Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts

Thursday, July 8, 2010

121 Ways to Improve Your Life and Be More Awesome

Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to be more awesome, but just don’t know how to go about peeling off the unnecessary layers and being more awesome?
You’re lucky, because I’ve put together a list of 121 ways you can improve your life.
You don’t have to settle with what you’ve got. Who told you that anyway? How awesome were they?
Most people are afraid. They wan’t to stop you from feeling the pain they feel because they never had the courage to do what they wanted in life.
Follow your heart and do what feels right for you, because that’s living. Everything else is dying.

Life


1. Care
If you want to be awesome, you have to care. Care about the people around you and even people you’ve never met. This is especially true if you’re blogging or a public figure. Care about your fans and they will care even more about you.

2. Give Value
We all have something to share. Always focus on what you can do for others. What do you love and what are you good at (or want to become good at)?

3. Be honest
Honesty feels good and is the right thing to do. But why do many choose to lie instead? Most often it’s because it makes their life easier, or does it? It usually might seem like it in the short-term, but in the long-term, honesty always wins.

4. Be honorable
Be honorable and respectable. This means doing the right things, keeping promises and in general, being someone who does the right thing. Look at our world leaders today and do the opposite.

5. Integrity
Having integrity for me means being ethical and following a moral code that is both practical and benefits all of humanity. It’s idealistic, but it is certainly worth striving for, isn’t it?

6. Follow your passion
Find your passion and follow it. Never give up. There is always a way to do what you love while supporting yourself. It may not come in the form you think, so be open-minded ;) .

7. Take responsibility
You are responsible for your life. There is no one to blame. If you’re not happy with your life or with your circumstances, you are the only one that can take responsibility and start changing it. What are you waiting for?

8. Be positive
Being just a little bit more positive can mean a lot of things. Reading a good book, checking out positive quotations or even watching a movie that you enjoy. The possibilities are endless. Even though being positive is cliché and kind of irritating, it is still useful.

9. Take action
You can dream and you can wonder, but nothing happens without taking action consistently. You don’t have to be perfect. Learn as much as you need to know the next step and take action!

10. Be radical
Sometimes it’s good to be radical, if it’s you. Radical means different things to different people, so I’ll leave it up to you to interpret it.

11. Focus on your strengths
Stop trying to fix your weaknesses. You can’t be perfect. Focus on your strength and let other people do what you’re bad at.

12. Do less
You can do less and live more. You don’t need more stuff. Release your cravings for materialism. It will lead to less debt, less work and less stress.

13. Be authentic
Whatever you do, be authentic. Be yourself. I’ve always been a bit of an introvert, so this is another one of those points that I’m constantly working on.

14. Enjoy the process
When you’re doing something you love, you will automatically enjoy the process. Goals don’t even matter at this point. Sure, they give you a direction, but you’re loving life and feeling awesome.

15. Be practical
You don’t have to quit your job to do what you love. You can slowly start phasing it out by working on your passion project after you get home from work. Be practical and realistic. Don’t just jump into your passion when you don’t have a plan.

16. Lose arguments
Why do we insist on being right all the time? Try losing arguments. It’s great fun and interrupts patterns in people. Seeing people get confused is a lot of fun.

17. Let someone pass you in line at the supermarket
Everyone’s in a rush to get home, but what if you took a deep breathe and let someone pass you? It’s unexpected and it makes people smile.

18. Quit your job
If you’re ready for it, just quit your job. There’s no need to hang onto something that you don’t need. For the rest of you, stay put.

19. Give away stuff
How much stuff do you have that you haven’t used in the last 12 months? What about giving it all away? I know a lot of people that have their houses full of stuff.

20. Focus
Be aware of where your focus is. Where focus goes, energy flows. If you’re constantly thinking about how you will fail, you will feel bad and maybe even fail. Think about how you will succeed and you might just succeed. If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

21. Tidy up
Keep your apartment or house clean. Not saying that I’m a master of cleanliness or anything, but it sure does feel good to have everything looking good, doesn’t it?

22. Embrace challenges
Most people avoid challenges, or as they like to call them: problems. What would life be without challenges? Incredibly boring. We would never grow – at least not as fast – and everything would be smooth sailing.

23. Live with power
Live with power and certainty. Power goes hand in hand with responsibility. Take action, be confident, be yourself and trust that your intuition will guide you wherever you need to be.

24. Practice courage
We all have our fears. By practicing courage and doing something even though you’re afraid, you grow. New stuff is scary. I know that. You know that. Let’s do it anyway, shall we?

25. Surround yourself with awesome people
The people you choose as friends have a big impact on how you think and act. Do not accept just anyone into your life. Choose your friends wisely.

26. Go with the flow
You know, the universe is constantly giving you hints and trying to pull you in one direction. Are you noticing those hints? From now on, think about the signs you’re getting and follow them.

27. Release expectations
Release all expectations after you’ve set your goal. You never know what the universe might deliver to your doorstep. That’s why you want to have an open-mind, because what if the universe has something better in store for you?

28. Experiment
Dare to experiment. Embrace failure, because that is how you learn and how you grow. Being awesome means looking ridiculous and making tons of mistakes. Why? Because it helps you become better and provide even more value.

