26 Simple Ways to Make Your Life More Exciting

If you're looking for some interesting things to do but don't know where to start, consider your current situation.

If someone were to write a book about your life, would the title be something like The Predictable Tale of (Insert Your Name Here)'s Monotonous Existence — or would it be The Exciting Escapades of (Your Name)'s Wild and Adventurous Life ?

Your real life probably falls somewhere in between agonizing moments and wanton exhilaration.

Perhaps you experience long stretches of boredom (or busyness) interspersed with moments of joy. (And even fun and joy can become predictable with repetition.)

As creatures of habit, our routines are comfortable and comforting.

We, humans, tend to resist too much excitement even while we long to live a more exciting life.

Living an exciting life appears great in theory, but it's a bit daunting when we're faced with the possibility of actually doing something to make it exciting.

What Can I Do To Make My Life More Interesting? 

Below, we outline specific things you can do to spice up your life. But first, let’s take a moment to look at the big picture. Generally speaking, what makes life interesting?

  • Variety: At the top of the list is variety — because, as they say, it’s the spice of life. Think about how dreary and dull life would be if everyone were the same. No thank you, ma’am!
  • Curiosity: A willingness to try new things is key to leading an exciting life. 
  • Change of Scenery: Enjoying different landscapes and viewpoints is vital to a well-lived life. Absorbing the same thing, day in and out, has a corrosive effect on the brain. 
  • Get To Know Yourself: Understanding precisely who you are and what you’re about gives your life direction. Moreover, people on a deliberate path tend to stumble upon a greater number of fascinating things.

Want a list of ways to make life more interesting and exciting?

Does it mean we have to take up skydiving?

Become a spy?

Drive an expensive red sports car?

Those are exciting for sure, but most of us don't have the money or the stomach for that kind of excitement on a regular basis.

In fact, I think excitement is relative to our individual personalities and life circumstances.

At age 26, excitement for me was moving to New York for a fashion career.

At age 36, with two toddlers under age three, my thrill was leaving the house for a couple of hours to walk around Walmart.

You don't have to do or be something dramatic to have a more interesting and exciting life.

Small and simple changes, shifts in thinking, and self-improvement stretches can shake up your world enough to make it more fun, fascinating, and adventurous — on your own terms.

You can get out of the rut of your everyday routine and put some sparkle into your lifestyle with just a little creative thinking and planning.

26 Exciting and Interesting Things To Do

1. Make room.

It's hard to add excitement to your life if your life is overflowing with mindless tasks and chores.

Can you simplify, delegate, or eliminate any of these boring and mindless tasks to make room for excitement?

Sometimes we fill our lives with these things in order to avoid stretching ourselves toward happiness. Is that you?

2. Shake up your morning routine.

Instead of following the same wake-up routine every day, do it differently on occasion.

Get up ten minutes early and have breakfast outside. Turn off the TV and put on music. 

Make love before work. Drive a different way. Just starting your day differently will give you a little thrill.

3. Be the host.

Take the initiative to entertain, and invite friends or family over for dinner or something different — like a wine tasting or game night.

4. Move your furniture.

Rearrange or redecorate a room, switching things up enough that it feels new and different.

5. Go cheer.

Attend a competitive, fast-paced sporting event like tennis, basketball, or racing where the energy and excitement of the sport is contagious.

6. Get a makeover.

Get a new haircut, have your make-up done by a pro, buy a new outfit, or try a new style.

It's even more fun if you do this with a friend.

7. Cut a rug.

Now wear that new outfit or haircut to go out to a dance club — or just dance at home with great music and friends.

8. Find exciting people.

Look around at people you know whose lives seem fascinating and exciting.

Take the initiative to get to know them so that you can be included in some of their excitement.

9. Plan an adventure trip.

Even if you can't afford to take a trip now, just researching, planning, and dreaming can give you a boost and build excitement for the time when you can afford to go. Include saving money as part of your planning!

10. Learn something new.

Study a new language, a new skill, a hobby. You will open doors to meeting new people who share your interests and abilities and gain a sense of confidence and achievement.

cooking salmon on grill interesting things to do

11. Shake up your sex life.

Be adventurous with sex. Read the Kama Sutra. Join the Mile High Club. Find a new location. Just do it.

12. Get out of the house.

Step away from the TV or computer and do something. Take a walk with a friend. Go to the bookstore and browse. Visit a local gallery or museum.

