Lifestyle

Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.
-William James

Doing something nice for someone can change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.

Start small.  Start now.

1. Smile when you make eye contact with someone.
2. Hold the door open for the person behind you.
3. Send a hand-written thank you card to someone who assisted you with something.
4. Clean out all your old clothes and donate them to someone in need.
5. Give a compliment about a waiter, waitress, sales clerk, etc. to his or her manager.  Or write a nice note to or about your waiter or waitress on the back of your bill.
6. Compliment a stranger’s appearance.  Flatter them.
7. Leave encouraging post-it notes in a library books and other random places.  (Read Operation Beautiful.)
8. Connect like minds.  Introduce two friends or colleagues who you feel have something to gain from each other.
9. Send flowers to someone.
10. Be a courteous driver.  Let people merge in front of you.
11. Volunteer at a children’s hospital or nursing home.
12. Donate blood.
13. Live each moment with enthusiasm.
14. Spend time with children and greet the world with wide-eyed wonder.
15. Eliminate the words ‘hate,’ ‘can’t,’ and ‘won’t’ from your vocabulary.
16. Volunteer.  Get outside of yourself and help others.  Your participation is needed.
17. Notice and appreciate the positive side of things and share this appreciation with others.
18. Send a check to your favorite charity.
19. Work in a soup kitchen.
20. Do one brave act today.  Do it with love and for a good purpose.
21. Share your talents with someone.
22. Forgive someone.
23. Think, speak and act in a loving manner.
24. Buy house warming gifts for new neighbors.
25. Introduce yourself.  Make new colleagues, classmates, etc. feel welcome.
26. Inspire others online.  (Check out Makes Me Think.)
27. Send letters of appreciation to business owners/managers and other people who support you.
28. Treat everyone with the same level of respect you’d give to your grandfather.
29. Give everyone the same level of patience you’d have with your baby sister.
30. Appreciate people the way they are.
31. Share your lunch or a snack with someone who doesn’t have one.
32. Put some change in an expired parking meter.
33. Check up on someone who looks lonely.
34. Tell your boss, teacher or professor that he or she is doing a great job and that you appreciate what they’ve taught you.
35. On a hot day, buy someone something cold to drink.  On a cold day, get them something warm.
36. Create places and things for others to enjoy.  Like decorating your house for the holidays or creating a piece of art.
37. If you overhear that it’s someone’s birthday, go out of your way to wish them a happy one.
38. Ask someone for their opinion or advice.
39. Bring cookies or bagels to work for everyone.
40. Tip waiters and waitresses well when they deserve it.
41. Be a part of something you believe in.  Those around you will notice your enthusiasm.  (Read The Alchemist.)
42. Leave a thank-you note for the office janitors.
43. Help bag your own groceries at the checkout counter.
44. Offer your seat to someone when there aren’t any left.
45. Let someone with only a few items cut you in line at the grocery store.
46. Wave to a kid in the car next to you.
47. Spread good news.
48. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else.
49. Remember people’s names and address them accordingly.
50. Replace what you’ve used.  For example, fill up the copier or printer with paper after you’re done using it.
51. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.
52. Listen intently to people’s stories without trying to fix everything.
53. Dance with someone who hasn’t been asked.
54. Call a stranger’s attention to a beautiful sunset or full moon.  (Check out What Money Cannot Buy.)
55. Give words of encouragement toward someone’s dream, no matter how big or small it is.
56. Ask someone who enjoys cooking for one of their recipes.
57. Let someone else eat the last slice of pizza or cake.
58. Give someone a copy of a book that once helped you, that you think could help them
59. Stop and buy a drink from a kid’s lemonade stand.
60. Help someone get your parking space in a crowded parking lot when you’re leaving.
61. Ask someone you see every now and then if they’ve lost weight.
62. Do a little something extra to make someone else’s life easier.
63. Use all the manners you learned in Kindergarten.
64. Give without expecting to get back.
65. Encourage others to do one unanticipated kind or helpful act at least once a week.
66. Babysit for couples or single parents who don’t get out much so they can have some time alone.
67. Boost the morale of someone close to you by telling them what you love about them.
68. Hug a friend.  Let them know how important they are.
69. Look for ways to save a few extra bucks a month and then donate it to a good cause.
70. Shop at your local charity thrift store.  The money you spend there helps others.
