Key things you can do to create a better life

When you reach your senior year in high school, you begin to make key decisions that will have a significant impact on your future.

For the first time, the path you take is not all lined up for you. Instead of attending the local high school, you are going to have to choose your college or university. Rather than taking a prescribed set of classes, you’ll be thinking about what your academic major might be. 

When you head off to college, you’ll find that everything is different, and you’ll have to adjust to a new city, a new school, a new place to live and new friends. As you go through this period of intense transition, you need to take advantage of the opportunity that comes with change. When you leave the known behind you have a powerful opening to create your future and put new ways of being in place.

In college, you’ll have more free time and freedom to discover and explore just who you want to be. It’s important that you use this time to forge your future and set your life up in the right way.

Get your college degree

College is expensive these days, but study after study leads to the money you invest in education pays off in the future. With a degree, you’ll qualify for better positions and receive higher pay. People with only a high school diploma have average earnings of $38,000 per year. With an undergraduate degree, your income jumps to around $64,000.

One of the best ways to pay for your higher education is to sign up for a student loan from a private lender. You can find out how much money you can borrow by going online, and your credit score will not be impacted at all. Private student loans are typically available from banks, credit unions and finance companies.

Learn how to reduce stress in your life

When you become an adult, you find that you have to handle a lot of stressful things in life. First, you are going through major changes as you move to a new location, new school and have to leave your friends behind. After you graduate, you’ll have to find the right job, rent a new place and probably move to a new town too.

Monthly finances are always a stressor too. You can add years to your life and improve your quality of living if you learn how to reduce stress. Take some time to find out what works best for you, and make use of these techniques every day. For some people, silent meditation brings them to a calm, peaceful center. Other people find that guided meditation and imagery helps them slow their mind and learn to relax.

Spend time in nature every day

Another way to boost your health and take care of your body and soul is to spend time in nature each day. When you walk in a beautiful place outdoors, it has a calming and soothing effect. Your natural rhythms are reset and the hectic; jarring energy of the day is replaced by the peacefulness of the natural world.

As you enjoy a tranquil natural scene, your cares can drift away and you can begin to feel good again. Time in nature clears the mind, and can also give you more clarity around what is going on in your world. By spending time in nature every day, you’ll help keep your body healthy and will live a longer, better life.

Photo by Cristina Gottardi