To start to change your life, there are simple and real ways to do it. In this list, I have gathered 63.5 explained ideas to change your life.

1. Set Goals

Setting goals is the best and effective way to change your life. If you ask people, 90% don´t know what they want in life. To read how to set your goals and getting them, read the article Self Help Motivation.

2. Write your purpose

Can you tell your life purpose? If you didn’t answer immediately, you haven’t figure it out. Think about what is your mission in life, what is the reason of you living. Is it about god, others, you? Think of your past experiences, what is the road you have walked? Where are you going? What I have learned in my life, is that the purpose is the pursuit, the road you walk. It is not about getting to a place, but the trip you do to get there.

3. Take a walk

This is great to clear your mind from all the problems, and to think about how to change your life. In other words, to think about your life. Go out, clear your mind, appreciate what you have, appreciate what you are doing. There will be no perfect moment, than now.

4. Forgive Yourself

Most of the issues people work on is on themselves. And the main cause is their inability to forgive themselves from actions or decisions they have taken. Go to a mirror, and tell yourself “I forgive you”, this may be what you have been needing.

5. Forgive Others

The second cause of problems is not forgiving others. Accept the following fact… You can’t change others! You just live your life, and let others make their mistakes. And while living, don´t get attach to what others say or do, focus on what you want in life.

6. Stop compaining

According to the Law of Attraction, you attract to your life what you think. So, if you are thinking “I hate people who asks me for money”, guess what? You are going to keep meeting with people who ask you for money! To learn more on how to attract what you want, download our free Law of attraction book.

7. Stay focused on the moment

Your mind tends to take you away from the now, and makes you think all the time about the past or the future. The only way to change your life is by staying on the present. Enjoy what you are doing right now, with the people you are with, and you´ll see how things start to change.

8. Take action

Nothing beats simply diving into a project, preferably something you’ve been wanting to do anyway. Getting lost in the doing is a smart way to transcend your mood and get something productive done, as well. Forget avoiding. Start doing.

9. Do a Litte Exercise

If you think about doing exercise, and never doing it, you won´t. But here is a solution to dramatically change your life: Think about doing a “little” exercise. Say you want to start running, then today, just go and run a “little”. You are not going to run 1 hour, maybe just 5 minutes. Achieving easy goals will actually help you achieve greater goals.

10. Volunteer

If you want a 360º change, think about helping others who actually “need it”. There are kids with cancer, old people with nobody to count on, poor people. You will feel more human than ever if you help others.

11. Sing

Feeling rage or anger? Scream your lungs with a song! It will take all that away, and will help you relax. Sure, someone will freak out, but it is a great way to relax and feel good again.

12. Meditate

This is an amazing technique to silence the mind, and be cool the rest of the day. It is not difficult, I´m always amazed when I hear this, because it is so simply, you will only take less than 5 minutes to feel in a state of calmness. Read how to meditate 101 in the article about overcoming depression.

13. Let go

Of material goods, of people, of limiting ideas and opinions, of negative emotions. Getting rid of the excess baggage leads to release and you feel light about life. Trust yourself, love yourself, accept not being in control and become aware of the abundance of the universe.

14. Try New Activites

Stop putting off doing what you have always wanted, and do it now! People who engage in a variety of experiences are more likely to retain positive emotions and minimize negative ones than people who have fewer experiences. Think of the easiest and cheapest activity you wanted to do for a long time, like visiting a museum, flying a kite, going to a party, and just do it.

15. Tell Stories

Talking about the good and bad things that happen can lead to happiness and to change your life. People tend to emphasize positive emotions and mitigate negative ones when telling a story, so it will make you feel good talking to friends or strangers about your story. It works best when there is a lot of audience diversity. It helps to tell the story many times to a variety of people.

16. Look at Fire

Native Americans used to look at fire to talk to the gods. It is more a way to empty your mind, and return to the moment. Try it, without burning your house, of course!

17. Watch a movie

Movies shift your feelings and thoughts and can be a powerful way to improve your mood. Watch cartoons. Whatever makes you feel relax and smiling.

18. Visualize

We can mentally simulate situations by remembering the past and visualizing the future. It’s a valuable tool and one that can lead to happiness when applied to specific goals. Many psychologists ask people to imagine or picture what they would like in their life, creating a mental state that makes the person think that it is achievable. It will make you more confident about your life´s path.

19. Learn to say No

Think before saying yes and learn to say no. This way you will develop healthy and meaningful relationships because it will not allow space for friction and conflict. There is increased self-respect; at the same time your self-esteem is enhanced, giving you control over your life and emotional well-being.

20. Pick up a hobby you have neglected

A hobby can change your life, it is good to relax your body and mind, to get you out of your head and in the moment. Some factors to think about is your time, money you want to invest, appitude and ability.

21. Laugh

As they say, laughing is the best medicine to cure you. People are 30 times more likely to laugh in groups than alone and, not surprisingly, laughter is associated with helping to develop person-to-person connections through a feedback loop characterized by laughter, social bonding and more laughter.

22. Smile

Based on the psychology that a person feels whatever emotion they are acting at the moment, you will probably feel better if you smile.And, like laughter, it’s contagious. If you smile, chances are that those around you will too.

