Lifestyle: Paint Excitement Into Your Life

Paint Excitement Into Your Life

Routines provide us some structure and security, and we tend to like them, but they can and often do become ruts. As we approach the turn of the new year, it might be a good time to assess whether you need to add some spice to your life and ask more of 2024.

Make Plans

Half the fun of doing anything is anticipating whatever it is you plan to do, and research backs this up. According to a study by researcher Yangmei Luo and colleagues, the prefrontal cortex of the brain is activated during anticipation for positive events, and that brain activity is associated with increased levels of well-being. So when you are thinking ahead to 2024, consider making both long- and short-term plans that you find interesting, whether it’s going away for a long weekend, playing pickleball, or catching up with a friend for coffee once a month.

Practice Gratitude

Thanksgiving has passed, but gratitude is important year-round, and there are many ways to express that gratitude. Some people do it through prayer, while others choose deep breathing and other mindfulness techniques to help them focus on the things for which they are thankful. Many people like the idea of keeping a gratitude journal but find the idea of filling a notebook overwhelming. Fortunately, there are all kinds of readymade journals with prompts that don’t require extended writing time, such as The One-Minute Gratitude Journal by Brenda Nathan.

Meet New People

It is much easier to hunker down in our homes in winter than to get out and meet new people, but doing so has vast rewards. One of the best ways to meet new people is by volunteering, as having a shared interest provides a ready-made topic of conversation. But if you are really looking to expand your friend horizons, consider attending an event hosted by Interfaith Paths to Peace.

This local organization brings together people of different worldviews, religions, cultural heritages, and experiences in order to have meaningful connection and conversations, says Jud Hendrix, executive director. While this may sound a little intimidating, Jud says, “[We] are experts at curating conversations and creating spaces where you will be facilitated in your conversations.” Whether you opt to attend The Big Table, an annual event in September that is a large community potluck meal, the Peace Concert in the summer, or the weekly Wednesday Zoom meeting to discuss gun violence reduction, you’ll be expanding your understanding of your community and how you can positively impact it. The organization’s next event will be the Food Justice Summit on January 31, 2024, to learn about and discuss food security in our community.

Set Achievable, Fun Goals

Goal-setting can be really fun if we’re setting goals to do things that we enjoy. Jennie Mulhall makes it a priority to hike every Sunday during the year. “The goal is to be outside in nature moving my body,” she says. “The mental and physical benefits are a win-win.” She is willing to drive 30 minutes or less to find a place to hike and spends an hour or two outside. Melissa Weedman retired three years ago from her career as a speech therapist and says it took her a while to adjust to setting enjoyable goals that weren’t tied to a paycheck or a strict schedule. “I have really tried to get out of that ‘work/should/have to’ mentality,” she says. “I preached about being a lifelong learner my entire career, so I try to continue that now.” She joined the 52 Book Club to read 52 books over the course of a year and found, through trial and error, a great way to enjoy poetry: she reads a poem every Sunday and sits with that poem to mull it over and really consider its language and meaning.

Pamper Yourself

Pampering looks different depending on the person, but think about what helps you relax. Is it a massage? A new haircut? The smell of seasonal candles burning in your home? While it can be pricey, pampering doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. It could be purchasing a special lotion that you use once a week after a nice hot bath or shower, or buying a discounted arrangement of flowers at the grocery every two weeks to bring a smile to your face.

Declutter Your Space

December and the start of the new year is hectic for most of us, but it can be an opportune time to begin the process of renewing your space for 2024. Alison Moulder, the founder of Simplicity and Style, a local professional home organizing company, suggests, “As you put up your decorations, take the opportunity to declutter the main living spaces in your home.” She recommends having a specific box for unused or unwanted items and not secondguessing a decision to let items go.

Alison begins her consultations by asking clients to envision their ideal home, describing each specific room. “We ask: How do you want to feel when you come home at the end of the day? Do you want to walk into a cluttered mess or a place that feels calming and peaceful? What do you want to see? How do you want to feel when you open up the door to your bedroom? Closet? Pantry? This is the ‘vision’ that we want them to keep coming back to as we go through the home organizing process.” As you think about the new year, it might be beneficial to borrow these questions or even seek out a professional organizer to help you through the process.

Use Your Hands

You are never too old to learn a new skill, so consider doing something with your hands. There are all sorts of cool and fun classes to take in which you can improve your dexterity. If you’re musically inclined, consider taking a class at the Louisville Folk School. You can select from a variety of instruments, including the mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and West African drumming.

Maybe woodworking is something you’ve always considered doing. Ted Harlan Woodworking School in the Paristown neighborhood has beginner classes that get you immediately working with your hands while learning fundamental techniques. The Intro to Woodworking course has students make a Shaker-inspired coffee table.

A way to use your hands and add some green to your house is through a gardening class. Above the Dirt garden shop in Jeffersontown offers a variety of classes that are both informative and creative. In January 2024, a kokedama-building class is being offered that allows attendees to learn about Japanese botanical arts while crafting a cool plant display.

By Carrie Vittitoe

Winter 2023-2024 / Today's Transitions