29. Live within your means
Do you really need a car? Do you need cable T.V? We can live a lot cheaper when we realize that we do not need a lot of the stuff we think we need. This allows you to work less and have more free time to do what you want.

30. Slow down
Life is busy. Try to be conscious as much as possible. Breathe and slow down. Enjoy the fact that you’re alive. Be grateful for the little things. Be grateful for the big things.

31. Use money as a tool
Money doesn’t have to enslave you. How much money do you really need? How about having enough to do what you want, when you want to do it? Why would anyone need more than that?

32. Dream
Let yourself dream. All my childhood I’ve been told that things can’t be done, but I have come to realize just the opposite, so let yourself dream and ignore the people that don’t know what they’re talking about.

33. Have a kid
I don’t have a kid, yet. But I’ve heard it is a life changing event, especially if you plan it and stay conscious during the whole journey. It will be an interesting experience once I have a kid or ten of my own.

34. Learn a new language
How many times have you heard or even said “I want to learn a new language”? Stop wishing and start doing. Just 10-15 minutes a day will give you results.

35. Be ridiculous
Don’t be afraid of being ridiculous or silly. In other words, just be yourself. We keep hearing that every market is saturated nowadays. Millions of blogs are born all the time. In this day and age you have to stand out. How do you do that? By being ridiculous. By being yourself.

36. Enjoy nature
How long has it been since you took a walk in nature? What about sitting down in the forest and just listening to the wildlife? Be careful if you have bears in your area though, they can easily sneak up on you ;) .

37. Self-discipline
Having and exercising discipline comes in handy more often than you think. We all have weak moments in our lives when we are just about to give up.

38. Plan your day
Before you get out of bed, visualize how your perfect day would look like. How do you want that day to go?

39. Excuses
Have you been putting off doing what you love because you’re afraid? It’s time to throw out all the excuses and just do it. You will see that the fear and excuses fall away once you realize that they really do not hold as much power as you think.

40. Travel
When I finished school at 18, I went to Spain a few months after that. I lived there for almost a year. It enhanced my growth and I learned so much. I enjoy slow traveling, just picking one country, seeing if it’s nice and then staying there.

41. Get a pet
Get a cat, dog, duck, parrot, mouse or even a panda. They’re all awesome. I like animals. Unfortunately, I am allergic to them, but I still find ways to hangout with them without dying. There are a lot of shelter pets that need your help!

42. Clothes
Do you really buy the clothes you want? Or do you buy the clothes you think people like to see? I’m by no means a fashion expert, but I’ve noticed this pattern in myself many times.

43. Backpack
Have you ever traveled with just a backpack? I did this for a month in Thailand. It wasn’t exactly in the form I would have liked, but it was pretty interesting.

44. Couchsurf
Sleep on a couch or share a couch. It’s called couchsurfing. People all around the world are giving strangers a couch to sleep on.

45. Attend a concert
Sure, surround sound sounds awesome, but there’s nothing like attending a concert and hearing music live.

46. Recycle
Everyone is talking about how the earth is dying, but are we actually doing anything about it? Are you recycling and making sure everything ends up in the right place?

47. Re-use
Can you re-use old bottles, bags or anything in your house instead of throwing it out and buying it again?

48. Social media
If you’re not already involved in social media, get involved. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and so on. They are tools to help you connect with the right people. Use them.

49. Blog
Starting a blog doesn’t mean you have to make money. You can start a blog just to have a home on the internet. Share your thoughts and build a community. You might even discover your passion in the process.

50. Talk to a dolphin
I’ve talked to dolphins in my sleep, but never in real life. I just have this feeling. You have to talk to a dolphin at least once in your life. I’m going to do it soon enough, you can quote me on that.

51. Yoda
If yoda you have not seen, then see him you must. I’ve been in love with the whole Star Wars thing ever since I saw the first movie as a child. Granted, I do not dress up as a wookie, but I still enjoy the whole series, because somewhere out there, it actually exists.
Health

52. Relax
Stress is killing all of us slowly. Take time out of your day to relax. Meditate, be mindful, walk, hangout with your loved ones or pet. Take a hot bath or a sauna (I love saunas)!

53. Listen to your body
What is your body telling you? Are you working too hard? Not eating enough nutrient-dense foods? By keeping your body happy, you can keep your mind happy, which will allow you to unleash your creativity.

54. Eat fruits
Fruits are easily digested by the human body. They also contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids and all kinds of nutrients that help keep your body alive. It’s not about surviving, it’s about thriving!

55. Eat vegetables
I don’t like vegetables that much. But I’ve discovered that broccoli soup is quite delicious. I also juice my vegetables with oranges. That way I get my nutrition without it tasting horrible.

56. Drink pure water
The amount of chemicals in our tap water today is frightening. Choose spring water or use a high quality water filtration system to ensure the purest possible drinking water. We are made up out of mostly water, after all.

57. Sleep
Even a little bit of sleep deprivation can alter your mood and cognitive abilities. I know I have to get my 8-9 hours of sleep otherwise I’m not going to feel like myself.

