101 Tips For a Better Life

I have made lots of mistakes in my life and all of them have been valuable lessons for me. Through trial and error, I have learned and adopted certain principles that help me experience a happier, more fulfilling, and productive life. I’d like to share these with you:

Pay off your credit cards every month. Do not live beyond your means. Read books. It is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to educate yourself. Find a mentor, or two. Spend some time with people over the age of 65 and under the age of 7. They have a lot of wisdom to offer. You probably do not need at least half the stuff you currently own. Declutter by getting rid (sell or donate) of all the stuff you do not need. Remember that most material objects only bring temporary satisfaction. In any conversation, listen more than you speak. Learn to really listen. Let others talk about themselves more and speak less about yourself. Make it a point to remember someone’s name. Save a percentage of your income each month without fail. Buying the cheapest or the most expensive model for most things is probably not a good idea. Spending your money on memories that will last is better than spending it on frivolous stuff. Be generous with the less fortunate. You could be in their shoes one day. Join and support your local library. Reading biographies is one of the best ways to learn from great people and avoid their mistakes. You can learn something from everyone. Never be ashamed to ask for advice. Only give advice when it is asked for. Nobody likes to be preached to. When you feel really smart, you are probably not. When you feel inferior or dumb, you are probably not. Do not be critical or gossip. Your mother was right, if you have nothing nice to say, do not say anything at all. Have a great sense of humor. You can find humor in just about any situation. Make jokes at your expense, not others. Pay others compliments when due. Always be honest. Do not lie, embellish, or exaggerate. Always say sorry when you are wrong, and sometimes when you are not. Forgive others. It’s for your own good. Forgive yourself. It’s for your own good. You do not have to win every argument. It is better to be happy than right. Life is too short to hate anyone. If a relationship needs to be kept a secret, you probably should not be in it. Do not take yourself too seriously because most people do not. Say Please and Thank You often. Write thank you cards and e-mails. The effort makes all the difference. Always be humble. Nobody likes a braggart. It’s okay to cry. It is healing. Accept your past so that it does not mess up the present, which will inevitably mess up your future. Do not envy others. Be happy for them instead. Use your cell phone as a tool. Do not let it use you. Know when to ignore it or turn it off. No matter how you feel, show up anyway. Learn to meditate. It will change your life. Problems and mistakes are just opportunities to learn and get better. Trust your instinct. It’s there for a reason. No matter how good or bad a situation is, it will change. Do not compare yourself with others because you have no idea what their lives are like. Life isn’t always fair, but it is still good and worth living. Getting old is much better than the alternative. Replacing a bad habit with a good one is not easy, but it can be done. Always do the most important things first. Whenever in doubt, take the next small step anyway. Fear is a natural reaction to getting out of your comfort zone. Pursue things that inspire you. You will never regret it. Learn to speak a second language. It will teach you how to think differently. When it’s possible, walk or ride your bike rather than drive. What others think of you is none of your business. Fix your small problems because they eventually will become big problems. Surround yourself with positive people who care about progress. Stay away from people whose actions clash with how you want to live your life. Exercise regularly. Your health is the most important thing you have. Sleep earlier. Wake up earlier. Bottled water is a waste of money and is bad for the environment. For more clarification, spell Evian backwards. Time is the most valuable asset we have. Once gone, it can never be retrieved. Develop a daily routine. It makes you efficient. When faced with disappointment or hardship, ask yourself if it will really matter in 5-10 years. Give thanks for 5 things at the end of every day. You really are what you eat. Be in the moment. The past is gone forever and the future is uncertain. The average human body is comprised of about 60% water, so drink lots of it. Always be honest and do the right thing even if you know you will not get caught. That is the definition of integrity. Travel as much as you can. It broadens your horizon. Avoid negative TV and media. It serves no purpose. All of us are connected. What affects one affects us all. If we all placed our problems in a pile, we would probably grab ours back after we saw everyone else’s. Eat more plants rather than food that has been manufactured in one. You are not a product of circumstances. You are a product of how you react to circumstances. The only person responsible for your happiness is you. The choice is yours. You cannot achieve what you cannot perceive or don’t believe. Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. What you think, you become. So watch your thoughts. Almost all regret, anger and sadness is caused by thinking about the past, and almost all fear, stress and anxiety is caused by thinking about the future. So be mindful in the present moment. Love deeper and speak sweeter. It is powerful. Have specific goals, both large and small, because that is your life map. Multitasking is really task-switching in disguise. Monotask if you want to produce amazing results. Real love is unconditional. Most of the things we fear will never happen. And even if they do, they will probably not be as bad as we feared. If you never fail, you are probably not challenging yourself enough. You are not your thoughts. Many of our thoughts are not even based on reality. Learn to watch your thoughts from a distance. You cannot control others. You can only control how you react to them. You are tougher and more resilient than you think. It’s not a myth, what does not kill you really does make you stronger. Just like putting the oxygen mask on yourself first before helping others on an airplane, you must take care of yourself first in life. If you do not make the sacrifice for what you want, what you want will be the sacrifice. Clinging on and attachment is the biggest cause of heartache. You cannot get anywhere by constantly looking in the rear view mirror. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know”. Sometimes, that is the most intelligent answer. Yoga really works. If you are not happy or content with yourself alone, you will never be happy in a relationship. Whether you believe you can or cannot, you are right. Nature can teach us a lot so pay attention. The more you learn, the more you realize you do not know. We are all special, but nobody is more special than anyone else. In the end, all that matters is love.