I read a lot of self-improvement stuff that I come across as I travel through the wonderful world wide web. But in my (almost) 24 years, I've collected some knowledge of my own. I stopped at twenty, but I bet I could have made it to One HUNDRED and twenty!
1. Take the saying "You learn something new every day" to heart. Don't think you've learned anything yet today? I like to stumble until I do. Or Wiki-surf: go to Wikipedia and read the featured article (or as much of it as you are interested in) and click on one of the links in the article. Do this several times over until you find yourself on a completely different topic.
2. Don't let clutter take over your life. Every time you notice that your living/work space has become messy, pick up 3 things. Sometimes this game turns in to 5 or 10 things, or an hour's worth of scrubbing when the mood hits.
3. Set small goals frequently. For example: do yoga every morning for a week, read 2 books this month, save $100 this month. Even if you never reach them, it helps to motivate you for a while.
4. Be shamelessly thrifty. Shop at yard sales, thrift stores and clearance racks. Why pay full price? Here is my own guide to thrifting.
5. Volunteer Regularly. When you volunteer with one organization on a regular basis, you form relationships that are just as rewarding as the work itself. Volunteer for a cause you believe in and the experience will be so much more than a "resume builder".
6. Cancel your cable TV for a year. Read a book. Cook a nice dinner for someone you love. Play board games with your family or friends. Cross something off the honey-do list. Go for a night walk. Learn an instrument. Pick up a hobby. Do a puzzle. Get that regular volunteering in. If there are shows you just can't miss, you can usually find them on Hulu. Once you've learned to survive without it, I doubt you'll be in a hurry to get the cable hooked back up.
7. Don't waste time worrying. Most of the time we worry about things that will never happen. Don't think about problems that haven't arisen yet, and spend your time solving the problems that do arise.
8. Be your own best friend. If you don't like yourself, how do you expect others to like you? Do what you can to improve yourself, but accept yourself for who you are, not who you'd like to be. Spend time alone to find out who you are when no one else is looking, for that is your truest self.
9. If you think you can't, you can't. Approach every task optimistically. Its amazing what you can do just by saying, "I can." You can run a mile. You can learn to knit. You can read War and Peace. But you can't if you never try.
10. Be good to others. We're all in it together. When someone is rude to you, try to think of what they may be going through that would make them act in such a manner.
11. Take pictures often. My mother always says "Life looks so fun in pictures." I always reply "My life IS fun. I take pictures to remember." It's always a treat to look through old Facebook photo albums and think about how I felt at that moment. Always be making memories, but don't forget to take a look at old ones every once in a while.
12. Try new things! Don't box yourself in and settle in to the life you have. Always reach for new things. Take a different route to work. Prepare a meal you've never tried before. Shake up your Saturday Night routine. Try on that skirt you think looks so great on the mannequin. Even if it doesn't work out, at least you will have learned something about yourself.
13. Spend big bucks on experiences, not things. Things break, get used up or get lost. Spend your money making memories. THINGS to invest in: a camera, a nice big bed and good walking shoes.
14. Stay humble and be grateful for what you have. In Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson, Suzanne is always saying "Aren't we lucky?" This is a saying I've taken to heart. Be thankful for everything you have and everyone in your life.
15. People come in to your life for a reason. People come in and out of your life- some people stay longer than others. Learn what you can from them while they are there. Don't mourn lost relationships, but cherish the lessons learned from them.
16. Trust your gut. There are so many examples of this that I'm having trouble choosing. This works as good test advice, moral advice or dating advice. When you know, you know.
17. Call your mom. On Hwy 20, there used to be a sign right outside Rockford that said "Call your mom." I never understood what the advertisement was for, but I always called my mom. I think it was good advice. You should tell her you love her too. Which reminds me....
18. Say "I love you" as often as you mean it. Love makes the world go 'round. All you need is love. Love conquers all. Cliche, cliche, cliche. But seriously. Don't YOU love it when someone says "I love you?" Doesn't it just make ya feel good? Well, others like to hear it too. There isn't enough in the love in the world. I bet terrorists would think twice if a few more people told them "I love you" every once in a while! HA!
19. Know what is going on in the world. You don't have to read the newspaper every day or watch the 6 o'clock news every night, but you should have some clue about major events happening locally, nationally and globally.
20. Wake up before you want to. Get plenty of sleep, but don't miss the best part of the day. Mornings are magical. Sunrise is the most peaceful time of day. Hitting snooze feels good for 10 minutes, but 10 minutes of yoga will wake you up better than a whole pot of coffee. Use extra morning time to relax before you start your day. Don't start your day in a hurry.
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