71. Spend a few clicks of your time at Free Rice.
72. Leave an encouraging or positive comment on a stranger’s blog.
73. If there’s been an accident or a potentially hazardous situation presents itself on the road, report it to the local authorities.  Your phone call could save a life.
74. If someone you love really likes something (a meal, a favor, etc.) give it to them when they least expect it.
75. Observe everyone without judging.
76. Say “Please” and “Thank you.”
77. Let go of anger.  For instance, if somebody accidentally cuts you off in traffic, just let it go.
78. Believe in yourself with all of your heart.  The universe will notice.
79. Don’t be so serious all the time.  (Read The Happiness Project.)
80. Treat every small interaction with another person as an opportunity to make a positive impact in both your lives.
81. Greed, anger and ignorance.  Avoid all three.
82. Speak the truth.
83. Teach others how to make a difference by setting an example.
84. Help others learn to be independent.
85. Give people the space they need.
86. Lend your shoulder to cry on.
87. Acknowledge people for a job well done.
88. Offer encouragement after a failure.
89. Tell a good joke.
90. Show others the magic in ordinary moments.
91. Adopt a soldier, inmate or someone who is down on their luck as a pen pal.
92. Express your gratitude to those who make your life easier.
93. Tell someone you love them.
94. Wave to your neighbors.
95. Send a letter, email, tweet, or text message out of the blue to someone who would appreciate it.
96. Open car doors for your passengers.
97. Donate books to a library, daycare center or school.
98. Dance with someone who doesn’t have anyone to dance with.
99. Share great food recipes.
100. Help a kid with their homework.
101. Donate unused computer time to cancer research (and other types of research) with BOINC.
102. Round up a few loose coins and put them in the next charity box you see.
103. Pay for the person in line behind you.
104. Do something unexpected that will inspire people and shake them out of a bad mood.
105. Plant beautiful flowers in places where others can appreciate them.
106. Search through your cabinets for a few cans of food you’ll probably never use and donate them.
107. Be a designated driver.
108. Volunteer your time to a suicide hotline center.
109. Offer someone a piece of gum or candy instead of waiting for them to ask.
110. Park your car further from the store and walk the short extra distance. This frees up spots closer for people who may need them more than you, and gives you additional exercise.
111. Donate things you no longer use to those in need.
112. Donate time or materials to Habitat for Humanity.
113. Clean the house for someone you know who is too busy to keep on top of it.
114. Grow your hair out, then donate it to Locks of Love.
115. Drop off your old eye glasses at your local LensCrafters as a donation to the OneSight program.
116. Don’t smoke.  But if you must, don’t smoke near others.
117. Generate money for the charity of your choice by searching with Good Search.
118. Stop for a person waiting to cross the street.
119. Support independent artists and musicians by purchasing books and albums that aren’t yet in the mainstream.
120. Forgive a debt if you’re able.
121. Recommend friends to local businesses who might appreciate their services.
122. See the world as you wish it to be.
123. Make something for someone.  Bake an extra batch of cookies, draw a picture, brew an extra cup of coffee, and give it to someone for no reason other than to see them smile.
124. Create a care package and send it to an active duty military unit.
125. Redirect gifts.  Instead of having people give you birthday and holiday gifts, ask them to donate gifts or money to a good cause.
126. Stop to help.  The next time you see someone pulled over with a flat tire, or in need of assistance, stop and ask how you can help.
127. Put a small personal touch on everything you do.  People notice and appreciate individuality.
128. Take the time to teach someone a skill you know.
129. Help someone get active.  There’s a coworker or acquaintance in your life who wants to get healthy, but needs a helping hand.  Offer to go walking or running together or join a gym together.
130. Become a mentor or tutor.
131. Adopt an animal.
132. Contribute time, ideas, or a listening ear to other people’s passions.
133. Accept people just the way they are.
134. Stand up for someone.  Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them.
135. If you see a couple taking a self-pic, offer to take the picture for them.
136. Help the weary shopper in front of you who needs that extra two or three cents to avoid breaking a 20-dollar bill.
137. Come to the rescue.  If you realize someone is sick, bring them some hot tea, etc.
138. Stand up for your beliefs without flaunting them.
139. Make yourself available and approachable.
140. Over-deliver on all of your promises and obligations.

