Go Craze !

50 ways to find happiness and live longer

2009-01-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

1 Create ambiance. For tonight's dinner, put out your best linens, create a centerpiece, or simply light a candle. A festive setting makes for a festive mood.

2 Get outside. Whenever you feel bored, antsy, or gloomy, go for a walk. The fresh air, changing scenery, and exercise will boost your mood.

3 Bow out gracefully. The next time you argue with someone, be the first person to relent and acknowledge the other person's point of view. You'll both be smiling sooner.

4 Pat a pet. Rub a good dog. Scratch a cat. Pets love us unconditionally and relieve our stress.

5 Hit the sack sooner. Go to bed an hour early tonight. Tomorrow, you'll wake up with a brighter outlook.

6 Build someone's future. Volunteer with a local charity. To find a nonprofit or tax-exempt organization near you, visit www.volunteermatch.org.

7 Buy something beautiful. Place a small but exquisite painting, handmade vase, or other piece of art prominently in your home. Admire it often.

8 Take lessons. When you were a kid, did you always want to try horseback riding or sailing? Do you wish you could take up a hobby, like knitting or piano playing? Now is the time to learn how. Hobbies are fun and relieve stress. Look for appropriate schools in the phone book.

9 Add greenery. Adorn your desk and kitchen counter with cut flowers, houseplants, or potted herbs. Plants are proven mood enhancers.

10 Know you're loved. There's no greater joy.

11 Look to the heavens. Whenever you have a chance to relax under the stars, do it. Gazing at the night sky makes you feel more connected to the world.

12 Relish a juicy read. When you start a book and know that it's going to be good, take a moment to enjoy the tingling in your toes.

13 Revel in simplicity. Buy a single rose, tulip, or gerber daisy. Admire the color and shape of the petals and remember how beautiful life can be.

14 Awaken your Inner Julia Child. Create a dish without a recipe from just the ingredients in your pantry. Discover your creative power.

15 Care for yourself. Gently brush your hair or massage your scalp every night before you go to bed. This simple ritual will relax you.

16 Keep in touch. Write a friend. Use your best pen and beautiful stationery. Realize that you are actually sending love.

17 Start a tea party. Schedule a regular tea date with your friends and honor it like any other appointment. During stressful weeks you'll have something fun to look forward to.

18 Climb something. Find a tree, a monument, or the highest point in your town. Take in the view from the top and forget your worries.

19 Redo a room. Paint a bureau, a door, four walls, or even a ceiling anything but white. A new color brings change and beauty into your life quickly and with little effort.

20 Crack yourself up. Conjure up the funniest movie scene you know or a silly true story starring yourself. Laugh out loud.

21 Play Jeopardy. Watch a game show with your spouse, your kids, or your best friend. Yell out whatever answers come to mind. Laugh when you're right, and laugh when you're wrong.

22 Day trip. Wake up at 5:30 one weekend morning to commune with nature, whether you climb a mountain or walk a shoreline. Enjoy the thrill of breathing fresh outdoor air all day long.

23 Sleep in. Allow yourself at least one lazy weekend morning a month.

24 Take a detour. Stray from your usual route. Be stimulated by new neighborhoods and people, and appreciate the challenge of finding your way home.

25 Bear gifts. Keep little presents like scented candles or homemade jams on hand. Offer them to friends for no reason in particular. When you give to others, the world seems more generous.

26 Jump for joy. Literally. Hopping up and down in place for 30 seconds infuses you with energy and youthful vigor. (It also strengthens your bones.)

27 Make a joyful book. Fill a small album with photos and stories that evoke your happiest memories.

28 Plan a picnic. Call some friends and then pack fresh fruit, sandwiches, and maybe a bottle of wine. While away the afternoon under the shade of a tree.

29 Play the game "New or Good." At the end of each day, ask your partner to tell you about one new or good experience. Then offer your own response. Maybe you noticed blooming roses or a bluebird in your backyard, or your cranky neighbor smiled.

30 Learn how to use a tool. Grind whole spices in a mortar with a pestle, find Saturn's rings with a telescope, or cut wood shelves with a circular saw. Feel good about your competence.

