7-Day Lifestyle Makeover

I like my lifestyle. Scratch that, I love my life!

Taken at Isola, Hong Kong. Photography by Tom Epperson

In my early 30’s, I started becoming more self-aware and being attuned to people and my environment. I also listed down some of my dreams, goals and aspirations in life and made efforts in taking steps (a.k.a. hard work) in achieving them. My mantra: one task at a time. Over time, I saw results. It’s a nice feeling.

I am at a point in my life where I feel that I am reaping some of the “good life” from years of investing in improving every aspect of my life. It’s not the perfect life, but I’m perfectly happy with it.

I believe in lifestyle makeovers. They help improve ones life. Below are my tried and tested list of simple but powerful ways in having a positive life.

Day 1: No TV or radio for a day. For as much as I love watching TV, home movies and listening to the radio (especially when I’m driving) they can be distractions to everyday living. It’s easy to flop onto a couch or watch TV in bed and tune out to the world. For one day, concentrate on participating in life. Not watching TV forces me to read, spend quality time with family and friends or just being alone with my thoughts. Looking for other ways to relax can be therapeutic and productive at the same time.

Day 2: De-clutter your space. Start small. Conquer the clutter in one of your everyday spaces like the bathroom sink or your desk/cubicle. If you’re a stay-at-home mom, organize a bookshelf or a drawer that hasn’t seen the light of day.

Perfume tray to keep my scents organized. Photography by Tom Epperson

Baby steps are important. Sure, a small area won’t barely make a dent in your mountain, but it’s a start. Before you know it, you’ll have cleared a whole closet or a room and then half your house and then… who knows? This is what I tell myself while I’m unpacking 52 million boxes from our big move, haha! Learn to love the uncluttered look.

Remember: “Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony” – Albert Einstein

Day 3: Eat healthy & drink lots of water. For one day, eat only healthy meals and hydrate yourself. Make a salad (don’t douse it with salad dressing), eat some fruits, skip sugary desserts and drink 8 glasses of water. Food can affect one’s mood.

Day 4: Groom yourself. Get a mani/pedi, book a facial (try Facial Care Centre), get a haircut, go to a spa or do at-home beauty treatments and pamper yourself. You deserve it! Looking good is feeling good.

Day 5: Be selfless. Pay it forward for a day. Help out a friend or help with the house chores. You can also volunteer your time and help the needy. Make others your priority.

Day 6: Be delightful. Be pleasant and nice to everyone. Be mindful of words. No negative thoughts for a day and be the source of joy. People are attracted to positive energy. The easiest way is to smile.:)

Taken at L’ATELIER de Joël Robuchon, Hong Kong. Photography by Tom Epperson

Day 7: Take a walk. Everyone needs time to reflect. Walking is both therapeutic and good for the heart.

I believe that one can achieve true, sustained, health and happiness, by taking small, continuous, and, most importantly, gentle steps forward. Small, gentle steps mean incrementally adding things into your life (healthy foods, creativity, healthy relationships) in amounts that don’t add stress to our already stressful lives, and that can be sustained and only increased when we’re ready.

You don’t have to follow the list above step by step, you can mix it up but do one task a day. Build good habits by doing good everyday. I promise you, your life will change in the best possible way. It’s never too early or too late to start.

Shoppingero/shoppingera, are you excited to start?