58. Exercise
You and I both know that exercise rocks, it’s just that we tend not to do it that much. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin. These are chemicals that work behind the scenes to make you feel good.

59. Eat less meat
Research studies have proven that red meat is linked to increased risk of various diseases. The most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted proves that less meat increases health.

60. Eat light meals
Eat meals that satisfy you and nothing more. Eat slowly and listen to your body. I tend to gorge myself, so this is another one I’m integrating into my life. It’s funny because it’s almost as if it is happening naturally.

61. Drink green smoothies
Smoothies are great nutritional bombs that are full of flavor, but green smoothies are even better. You get energy without crashing. You give your body the nutrients it needs without even tasting the vegetables in the smoothie.

62. Stop alcohol
I don’t like alcohol and I don’t enjoy being around people who are drunk. Having a sip of wine or champagne is cool though. Studies show that moderate consumption is O.K and even beneficial.

63. Throw away processed foods
Your body has trouble with processed foods such as sugar, sodas, candy, pasta and practically anything that comes in a box. Eat whole, natural, fresh foods instead and take control of your health.

64. Ride your bike
Do you even have one? I love riding those really old bikes that are made for old people. They are super comfortable and so simple with one gear.

65. Take the stairs
Are you in love with the elevator? Skip it next time and run up the stairs. Why? Because it’s harder and therefore infinitely more awesome.

66. Grow your own food
The ideal choice would be to grow all of your own food, but for most people that just isn’t possible. You can still grow indoors if you want, but that takes resources and space. Growing your own food will give you access to fresh produce that is extremely high in enzymes and nutrients.

67. Eat sprouts
Sprouts are awesome and extremely easy to make. The only thing you need are dry seeds, water and a bag. There are a lot of resources out there that show you how to sprout seeds, so check them out.

68. Try martial arts
Martial arts aren’t for everyone, but if you can find something you like, it can uplift your spirit and give you an outlet for your creativity, while keeping you fit and looking good.

69. Try yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice that connects the mind, body and spirit. It helps with blood pressure, circulation, balance, body awareness, core strength and mood, just to throw a few benefits out there.

70. Lift weights
Many have the notion that if they lift weights, they’ll wake up the next morning looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a nice myth. Weight lifting is beneficial, but can become boring if you don’t throw some variation in there.

71. Detoxify
The food we eat, air we breathe and water we drink is filled with pollutants, chemicals and toxins. Cleansing and going through a herbal detoxification regimen can help your body eliminate these toxins and improve your health.

72. Massage
Get a massage and give a massage. Getting a massage will help you release tension, relax and be a little bit more of who you really are. I tried shiatsu a few years ago and it was awesome.

73. Juices
Freshly-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices are nature’s multivitamins. They are digested extremely fast and put minimal strain on your body.

74. Fast
Juice fasting and water fasting have both been proven by people all around the world to improve health and wellbeing. If you’re planning a water fast, you might want to contact someone that knows their stuff, it can get rough.

75. Take an omega-3 supplement
The benefits of fish oil have been proven over and over again. You can eat fatty fish and get your omega-3’s that way, but for those that do not like fish or can’t eat enough, supplementation might be an option.

76. Take a natural multivitamin
The nutrition in our food has been slowly declining over the decades, because of the use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals. A natural multivitamin will keep your bases covered.
Spiritual

77. Breathe
Remind yourself to breathe deeply through your nose and into your abdomen. Breathe out through your mouth, slowly. This relaxes and releases stress. Focus on your breath and notice your body and mind saying goodbye to tension.

78. Meditate
Taking time off from your busy schedule to meditate. It enhances your brain power, mood and reduces pain sensitivity. Learning how to meditate is easy, so make time for it. No, not someday. Now. Schedule 10 minutes right now and try it.

79. Release the how
We’re always trying to figure out how something is going to happen. Release the how. Our brains aren’t meant to know how things are going to happen. It causes anxiety, worry and other mental problems.

80. Volunteer
Almost every city has somewhere where you can volunteer. Go check it out and try it for one day. You might like it.

81. Be open minded
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Be open to everything, because you never know where it may lead. What if you tried an origami class today where you met someone that will help you 13 years from now? You can never know.

82. Grow
Grow as a human being, a spiritual being and a conscious soul. If you aren’t growing, you’re slowly withering away. There is no middle ground. Always push yourself. Live uncomfortably and evolve.

83. Be grateful
Write down and think about the positive things in your life. Practice gratitude every night before sleep. It may feel weird, but enjoying the little things you are grateful for will have an impact on you.

84. Make connections
One of the most important things in life is making connections. My life has significantly shifted towards making more connections and giving value, from just being someone who does something for money. This has had a huge impact on my life.

85. Accept
Do you constantly want to change they way things are? What if you had done that one thing differently in the past? Stop it. You’re putting yourself in mental hell. Accept what is. Ironically, that is the first step to change.

86. Forgive
Forgive yourself and others. It will take a huge load off your back. You don’t have to hold grudges against anyone. You are only causing anguish to yourself.

