I’m a firm believer that there are seasons in everyone’s life where their main focus should be on grinding and leveling up. They’re putting in the work to reach goals and new levels knowing that what comes after is something new. On the flip side, I don’t think life is ALL about the level up. Sometimes, it’s important or necessary to stop and smell the roses. I’m not one to stay stagnant for long, but there is something to be said about taking a break.

For me personally, I like to put my head down and grind for a stint of time. Then, I like to stop, take a break (actually, a vacation) and then get back to the next goal. Because of this practice, I’ve been able to achieve a lot in life. While periods of grinding aren’t always simple, I’ve found a few other simple ways to continuously grow in life. I want to share them with you, to inspire and encourage. I also want to remind myself that I don’t always have to work hard to level up.

I think self-awareness and continuously going deeper with my thoughts and emotions has made a big difference in my life. I listened to the audiobook The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and it totally transformed the way I think. I started recognizing my own consciousness. Working with a therapist allowed me to continue that work even further.

Therapists (or even coaches) are trained to ask the questions that most people don’t even think about. Those questions shed light into the way a person thinks and acts. Putting a light on those things has allowed me to grow and improve, both internally and externally. I’ve come to learn that leveling up your life starts from within. Fortunately, there are resources that can help you tap into that.

Another simple way I’ve leveled up my life is by getting outside more. Whenever I’m feeling anxious or stressed out, I get outside and go for a walk. Breathing in the fresh air, feeling the breeze, and listening to the birds chirping is one of the best ways to improve my mood and productivity.

I like to start each weekday with a 2-mile walk at my local park (which is completely free, by the way). I also take my dogs on daily walks. This time out in nature allows me to calm my emotions, process my thoughts, and appreciate this beautiful world God has created. It also helps me prioritize my health and moving my body! Double win!

The final simplistic way I’ve leveled up my life is by setting goals. Once again, setting goals costs nothing, but the value is infinite! There’s a saying out there that goes something like this: “If you stop learning, you’ve died.” I believe that to mean that growth and knowledge is never-ending. If it does end, there is nothing more to live for.

Setting goals will always be a life-long process for me and I have zero doubts it has tremendously contributed to how my life has turned out. And while I’ll never give up setting goals, I do want to be more mindful of taking the time to recognize and appreciate how far I’ve come. I think this may be the next thing that helps me level up my life. I’ll have to circle back in a year and see what kind of difference it has made!

I don’t know about you, but it can be tempting for me to work on all of the things, all at once. However, that doesn’t always work the way it’s intended to. When you have 10 things you’re working on, you can realistically only give 10% of your focus and effort to each. I’ve come to learn that taking it one or two areas at a time is the sweet spot for working on goals. Anything more and I’m only delaying my progress.

I hope that sharing some of the simple ways I’ve leveled up my life encourages you to think about your own life and what you’ve done to get where you are. There’s always more to go, so let’s appreciate where we’ve come from and where we’re headed! Can you share any simple ways you’ve found to grow in life? I’d love to hear them!