In this day and age, we all love surfing the web. There's an unlimited flow of information, photos, blogs, tweets, status updates, news articles, and so on... But how much is too much? What happens when the internet becomes exhausting and you find that hours of your life are being whittled away into cyberspace? I've created a handy dandy guide for those in need of, well, something to do. Read it and take action, folks!
1.
Start a blog! One of my main inspirations for creating a blog was to stop wasting countless hours on Facebook and other mindless social networking sites. I wanted to add meaning to my life instead of taking it away. Nobody cares that you "went grocery shopping today." Write something people will actually care about. Spill your secrets. Speak your mind. Give the blogging world a peek into your lovely brain. It's your blog, so do whatever the hell you want with it!
2.
Do yoga. I swear by this. Take 10 minutes out of your oh-so-busy schedule and let the wonders of yoga into your life. Yoga comes in tons of different variations and difficulty levels, so your bound to find a workout you'll love. After just a few minutes you'll feel completely refreshed, stretched and energized for the entire day. Those yoga masters from India really knew whats up, man.
3.
Awaken your creative side. Start a project that will keep you busy for days and days. Tear down everything on your bedroom wall and start anew. Sew a patch of your favorite band onto your purse.
Make a record bowl. Grab a camera and take artsy pictures of things at obscure angles. Nowadays, anyone can be a photographer. Speaking of photography, print out some fond memories and create a photo album. Light some candles or incense. Paint a self-portrait, even if you end up looking like Big Bird. Buy a cork board and pin up a bunch of pictures that inspire you. Buy some flowers to add life to your desk space. Write a quote on your mirror with a dry-erase marker to wake up to every morning. Make your own jewelry. Pick some flowers and put them in your hair. Need I go on?
4.
Bake something from scratch. Throw some heart-shaped cookies into the oven or bake some yummy vanilla cupcakes. Bake a cake for someone you love. Or bake a poison cake for someone you hate. Here's a fun recipe to try-
Instagrahams! (Horrible pun, cute cookies.) Baking is good for the soul, so get to it! Or get baked yourself, which ever you prefer.
5.
Catch up on your favorite TV shows. Instead of wasting time on the internet, waste some time watching television. It still counts, right? But don't make your time in front of the tube a total waste, invite a few friends over for popcorn and an old-fashioned TV night. There are SO many good shows coming on this season. "The New Girl" with Zooey Deschanel, "Pan Am," the life of four flight attendants in the 1960's, and "Two Broke Girls" featuring Kat Dennings. Cannot fucking wait!
6.
Give yourself a photoshoot. Get all dolled up and ready to press that "self-timer" button. Spend a lil' extra time perfecting your hair and makeup, and wear your favorite outfit. Venture out into a garden or a local park and let your inner Tyra Banks shine! Instant self-esteem booster. It's okay to be completely full of yourself, we all deserve that once in awhile. You'll end up with tons of pretty pictures you can upload to Facebook... LATER. Since you're already lookin' hot now, go out and enjoy yourself instead!
7.
Be a tourist in your own city! Grab a camera, 20 bucks and a friend & you're set! Take public transit everywhere you go. Try out a hip new restaurant or coffee shop. Relax on a bench and people watch. (Yes, it's okay to make fun of that girl wearing neon green tights and a weave that looks like it took twenty My Little Pony dolls to make.) See a movie, shop local and visit a museum. Run those streets. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to take tons of pictures!
8.
Attend a local festival or event. Google search a list of events happening in your city. Trust me, there will be tons of 'em! Local events are usually free and can provide an entire day of fun. Festivals, block parties, conventions, you name it. We have a "hemp-con" festival in Long Beach. Go figure. We also have a crawfish festival, a chocolate festival, an annual vintage hot-rod show, comic-con, and a pirate festival on the pier! Search your little heart out, fill up your calendar with events and get going!
9.
Try some retail therapy. Try this idea out. Set a $20 budget for yourself and hit up a local dollar store or thrift shop. Buy a bunch of junk. Yep, you heard right. Buy some candy, lip balm, cheap rings, nail polish, coffee mugs, keychains, hair clips, whatever your heart desires. Then go home and play with all your little treasures!
10.
Visit a coffee shop. If you absolutely cannot resist spending hours scrolling through your Tumblr and checking status updates, try this. Instead of sitting on the computer at home alone, take your computer to a coffee shop. Coffee shops are one of my favorite places to be. The smell of fresh coffee grounds, the ambient music, the big comfy chairs. The atmosphere inside most coffee shops is warm and welcoming, so get out of that dark room and take your laptop down to the local coffee shop. You might even end up coming back with some new friends, caramel cappuccino in hand.