87. Patience
Nothing happens fast. I learned this the hard way. In the small amount of behind-the-scenes coaching that I’ve done I keep seeing this over and over again. People want to make it online and they want fast results, but the truth is that you have to work hard for 6-12-24 months before anything happens.

88. Create
We all like to do something. We are made to create. Whether it is writing, painting or singing doesn’t matter. Creating gives birth to serenity. When you’re in the flow of creating in a form you enjoy, you will see what I am talking about. My favorite form is writing at the moment.

89. Say hi
Just saying hi and shooting a smile at people you pass on the street can have a huge impact on their day, and in your own life. Spreading the joy feels good.

90. Hug people
What about taking it to the next level and hugging people on the street? Start your own free hugs campaign. That video is awesome.

91. Be aware of your beliefs
Your beliefs control what you see, what you believe and where you’re heading. If you don’t believe that you’re awesome, then you won’t accomplish awesome things.

92. Thank as many people as you can
Go out of your way to thank as many people as you can. If you have a blog, thank your visitors in any way you can. Give them free stuff. Send them personal e-mails. Help them out.

93. Intuition
Take chances. Don’t be afraid to trust your intuition. For me, intuition is that feeling I get in my heart. I feel drawn to something and it feels good. It’s not correct 100% of the time (because I misinterpret), but it’s fun following it and seeing what happens.

94. Learn to say no
Saying no is liberating and powerful. You do not have to accept every request that your friends or loved ones make. You control your time. If you’re afraid that your friends will un-like you for not doing stuff, then they aren’t really your friends.

95. Release labels
When we look at someone we automatically put a label on them and often we’re wrong. Think about all those times you analyzed someone and thought you were right. When you met them and talked to them you realized how wrong you were.

96. Imagine
Imagine how you would like to be. Confident, charismatic, funny and whatever else you fancy. Now think of how that version of you acts and lives their everyday life. Then imitate them.

97. Be present
There’s no need to dwell on the past or the future. Take your awareness and plant it in the now. Be aware of your body, thoughts and feelings. Just observe them and allow them to be.

98. Embrace Imperfection
We have to be perfect. Never fail. Failure was frowned upon when I was a kid, so I grew up thinking I had to be perfect. Took me a long time to realize that it wasn’t necessarily so. It’s okay to be imperfect. It’s human.

99. Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have trouble, reach out to someone and ask for their assistance. We can’t always do things on our own.

100. Respect people
Show people respect. This is a big one. I wasn’t good at showing others respect just a few years ago. I’m learning though and doing my best.

101. Trust
Trust others. There are a lot of good people out there that will help you. I’m not saying you should trust anyone blindly though. But I think you know what I mean.

102. Release negative people
You don’t have to hang around negative people, you know? They are there to teach you that. Let them go and say good bye.

103. Listen to others
Listen to what people have to say. Don’t you feel appreciated when someone has 100% of their attention on you? Do the same.

104. There is no spoon
You create your reality. Realize that you have the power to create what you want. If you don’t agree then you have a few beliefs to let go of.

105. Ego
The ego has its tasks, but it has taken the population of Earth hostage. You can free yourself by breathing and allowing it to be as it is.

106. Release negativity
There are a lot of good tools to release negative emotions, beliefs and thoughts. Two of my favorites are Emotional Freedom Technique and the Sedona Method.

107. Use NLP
Ever heard of Neuro-Linguistic Programming? It’s basically taking control of your brains operating system. It’s another tool that you might find useful.
Clarity

108. Journal
Writing down your thoughts will help you gain clarity. Since I started writing my decision-making has been sharper and more awesome. By journaling you can learn more about yourself and therefore improve your life and at the same time affect those around you in a positive way.

109. Simplify your life
Throw out superfluous goals, things and stuff in general. External purging affects your internal state. Don’t you just feel better when you give or even throw old stuff away? I know I do. You do too, you just can’t admit it, can you?

110. Have goals
Write down your goals. They don’t have to be incredibly meticulous. Just having them in writing gives them more power. You’ve heard the stories, someone writes down a goal and forgets about it, then they find it 10 years later and you know the story :D .

111. Read
Reading teaches you things. Secret things. Did you know that most people don’t read? That means you’ll know many secrets that they don’t, just by reading books. Two of my favorite books are the Power of Now and Way of the Peaceful Warrior.

112. Throw out your T.V
How much time do you spend watching T.V? I haven’t watched television regularly for a very long time. It frees up amazing amounts of time. If you watch 2 hours a day, that’s 730 hours per year, or 4.34 weeks per year. It’s time to kill your T.V.

113. Stop reading the news
How often have you felt happy after reading the news? It’s filled with propaganda, manipulated stories and bombs. Why read it? It doesn’t do you any good.

114. Don’t multitask
I’m a huge multi-tasker and addicted to it. I don’t really want to change that habit right now, but I have noticed that whenever I focus on one thing, magic happens more often than not.

115. Enjoy music
I tend to only listen to music while I do other things. One day I put on music and sat with my eyes closed. It was as if another world had opened up. Everything seemed different.

116. Turn off your phone
I’ve had my phone turned off a lot. I’ve even stopped answering the phone when it rings. I guess that’s one of the reasons why people don’t call me anymore. But on a more serious note, it’s relaxing :D .