13. Go on a weekend excursion.

Plan a fun getaway for 2-3 days for some outdoor or indoor adventure.

REI offers a variety of adventure travel including some great weekend getaways if you want some ideas.

14. Test drive a sports car.

Ok, so you may not be able to buy one, but that doesn't mean you can't try it out.

Go take a spin behind the wheel of your favorite car. Tesla will often bring the test drive to your home or office.

15. Arrange a secret rendezvous.

Surprise your beloved with a romantic evening or overnight hotel stay.

16. Try an unusual recipe.

Cook something that you've never tried before or order something unusual at a restaurant that you wouldn't normally try.

17. Read an adventure novel or thriller.

Enjoy your excitement vicariously through a juicy, good book.

18. Go to a comedy club or mystery dinner theater.

Have an exciting evening of laughs or thrills to shake up your routine weekend.

19. Write down your life vision.

Spend some time thinking about your ideal life filled fun, excitement and adventure. Write down your vision or mission statement and the actions you could take to get yourself there.

20. Adopt a pet.

This is excitement plus responsibility, so be sure you are ready for both. Adopting a pet (especially a puppy) will be great company and provide fun opportunities to meet other pet people.

21. Go to a rock concert.

Get tickets to your favorite band and take your favorite person to listen to some body-moving music.

22. Go skinny dipping.

Night time is best if you don't want the excitement of an arrest.

Find a pool or a hot tub, strip down, and bring a loved one. Add a bottle of champagne for even more excitement.

23. Try a random act of kindness.

Do something unexpectedly nice for a friend or a complete stranger. Pay for someone's coffee. Send balloons. Leave a love note.

24. Be curious about people.

Ask people questions (old and new friends) about their lives.

Learn what other people do and what makes them tick. You might discover something intriguing about them and yourself.

25. Don't wait to start.

Don't wait to try something, to initiate, to take action.

Stop playing it safe or looking for someone else to take the lead.

Be a creative creator of your life. You can make it as exciting and thrilling as you wish.

26. Do that one big thing.

Is there one big action you've been holding back on that could turn your life from boring to amazing?

Maybe it's a job change, a move, a proposal, a change of scenery, a new relationship in your life.

Whatever it is, take the first step. Action creates momentum, and momentum builds excitement.

Final thoughts

Have you found some interesting things to do to make your life exciting?

Are you seeking some interesting things to do today? If so, don't sit back and wait for them to fall in your lap.

For the most part, an exciting life doesn't happen to you. (And when it does, it may not be the kind of excitement you want!)

You need to look for something to do to make your life more interesting and fun.

Find small ways to jazz up your life by shifting your perspective and changing some of your daily actions.

Small and fresh change can enliven you and create a new and exciting outlook on life. And the benefits of your actions will surprise you.

You'll . . .

  • Overcome fear of trying new things.
  • Stimulate creative thinking.
  • Learn more about yourself and what makes you happy.
  • Become a more interesting and engaging person to others.
  • Learn new skills and ideas.
  • Build new, positive habits.
  • Gain a sense of confidence and self-mastery.

Step out of your comfort zone and shake up your life! A new, more exciting life is just one action away.

52 thoughts on “26 Simple Ways to Make Your Life More Exciting”

  1. I really like Tip#23! It isn’t “natural” to perform a random act of kindness, but it definitely makes life more exciting.

    I’ve been making it a point to perform this (really small) random act of kindness every day: send one positive and encouraging email. My inbox– especially at work– is always full of emails that are negative and sometimes impolite.

    I figure that if all of us sent one email a day to appreciate someone else, we would make the world just a little bit happier.

    Thanks for sharing, Barrie!

    • Daniel,
      That is really a great idea. I hope you get many nice emails in return — and that you delete the nasty ones very quickly! Here’s to an exciting life. 🙂

  2. This is a really exciting list indeed. 2, 11 and 22 are especially exciting when you come to think of them. Just before reading this post I had decided to take my digital camera and walk some 10 kilometers to an 11am appointment instead of taking a bus. I think it will be exciting.
    Murigi.