23. Draw

Sometimes is good to express your feelings. Drawing is a fantastic way to take out what you have inside. You can paint watercolor or use pencils, draw whatever comes, a face, a place, even when you think it may suck, it is not about making a piece of art, but to express yourself.

24. Dettach

Consider this a spiritual exercise and learn to detach from your thoughts, feelings and body. Remember, you are not the actor of your movie, but the witness behind it all. Enjoy the show. Life is a play, my friend. It just seems real.

25. Think of God

People with strong religious faith are happier than those who are irreligious. Faith gives social support, a sense of purpose and a reason to focus beyond the self, letting you change your life in a spiritual sense.

26. Read a Self Development Book

There are many authors who write for people who start to change their lives. Wayne Dryer is one of my favorites, he has great books like Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life. If you are feeling depress, reading a self development book can be of great help. To learn how to choose the right book for you, read more the article on Law of Attraction Book.

27. Rehearse Situations

Use a pre-competition routine like the use of imagery and visualization before the event to create a positive vision of the competition and to see oneself attain pre-set goals. If there are situations that make you feel depress, visualize them before they happen, work what would you say, how would you act, and win in your mind.

28. Talk to Your Kid Inside

Keeping the child within alive will enable you to enjoy the little pleasures that come your way. It is about recapturing the magic of childhood, which is usually the happiest period of life. Also think about your teenage self, he or she may still need a lot of support, even when you are a grown up.

29. Manage Your Time

To manage time, prioritize, set realistic daily goals that fit into the bigger picture and some time might be recovered. Picture and imagine what you want to feel like in 3 to 5 years. Maybe set aside two nights in your calendar to focus on those things that you’d like to spend more time on. For free tools on how to organize your life, click here.

30. Time for yourself

Make a little time to be with yourself. Being with people all the time is not healthy for your mind. You need a time on your own, to think and to talk with your inner self. Take a walk or go to a beach by yourself, it is refreshing.

31. Learn From Your Past Experiences

Rely on experience. Reviewing an unproductive or unhappy event will reveal patterns suggesting how you can improve your behavior, attitude and ideas and ensure future success.

32. Think of Happy Memories

Scanning this memory bank and gleaning material that can be used to reinvent yourself to be happier is key. For example, someone who would like to change their life and become more altruistic can scan their past and know that they didn’t like Girl Scouts in elementary school. That person might consider giving money and time to a local group where they can socialize with people rather than mailing in a check to a distant organization.

33. Do Feng Shui

This is the art of bringing harmony into your life, by organizing your environment (your house). You can easily change your life by organizing your furniture, bringing natural elements in your house, and using colors. It will bring new positive energy to your life. Check on google for Feng Shui to do it correctly, don´t try to do it by your self.

34. Put the same time on your home and work

Work can get you far away from your family, which is a great source of a happy life. People who establish boundaries between work and home are more connected to their families and have less conflict than those who integrate the two.

35. Look at a Photograph

If the photograph is of a loved one, it can stimulate blood supply to the brain, says researcher Andreas Bartels from University of London. It also reduces chances of depression and listlessness.

36. Be Grateful

Psychologists found out that people who once a week wrote down five things they were grateful for were happier than those who did it three times a week. But, gratitude might not be for everyone. But if it is, another exercise is to think of a person who has been kind to you that you’ve wanted to thank — a teacher, mentor or parent — and write a letter, once a week to different individuals over two months. You don’t even have to send it to feel happier.

37. Sleep Over Your Goals

While trying to achieve a new goal, for best results stop practising before you feel frustrated and get some sleep. Recall and physical skills are enhanced by sleep. Here’s how: When tired of a routine, call it quits. Pushing beyond fatigue and frustration probably won’t yield any benefits.

38. Eat something

It’s comfort food when you reach for a meal when you aren’t really hungry and feel like crap, but food helps put you in the moment, shifts your serotonin levels, and makes your blood rush from your head to your stomach. Just don’t make this a habit.

39. Move Your Body

Moving allows you to get out some energy you had stored in your body and mind, and releasing it, to feel good. Dance. Play a sport. Work out as hard as you can. Take a walk so your stress will take a hike. Either way, physical motion can provide a rush of good energy that can lift a mood, be it anxiety or mild depression, and it’s a good way to keep healthy.

40. Open the Biblie

“When I am down, I go to the Gita”. This is a phrase from Gandhi. It doesn´t matter if you read the Coran, the Bagavad Ghita or the Bible, if you want tochange your life and don´t know how, go and open it wherever you feel, and read. Find a meaning. Let God tell you what to do.

41. Be Optimistic

Optimism is a learned skill and there are a variety of ways to acquire it. Three things that you can do to enhance your sense of optimism are tostraighten out your body before your emotions by keeping a straight body posture, taking big steps and walking quickly with your shoulders back and your head up. Second, change your tone of voice so that it is cheerful and full of energy. Third, use upbeat or happier words, such as “challenge” rather than “problem,” or think of “opportunities” rather than “losses.”