31 Send birthday joy. For their birthdays, write your friends letters recounting favorite memories or telling them what they mean to you. Hint that you like receiving mail, too.

32 Meditate while you walk. Stroll through a familiar part of town and focus your mind on its sights, smells, and sounds. If other thoughts pop up, acknowledge them but return your concentration to what's around you.

33 Be an active constituent. Take steps to resolve a political issue that worries you by writing your congressperson. Log on to www.congress.org or call 202-224-3121 to find his or her address in a flash.

4 Remember kindness. Recall a situation in which a friend treated you kindly. Mentally extend the feelings of joy she inspired back to her.

We're Not Making This Up!

Studies show that simple activities really do increase joy, and joy increases your life span. To wit:

* Progressive muscle relaxation increased feelings of joy and relaxation in a study of 42 students published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology last year. To learn how to do it, see the top of the next page.

* Children who exercised aerobically for 15 minutes felt significantly more joyful afterward than those who watched a 15-minute video, according to a study published in Perception of Motor Skills last year. Recent evidence also suggests that grown-ups find joy in brief bouts of aerobic exercise.

* Last year, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed a correlation between longevity and positive feelings in the diaries of a group of nuns. Those who lived the longest expressed the most joy about life.

35 Practice relaxation. Regular use of progressive muscle relaxation can increase feelings of joy. To try it, lie in a quiet place. For 10 to 20 minutes, slowly contract and release every muscle in your body, starting with the muscles in your toes and ending with those on your face.

36 Paint a picture. You don't have to create a masterpiece. Buy some inexpensive watercolors and a pad of paper, and let the colors guide you.

37 Croon in your car. Stash a cassette tape whose lyrics you know by heart in your glove compartment. When you're stuck in traffic, play it and sing along as loud as you can.

38 Tidy up your bathroom. You wince. But a spotless toilet, shining sink, and clean fluffy towels are a joy for the next visitor--even if it's you.

39 Marry beauty and practicality. Next time you need an everyday object, like a cereal bowl or a coffee mug, choose the most pleasing replacement you can afford. When you use it, notice its simple elegance.

40 Finish off a to-do list. Set reasonable goals so that by the end of your work week, you can complete all your tasks. When 'Friday comes, feel the weight of worry, lift off your shoulders.

41 Personalize gifts. Whenever you buy a book or frame a picture for someone else, write a kind note to the recipient on the flap or the back.

42 Honor your appetite. Eat no snacks today. When dinnertime comes, you'll truly appreciate the tastes, smells, and textures of your meal.

43 Learn elementary botany. Buy a book to show you how to differentiate between types of evergreens and deciduous trees. When you recognize all the trees in your neighborhood, you'll feel closer to nature.

44 Answer slowly. Take a deep breath before responding to a question from anyone, whether it's your boss, your mother, or your lover. Chances are you'll say something smarter (and kinder).

45 See the sun daily. The sun's rays may encourage your body to produce natural chemicals that induce joy.

46 Do the Twist. This dance style is fun, silly, and easy, and it will make you laugh.

47 Bake cookies. And bring them to work.

48 Get active instead of watching TV. Exercise that increases your heartbeat improves your mood. Those benefits apply to the whole family. So instead of watching a video, jump rope with your kids or chase them around a playground.

49 Make time to prioritize. If you have three nonstop days in a row, take one hour on the fourth day to list all your obligations, and then eliminate the least important tasks. Even if your load is still heavy, you'll feel in much greater control.

0 Throw a theme party. Invite friends over to a "blue dinner" (blue corn chips and salsa, blue potato gratin, blueberry pie) or any fete of your own creation. Themes put guests at ease and are fun to plan.

How to Handle Difficult People

2009-01-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

Things You’ll Need:

Solid resolve
Determination
Inner peace
Humor
Fortitude

You're going through your day when all of a sudden you run across someone who does their best to get under your skin. What do you do? There are many ways to deal with such people, but here's a simple and proven tactic.
Step1
Each day, decide to yourself that no matter what, you will not allow anyone to get under your skin. Realize what affects you and plan how to deal with this in advance.

Step2

Whenever you encounter a difficult person, ask yourself, "Do I own this problem?" If yes, acknowledge it. If not, move on.