117. Turn off your IM
Did you think I was going to let you have your Instant Messenger on? Shut it down! In fact, I’m going to shut mine off right now. There, it’s done. Try it.

118. Learn your values
What are your true values in life? Do you value integrity? Honesty? What about love? How about money? Which one is #1?

119. Prioritize
People say they don’t have time, when in reality they’re saying they lack priorities. If you don’t have time to follow your passion, you don’t really care about feeling fulfilled and awesome. Learn how to eliminate and discriminate.

120. Keep it simple
Keep things as simple as necessary, but no simpler.

121. Death
Remind yourself that you are going to die. This will melt away any obstacles that are preventing you from living your life to the fullest.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Lessons for Love (That They Didn’t Teach You in School!)

How much time do you spend thinking about relationships? Wishing you were in one, wishing you were out of one, wanting to improve one? Ultimately, relationships consume a huge amount of our time and energy. They are critical to our livelihood, our success, our happiness and our sense of joy. Relationships permeate every aspect of our lives—work, home, family, and love. The catch is that they didn’t teach us in school what we truly needed to know about how to create joyful and lasting love in our lives. Don’t be too hard on your teachers though; they couldn’t teach you what they didn’t know. Here are some of the overlooked Lessons for Love that, once fully mastered, will transform all of your relationships. Your homework, should you accept it, is to spread the skills, with compassion, to others who missed them in school as well.
What you didn’t learn in English:
Elation is the root word of relationships. "Elation" simply means "joy." Relationships are meant to evoke, share and celebrate deep and extraordinary joy. At home, families are meant to enjoy each other’s growth and companionship. At work, our relationships are meant to support and rejoice in our success—individually and collectively. In the schools, our relationships are meant to support and enjoy our ability to learn. In romance, our relationships are meant to celebrate mutual, unconditional love. If your relationships are not joyful, you are missing the point and it is time to do something different.
What you didn’t learn in Math:
You are the common denominator in all your relationships. If something isn’t working, look within to make adjustments. You are the only part of the EROS (love) equation you have any control over. Decide what solution you want to bring about and align all your words, thoughts and actions with the desired outcome. In relationships, the EROS equation (E+R=OS) looks like this: Event (what the other person says or does) + Response (What you say, think or do) = Outcomes and Solutions (your experience in the relationship, your love, your joy—or your lack thereof). What most of us do in relationships is point outside of ourselves—at our partners, friends, children, co-workers, at the Events—to assign blame for our experience and to expect change. This is misspent energy. As soon as we take response-ability for the quality of our relationships, we will be empowered to transform them. Our power in the EROS equation is in changing our responses, not the events. By doing so, we will be enabled to create loving, lasting, joyful outcomes.

What you didn’t learn in History:
Learn from the past; don’t hold on to it. Looking to the past is a great learning tool for showing you which of your behaviors worked and which didn’t. However, you must leave resentment, frustration, anger, hurt and blame behind you or your arms will be too full with such a heavy load that you will not be able to embrace love when it comes your way. Every single moment is a new opportunity for a fresh start.

What you didn’t learn in Science:
Chemistry in a relationship is a very important quality, however it isn’t enough to create lasting love. While you can introduce two entities together that are attracted to each other, the result that you are looking for may not come about unless other elements are also in alignment. Look beyond the initial chemical reaction to see if environment, values, beliefs, goals, interests and responsibilities are also compatible.

What you didn’t learn in Art:
Your creativity and imagination are your primary tools for finding solutions to your problems, not rigidity and always staying between the lines. "Cleaning up your mess" is a basic requirement for getting along with others at home, in the workplace and in your own heart.

What you didn’t learn in PE:
Competition is not the primary reason to exercise and participate in sports: The quality of your relationship with yourself and everyone you encounter, is the primary reason! Our bodies are the tools through which we connect with other human beings, either through communication or touch, and play with our environment. Our self-esteem, confidence, stress levels and mental balance—in general our ability to get along with others—are all impacted by our fitness and body image. When we don’t feel good physically, we tend to make others feel bad emotionally. Exercise also causes us to breathe more deeply, letting go of the old, making way for the new. Recreation has the capacity to re-create relationships.

What you didn’t learn in Kindergarten:
"Quiet time" is essential for hearing the voice of wisdom within and must be provided for in relationships. God’s whisper is heard when we stop the constant noise. Honor the need for silence—both yours and other’s—as a means to reconnect, rejuvenate and access your inner resources of intuition, wisdom, strength and calm.

What you didn’t learn in Homeroom:
Show and Tell is a skill for life. Lifelong learning and the sharing of your discoveries will help you to be a vital partner in any relationship. When you stop learning, you stop being interesting. Your ability to learn is the force that will allow you to adjust when you make mistakes, contribute to conversations with confidence, and to acquire the skills that they didn’t teach you in school for love, joy and success.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

HANDBOOK 2010

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree....

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Let Go and Feel Better...

Many times in life we come across situations that are beyond our control. At such times the best thing to do is to, LET GO...

