I haven’t heard of anybody who wants to stop living on account of the cost. – Kin Hubbard

Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the United States is now $3.81. One year ago it was $2.97 (source: Daily Fuel Gauge Report). Not only is the gas we put into our cars getting more expensive, but all of the related costs have significantly increased as well. The price for pizza delivery, garbage collection, calling a plumber or electrician and the cost of food once we make the pricey trip to the grocery story is all out of control.

The high cost of gasoline is forcing my family to make deliberate choices about how we go about our day-to-day routines. Things we once took for granted or considered nominal expenses are now painful to absorb and make a substantial dent to the family budget.

Even though our lifestyle is changing, it’s good to know our approach to life doesn’t have to change. Yes, the cost of gas is just plain stupid right now. But, we can continue to move forward and find ways to live the life we want. The following 15 ways to fuel our lives are all abundantly free and can provide us with the energy necessary to keep going in any direction we choose – no matter the price of a gallon of gasoline:

1. Do what you love. If you find yourself waking before the alarm clock alerts you, chances are very good you are doing what you love. Alternatively, if you are living without much inspiration or passion, you may find your fuel gauge is hovering around empty. To change this, begin listening to your heart and do one thing each day you love. It is amazing how one simple action performed daily can result in significant longer-term results.
2. Connect with someone. Pick-up the telephone, write an email, or turn off the television. There are people in your life who would love to talk to you or listen to you right now. It’s easier to get filled back up with love, support and grace when we make the decision to share and connect.
3. Read or write, or do both. Find a book that provides you with motivation or challenges how you feel or believe about a particular topic. Likewise, write in your journal or create a post for your blog or website. The point is to get in touch with how you feel and to open your mind to new ideas and challenges.
4. Pray. No matter your spiritual preference of religious denomination, we are never alone, even though it can feel that way at times. The purpose of prayer is not to ask for problems to be removed, but to give thanks for the life we have been given. When we take the time to stop and show gratitude to the life-force that provides the power we need to stay alive, we feel rejuvenated and become better able to find the energy, the fuel, to keep moving forward.
5. Do what you say you are going to do. At the end of the day, all we really have is our character and integrity to define who we are. When we fulfill our commitments we not only have the opportunity to improve the lives of others, but we add significant self-worth and value to our own lives, too.
6. Take one step outside of your comfort zone everyday. The space that fills the gap between our comfort zones and growth is fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear of not being enough, and the fear of actually achieving success and happiness can keep us hemmed in and afraid to move. You don’t need to walk through the fear all at once. Take small, decisive steps in the direction you choose and you will end-up where you want to be soon enough.
7. Take a walk and breathe some fresh air. Getting outside and breathing some fresh air can invigorate our minds and provides a clearer lens to see our opportunities with greater clarity. Walking, like any form of exercise, starts the adrenaline pumping. This helps to detoxify our bodies and it nourishes our souls. As a result, we become cleansed, refreshed and renewed.
8. Shut-down your email. Consider declaring an Email Amnesty Day once a month; or once a week, if possible. On this day, refrain from opening your email. Instead, find other ways to communicate and connect with people. Constantly checking email can result in unproductive time which can zap our energy and make us feel like we have wasted precious time.
9. Do something good. Reach out and help someone not because you have to do it, but because you want to do it. There is no scorecard being kept on you except for the one you keep on yourself. When we turn away from someone who is asking for our help, and the person truly deserves our help, we know by that feeling in the pit of out stomachs we could have done more, but chose not to. Do something good because this thing called the human condition – we are all kind of in it together.
10. Watch your spending. Saving money and watching your credit card purchases are two effective ways to have control over your money, instead of the other way around. While money isn’t everything in life, remember this: While money can’t buy happiness; it can buy choices.
11. Do the hardest things first in the day. When we focus our attention and effort on doing the most difficult things first, we are probably knocking out the most important things, too. My mind becomes clearer and my focus sharper when I tackle the hardest things early in the day. Rather than having these items hang over me all day, I move them out of my way so I can move on to more pleasant activities.
12. Keep your resume updated. Events in our lives often happen on their own time schedules instead of our own. While we can’t control everything that happens to us, we always do have options and we get to choose how we respond to what happens to us. For most of us, our financial security is dependent on our jobs. In today’s uncertain economy, it’s always good to be prepared in the event our employer suddenly ceases to exist. Beyond just keeping your resume updated, considering networking with peers in your specific industry, service or market. Always act as though you are searching for a new job – just in case.
13. Recycle. I don’t know about you, but I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to enjoy the beauty of this world. I say this fully guilty of driving my car too much; while paying an outrageous amount of money for a gallon of gas; while emitting dangerous pullulates into the air. While I’m far from being pious about advocating strict environmental policies, I can appreciate conserving and recycling along the way. The price for the fuel we consume is a high one, but we can mitigate it by making better choices. These better choices will lead to better habits. And these better habits, while perhaps not all we can do, do add up and can grow into more far-reaching and global environmental initiatives shared by more and more people.
14. Compose a will. The ultimate irony we all face is how to seek true happiness while at the same time being fully aware of our mortality. There will be a day when my body no longer breathes life-giving air, but my focus, and my energy, is for the living and for those closest to my heart. How can I not provide for my family – even in death?
15. Listen to your body. Most of us, if we stop and listen very carefully, have an intuitive sense about our bodies. On certain mornings, we can feel the pulls in our muscles and the soreness in our joints. We can even feel a head cold coming on days before it arrives. We know when we don’t feel quite right. Listen to these messages and choose to respond. Our life is ours to live, but we do have a responsibility to live it wisely. There are people who count on us now and other people who will rely on us in the future. We don’t know if our greatest moment has arrived. Therefore, we have to keep planning and keep moving forward until we discover it. Listen to your body. Listen to it when it is happy and rejoice. Listen to it when it is running out of gas and find a way to refuel it – there are many abundantly free ways to do this.

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