Step3

Listen carefully to what the person is saying. Many times, there are underlying clues to what is really going on with this person. Try not to respond abruptly or out of anger.

Step4

Try offering a positive or encouraging solution. Keep a smile on your face. Most of all, don't lose your cool. Your inner peace is what's important to you.

2009-01-16T18:58:00.001-08:00

Talk is cheap. Actually talk can be worth anywhere from a few cents a minute on skype to free if you're face to face. Being broke is a perfect opportunity to work on your relationships. You don't have to take your friend, or romantic interest on a super expensive date, you can do something simple like get to know what they're really about and what's going on with them. People like nothing more than to talk about themselves, and they're willing to pay professionals a lot of money to just listen to them, so you could be delivering a lot of value to your friends for free!

Exercise burns. Exercise burns your calories, but it doesn't have to burn your wallet. You can invest in a $30 pair of cross-training sneakers, which can last you awhile if you don't run through swamps and they're practical for several sports. I maintain a really good deal at Bally's for $15 a month for life (after paying $60/month for 3 years awhile ago), so I don't see myself canceling that. However, you can create a 30-minute morning routine without any weight, using just kalesthetics, and maintain a healthy lifestyle for nothing.

Bottle it. Invest a couple of bucks towards a large waterbottle, or reuse a plastic one you bought earlier, and fill it up with filter/tap water. Drink nothing but the water, avoiding alcohol and coffees which dehydrate you, make you fat, and add up in cash-money if you're a consistent consumer. It's a great way to keep your organs optimally hydrated while saving a lot of money.

Explore. Find areas around your house, such as local parks and landmarks that you can go to for free. You're out there getting your daily walk, taking in the fresh air, and paying nothing to enjoy mother nature. This is a great way to spend time alone, with a friend, or to get to know a special someone. You'll be surprised how much 30 minutes of walking can improve your overall health, focus, and feelings of well-being. I actually journaled how I felt for 30 straight days of 30 minute walks and it was enlightening to see the full progress after the 30 days.

Reading is free. That's a big statement to make considering I have shelves and shelves worth of self-improvement books in my room that have a combined cost of hundreds of dollars. However, there's always the library that has a large selection of great books and audio tapes that I like to frequent. Return books on time and it doesn't cost you a penny.

Work on skills and talents. Some skills and talents are quite expensive to indulge in. Painting requires expensive utensils, racing requires fuel, singing may require instruments or recording equipment. Other skills can be worked on while saving or earning you money. Want to practice social skills? Work at a nightclub on weekends. Want to improve your cooking skills? Volunteer to cook at an elderly people's home in your spare time. Use your imagination and find a creative outlet that works for you.

Cook your own. The best way to get healthy food into your system is to cook that food, instead of eating out at a restaurant. Find a cheap place, such as a farmers market, to purchase fruits and vegetables. Make these the cornerstones of your meals, taking up at least 90% of your caloric intake. You'll save money, you'll fill yourself with nutritious food, and you'll be able to impress friends or a date with a frugal meal that you created with your own hands instead of spending money on restaurants.

Character development. Use this opportunity to do some journaling and introspection. Decide what kind of person you want to be, with what kind of virtues and ethics. Decide how you want to be seen by people, and how you would like to treat others. Create a list of rules that you will not budge from which will slowly but surely take you towards your goals.

Volunteer. This can be a very fulfilling way to pass time while meeting some kindhearted and down to earth people. You're actively spending time improving the quality of someone's life while absorbing joy from the experience. Wow, what a great deal. They should start charging to volunteer. In my case I'm volunteering/interning twice a week at one of the dental schools I applied to. There's no doubt that I'm helping them out there but I'm also learning a lot and most importantly networking with great contacts.

Writing Pays. Invest a little bit of money into a personal website. You don't have to pay more than $3-5 per month, and you can find a free theme to use. Either create a blog about something you're passionate about, or use it as a portfolio of your writing. Survey all the websites that write about topics you would be interested in, and start submitting your writing. Unleashing you're creativity through the process of writing is an excellent way to improve your train of thought.
I'm pretty much doing all 10 of these, and more, to the best of my abilities. It might not be the best situation and having to say no when your friends go out somewhere expensive isn't fun, but it's what needs to be done. I might not have always done this, but I know for a fact that the best way to see the big plus on your balance sheet is to live below your means and building positive habits should begin with as little as $1 to our name.