Sometimes life does not work the way we plan it to be. It takes it own course making us feel helpless and drained. We might want to see instant changes or get back what we lost, but it might only feel like going against the tide. Are you too facing the odds in life? Sometimes it is better to keep your problems aside and let go.

Life is always in a state of flux. It is changing every moment turning the present into past. This makes it very important to live life to the fullest and cherish each moment of life. Although you cannot be jumping in glee when something goes wrong, you can surely try to handle yourself better.

If you lost a loved one:-
Losing someone close or a beloved one at the hands of death is one of the most traumatising experiences. But you have to remember that it has happened. You cannot bring back the person. But you have to live your life. You will have to take a day at a time and be kind to yourself. Would your loved one like you to be sad everyday? Remember them but do not live in the past. Letting go can help you keep away painful memories. Spring clean your life and begin anew. Do not push yourself hard but make small changes in life.

If you had a break up:-
Break-ups make you feel like your world has come to an end. But it is not so. Begging for second chances, crying and wishing you got back with your partner can be really hurtful. You might want to show them what they have lost. But do not do so. Instead feel that it was for the best, even if it feels tough right now. Begin your life on your own. Get going and find more meaning to yourself. Forgive your partner and do not dwell on the past. Avoid the hang-outs your partner frequents. Let go all that you have done, shared and planned together. You will feel relieved. Carrying all that extra baggage will only increase the burden.

If you did not get desired grades:-
So what if you failed or got lower grades? You can check where you lacked and try once again with even more dedication. Let go your uneasiness and do not think about what everyone else will think or say. Correct your mistakes and try harder. Avoid thinking of ending your life due to pressure around you. You do not have to be like everyone else. Set your own trends and take things calmly. Get those text books and start reading today. Ask for help and people will willingly help if you are stuck.

If someone cheats on you:-
Your partner cheated on you and you do not know what to do. You want to save the relation, you do not want to hurt them and you keep thinking why it happened to you. If this has happened to you, you need help. Every relation and situation differs. You have to take a decision and stand by it. Once you take a decision, to be or not to be with your partner, stick to it. If you were to be with your partner build on the trust and work on your relationship. Do not think of how they cheated you. Let the past be the past.
If you decided to walk out then do so and do not keep calling and texting. If you call it quits, then keep it so. Living on your own can seem difficult at first. Be strong and give yourself time. Stay open to live life once again.

If you got fired from your job:-
Did your boss fire you from your job? Do not let this upset you or lose motivation. Try again for a new job or start working from home. Stop brooding over it and feeling like a loser. As the saying goes, 'Quitters never win, Winners never quit'. Do you know that Harry Potter Series author JK Rowling was also fired from her job? So let go and think that life has given you one more chance. If life shuts one door on you, it opens up ten others. There a million opportunities, go grab them.

How to Let Go...
Letting go may be difficult for many. But it is not impossible. It just needs a little focus. You will have to give yourself time but keep making small efforts to let go. Even Rome was not built in a day. Life is too short to remain sad everyday. Rather than being a victim of the situation, let go. Take charge of your life because you deserve to be happy.

* Ask yourself what will you get by holding on to the problem
* Avoid thinking and wishing, 'what if it were'
* Build your self-esteem
* Take up a new hobby or something that you stopped pursuing
* Count your blessings
* Avoid calling and punching messages
* Follow a balanced diet
* Read, listen to music or go for a brisk walk
* Write a journal
* Discover yourself, you may be surprised
* Avoid negative thoughts
* Begin exercising daily, if you are stressed
* Consult a psychiatrist or therapist if you cannot handle it alone

Whenever life hits you with a rude shock, just think how you will make the best of it. Every problem is a gateway to new opportunities. Get rid of excess baggage and give your life a makeover. Whenever there is something that makes you feel you cannot do anything about it, you must remember its time to, simply let go.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Bi r t h d ay Date M e a n i n g s

