Why do we need simple life goals?
Because the world is full of people trying to sell you the next best thing – whether that’s an idea, a physical object, or a lie.
One of the biggest lies floating about (especially on the internet) is that we need to complicate our lives and have an unending to-do list filled with goals that we MUST achieve — preferably by the end of the year.
When the end of the year rolls around, we feel triggered when we see others succeeding and overwhelmed about the next year because we haven’t achieved what we wanted.
But every big goal you want to achieve starts by doing something simple consistently.
If you want more money — there are smaller goals like self-education, waking up early, being more mindful, etc., that will help you achieve that.
If you want better health — then there are simple goals like making a better breakfast, reducing alcohol, and getting more sleep that lead to that goal.
In this post, I’ll share 10 simple life goals to strive towards that will take you closer to the big wins you want to get.
Table of Contents
1. Self-Education
A simple life goal that’s often overlooked is self-education. Tim Denning (one of my favorite online writers) sends a badass weekly newsletter where he discusses this topic.
The smartest people in the world self-educate. They didn’t just go to high school or college and call education quits; they never stopped learning.
They do this by reading more books (from different genres), watching better YouTube videos, taking online courses (that they pay for), and they always find new material to study, even while scrolling through Twitter.
Why should you make self-education one of your simple life goals this year?
- You diversify your skills. When you’re obsessed with learning, you pick up new skills. As a result, you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Plus, these skills could lead to a new career or side hustle.
- You realize your untapped potential. People don’t realize their true potential because they’re stuck in a non-learning fixed mindset.
- You think differently from your peers. This gives you a competitive advantage and puts you a mile above the rest in whatever you do.
- You discover who you are. Until you explore different ideas and figure things out by yourself, you can’t learn about yourself. You discover your hidden talents and buried dreams and start taking on new challenges. I would have never taken writing seriously if I hadn’t learned about blogging first. Seeking that information made me realize that that was what I was meant to do. Self-educate to self-discover.
- Self-education is easy. The biggest benefit of self-learning is that you can do it at your own pace. There’s no teacher standing behind you with a stick waiting for you to submit an essay. You can learn on the subway, in a coffee shop, while eating breakfast at home, or in the bathroom. There are no restrictions, yet you unearth so much knowledge about yourself and the world.
- It can lead to a new career or passion. Besides the subjects we were forced to take in school, most of us didn’t explore other areas. But self-education knows no boundaries. And in the process, you learn about different fields and may discover a new passion – that could lead to a unique career opportunity.
Here are a few ways to self-educate:
Read More Non-fiction
Whether you read fiction or non-fiction, reading can change your life. However, most of us are stuck reading the same recommended books.
For example, most people have read “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,” “The Alchemist,” or “The 4-Hour Workweek,” for instance.
And while these books are undoubtedly transformative, we start to sound and think like everyone else.
If you want new ideas and insights, you should find the rare gems that nobody else is reading and switch out of your usual genres.
Related Post: 13 Easy Ways to Develop a Lifetime Reading Habit
Pay for Self-Education
Free courses are great! YouTube masterclasses are fantastic! But when you pay for a course, you become accountable and more motivated to derive results from it.
Luckily, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. Most online courses are quite affordable, leaving you without worrying about student debt.
Plus, you can access thousands of courses on marketplaces like Skillshare, Udemy, Coursera, etc., for a fraction of the price.
Make Time for Learning by Reducing Phone Usage Time
We don’t self-educate because we think there’s no time. However, we spend an awful amount of time on inconsequential platforms like Netflix and Twitter.
Download a digital well-being app (like StayFree) that tracks your phone usage time. This will show you exactly how much time you’re wasting in a day. For me, it was 5 hours.
Now imagine using just half that time to go through a course or read a potentially life-changing book.
Related Post: How to Successfully Do a Social Media Detox So You Can Feel More Alive
Make Learning a Daily Habit
Don’t self-educate just once a week or a month. Include it in your daily routine. Set aside just 30 minutes to one hour a day for learning.
2. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a term that’s used a lot. But what does it mean to be mindful?
Put simply, it means “being present.”