And yes, I realize this is a long list, but it’s really only the tip of the iceberg.  Look for new and better ways every day to make the world a better, happier, and more pleasant place for everyone.  If we all did just one thing every day, together we could truly change the world.

Photo by: Hamed Saber

There is a purpose for everyone you will ever meet.  Some will test you, some will teach you, and some will bring out the very best in you.

You never know when life is about to teach you a new lesson.  You simply can’t plan for it.  Some lessons just seem to sneak up on you when you least expect them.  This is especially true when it comes to relationships.  There have been times in my personal and professional relationships when I wish a lesson had come a bit earlier, to save me from heartache and the wasted time and energy of learning things the hard way.

That being said, I am grateful for every lesson my relationships have taught me over the years because I am now better equipped to deal with rough patches when they arise.  And that’s exactly what I want cover with you today – eight things I’ve learned to keep in mind when a relationship gets rough.  These aren’t solutions to specific problems, but rather simple reminders that will help you look at many common relationship problems more objectively.

1.  Every one of us is struggling in some way.

It’s impossible to know exactly how another person is feeling or what kind of emotional battles they’re fighting.  Sometimes the widest smiles hide the thinnest strands of self-confidence and hope.  Sometimes the ‘rich’ have everything but happiness.  Realize this as you interact with others, long before you pass judgment.  Every smile or sign of strength hides an inner struggle every bit as complex and extraordinary as your own.

It’s a sage fact of life, really, that every one of us encompasses a profound and unique set of secrets and mysteries that are absolutely undetectable to everyone else, including those closest to us.

2.  Some people will put you down no matter what you do.

Yes, there will be those who are critical of you regardless of what you do or how well you do it.  If you say you want to be a dancer, they will discredit your rhythm.  If you say you want to build a new business, they will give you a dozen reasons why it might not work.  They somehow assume you don’t have what it takes, but they are dead wrong.

Do not engage deeply in a relationship that is holding you back, day in and day out.

It’s a lot easier to be negative than positive – a lot easier to be critical than correct.  When you’re embarking on a new venture, instead of listening to the few critics that will try to discredit you, spend time talking to one of the millions of people in this world who are willing to support your efforts and acknowledge your potential.  (Read Emotional Vampires.)

3.  Resentment only hurts its holder.

Holding a resentful grudge is like drinking toxic venom and waiting for the other person to grow ill.  It’s an exercise in futility.  And just as toxic venom is to the human body, so is resentment to the human spirit – even one tiny bit is bad for you.

Don’t magnify life’s difficulties by filling your mind with resentment.  Instead, ease your burdens by choosing to let them go.  If you feel resentful feelings starting to take hold, stop and consider the fact that there’s nothing to be gained by bringing yourself down over what has already happened.

Let today be the day you stop letting the ghosts of yesterday haunt you.  Let today be the day you stop poisoning yourself with needless hatred.  Forget about getting even with someone who hurt you, and instead get even with those who have helped.

4.  Forgiveness is the only path to peace of mind.

When someone has hurt you it’s hard to be peaceful.  But you do it anyway because you know peace is the only battle worth waging.  Peace is beautiful; it is the manifestation of your love and the best resolution for a brighter future.