  3. Hi Berrie, this is a good article in a way which helps remind us of how we could implement simple ways to help bring a more exciting life. I recall a time when my life had dramatically changed in a way that I had a lot of lonely time wondering what to do. The thing which helped me the most was to start creating a list of things to do for each evening of the week which inspired me. I was going through a rough patch at the time, however, I set the intention to go to social events, attend kung fu classes, play music with friends more often and go to as many social gatherings as possible. It was a matter of getting creative. It was not long until I found myself pretty occupied throughout the whole week and certainly quitting the TV helped. I think it is a good to create or review our lists on a regular basis because as we all know variety is very much a human need. THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

    • Paul, that is very inspiring. I applaud you for making those things happen during a difficult period of life. I hope it lifted your spirits and made your life more interesting. Thank YOU for sharing!

  4. Hi Barrie,

    We could all use some excitement in our lives which often threatens to be overwhelmed by our hectic schedules.

    10. Learn something new

    Learning something new is always exciting for me especially if it brings me closer to my goals. It stretches me and forces me out of my comfort zone. And it also gives me more options when it comes to living a better life.

    15. Arrange a secret rendezvous

    This is definitely a great way to add spice to your life especially if you have that someone special. Don’t take him or her for granted. Seize every moment you can in life to live without regrets. In the end, all we have are moments so it is best to make them count.

    17. Read an adventure novel or thriller

    I enjoy reading a good book. I prefer historical epics and books on empire building. That is truly a dangerous enterprise which makes for good reading.

    But having said that, I prefer to play grand strategy games where I can shape history according to my wishes. It is always fun to build up my armies and march them across Europe or Japan. Reading is fun, but bringing history to life the way you want it to be is better.

    Thank you for sharing this lovely article! 🙂

    Irving the Vizier

  5. Hi Irving,
    I have no doubt your life is very exciting! It seems like you have so many interesting things going on. Always so nice to hear from you!

  6. Really super suggestions Barrie, Thank you!

    It seems to me that adding variety to our life, in almost any circumstance,, can make for some interesting results. Plain and simple, just do things differently than what would be considered “predictable” for you in any given situation. Step out of character a bit. This could make for some hilarious results, especially when dealing with other people.

    Of course, keep other’s feelings (and the law) in mind, don’t get too bizzare, and always watch you back for people in white coats carrying big nets! 🙂

    All the best,

    Jon

    • Haaa! Jon you crack me up. It might be fun to give chase to people in white coats and big nets! Now that would be exciting!!!

  7. Love this piece. I think it’s all about perspective. There is so much to experience, learn and engage in, in life. I don’t get the concept of ‘boredom’. We need at least 5 lives to do and experience (not even all) but much of what we’d want. If we take the attitude that it’s all an adventure, even the mistakes which ‘should’ be lessons of learning, then life is a wonder. Yes, plenty of bad things happen to which we cannot answer the Why questions, but there is still so much awe, beauty and excitement to living. That’s where Attitude comes in.

  8. How refreshing! 🙂 I’ve been thinking of how to shake up my routine lately…Life gets a little disenchanting when you stick with the same old for too long. I dyed my hair 2 days ago and went a natural color (exciting for me – I’ve been red/purple for years!), and today it’s random acts of kindness. Groupon has a speedboat sightseeing tour…hmm… I’m feeling better, more excited, already! Thanks Barrie!

  9. Thank you for this, the only adventurous trip I’m intrested in taking is out to space, of course while I’m waiting I guess maybe I need to find some new trails to go horseback riding on, I’ve been getting pretty bored in life

    • Ok,

      1. Put vanilla pudding in an empty mayonnaise jar and eat in while walking around Walmart
      2.Walk into a crowded elevator and say, “I’ll bet you all are wondering why I gathered you here today”
      3. Walk straight into an crowded elevator and don’t turn around.

  10. since everyone is posting there comments,,, the biggest drawback of my life is i dont have friends to talk with,,, i do have friends but i cant say they are my true friends or even a friend,,,, and whenever i see people with there positive attitude i get nervous or feel hesitate to talk to them,,, this makes me feel i do not belong to this youth,,, so if you can pls help me with this…
    Thnx.

    • Vyom, do you perhaps have social anxiety? I am beginning to think it is a common problem. Maybe look it up online to learn to cope with it. Email me any time, I love making new friends.

    • Hi Vyom,
      It’s been over a year since you commented this but I just wanted to let you know there’s nothing wrong with being shy or feeling the way you feel. Sometimes even the most popular people feel like they don’t have friends. Making small change to your life will help you a lot. Involving yourself in activities around other people opens opportunities! And making initiative to talk to people will help 🙂 even if it’s just your little old lady neighbor. I was very shy in my high school years. Which was not too long ago. Something that helped me was reading things like this on line and trying to make differences positive ones. The main thing that got me out of my shell was my first job in sales because you have to talk to people and make a personal connection. I hope your doing well and never forget you’re an amazing person!

