see that you can now incorporate video links in a blog post that activate in an instant with a simple touch of the cursor. Amazing.
Hi Christopher,
Thank you. Life is too short to be living in shades of grey. When you get right down to it, what matters most are the relationships we have with ourselves and with others.
Yeah, it’s a pretty cool feature. 🙂
I love Tip #7. I find it’s very very easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. Even if you attend a 30-day retreat where you meditate everyday, the moment you return to normal life, you’ll get caught up on rushing to places, and not reflecting and enjoying every present moment. Allocating a few minutes to silence everyday just puts everything in perspective, and keeps us in a grateful, light frame of mind
Hi Henway. That’s a favorite of mine too. Too much noise all the time makes for a scattered brain. It is through silence that we discover who we are.
Hi Lisa, what a wonderful article! Truly, everything is richer when there is peace and joy within you. To these I might humbly add…
9. Travel somewhere different, even an hour or two away, to get a different perspective on things. All the color in those fabulous pictures from what looked like India and Nepal, reminded me of how vibrant the colors themselves are, and how refreshing it is to see things from the eyes of a completely different culture, and to be given the freedom to release our own mindset by being in a completely different setting
10. practice random acts of kindness to strangers. This could just be an extension of your ‘Give to Others’ section, but is specifically about giving to people you don’t know. There’s just something incredibly magical about witnessing the joy of an unexpected gift in the hands of a new friend…
Would you agree? 🙂
Love, S.
Satya, those are fantastic additions! There is nothing like going to an unfamiliar place to get a new perspective on things. However, one must remain present and open for this to be successful. After all, wherever we go, we bring our state of mind. I too was captured by the cultural aspect of the pictures. I must credit Arvind for finding them.
I completely agree with your take on random acts of kindness towards strangers. It it is a reminder that all of us on this earth are all connected. Take care
Dear Lisa,
Your beautiful tips are a wonderful reminder of how to enjoy a wonderful life, moment by moment. While they may seem deceptively simple, the power in these tips are life transforming.
Thanks for a lovely reminder.
Hugs,
Lauren
Hi Lauren. Thanks for stopping by. Glad you found them helpful. Sometimes it’s the simple things that matter most. 🙂 My position is that if we keep coming back to these simple things, our lives won’t become complicated.
I enjoy each color you listed here! Life is too short to be tied to electronics day and night. I’m taking more breaks and having more fun.
Hi Tess,
Thanks for the visit. LOL. Yes, I agree. Being tied to too many electronics all the time is a sure way to burn out. It is only after unplugging (literally) that we can recharge.
tip 2 is excellent advice. in todays world whenever something happens to somebody they look for someone to blame and want something in compensation instead of just an apology.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree, we have got to start taking responsibility for our actions and the results they produce. Blaming someone else and not apologizing when you hurt someone are sure ways to stunt your personal growth.
now to figure a way to remember these 8 things daily! a great reminder, thank you! 🙂
Hi Tania,
The good thing is that the more we do each of these things, the more they will become a part of us. It can be summed up in this quote by Charles C. Noble: “First we make our habits, then our habits make us.” Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Lisa, this is all wonderful. I agree with you wholeheartedly re. women being taught to be self sacrificing. Perhaps its the nurturing instinct in females be it birds, animals humans which puts food on their own plate last, leaves the last biscuit for someone else etc. As you righhtly identify we can end up living less than colourful lives in shades of grey. no. 4 is a good starting point. it realy does all start with the relationship we have with ourselves. Thank you for remining me.
Hi Fiona,
Great. I do think some of it is a nurturing instinct; however a lot of is is learned and reinforced through training. I can’t tell you how many social gatherings that I have been to where the women are expected to serve. I am not saying that we shouldn’t sacrifice our needs for someone else sometimes, I am just saying that we need to take care of ourselves and not always eat the crumbs. Anyone else have thoughts on this?
#8. Ask for help…
This idea resonates with me. I would add ask for help from unexpected people. I am amazed at the insight I’ve received from people who aren’t necessarily “expert.”
Cheers,
Corinna
Hey Corinna,
Great point! We can learn something from everyone, including “non-experts.” What really amazes me (and it really shouldn’t), is the number of strangers that have helped me along the way. People helping people makes for a nice world. 🙂
Lisa! So nice to see you out here hustling!
These are all excellent points, and I have to say, I have been living most of them at least some of the time. I still have my moments… fewer and farther between these days.
Thanks for touching base. -d
Hey Dave,
Thanks for stopping by. Good to see you here. 🙂 Great! Yes, I find that the more I do each one of these things, the further apart my “moments” become. Hope all is super well with you.
As always, thank you.
Lisa,
This post sure added colors and smile on my face! gratitude and giving to others is huge way to boost happiness in our lives as well. Thanks for colorful day.
Hi Preeti,
Glad I could help make you smile. Sometimes we tend to make life a lot more complicated than it it needs to be. Helping someone who has more needs than we do is a sure way to put things into perspective. When you give to others, you give to yourself.
Lisa, I love the colorful pictures. They are such a contrast to the way most American’s dress and look! This was a great wake up article that made me think twice about my routines. I’m a lover of silence and reflection myself. And nature – so much color in nature! Thank you.
Hi Sandra. Thanks for stopping by. I have to give Arvind the credit for selecting the pictures, but yes, they are beautiful–and I like the cultural aspect to them too. There is a lot of color in nature, but it takes slowing down to see how vibrant and alive it is. I too am a big fan of silence. One of my most favorite things to do is to run in our national park. Just me and nature.
I love how some of the suggestions here are outward actions while others are more inward reflection. It’s that balance that appeals to me and I think it helps us to look on the brighter side when we practice both good self care and extending that same care to others. Nicely done, Lisa! 🙂
Hi There,
Thanks for pointing that out! I must admit that it wasn’t intentional. I was just writing what spoke to me. But now that you mention it, I can see that, and I like it too. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we won’t have much to give to others. 🙂
Hi Lisa,
I love color–thank you for the lovely tips..Now I’m working on adding in texture 🙂 I have my daily blank canvas decorated with the basic, now I’m allowing for magic and flair..and enjoying every moment of this creation 🙂
Hi Joy.
Thanks for stopping by. Adding texture–I love the sound of that!! Very creative. True, we can start each day with the kind of canvas that we like, including one with the “basics”. It is up to us to decide what we add on it. It is important to enjoy the process, as well as the end result. Magic and flare are great brushes to paint with. Continue to enjoy your creation. 🙂
Another thing I might add is to do something different every day. This can be the simplest of actions–like driving a different route to work, or stopping into a new coffeeshop for your latte. When my life starts feeling stale, I remind myself to do this. It is great for writers like me and other creative types, too.
Great addition! Too often we get stuck in a rut. It is good to shake things up now and then by doing something different or something out of our comfort zone.