There are so many self-proclaimed experts, articles, books and quotes on quality of life…but what is it really?

I’m not one of those self-proclaimed experts on the matter, but I’ve learned on my journey that the quality of our life is not equivalent to our standard of living. Here’s what I mean by that…I went on a missions trip to Panama and these people, from our myopic American perspective, had nothing…but they were some of the happiest people I’ve ever met. Of course many would argue that income can have a marginal effect on your quality of life, but that alone isn’t the full picture. Just look at some of the “rich” celebrities and you will soon discover that they are some of the most miserable people.

There are certain ways that we can influence the quality of our life in a positive way. The material stuff that most of us pursue are obviously more tangible than increasing happiness, health, or vitality. But how about the rest of it?

How about seeing life as an opportunity, eating healthier, pursuing your purpose, becoming more self-reliant, having an attitude of gratitude, doing something bold, spending time in daily prayer, spending time with your loved ones, doing anything outdoors and not stressing out about things, or fill in the blank _____________.

I can definitely include most of the items listed, but here are three things I’ve done recently that have also increased my quality of life in a positive way.

1) I gave up coffee.

Every morning I would take a detour into my local Dunkin Donuts or Cumberland Farms, wait in line and pick up a medium iced coffee with light cream. Living in New England, I had no problem drinking iced coffee all year round. Then late afternoons, during the work week, I would fill up again on a cup of Joe for that last mile kick. All in all, I would consume 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day and it didn’t stop on weekends. This was pretty much my ritual since I picked up the taste of coffee.

Today, caffeine is America’s most popular drug and is advertised as an energy-boosting, focus-enhancing wonder supplement without any downside. Marketing at its finest 😉

Then one day, I felt impressed to give up all the caffeine I was consuming. I’m really not sure why; the idea just kind of came to me, and I figured it would give me a better quality of life in the long run. I didn’t slowly decreased my daily intake over some time period – I quit cold turkey. Truth be told…I was in a fog for about two weeks during my caffeine detox, but once the caffeine was out of my system; I felt better, I was more regular in the throne room (hey, what can I say), I slept better, I was less irritable and I’m saving more money!

Now on my ride into work, I take along a large container of lemon and cucumber water…and it’s delicious!

2) I took up gardening.

I don’t know about you, but as I’m getting older, I’m more focused on what I’m putting in my body. I look for Non-GMO foods, I get milk from the farm, I only buy free range eggs (raising chickens is in my future), I take a daily dose of garlic and I buy most of my meat from a reputable butcher.

Should be obvious, but growing and having access to fresh unprocessed food right in your backyard is a major plus! I’ve learned that gardening is also relaxing and is good for your mind, body, and soul. Once we have a good crop, we want to learn how to pickle and jar our vegetables. Soon our pantry shelves will be filled with the many-colored fruits of our harvest: jars of tomatoes and beans, a bunch of delicious onions and garlic, colorful squashes…and tucked away from light and moisture, bins of sustaining potatoes, garlic, carrots, etc.

Some other benefits of gardening include; reducing stress, keeps your mind sharp, sense of accomplishment, helps you sleep better because it’s a lot of work and it keeps you young. As we age, diminishing strength in our hands can gradually narrow the range of activities that we enjoy and gardening keeps our hand muscles agile.

Here’s what we did. Hung out at our local Agway getting to know the gardening experts, picked up a copy of The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, built a nice big raised garden, filled it with dirt (got to play around with a Case Skid Steer…very cool) and began our gardening journey.

3) I got rid of cable.

Being a child of the 70’s and 80’s, TV was not the center of my universe. My mother would make us breakfast and send us on our way, reminding us to be home when the street lights came on. We had a TV set, but my parents dictated that we couldn’t watch it during the day (they really had it right back then). When I was a bit older and home alone after school, everything changed, because it was too easy to drop down on the sofa with the remote in hand and fade away into TV land. Technology started creeping into society and yup, then cable TV became a steady companion.

So yes, I recently dumped cable and haven’t regretted it at all!

Cutting the cord has some advantages (some my own personal opinion). You save a lot of money each month, no more surfing the channels on the couch, the social benefits of healthier relationships, you can read more books, you can enjoy streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video or Netflix, and you can get your news/weather digitally (in my opinion the mainstream media is junk).

Start with a solid internet connection and pick your favorite streaming option(s). I went with the Amazon Fire Stick w/ Alexa voice remote, check it out. Works even better if you have an Amazon Prime account.

Most major networks will let you watch content that’s a week behind, so if you’re patient – no problem. Need your local news? …again, no problem because most live stream. If they don’t, check out NewsON or look for a live stream on YouTube. For other options, check out this article from a good friend of mine!

Have you had it with cable? When are you going to cut the cord and start saving on your monthly bill?

I don’t know about you, but I’m all for better quality of life, or getting back to the simple life. So let’s bring it all back into the huddle.

It’s never too late to make positive choices in favor of a better quality of life. If you’ve been thinking about it…remember that thoughts become words, words lead to actions, and actions become habits. Give your attention to gratitude, prosperity, relationship, hard work, goals, staying fit, eating better, and getting a good night’s rest.

Take some time today to disconnect and recharge in a way that doesn’t involve some technology or anything work related and let a better quality of life become your habit.