Being peaceful is hard sometimes – much harder than being angry and vengeful.  It requires you to stay calm and let go of the pain.  It requires you to forgive and move on.  Of course, you don’t do these things just for the person who has hurt you, but for your own well-being.

5.  True love is real and worth working for.

Whether it’s a friendship or an intimate relationship, when someone loves you, you know it.  When they look your way, the world looks better.  When they say your name, the world sounds better.  When they touch your skin, the world feels better.  You know your soul is safe in their care.

But even more so than any physical interaction, there’s a silent connection between you that you can feel in your veins.  You can sit in front of them for hours, without saying a word or moving a muscle, and yet still feel them with your heart.  It’s almost like they’ve always been a part of you – like a long lost fragment of your essence has found its way home.

It’s important to note though, that you learn about this kind of love slowly as a relationship grows.  It’s not something you realize all at once.  It’s about how two people treat each other, respect each other, and work together over a prolonged period, through good times and bad.  (Read The Road Less Traveled.)

6.  It is our imperfections that ultimately attract us to each other.

If you’re still searching for the perfect partner or friendship, stop.  There’s no such thing.  There are only different flavors of imperfect ones.  In fact, you are just as imperfect as the partner or friend you seek.  You simply need to find someone whose imperfections complement your own.

This process doesn’t happen overnight.

It takes a lot of living to grow into the realization of your own imperfections.  It takes lots of life experience before you bump into your deepest inner demons, your greatest flaws, and all the idiosyncrasies that make you, YOU.  And it’s only after you meet these imperfect parts of yourself that you know who you are looking for – someone whose scars and flaws fit your own – someone who’s imperfect in the perfect way for you.

7.  We all bring positivity and negativity into our relationships.

Be careful not to continuously doubt the positives of your partner (or friend) and then ignore your own negative behavior.  You likely do this more often than you think.  For instance, you will say to your partner dozens of times:  Do you really love me?  Are you sure?  And ask similar questions that doubt the existence of their love.  But you will rarely ask:  Does this upset you?  Are you sure?  And similar questions that have the potential to resolve conflict before it starts.

This imbalance creates tension on both sides of the equation.  The positive things become more burdensome while the negatives fester in the background, unresolved.  Bottom line:  Have faith in the positives as you work on turning the negatives around, or simply accepting them.

8.  Spending time alone is necessary.

Relationships with others are important, but you need alone time sometimes, because when you’re in solitude you’re free from obligations and external pressures.  You’re free to be YOU without being fancy and putting on a show.  You’re able to hear your own thoughts and follow through with them, sincerely.

Go ahead and find a quiet place.  Stretch your boundaries.  Explore places you’ve never been.  Go so far away from what you know that you stop being afraid of the unfamiliar.

Cherish your time alone.  Take long walks and drives by yourself.  Watch sunsets and sunrises silently in peace.  Teach yourself something new.  Read books.  Write poetry.  Sing along to your favorite songs.  Check your instincts and follow them on your own time, without third party influence.  Decide if fitting in 24/7 is more important than discovering who you truly are and what you’re here to do.  Once you’ve got a handle on this, relationships with others get a lot easier.  (Marc and I discuss this in the “Self-Love” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

Afterthoughts

All relationships, including the one you have with yourself, require patience and work.  No meaningful relationship will work flawlessly all the time.  Being too black and white about the expectations of what should or shouldn’t happen in a relationship always spells trouble.  No matter what, there will be difficulties present, but you can still focus on the good.  Instead of constantly looking for signs of what’s not working in your relationships, what you need to do is look for signs of what is.  Because, as you know, what we focus on grows.

Your turn…

What would you add to the list?  What do you try to keep in mind when a relationship gets rough?  Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts and insights with the community.

Photo by: Nattu

Today, it’s time to learn something new, by unlearning ten lies you thought were true.

