10 ways to open your world to new possibilities

FWD Life Insurance’s new campaign Press play is showing the world that there are endless possibilities out there to make our lives richer. The campaign focuses on the inspiring stories of real-life people as they navigate common themes that are impacting their lives every day.

A common attitude among the six is that they are acting on their passions, grabbing new opportunities, and pressing play on their goals and dreams to expand their lives—and are so much happier for it today. Here are 10 ways to open your world to new possibilities.

1. Learn to play a musical instrument. Playing a musical instrument has many benefits including increased brain function and stress reduction. But, first, you must learn to play one (if haven’t yet) and there’s no age limit to this. Hui Mann, one of the featured individuals in the Press Play campaign, is 66. She started playing drums only six years ago when she was 60. “I have dreamed of playing the drums since I was young. And now I get to do it. I feel very young at heart,” she says.

2. Volunteer. Volunteering at a local charity, an animal center, ocean cleanup, or your neighborhood fundraising not only lets you make a difference in people’s lives, the environment or animals, it can also bring purpose and joy into your life. The added bonus is that you meet like-minded people who are kind, caring, compassionate—and most probably wealthy and want to give back to the community.

3. Learn a new language. Those who are proficient in more than one language have increased professional opportunities. According to a survey, the factors driving demand for bilinguals in the workforce are the global economy, immigration, population, and cognitive, and social benefits. Learning a new language also sharpens your mind, improves listening skills, makes you more competitive and, let’s face it, cool!

4. Spend time with people. Harvard Psychology Professor Daniel Gilbert explains, “We are happy when we have family, we are happy when we have friends and almost all the other things we think make us happy are actually just ways of getting more family and friends.” Yes, even for introverts, social time can contribute to happiness and wellbeing.

5. Remove toxic people from your life. On the opposite side of the people spectrum are those that consciously or unconsciously drain your energy and give you anxiety, gossip about you, and fill you with negativity. If they are family members that you can’t totally remove from your life, minimize interaction with them. If the relationship is strong enough, perhaps you can have an open conversation about how they make you feel—and vice versa.

6. Learn to read people’s body language. Experts say humans sometimes express themselves more by what they’re not saying. It’s not just a useful skill at work or during negotiations, but also to know when people need help or assistance but are just too shy to express it.

7. Look for new money opportunities. Whether it’s a side hustle or a new opening in your company, ask yourself whether you can take it on. One of the best ways to come to a decision is to first observe. Observe objectively, without letting your emotions taking over, and analyze whether this new opportunity will add to your life or is not worth taking on. More often than not, new opportunities make us feel more alive.

8. Rethink your routines. We often slip into schedules and routines for years and years that lead us to think nothing exciting will ever happen on an ordinary day. Changing up one’s routines—meaning you do what you normally don’t do—can bring more excitement into your life, lead you to try new experiences and prevent burnout.

9. Say yes to something you’ve always said no to. Maybe it’s singing karaoke or taking a cooking or boxing class. Maybe you’re afraid you will feel embarrassed—but in reality everyone has their own struggles doing something that’s not within their comfort zone. Say yes to life more often.

10. Commit to something that’s good for you. Everything we do requires commitment of some sort, whether it’s to wake up early to prepare for work or to cook dinner every night. This time, commit to what will contribute to your health and happiness: exercise, eat healthy, allot me-time, focus on work, repair relationships, finish your degree, save money, and start investing.

Not everyone is good with finances but there are people out there that can guide and help us commit to a financial plan. Book a free session with an FWD financial advisor today to start discovering new possibilities. Press play on life and be inspired by the people in FWD’s Press play campaign.