10 ways to improve yourself while broke

2009-01-16T18:58:00.000-08:00

Talk is cheap. Actually talk can be worth anywhere from a few cents a minute on skype to free if you're face to face. Being broke is a perfect opportunity to work on your relationships. You don't have to take your friend, or romantic interest on a super expensive date, you can do something simple like get to know what they're really about and what's going on with them. People like nothing more than to talk about themselves, and they're willing to pay professionals a lot of money to just listen to them, so you could be delivering a lot of value to your friends for free!

Exercise burns. Exercise burns your calories, but it doesn't have to burn your wallet. You can invest in a $30 pair of cross-training sneakers, which can last you awhile if you don't run through swamps and they're practical for several sports. I maintain a really good deal at Bally's for $15 a month for life (after paying $60/month for 3 years awhile ago), so I don't see myself canceling that. However, you can create a 30-minute morning routine without any weight, using just kalesthetics, and maintain a healthy lifestyle for nothing.

Bottle it. Invest a couple of bucks towards a large waterbottle, or reuse a plastic one you bought earlier, and fill it up with filter/tap water. Drink nothing but the water, avoiding alcohol and coffees which dehydrate you, make you fat, and add up in cash-money if you're a consistent consumer. It's a great way to keep your organs optimally hydrated while saving a lot of money.

Explore. Find areas around your house, such as local parks and landmarks that you can go to for free. You're out there getting your daily walk, taking in the fresh air, and paying nothing to enjoy mother nature. This is a great way to spend time alone, with a friend, or to get to know a special someone. You'll be surprised how much 30 minutes of walking can improve your overall health, focus, and feelings of well-being. I actually journaled how I felt for 30 straight days of 30 minute walks and it was enlightening to see the full progress after the 30 days.

Reading is free. That's a big statement to make considering I have shelves and shelves worth of self-improvement books in my room that have a combined cost of hundreds of dollars. However, there's always the library that has a large selection of great books and audio tapes that I like to frequent. Return books on time and it doesn't cost you a penny.

Work on skills and talents. Some skills and talents are quite expensive to indulge in. Painting requires expensive utensils, racing requires fuel, singing may require instruments or recording equipment. Other skills can be worked on while saving or earning you money. Want to practice social skills? Work at a nightclub on weekends. Want to improve your cooking skills? Volunteer to cook at an elderly people's home in your spare time. Use your imagination and find a creative outlet that works for you.

Cook your own. The best way to get healthy food into your system is to cook that food, instead of eating out at a restaurant. Find a cheap place, such as a farmers market, to purchase fruits and vegetables. Make these the cornerstones of your meals, taking up at least 90% of your caloric intake. You'll save money, you'll fill yourself with nutritious food, and you'll be able to impress friends or a date with a frugal meal that you created with your own hands instead of spending money on restaurants.

Character development. Use this opportunity to do some journaling and introspection. Decide what kind of person you want to be, with what kind of virtues and ethics. Decide how you want to be seen by people, and how you would like to treat others. Create a list of rules that you will not budge from which will slowly but surely take you towards your goals.

Volunteer. This can be a very fulfilling way to pass time while meeting some kindhearted and down to earth people. You're actively spending time improving the quality of someone's life while absorbing joy from the experience. Wow, what a great deal. They should start charging to volunteer. In my case I'm volunteering/interning twice a week at one of the dental schools I applied to. There's no doubt that I'm helping them out there but I'm also learning a lot and most importantly networking with great contacts.

Writing Pays. Invest a little bit of money into a personal website. You don't have to pay more than $3-5 per month, and you can find a free theme to use. Either create a blog process of writing is an excellent way to improve your train of thought. about something you're passionate about, or use it as a portfolio of your writing. Survey all the websites that write about topics you would be interested in, and start submitting your writing. Unleashing you're creativity through the
I'm pretty much doing all 10 of these, and more, to the best of my abilities. It might not be the best situation and having to say no when your friends go out somewhere expensive isn't fun, but it's what needs to be done. I might not have always done this, but I know for a fact that the best way to see the big plus on your balance sheet is to live below your means and building positive habits should begin with as little as $1 to our name.