1. Alone means lonely. – ‘Alone’ doesn’t always mean lonely, and ‘relationship’ doesn’t always mean happy.  Being alone will never cause as much loneliness as the wrong relationship.  If things don’t feel right, take a break and spend some time with number one – you.  Find yourself first.  Appreciate your own worth.  And next time you’re in a relationship that’s sinking, you’ll be prepared to swim to safety.
2. Happiness comes when you have everything you want. – To be happy doesn’t mean you don’t desire more, it means you’re thankful for what you have and patient for what’s yet to come.  Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to accomplish something big, that we fail to notice the little things that give life its magic.  So appreciate today for all it’s worth.  These are the good old days you’re going to miss in the years ahead.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
3. Pain is something you can see. – Never underestimate the pain of a person, because in all honesty, everyone is struggling.  Some people are just better at hiding it than others.  You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.  Passing judgment is an unnecessary waste of time and energy.  If you have time to judge other people, you have way too much time on your hands.  Get off your behind and do something meaningful.
4. Life is supposed to be a certain way. – It is ultimately only our own thoughts that hurt us.  Simply feeling what we are feeling, and dealing with it honestly, can be very healing.  We always have the freedom to choose how we wish to respond to whatever life presents to us.  Let go of how you thought your life should be, and embrace the real life that is trying to work its way into your consciousness.  Change what you can change, change your thoughts about what you can’t change, and move on in peace.
5. You are supposed to be a certain way. – When you stop comparing yourself with other versions of yourself, real or imagined; and when you stop comparing yourself with other people, real or imagined; that is when you taste a peace that is real, not imagined.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
6. Only a privileged few have the ability to live a great life. – If every morning you wake up and say, “Yes, today is going to be a great day.”  And every afternoon you find a reason to say, “Yes, today is a great day.”  And every night you find a reason to say, “Yes, today was a great day.”  Then one day, many moons from now, you’ll look back, smile at the memories, and say, “Yes, I lived a great life.”
7. Tough times are unnecessary. – Sometimes things have to go wrong before they can go right.  Sometimes you have to let the wrong people walk out before the right people can walk in.  Sometimes you have to feel weak in order to know what it’s like to truly be strong.  Sometimes you have to feel a little broken to realize you’ll never truly be shattered.  Sometimes you have to meet a lot of people you like before you find the one you love.  Sometimes you have to take the good in with the bad, knowing that in the end it’s all a worthwhile learning experience.
8. To be strong is to not feel pain. – In reality, the strongest people are the ones who feel pain, accept it, learn from it, and work through it.  It’s all about having the courage to ask for a time out, to shed a tear, to dust yourself off, and then getting back in the ring to fight like you’ve never fought before.
9. You can fake it. – Feel the love before saying, “I love you.”  Feel the gratitude before saying, “Thank you.”  Feel the humility before saying, “I’m sorry.”  Feel the release before saying, “I forgive you.”  When you feel it before you say it, it needs fewer words and goes straight to the heart of your relationship.  Read The Four Agreements.
10. Dreaming is a waste of time. – The greatest gifts are those invisible to the eyes but felt deeply by the heart.  What we can see is usually just a small fraction of what is possible.  Imagination is having the vision to see what is just below the surface – to picture that which is essential, but invisible to the eye.  Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known, you just have to dream big enough to discover it.

Photo by: Kate S.

I have learned that life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and that life’s greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to push forward even when times are tough.

Sometimes I catch myself staring at the people around me – studying their gestures and expressions.  I wonder, “What’s their story?  What are they searching for?  What makes their heart beat with happiness, with sorrow, with fear, and with longing?”  And then I ask myself, “What thoughts might Marc and I post on this blog to inspire them, and to remind them that, even on the toughest days, our hearts all beat for these same things?”