Here’s an example of what it’s like to not be mindful:
Right now, my brain is jumping from editing this post to a new idea for the next post. Plus, I’m thinking about what to make for lunch while also wondering if the pain I feel in my gut means anything serious.
I guess you could say that I’m mindful about not being mindful.
A huge problem occurs when you don’t practice mindfulness: You’re never satisfied or happy.
When most of your life is lived by worrying about the future, overthinking the past, and stressing over little things, how can you possibly be content with what you have? You’ll always be anxious and never grateful.
We also forget that everything to come is influenced by everything we do now. So, if we can just focus on doing our best now, won’t the best come as a result?
Here are a few ways to make mindfulness one of your simple life goals:
Journal More
Journaling keeps you grounded in the present. I’ve experienced this over the last 30-odd days that I’ve taken journaling as a serious habit.
When I’m journaling, I’m thinking about how I feel right now. Yes, I might write about the past and future, but I’m still grounded in the present.
If you aren’t a fan of journaling, try it out for seven days.
Deep Breathing
Take it from someone who has anxiety – if breathing can keep you alive, it can rescue you from overthinking and worrying.
When you find the world too heavy, close your eyes for 30 seconds and concentrate on your breath filling up your lungs. This simple daily habit can lure you back to the present and take the world’s burdens (literally) off your chest.
Bring More Peace into Your Daily Life
Bringing peace into your life has more to do than just meditation.
It means:
- Observing without reacting
- Seeing everyone else as human too – this eases frustration and anger with other people
- If you’re having a bad day, think, “this too shall pass”
- Not comparing your journey to someone else’s
- Being happy for others when they succeed
- Stop giving others control over your peace
- Showing yourself more compassion
3. Make Better Health Choices
Health is a big life goal for many. It’s a priority even before money and relationships.
However, living a healthy lifestyle comes down to making simple healthy choices every day.
Do an Honest Account of Your Health
Doing an account of your health means being mindful of your body and how it feels.
Some questions you can ask are:
- How do I feel in the mornings and afternoons?
- When doing a body scan, what’s one area of my body that scares me the most?
- Is there any pain that flares up after eating certain foods?
For example, I sit for almost 9 hours a day and feel like I’m getting more hunched. My neck and back protest nearly every day. A solution would be to do more yoga, stop slouching, and maybe break up my workday with walking breaks.
Another area that stands out for me is my irritable bladder. However, after switching to herbal tea from caffeinated black tea, it feels a lot better.
Most people just go through the motions and aren’t focused on how their bodies feel. That’s why so many illnesses slip under the radar.
Take notice of how your body feels, and then you can make the necessary changes to improve it.
15 Minutes of Exercise
I often look at people in gym clothes and think that one day I’ll get a gym membership and be healthy too.
However, you can be healthy by doing 15 minutes of exercise a day whether that’s yoga, basic cardio, weights, or a dance workout.
Eat Easy, Yet Nutritious Meals
The harder your meals are to make or purchase, the more resistance you’ll feel to consume them, and you’ll be tempted by something unhealthy.
This is where meal planning and preparing food in advance really help.
4. Give More
Most people are selfish. But enriching yourself gets old quickly.
Make giving one of your simple life goals. Our lives will be empty if we don’t use the skills and means we have to at least show up for others. It’s called “being human.”
I’ve seen too many self-absorbed people, and despite having everything, these people have nothing. It’s only when you give back that you get back.
Here are a few ways to give more:
- Donate to an organization/charity you feel passionate about.
- Be kind to strangers, especially those less fortunate than you. This develops your character and gives you more gratitude for your life.
- Help people without expecting anything. This one’s harder because most of us are wired in a “me, myself, and I” mindset. But doing something without expecting anything makes you feel wholesome.
- Lend support or an emotional ear to a friend.
- Gift something small or send a letter to a loved one without waiting for an occasion.
There’s a reason why helping others is an excellent antidote to depression and other mental health problems:
- It teaches you gratitude. Mental health issues thrive on ungratefulness. They wait for you to feel like nothing is on your side.
- You’ll feel better about yourself (increased self-worth). It stimulates dopamine, giving you a positive rush.