42. Think of Your Family Roots

Appreciating one’s culture creates and strengthens bonds with others who share that culture and also allows one to identify and appreciate cultural difference.

43. Take Herbal Medicine

There are great boosters of foods and plants that can help you change your life. It is all about changing your eating habits and using natural supplements to feel more energy and excitement. Click here for information on natural cures for depression and natural remedies for depression.

44. Listen to Music

Music activates parts of the brain that can trigger happiness, releasing endorphins similar to the ways that sex and food do. Music can also relax the body, sometimes into sleep as it stimulates the brain’s release of melatonin. Studies suggest that listening to their selection of music reduced their anxiety levels and lessened the dosage required for sedation.

45. Go to Nature

Sometimes you just need to be surrounded with nature to change and feel better. Go to a park, and take a simple walk, admire your surroundings, the trees, clouds, animals, water, and think about the miracle of life.

46. Love unconditionally

Everyone is here to learn and grow. If you are patient and accept people and yourself  ’as is’, you will love without any conditions or reservations. If all of us behave like that, the world will be a warmer, more affable place.

47. Think of your goals

Happiness can lead to success, rather than just the other way around. Happy individuals are predisposed to seek out new opportunities and set new goals. So, by thinking of your goals, you are attracting more like the success and a change in your life.

48. Give a Hug

When you hug someone, chemicals on your brain are released, which create a sensation of feeling good; often referred to as the “hormone of love” or the “cuddle chemical,” it is associated with feelings of bonding and trust, and can even manage stress.

49. Help someone

Small or big actions during the day, directed at friends or strangers, random acts of kindness make the person performing the kind act happier when they’re grouped together. Doing a considerate thing for another person five times in one day made the doer happier than if they had spread out those five acts over one week. So help someone today, even if it is simply to hold a door.

50. Call an old friend

When feeling alone, find someone. It is very useful, according to studies, to be with someone when deppresed. Call a relative or your friends. You don´t need to tell them about your problem, just try to be with someone.

51. Start Doing To-do lists

They are a good way to keep track of your tasks, aims and time. But these are tools to control stress, not raise it. To download free to do lists and more organization tools, click here.

52. Live like Denmark

Last year, the first world map of happiness was produced, and Denmark came out on top. The reason they are no. 1 is because they have shown low expectations for the coming events in their life. While there were other reasons that contributed to the satisfaction of the Danes, one thing is clear: the higher one’s expectations, the further they fall.

53. Write a Diary

Writing your thoughts on a diary can help you take out what you have in mind. I doesn´t matter if you write thoughts of anger, joy, depression or frustration. If you get a rutine of writing every night what you felt during the day, you will find you become more relaxed on life.

54. Be there for Someone

If you want to change your life, help someone. Be there, help even with the least effort. It doesn´t matter how much you do, but to actually do something.

55. Be a mentor

Help people with your experience and wisdom. You will feel so much better by teaching others all the things you know.

56. Education

Knowledge makes you want to learn more. And in certain moment, you start learning about yourself. Start by reading a book, take a course on what you are interested, and at some point, you may be want to go back to school.

57. Enter a contest

Challenge yourself. This will make you compete not with others, but with yourself. It will force you to prepare, to train your mind, body and spirit, and change your life.

58. Do Gardening

One of the oldest pastimes in the world, gardening, is regaining popularity for a new reason, the benefits that it has on our health. Mentally and spiritually, it cannot be beat as a stress reliever, mind cleanser and calming agent.

59. Stop watching the news

When you watch the news tonight; keep score of the number of positive stories versus negative stories, and see for yourself whether what I’m talking about is true or not. For the next week, I’d like you to stop watching the news and instead watch some comedy or some other show you like as long as it’s not depressing. I want you to take note of how you feel every night. You should feel a dramatic improvement at the end of the week.

60. Stop being a perfectionist

Perfectionism is comes from the way in which you think and particularly the way in which you talk to yourself in your mind. If you can change the way in which you talk to yourself, you can start to learn to demand less from yourself.

61. Go simplicity

Henry David Thoreau wrote in his most important book Walden, “Simplify, simplify, simplify” Living a simple life is not comforming, but taking what you have and appreciating it. Simplify, eat less, spend less, live more.

62. Check Your Photo Album

Reminding you of yourself when you were a baby, kid or teenager can bring memories, and allow you to remind you who you are. All the decisions you have taken, make you who you are now, so don´t regret, but enjoy.

63. Go outside

You may work a lot, or you may be doing home tasks. But it is always refreshing to go outside. Go to a place in nature, take a walk, go out and breath.

63.5. Go inside

Meditate, go deep inside you. Talk to yourself, talk your problems. There is always a solution, a choice to change your life.

I will be updating this list, and complement it with other articles. If you have any real suggestion on how to change your life, feel free to add your tip on the comment box.

photo credit: Bludgeoner86

About the Author

Anton Cela is a self development author and consultant. Phillip Cela is a recognized university teacher and speaker on motivation, leadership and self help. Find more about their work on “The Change Your Life Phenomenon”, a world-wide-movement to help people change their lifes at Change Your Life Phenomenon.com You can send us an email or follow “The CHYL Phenomenon” on Twitter.