10 Ways to Amplify Your Options Right Now

Sometimes it seems like making a change, shifting your perspective or elevating your mood (in other words, amplifying your options), takes so much effort, time or money. That doesn’t have to be the case, so I’ve compiled my favourite ways to amplify, almost instantly, for you.

1. Change the way you get somewhere. Usually drive? Take public transport. Catch the tube to work? Try a different line. Walk instead of the bus. Hop on a bike. Between shaking up your routine to seeing your city from a different perspective, who knows what will happen?
2. Say hi to the next stranger you see. Feel the fear rise, make eye contact, smile, say hi. Notice how you feel. You didn’t die, did you? But you practiced feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Winning.
3. Commit to something. Book that dance lesson (note to self). Sign up for that team challenge. Sponsor a child. Whatever it is you’ve been talking about for, well, maybe ever, now is your chance. Dip your toe in or dive right in for six months. Just commit.
4. Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with. Social media is the obvious route here but if you’re feeling particularly brave, pick up the phone or put pen to paper. In my experience, life may have gotten in the way but people still love to hear from you.
5. Make something. Create a vision board. Bake muffins. Make pasta from scratch. Paint. Get your creative juices flowing. Tap into that deep part of your soul that using your hands unlocks.
6. Raise your heart rate. Take the stairs. Drop and give me twenty. Dance around your living room. Five minutes or an hour, doesn’t matter. Feel the blood in your veins and feel your mood shift.
7. Hug someone. Feel your brain chemicals explode. Really go for it, hold on tight. Physical contact is essential to being human. The tough part of living on the other side of the world from my family (my built in source of hugs), is not enough, long proper hugs. Thankfully, I have awesome girlfriends and I ask them for extra hugs.
8. Speaking of asking, ask for something you need. Maybe you need downtime so ask to cancel your weekend plans. Or work is stressful and having someone cook you dinner is your highest idea of bliss right now. Or remove toxic people from your life. Sometimes the person you need to ask for what you need is yourself. Give yourself what you really need.
9. Pause. Breath in for 4 . 3 . 2 . 1. Hold it. And exhale 4 . 3 . 2 . 1. Repeat until your shoulders aren’t around your ears anymore. Close your eyes if it helps. Feel yourself center and relax.
10. Smell something. A smell can be a powerful mood shifter. Need energising? Get your hands on some peppermint or citrus. Lavender is famous for its calming properties for a reason. Inhale the smell of your dinner cooking. Take a big whiff of your significant other. Scent has the power to both bring us to the present moment and transport us. If I smell anything farm-y and close my eyes, I’m instantly back home.

Do you have any tips you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!