  11. My New Year tradition is for me, my young child and a group of friends to go Polar Bear Plunging. We live in a fairly cold part of our nation so they often chip a hole into the ice to make room for us. The $10 you pay to plunge goes to a local charity. I push myself to swim the entire lap. A few days ago I went skydiving again. I don’t particularly enjoy it like some do but I like to push myself out of my comfort zone and do something like this. I am always looking for new exciting things to do. I might volunteer for Habitat for Humanity to do a good deed and learn something about construction. Any suggestions for new and exciting (hopefully not too expensive) activities a are always appreciated.

  12. My son and I go out for lunch the week of Christmas, and we secretly select a table to pay for on our way out the door. He recently told friends that there is nothing that feels better to him, than to bless someone without being acknowledged for it!

    • Wow! You are so very right, for me, fun and excitement meant organising a teenage program and talking to teens about how to make right choices in life. Not doing it for a long time has made me feel bored than ever. I am so looking forward to organising one soonest.

  13. thanks for that wonderful article.it shows that simple things can make your life more interesting,fun pricelessly so.ive tried some of them myself

  14. #10 really resonates with me. So often we are waiting for these life changing adventures that only happen in the movies to validate our lives when in reality we have the ability to create our own excitement at home with our own brains! What a novel idea 🙂
    My friend, who also lives in NYC and craves world travel, just started a blog about getting the benefits of world travel from home since she is in school and doesn’t have the time to travel. It would be a good thing to add to your list! 🙂 You can check it out here: theattainablebucketlist.blogspot.com

  15. Got my master’s, been out of the country ten times, traveled to 22 states, skydived, jet-skied, parasailed, and the list goes on…yet, I’m getting a bit bored too.

    • It may be inevitable to get bored when doing even some interesting things over and over again, all by yourself or if those things don’t give you joy. Do things that makes you happy and get in the company of other like-minded people.

  16. Hi Berrie,

    Thanks a lot for this article..

    I was finding my routines a bit boring of late..and I was searching for some good suggestions that could help me regain freshness of ma life…

    that’s when I came across this article..this really helped me make up my mind..

    I am all set for a fresh/new life…I’ll try out a few of your tips..

    Its time to chase my dreams…

    Thanks a lot 🙂

    • I felt the need to do something great to. So i decided once i graduated i would take a road trip across the us by myself and it was the best experience of my life! check out my story if you want toldbyme.blog.com

  17. My life is not exciting but i sure will try some of your hints.

    Hope i will make it more than it is now.

    thanks
    Eva

  18. Hi Berrie,

    Good Tips, even my life is so boring with the routine schedule… I feel, I need to try these tips to make my life exciting and interesting.

    Thanks
    Ramya

  19. fear is sickness ………. you want to make good life …… so the first step ,,,,, to do impossible things

  20. Today, i officially turned 18 and then i looked back, and realized i was nothing i want my ideal self to be like, my life feels so meaningless. And this article gives me courage. I am a med student and that involves me sitting in front my desk and attending lectures most of my time. But i m not going to hold back anymore, i m going to live a better a more exciting spontaneous life. I mean i m going to be 20 someday right? i dont want to look back and feel the same way again.
    Thank you 🙂

  21. I’ve done half of the list, what I want to do next is #26 and 22. The big thing I am going to do is make a sex book with me in my birthday suite on my 32nd birthday. And I have been trying to find the best and most secluded beach to go skunny dipping.

    Next paragliding and surfing.

  22. I like the second one most …. new route, new people, new locations, new coffee shop, new traffic police and least expensive … what we need is just something new in our life … that’s it .

  23. Does anyone ever feel like they want their life to be like some sort of T.V show? You just watch something great, anf think, I wish my life could be something like this, something extraordinary or something. How do you make that at least go away. Its really depressing feeling I guess, to see these people, even if it isnt real, and know that your life could never be as interesting as that.

  24. But I need new and different ideas to do for long distance frds….is there anyone who can suggest me….

  25. #26.
    I like all of these ideas but taking action is always so scary…
    And there are so many things I’d like to try, that I just give up everything.
    I think I should go step by step.

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