7 habits of losers

2009-01-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

A billboard near my house reads, "Tell me the company you keep, and I'll tell you what you are." If you ponder, there's a truth in this statement. A criminal seeks another criminal; a successful man seeks the company of another successful man.

I'm as good as the company I keep and I naturally gravitate towards Positivity by seeing half-full side of the glass; I believe in my own destiny. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on the dry land not only drowns himself in the deep ocean but also drowns those who make an attempt to rescue him.

As an astute student of human behavior, I always look out for and stay away from a loser. You see, I have to protect my dreams, to protect my Positivity, and certainly protect my winning attitude.

Read on and think about who you surround yourself with. Do any of your close friends fit the mold?

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British politician.

1. Sees a problem in every opportunity:
A loser is a poor judge of the choices he makes. He sees negativity in Positivity. He sees scares in abundance. He sees a problem in every opportunity. He's a troll looking for failure as an outcome to justify his lack of action. He thinks others are lucky for their achievements to abscond with his inept to achieve anything of significance.

2. Passes the buck:
A loser is low on the fuel of self-esteem. He lacks confidence to achieve anything in life. He sees himself as a victim of the cruelty life inflicts on him. He feels that others are to blame for his failures as life is not fair to him.

3. Uses antagonistic phrases:
A loser lives the life of antagonism. He uses statements like, "It's not my job," or "I'm not responsible for that" to discern their negativity.

4. Cuts losses quickly:
A loser feels pride in making swift moves from a career to another career or from one business to another. He is deft at justifying another dream until a new whim arrives with a new dream. He wants to do lots of things but finds ways to rationalize doing nothing. His confidence in a career or business lasts until he finds another career or a business.

5. Hooked up on cable and lottery drug:
A loser squanders time by watching TV for more hours than engaging in meaningful action. He strives for instant gratification by following celebrities and playing lottery with the hope of striking rich overnight.

6. Seeks approval from others:
A loser tends to please others in everything he does. He refuses to think and act on his own behalf. He yields to others the ability to create his opinion of himself.

7. He doesn't know what he wants from life:
A loser seeks approval from others rather than approval from his inner-self. He sees life from the lenses of instant gratification. His opinion about life swings faster than that of a politician. He truly never knows himself well to find a purpose.

A loser is a dream-buster armed with a weapon of negativity to squash your purpose. If you find one, beware. Report to us immediately and either correct their ways, correct the level of credence you place on their words, or distance yourself.

Your reward is waiting for you with a life of abundance.

39 ways to live and no merely exist

2009-01-16T18:14:00.000-08:00

Too often we go through life on autopilot, going through the motions and having each day pass like the one before it.

That's fine, and comfortable, until you have gone through another year without having done anything, without having really lived life.

That's fine, until you have reached old age and look back on life with regrets.

That's fine, until you see your kids go off to college and realize that you missed their childhoods.

It's not fine. If you want to truly live life, to really experience it, to enjoy it to the fullest, instead of barely scraping by and only living a life of existence, then you need to find ways to break free from the mold and drink from life.

What follows is just a list of ideas, obvious ones mostly that you could have thought of yourself, but that I hope are useful reminders. We all need reminders sometimes. If you find this useful, print it out, and start using it. Today.

Love. Perhaps the most important. Fall in love, if you aren't already. If you have, fall in love with your partner all over again. Abandon caution and let your heart be broken. Or love family members, friends, anyone -- it doesn't have to be romantic love. Love all of humanity, one person at a time.

Get outside. Don't let yourself be shut indoors. Go out when it's raining. Walk on the beach. Hike through the woods. Swim in a freezing lake. Bask in the sun. Play sports, or walk barefoot through grass. Pay close attention to nature.

Savor food. Don't just eat your food, but really enjoy it. Feel the texture, the bursts of flavors. Savor every bite. If you limit your intake of sweets, it will make the small treats you give yourself (berries or dark chocolate are my favorites) even more enjoyable. And when you do have them, really, really savor them. Slowly.