Is your birthday day 1 of the month?
Your Life
You are very curious and dedicative. When you are interested in something, everything else has to wait. This is your quality. But if you learn to Be more patient and complete what you have started, you will be successful in life.
Your Love
You believe in love at first sight. You won't wait to learn more about the person. Vise versa, people who fail to impress you will hardly get a chance to be your friend. Your emotion is on the extreme. You can only love or hate, nothing in between and this often shows in your expression. Try not to end a relationship in a quarrel.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 2 of the month?
Your Life
You have great common sense but usually fail to follow through. This might happens because you are too busy with your mission and shut yourself from the outside world. You are clever and profound so there's a slight chance for self-control problem.
Your Love
Your love progress slowly, and quietly. You seem to be contented with your unrequited love. Your are a romantic and loyal lover.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 3 of the month?
Your Life
Although you are innocent and romantic but your expression often mislead others that you are an active, fun loving kid. Because of your double personality, it's hard for others to really know the real you. You are careful and patient.
Your Love
Your love is the greatest which often surprises others. No one can bring you to light when you are in love. Your confidence might lead you to the track your parents disagree .
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 4 of the month?
Your Life
You usually think before acting which makes your life quite easy. But you often are the one who give yourself a hard time by being paranoid. People might not truly understand you but you are really nice to be around. You are cheerful and friendly.
Your Love
Still water runs deep, that's what you are. You always surprise others with your new character when you are in love. Your love trap often comes unexpectedly and your love life is full of surprises.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 5 of the month?
Your Life
Although you are on the quiet side, but you enjoy excitement and changes. Routine is something you cannot stand. Because of your extreme confidence, you hardly ask others for opinion. You believe in leading your own life, and you have got the gift in doing so.
Your Love
Nothing can stop you from making progress in your love life. Once you are in love, you feel the ownership of your lover. A third party can only makes your jealousy becomes worse.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 6 of the month?
Your Life
You are generous with people in need, sometimes to an extreme that people find you nosey. Your hidden courage and dedication often surprise others. Your imagination is extremely unique.
Your Love
Your love life is on the smooth track because it grows from friendship.Although you may not make a sweet lover but your sincerity bring happiness to your couple.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 7 of the month?
Your Life
You are sensitive to changes around you but your feeling is hardly expressed. You hate exaggerations. Under your quiet personality, you are rather stubborn and self-centered. These qualities are the force behind your extreme persistence.
Your Love
You have enormous courage to please your lover. Your relationship often progress quickly.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 8 of the month?
Your Life
You have pleasant and friendly personality. People look u to your wit and imagination. You are unpredictable and hardly complete what you started, which sometimes create negative impact to people around you.
Your Love
Falling in love becomes your routine. Most of the time you are lucky. You fascinate people with good taste but you never have enough with one. Although your love progresses very fast, it never lasts.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 9 of the month?
your Life
You often have problem in promoting yourself, just because you don't know how to express your true self. On the other hand, you don't really care what they think. This is why people misunderstand you until they really get a chance to learn about your pleasant personality. Opposite sex find you mysterious and worth searching. Your wit is remarkable but sometimes you are too fast to follow.
Your Love
You won't reveal your feeling even after dreaming about the same guy over and over. Your first love lasts forever. You are responsible to the feeling of your lover. The chance to betray your lover is none. You have luck with children. You Will be Happy Always with u r Love Marraige. and she
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 10 of the month?
Your Life
You are very capable. If you are a woman, you have high chance to be a renowned workingwoman. If you are a man, your path to fame and honor is near. As an innovator, you are not a good follower. You are good in implementing your imagination and share it with others. You are always well dressed.
Your Love
You often lose your love ones from being too jealous. You always feel like you own the person you fall in love with and that often blows your relationship.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 11 of the month?
Your Life
You are gracious, elegant and prudent. People admire your qualities and some even become jealous of you. You are realistic, flexible and adaptable. You are remarkably kind and moral person.
Your Love
You are willing to sacrifice yourself for the one you love. Your lover will always have your gentleness, care and loyalty. You will always be happy to hand around the one you love.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 12 of the month?
Your Life
You are friendly, humorous and full of energy. You are open-minded and do not care for minor details. Your weak point is your hot temper.
Your Love
You are willing to start off in one-sided love affairs because you strongly believe that you will eventually win his/her heart. On the other hand, once you are together, you always want to do things your way, which is often the fire starter. You usually run in and out of love quickly.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 13 of the month?
Your Life
You are sincere and easy going. Flattering and charming around are not your style. You care so much for freedom that often leads you to the difficult path. Because of your sincerity, most people find you easy to be around although you are sometimes too straightforward.
Your Love
Your gentleness, care and sincerity make you an attractive person. Eventhough you don't intend to be charming, but you naturally are, especially in the eyes of opposite sex.
----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 14 of the month?
Your Life
You are so confident that sometimes you forget about the people around you. If you have to be in one of the two teams, you will choose to be in the winning team. On the other hand, you are kind and caring but above all, you care for your own benefits. Your imagination is unique and often gets implemented shortly after it comes across.
Your Love
You will not get soft with the one you don't really like, no matter how hard he/she tries. But once you feel for someone you have chosen, there's no getting back.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 15 of the month?
Your Life
You are outgoing and love to be at the center of attention. From the outside, you may seem flashy, flirty, and tricky but your true self is strong, full of hope to be the leader. When you fail to convince someone, you will get frustrated, and perhaps let your temper shows.
Your Love
You are emotional. Many can win your heart at once, but not for long. This is why you hardly win a decent relationship.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 16 of the month?
Your Life
You always follow the good and the right instead of listening to your heart. Another word, you are a perfectionist. You care for every word people say about you. You often seen isolated while you are, by nature, curious and a dreamer who is ready to get over the edge to make your dream comes true.
Your Love