Today, in our latest video blog, we want to share some of these thoughts with you.  Because when life gets stressful, we often forget the things we should remember, and remember the things we should forget.  So here are some good reminders for those bad days when you need a little extra motivation:

Video Blog Post:

4 Good Reminders (video transcript):

1.  YOU are okay.  You are just a little stronger now.

Having a bad day?  It’s okay.  YOU are okay.  But now you’re a little stronger than you were yesterday.

Put your hand on your heart.  Feel that?  That’s called ‘a purpose.  You’re here today for a reason.  Don’t give up and don’t give in.  And above all, don’t let one or two dark clouds cover the entire sky.  The sun is always shining on some part of your life.  Sometimes you just have to forget how you feel, remember what you deserve, and keep pushing forward.

Keep in mind that we’ve all made mistakes.  We’ve all made absolute fools of ourselves.  We’ve let people take advantage of us, and we’ve accepted way less than we deserve.  And sometimes, we too have given others way less than they deserve.  Sometimes we let our priorities and our boundaries get ravished by the chaos of the day.  But if you think about it, we’ve learned a lot from our bad choices, and even though there are some things we can never recover, and people who will never be sorry, we now know better for next time.  We now have more power to shape our future.

2.  You are far more capable than you think.

You have to remember that you are incredibly capable of handling great challenges.  But when times are good, and everything is comfortably in order, it can be easy to become complacent and forget how skillful and resourceful you are capable of being.  Unanticipated troubles are necessary evils that push you forward; because the troubles will eventually end, but the lessons and growth you gain from them will last a lifetime.

Truth be told, there are two types of pain in life: pain that hurts you, and pain that grows you.  But when you learn from a difficult experience, they are one and the same.  Strength doesn’t come from what you can do.  It comes from overcoming the things you could not do before.  Tough situations build strong, successful people.  So no matter how much it hurts now, you have to hold your head up, grit your teeth, and take another step.  Don’t waste time complaining.  In the end, persistence and determination speak loud enough.  Focus diligently through your struggles.  Work hard in silence, and let your success be your noise.  (Read As a Man Thinketh.)

3.  The struggle is the path, and it leads to better days.

Will the road ahead always be easy?  Not at all.  But will it be worth your while?  Absolutely.  Because the struggle is not found on the path, it is the path, and it leads to better days.  When the day is really dark, it can be hard to see the light, but you have to try.  True strength comes when you have so much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead.  There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them.  You can’t force things to happen.  You will only drive yourself crazy trying.  At some point you have to let go and let what’s meant to be, BE.

In the end, loving your life is about trusting your intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the memories, and learning through experience.  It’s a long-term journey.  You have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting every step of the way.  Laugh at the confusion, live consciously in the moment, and enjoy your life as it unfolds – struggles and all.  You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be.

4.  Taking the next step is always worth it.

And that’s why the best thing you can do is to keep going.  Don’t be afraid to get back up – to try again, to love again, to live again, and to dream again.  Don’t let a hard lesson harden your heart.  Life’s best lessons are often learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes.  There will be times when it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong.  And you might feel like you will be stuck in this rut forever, but you won’t.  When you feel like quitting, remember that sometimes things have to go very wrong before they can be right.  Sometimes you have to go through the worst, to arrive at your best.

Yes, life is tough, but you are tougher.  Find the strength to laugh every day.  Find the courage to feel different, yet beautiful.  Find it in your heart to make others smile too.  Don’t stress over things you can’t change.  Live simply.  Love generously.  Speak truthfully.  Work diligently.  And even if you fall short, keep going.  Keep growing.

Awake every morning and do your best to follow this simple daily TO-DO list: Think positively.  Eat healthy.  Exercise today.  Worry less.  Work hard.  Laugh often.  Sleep well.  And then rewind and repeat…  (Marc and I discuss this in detail in the “Adversity” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

The floor is yours…

If you’re having a bad day, or if you’re struggling in any way at all, know that you are not alone.  We are all in this together.  Many of us are right there with you, working hard to feel better, think more clearly, and keep our lives on track.