Create a morning ritual. Wake early and greet the day. Watch the sun rise. Out loud, tell yourself that you will not waste this day, which is a gift. You will be compassionate to your fellow human beings, and live every moment to its fullest. Stretch or meditate or exercise as part of your ritual. Enjoy some coffee.

Take chances. We often live our lives too cautiously, worried about what might go wrong. Be bold, risk it all. Quit your job and go to business for yourself (plan it out first!), or go up to that girl you've liked for a long time and ask her out. What do you have to lose?

Follow excitement. Try to find the things in life that excite you, and then go after them. Make life one exciting adventure after another (with perhaps some quiet times in between).

Find your passion. Similar to the above tip, this one asks you to find your calling. Make your living by doing the thing you love to do. First, think about what you really love to do. There may be many things. Find out how you can make a living doing it. It may be difficult, but you only live once.

Get out of your cubicle. Do you sit all day in front of computer, shuffling papers and taking phone calls and chatting on the Internet? Don't waste your days like this. Break free from the cubicle environment, and do your work on a laptop, in a coffee shop, or on a boat, or in a log cabin. This may require a change of jobs, or becoming a freelancer. It's worth it.

Turn off the TV. How many hours will we waste away in front of the boob tube? How many hours do we have to live? Do the math, then unplug the TV. Only plug it back in when you have a DVD of a movie you love. Otherwise, keep it off and find other stuff to do. Don't know what to do? Read further.

Pull away from Internet. You're reading something on the Internet right now. And, with the exception of this article, it is just more wasting away of your precious time. You cannot get these minutes back. Unplug the Internet, then get out of your office or house. Right now! And go and do something.

Travel. Sure, you want to travel some day. When you have vacation time, or when you're older. Well, what are you waiting for? Find a way to take a trip, if not this month, then sometime soon. You may need to sell your car or stop your cable bill and stop eating out to do it, but make it happen. You are too young to not see the world. If need be, find a way to make a living by freelancing, then work while you travel. Only work an hour or two a day. Don't check email but once a week. Then use the rest of the time to see the world.

Rediscover what's important. Take an hour and make a list of everything that's important to you. Add to it everything that you want to do in life. Now cut that list down to 4-5 things. Just the most important things in your life. This is your core list. This is what matters. Focus your life on these things. Make time for them.

Eliminate everything else. What's going on in your life that's not on that short list? All that stuff is wasting your time, pulling your attention from what's important. As much as possible, simplify your life by eliminating the stuff that's not on your short list, or minimizing it.

Exercise. Get off the couch and go for a walk. Eventually try running. Or do some push ups and crunches. Or swim or bike or row. Or go for a hike. Whatever you do, get active, and you'll love it. And life will be more alive.

Be positive. Learn to recognize the negative thoughts you have. These are the self-doubts, the criticisms of others, the complaints, the reasons you can't do something. Then stop yourself when you have these thoughts, and replace them with positive thoughts. Solutions. You can do this!

Open your heart. Is your heart a closed bundle of scar tissue? Learn to open it, have it ready to receive love, to give love unconditionally. If you have a problem with this, talk to someone about it. And practice makes perfect.

Kiss in the rain. Seize the moment and be romantic. Raining outside? Grab your lover and give her a passionate kiss. Driving home? Stop the car and pick some wildflowers. Send her a love note. Dress sexy for him.

Face your fears. What are you most afraid of? What is holding you back? Whatever it is, recognize it, and face it. Do what you are most afraid of. Afraid of heights? Go to the tallest building, and look down over the edge. Only by facing our fears can we be free of them.

When you suffer, suffer. Life isn't all about fun and games. Suffering is an inevitable part of life. We lose our jobs. We lose our lovers. We lose our pets. We get physically injured or sick. A loved one becomes sick. A parent dies. Learn to feel the pain intensely, and really grieve. This is a part of life -- really feel the pain. And when you're done, move on, and find joy.

Slow down. Life moves along at such a rapid pace these days. It's not healthy, and it's not conducive to living. Practice doing everything slowly -- everything, from eating to walking to driving to working to reading. Enjoy what you do. Learn to move at a snail's pace.

Touch humanity. Get out of your house and manicured neighborhoods, and find those who live in worse conditions. Meet them, talk to them, understand them. Live among them. Be one of them. Give up your materialistic lifestyle.