5. Wake Up Early
I spent 95% of my time at home this year, studying and working. And it wasn’t all great because I let myself go.
I had so much freedom and no timetable. I woke up late, which meant I slept late.
And every time I woke up late, I felt more tired and depressed.
Waking up late made me hate myself because I KNEW that I was wasting my day. Soon those days add up, and before you know it, you’ve wasted six months.
Remember, you don’t have to wake up at 5 am to get an early start. I’ll never be able to do that because my DNA just doesn’t work that way.
Wake up at a time that’s reasonable for you. My ideal wake-up time is 7:30 (not super early, but still early enough.)
Instead, I continuously woke up at 10 am and felt like sh*t every time I did. Yet, I couldn’t stop because my body had adjusted to those times. I would only feel sleepy at 2 am; therefore, 10 am made perfect sense for my body to wake up.
Here’s how I fixed my wake-up time:
Readjust Your Sleep Cycle by Ripping Off the Band-Aid
Most people say to wake up early gradually. Set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier every day for a few weeks. But I think this is a waste of time. Because if you do it gradually, there’s a likelihood you will just relapse.
Instead, sleep at whatever time you normally do and then wake up at your desired time. Your sleep cycle will automatically readjust.
The one caveat though, is that you will feel tired during the day. However, you must refrain from taking a nap. Remind yourself that your sleeping schedule will always be screwed if you give in to the temptation to nap.
Wake Up as Soon as Your Alarm Clock Goes Off
Ignore the snooze button like you would an ex-boyfriend.
Not the easiest task, but if you remember all the hurt it can cause you, it becomes effortless.
Related Post: How to Stop Hitting the Snooze Button in the Morning
Keep Your Most Exciting Task Planned for the Morning
If you have a boring or difficult task first thing in the morning, you’re going to stay comfortable in bed.
So, keep the task you’re most looking forward to for the morning.
For example, I like working on my blog more than I enjoy studying. So, I’ll schedule my blogging-related tasks first in the day.
Use the 1,2,3 Up Method
If you lie in bed and stew in your thoughts about how comfortable you are, you will sleep for a few more hours.
Instead, don’t give yourself the opportunity to do that. Count to 3 and get out of bed.
Think about All the Things You Can Accomplish If You Wake Up Early
There’s no doubt that waking up early can completely revolutionize your day.
Completing your most difficult tasks early in the day is a reward on its own. And an early start means a longer-feeling day, which gives you more time to accomplish the things you want.
You’re also in a healthier mindset when you wake up early.
I tend to feel physically and mentally lethargic when I wake up late – and more prone to depressive thoughts. Yet, when I wake up early, I have energy that even I can’t explain.
Related Post: 13 Calm Ways to Start Your Day With a Positive Mindset
6. Let Go of Things, People, and Circumstances that Don’t Serve You
Often, we have a clear plan for achieving what we want. But we fail to see the people around us that stop us from getting there.
This might be a toxic boyfriend, boss, or friend.
So, make it one of your simple life goals to let go of the people who bring you down.
I once let a man determine how happy or sad I was. I gave him control of my thoughts, feelings, and days. I didn’t work on my blogging goals at all that year. I just fell off the bandwagon.
But when I stopped giving him that control, everything else aligned for me. I no longer care what he thinks, does, or says. I’m just being me, without apology.
Similarly, worrying about circumstances that you don’t have control over is pointless and hinders your personal growth journey.
There are so many things that can go wrong in a day. But how many of them do you have control over? If the answer is “not many” then you shouldn’t be allowing those things to disturb your mindset.
When you find yourself worrying about a certain person or situation, ask yourself if this is what you really need. Is it making you feel better or worse? If it’s the latter, say goodbye to it and move forward.
Declutter your living spaces – whether that’s your bedroom, study area, or kitchen.
There’s a proverb that I grew up listening to that goes something like this, “You came into this world with nothing, and you’ll go with nothing too.”
Objects don’t hold value and will rot away with time. Yet we treasure them with our lives. Moreover, we don’t afford ourselves the same respect and love that we give to these physical possessions…
Please don’t feel bad to throw things away or donate them. You’ll feel physically lighter.
