A Simple Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Plan to Stop Just Surviving and Start Truly Living — and Finally Break Free from Burnout.
Ever feel like you’re available to everyone—except yourself?
Work demands your focus. Home has a to-do list waiting. Even your group chats feel like just one more thing you’re behind on. And your plate? It’s already full.
If your morning alarm triggers dread—not because of a crisis, but because of everyday life—that might be a sign you’re burnt out. That feeling of constant hustle, of barely keeping up, can quietly chip away at your joy.
It might be time to ask: What am I really living for? If you are constantly counting the days until Friday, or if your next vacation is the only thing that keeps you going, you’re not alone. But here’s the truth: life isn’t meant to be lived only a couple days at a predetermined time in the future, it is meant to be lived now, today.
The Reality We Ignore
Think about this: Even people serving life sentences in prison have found purpose. Some earn degrees. Some mentor others. Joy is possible anywhere. If they can choose to live fully despite confinement, what’s stopping us?
Life can feel like a treadmill—constantly moving, but never arriving. We wait for weekends. For vacations. For “someday.” But joy doesn’t need to wait.
Use Your 5 Senses to Wake Up
Think of a beach vacation:
- You smell the salty air
- Hear the crash of waves
- Taste fresh seafood
- Feel the sand between your toes
- See sunsets that linger in your memory
But at home? We often rush through our days. We inhale lunch without tasting it. We forget what day it is. We miss life.
Baggage Comes With Us
One of the most eye-opening lessons from my studies: baggage doesn’t disappear just because you leave town. But also, joy doesn’t have to wait for vacation. You can experience wonder, connection, and calm—even on a random Tuesday—if you decide to treat your day like something worth experiencing.
You Are Not Just What You Do
Someone once asked me what I do for fun outside of work—and I went completely blank. I couldn’t come up with a single thing. That moment hit hard.
I realized I’d built my life around responsibilities, not joy. Around roles and to-do lists, not desires and my true identity.
Reclaiming yourself doesn’t require a full-blown reinvention. It starts with asking:
What makes me feel alive?
What Sparks Joy for You?
Start small. List at least five things that make you light up. They don’t need to be deep or impressive or make sense to anyone else. Just real.
My list looked like this:
- Geodes (Sparkly rocks as my younger self called them)
- Plants
- Amusement parks
- BLTs (yes, seriously!)
- Baby animals
You?
Maybe it’s live music or following a makeup tutorial. Maybe its playing a vintage video game or sitting outside right after the rain.
If nothing comes to mind, think about what younger you loved doing. Or try something totally new.
🌅 Live Life More Fully – Daily, Weekly, Monthly
Printable Checklist & Pinterest Link Below
🧘 Daily: Create Micro-Moments of Meaning
Start with habits that bring you back to yourself and ground you in the moment, no matter how busy life gets.
- Morning Ritual: Sit with your coffee or tea in silence — no phone, no news.
- Nature Pause: Step outside. Breathe. Feel the air. Even 3 minutes makes a difference.
- Joy Jar: Every evening, write down one beautiful or funny thing that happened.
- Unplug Hour: Block one hour daily with no screen time — read, walk, doodle, play music.
- Mini Celebrations: Light a candle when you cook. Use the good mug. Put on music while folding laundry. Revitalize the ordinary.
🎨 Weekly Reset
Give yourself something to look forward to:
- One-on-One Time: Spend intentional time with someone you enjoy.
- Newness: Try one new thing a week — a different trail, recipe, market, or podcast.
- Mini Adventure Day: Treat one day a week (even just a few hours) like a mini-vacation. Go explore, even locally.
- Creative Outlet: Write, draw, craft, sing, cook something new. Something expressive.
- Sabbath Moments: Choose one day or evening to not be productive. Rest. Wander. Daydream.
📅 Monthly Adventure
Pick one thing each month to look forward to — something that adds a spark, breaks routine, or helps you reconnect with yourself, your family, your friends or make new ones.
- Celebrate a Holiday – Big or small, traditional or made-up. Find a reason to gather, dress up, or eat cake.
- Explore Local Events – Check out your town’s Chamber of Commerce or social media event pages. Farmers markets, festivals, live music, or pop-up shops all count.
- Get Outside – Go for a hike, join yoga in the park, have a picnic, or find a new walking path. Fresh air changes everything.
- Try a Workshop or Class – Pottery, dance, cooking, or something totally random. Stretch your brain and see what sticks.
🌼 Seasonal Goal
Sit down with your calendar and sprinkle in joy like appointments. Book things ahead so you have something to look forward to.
You don’t need a five-year plan. You need a five-senses plan.
Bonus: 📌 Free Printable: Life Map Template
Want the checklist that goes with this blog? No email required – just instant access!
5 daily joys
- 4 weekly experiences
- 1 monthly adventure
- 1 seasonal bucket list goal
This can become a visual anchor on their fridge or planner.
Print it. Hang it. Live it.
Final Thought
“If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow.”
Life will have its seasons—challenges, stress, and obligations. There’s always laundry, always noise—but you still get to decide if you’ll stop and notice the shiny things I life or spend the day waiting for it to be over.
Don’t wait to feel alive. Reconnect with you—today.
And the next time the dread creeps in, or you’re in the thick of it, or in the middle of a hard moment, bring your mind back to those small glimpses of joy you’ve made space for. They’re proof that even in the middle of it all, you’ve started to take back your life.
Enjoyed this post?
Fortified by Experience. Fueled by Faith.