Volunteer. Help at homeless soup kitchens. Learn compassion, and learn to help ease the suffering of others. Help the sick, those with disabilities, those who are dying.

Play with children. Children, more than anyone else, know how to live. They experience everything in the moment, fully. When they get hurt, they really cry. When they play, they really have fun. Learn from them, instead of thinking you know so much more than them. Play with them, and learn to be joyful like them.

Talk to old people. There is no one wiser, more experienced, more learned, than those who have lived through life. They can tell you amazing stories. Give you advice on making a marriage last or staying out of debt. Tell you about their regrets, so you can learn from them and avoid the same mistakes. They are the wisdom of our society -- take advantage of their existence while they're still around.

Learn new skills. Constantly improve yourself instead of standing still -- not because you're so imperfect now, but because it is gratifying and satisfying. You should accept yourself as you are, and learn to love who you are, but still try to improve -- if only because the process of improvement is life itself.

Find spirituality. For some, this means finding God or Jesus or Allah or Buddha. For others, this means becoming in tune with the spirits of our ancestors, or with nature. For still others, this just means an inner energy. Whatever spirituality means for you, rediscover it, and its power.

Take mini-retirements. Don't leave the joy of retirement until you are too old to enjoy it. Do it now, while you're young. It makes working that much more worth it. Find ways to take a year off every few years. Save up, sell your home, your possessions, and travel. Live simply, but live, without having to work. Enjoy life, then go back to work and save up enough money to do it again in a couple of years.

Do nothing. Despite the tip above that we should find excitement, there is value in doing nothing as well. Not doing nothing as in reading, or taking a nap, or watching TV, or meditating. Doing nothing as in sitting there, doing nothing. Just learning to be still, in silence, to hear our inner voice, to be in tune with life. Do this daily if possible.

Stop playing video games. They might be fun, but they can take up way too much time. If you spend a lot of time playing online games, or computer solitaire, or Wii or Gameboy or whatever, consider going a week without it. Then find something else to do, outside.

Watch sunsets, daily. One of the most beautiful times of day. Make it a daily ritual to find a good spot to watch the sunset, perhaps having a light dinner while you do so.

Stop reading magazines. They're basically crap. And they waste your time and money. Cancel your subscriptions and walk past them at the news stands. If you have to read something, read a trashy novel or even better, read Dumb Little Man once a day and be done.

Break out from ruts. Do you do things the same way every day? Change it up. Try something new. Take a different route to work. Start your day out differently. Approach work from a new angle. Look at things from new perspectives.

Stop watching the news. It's depressing and useless. If you're a news junky, this may be difficult. I haven't watch TV news or read a newspaper regularly in about two years. It hasn't hurt me a bit. Anything important, my mom tells me about.

Laugh till you cry. Laughing is one of the best ways to live. Tell jokes and laugh your head off. Watch an awesome comedy. Learn to laugh at anything. Roll on the ground laughing. You'll love it.

Lose control. Not only control over yourself, but control over others. It's a bad habit to try to control others -- it will only lead to stress and unhappiness for yourself and those you try to control. Let others live, and live for yourself. And lose control of yourself now and then too.

Cry. Men, especially, tend to hold in our tears, but crying is an amazing release. Cry at sad movies. Cry at a funeral. Cry when you are hurt, or when somebody you love is hurt. It releases these emotions and allows us to cleanse ourselves.

Make an awesome dessert. I like to make warm, soft chocolate cake. But even berries dipped in chocolate, or crepes with ice cream and fruit, or fresh apple pie, or homemade chocolate chip cookies or brownies, are great. This isn't an every day thing, but an occasional treat thing. But it's wonderful.

Try something new, every week. Ask yourself: "What new thing shall I try this week?" Then be sure to do it. You don't have to learn a new language in one week, but seek new experiences. Give it a try. You might decide you want to keep it in your life.

Be in the moment. Instead of thinking about things you need to do, or things that have happened to you, or worrying or planning or regretting, think about what you are doing, right now. What is around you? What smells and sounds and sights and feelings are you experiencing? Learn to do this as much as possible through meditation, but also through bringing your focus back to the present as much as you can in everything you do.
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