Related Post: Sometimes You Need to Let Things Go (6 Least Painful Ways to Do That)
7. Be Happier in Your Own Company
If you’re happy being alone, that means you’re happy with who you are – which most people can’t say.
That’s why we’re suffering through another global pandemic, loneliness. People feel the need to be around others because they’re afraid of themselves. They don’t want to confront their negative emotions, fears, and broken expectations.
But here’s the catch… until you confront the “flawed” parts of you and accept yourself as you are, you’ll always be starved for attention and connection.
Powerful people enjoy their own company. And here are a few ways to do that:
Do Things That Are Good and Wholesome for You
Stay away from your phone, exercise more, take more walks, engage in your hobbies, etc.
Schedule Time for Self-Care
Self-care doesn’t mean doing face masks and painting your nails. It means being present with yourself.
Sit in a quiet room and let your thoughts wander. Or journal.
If you can’t carve out at least an hour a day for yourself, you’ll never be able to make time for anything or anyone else.
Also, take some time off work to just do nothing. These days are important to recharge and reset.
Related Post: How to Enjoy Your Own Company and Why It’s So Important
8. Focus More on The Relationships That Help You Grow
I always thought my family was an inconvenience – people I had to be nice to. Until I hit rock bottom and the only people who supported me were not my friends, but the very family whom I didn’t care about. Now, I make an effort to spend enough time with them.
I even have it on my to-do list to call them. They deserve that much from me.
Stop giving your everything to people who wouldn’t support you in tough times.
Instead, foster deeper relationships with the people who not only lend you emotional support but also help you grow.
Schedule time to meet them. Make plans first. Make them feel special by buying them a small token.
Your gestures don’t have to be big; it just needs to show your appreciation.
It’s a long life, and if you can have 2 or 3 supportive people in your corner, it makes the journey more bearable.
9. Be Grateful for the Little Things
We’re inundated with everyone else’s lives on the internet. Even if things are going great in yours, it’s so easy to hate it because everyone else looks more successful and has a better car, salary, and relationship than you.
One of the platforms that affected me this year was LinkedIn. LinkedIn should be called DisconnectOut to me. I freaking loathe it.
Despite hating the corporate lifestyle, I felt jealous of people moving to new jobs with boring titles and even boring companies. Why? Because social media has a way of making your life look small in comparison to everyone else.
Now, I check my LinkedIn twice a week just to keep updated with any connection requests. But I’m done getting lost in the feed.
LinkedIn is just one platform that can make you feel hopeless – and God knows there are so many others. I wonder what the mental health of the latest generation is going to look like when they’re in their teens and beyond.
But gratitude is a lifejacket that can pull everyone (both young and old) out of deep waters.
If you practice daily gratitude, you appreciate the things you’ve been overlooking. And you feel like the luckiest person alive.
The happiest people in the world are the ones who are grateful for what little they have.
I’ve seen it in my daily life. I know the most successful people on paper — they have everything from money to cars to a beautiful home to the best view. Yet, they aren’t content with what they have because they don’t practice gratitude.
Related Post: How to Be Grateful for Your Life (Especially When It’s Not Perfect)
10. Sleep Better
Getting better quality sleep is a goal that I’ve been trying to achieve for the last five years.
I vow to myself every morning that I’m going to sleep at a reasonable time. However, I end up channeling my inner vampire (without the blood-sucking.)
Reasonable advice says to switch devices off two hours before bed, limit caffeine intake, meditate, and blah blah. And these are great in retrospect – but hard to implement (at least for me).
My advice is to sleep at whatever time you normally do and then wake up at your desired early wake-up time. It’s the only way to reset your routine.
Final Thoughts on Simple Life Goals
And there you have it – 10 simple life goals that are achievable. Make them your bit*ch this year. I am too.
- Self-education
- Mindfulness
- Better health choices
- Give more
- Wake up early
- Let go of what doesn’t serve you.
- Enjoy your own company
- Focus on the relationships that make you grow
- Practice gratitude
- Improve your sleep quality
Are there any simple life goals that I’m missing out? Let me know in the comments.