You often fall in love with a person who is much different from you, in age and other aspects. Your relationship grows on friendship. Love at fist sight is not your style.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 17 of the month?
Your Life
You neither want to be interfered nor have the desire to mess with others' life. But you are friendly and occasionally a party animal. You are always in a circle of friends. You often do things in your own way that occasionally go beyond the acceptable limit. People may find you childish and not very attractive in that sense.
Your Love
Your fun-loving character attracts opposite sex. Many of those are great. You often find yourself trapped among a few great guys while you have to choose only one.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 18 of the month?
Your Life
At first glance, people think you are quiet type of person. Actually you are cheerful, but conditionally. You will show your joyful character only in good mood. One the other hand, when you are moody, no one would dare to be around. Because of your emotion fluctuation and frank character, some find you hard to be around.
Your Love
You hardly show your feeling towards opposite sex no matter how much you like him/her. Your partner also has similar character so your love affairs often take quite a while to flourish. Time tells it all. Your sincerity makes you very attractive.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 19 of the month?
Your Life
You are great in managing everything in your life and this is how you gain respect from others. Because of this quality, you sometimes feel that you are better than the rest. Extreme confidence might lead you to the wrong path. You are a free bird and want to lead your own life.
Your Love
You love life is rather different from others'. When you are in love, nothing can stop you. You may often fight with your partner but, soon after that, you will make up in a way that surprises others.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 20 of the month?
Your Life
You are prudent, circumspect and take things seriously. Before you make any move, you will think of a few alternatives that might take a while. You are patient, imaginative and target oriented. You value friendship more than anything else.
Your Love
You usually study your partner carefully before making any move. You never demand anything beyond the natural quality of that person. Your sincerity doesn't bring excitement in your love life but it brings deeply grown relationship.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 21 of the month?
Your Life
You are curious and a true follower. You can please someone so much that it seem like you are trying to charm that person. You hide your disagreement under your smiling face. This is a charming quality of yours.
Your Love
You are quite unlucky in love. You are loved by someone you don't like while your dream man is so far away. Your love life is occasionally under turbulence. Sometimes you don't have the clear view of the guy in your heart.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 22 of the month?
Your Life
You have the boss character, but not a leader. Most people look up to you for your capability and confidence although they find you quite stubborn. You should listen more to others. You are a unique and charming individual.
Your Love
You hardly take the moderate track. You either love or hate someone. Whom you call friends are the chosen ones. If any of them betray you, you won't let them get away without having hard time.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 23 of the month?
Your Life
You never live your life in the way others want you to. You are an independent individual who loves challenges and excitement. You are ready to face with the result of your decision. You are usually the one your friends count on.
Your Love
Because you love excitements, you occasionally get involved in forbidden love affairs. You may fall in love with a married person and no one can stop you from making progress. You are very charming, although you might not realize it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 24 of the month?
Your Life
You are very optimistic and that's why you always enjoy life. You are gifted in entertaining others. Your friends love and trust you. You'll be the first they come to when they are in need of someone to speak their heart out.
Your Love
Sometimes you fall in love just because you want to be in love, not that you really like that person. You always be seen as a sweet couple but you can't really get over your love ones from past. Your partner is usually crazy about you because you are remarkably charming and romantic.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 25 of the month?
Your Life
You are a warrior. No obstacle can stop you from reaching your goal. You always keep yourself busy. This quality plus your responsibility will eventually bring you success.
Your Love
You adore your partner as the number one priority. You value your love one more than yourself. Your love is the greatest of all and your have potential to get married young.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 26 of the month?
Your Life
You are always curious and responsive to changes. Routine life is not the way you choose to live. Travelling is your favorite hobby because excitement is what you are after.
Your Love
You will not stand being around the one you dislike. Your love comes and goes quickly. You can be deeply in love but soon after you will be looking around for the next one.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 27 of the month?
Your Life
You are sensitive and vulnerable. Tears often run down your cheeks even when the matter is not that bad. This might be the result from being to pessimistic. You might seem cold on the shell, but your inner self is a kind loving person.
Your Love
You will be elegantly dressed, no matter how casually dressed your date may be. You are emanding in love and sometimes to an unacceptable extend.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 28 of the month?
Your Life
You are a capable person but you usually underestimate your own ability. This is the cause of missing numbers of opportunity to step forward. If you try to give yourself a chance, you can be successful in life. Try to see things on the bright side and you will be happier than ever.
Your Love
You are quite unlucky in love. The one in your arm is not the one in your heart. Your love has so many ups and downs. You often chicken out before seeing any progress in love.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 29 of the month?
Your Life
You can trust your sixth sense. Life is exciting so routine job is not your interest. You have great ideas and fantastic imagination. You often feel tired of things and people around you.
Your Love
You can tell what's in the mind of another person just from looking into his/her eyes. You are paranoid and jealous and these are the cause of fights between you and your lover. Sometimes the thing you believe in is just your imagination.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 30 of the month?
Your Life
You are always surrounded by a circle of friends. You are friendly and fun to be with. Though you occasionally disappoint them by being stubborn, but over all, they love your qualities.
Your Love
You want to have full control of your love and that's not a nice way to treat your partner. You take your time in saying yes to his wedding proposal or if you are a man, you will not propose anyone until you are certainly confident which might take ages.
----------------------------------------------------------
Is your birthday day 31 of the month?
Your Life
Your emotion is hard to predict. You can be sad this minute and happy in the next. People might find it difficult to follow your emotion and understand you. You tend to take things seriously.
Your Love
You take your time to study a person before falling in love. Once you decide that he or she is the one, no one can stop you from making progress, even your partner.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Heart of Gratitude!!!

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.


A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"


The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."
I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."
Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?