In fact whenever life gets tough, and things go wrong, Marc and I make it a point to focus on what’s right – the positives.  So today we challenge you to do the same.  Please leave a comment below and let us know…

What’s something positive you try to keep in mind when you’re struggling or having a bad day?

Photo by: Chad Cooper

People’s lives become chaotic the minute they decide to be.

People’s lives become happier the minute they decide to be.

Be the latter.  For fast-acting stress relief, slow down and consider the following:

1.  Know what you’re trying to achieve and why.

Lack of direction creates stress.  And it’s lack of direction, not lack of time, that’s the problem when it comes to personal achievement.  Everyone has the same 24-hour days and 7-day weeks.

Whenever you want to achieve something keep your conscious clear.  Focus and make sure you know exactly what it is you want and why.  No one can hit their target if they don’t know what their target is.

2.  Do less by focusing exclusively on what’s important.

The essence of personal productivity is to do the important things rather than the urgent things.

In other words, put first things first.  Focus on the essential and eliminate the rest.  (Marc and I discuss this in detail in the Simplicity and Productivity chapters of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

3.  Think progress, not perfection.

Don’t worry about perfection; you’ll never achieve it.  Instead, focus on the progress you’ve made and the progress you intend to make today.

Progression is not automatic or inevitable.  Every step of personal growth requires sacrifice and work.  Every step is part of an ever-improving, ever-ascending life path.  Every step is an accomplishment that should be celebrated.  You know you will never get to the absolute peak (perfection), but when you celebrate the journey this truth only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.

4.  Cleanse your heart every night.

Just as your body needs regular washing because it gets dirty every day, so does your heart.

Because every day, people hurt you, offend you, forget you, snub you, step on you, or reject you.  But if you choose to forgive these people and let these things go at the end of each day, you cleanse your heart.  You wake up the next morning refreshed and free of negativity.  Refuse to carry old regrets, mindsets, and distractions into each new day.  Read The Happiness Project.

5.  Purge untrue thoughts.

You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.

Behind every stressful feeling is an untrue thought.  Before the thought you weren’t suffering, but after the thought you began to suffer.  When you recognize that the thought isn’t true, once again there is no suffering.  When you change your thoughts, you change your life.

6.  Expect some stress, accept it, and let go of it.

The most important journeys that lead to the most wonderful places are usually the challenging ones you must endure the hard way.

Stress is but a wall between two peaceful gardens – the garden where you are and garden where you want to be.  You must scale the wall that’s in your way, gathering lessons as you climb, before letting go as you descend to the other side.  You will only lose if you never climb or you never let go.

7.  Be kind to your body.

A good workout is the best stress reducer, and a fit, healthy body is the best fashion statement.

The pursuit of optimal fitness is a journey, a constant struggle, a lifestyle.  It’s a gradual process where intensity during each exercise session, what you eat every single day, and patience over years is what’s required.

But as you know, the longest journey always begins with a single step.  It’s all about taking that step and then stepping one day at a time, committing yourself to a daily intake of 30 to 60 minutes of uninterrupted exercise and a reasonably healthy diet.  Read Eat to Live.

8.  Do one nice thing for yourself every day.

Put yourself at the top of your priority list.  There is no person on Earth who deserves your kindness and attention more than you.  When you love yourself first, everything else falls into place.

So treat yourself every day.  Give yourself something special – like laughter, good conversation, meditation, quiet reading, an hour to work on a passion, a long walk, etc.

You are worth it.

9.  Simplify.

Organize, don’t agonize.  Keep your space ordered and your schedule under-booked.  Create a foundation with a soft place to land, a wide margin of error, and room to think and breathe…

So you have the flexibility to explore the possibilities for happiness in each and every day.

The floor is yours…

What would you add to the list?  What do you do to make yourself smile when life gets stressful?  Please leave a comment below.

Photo by: Loving Earth