100 Simple Ways to Change Your Life for the Better

I found an article online that I really liked a lot. I think we can all use many of these to make our lives easier.

Enjoy!

By Jessica Hupp

No matter how perfect you may think you are, the fact this there’s always some small way you can improve upon yourself. Whether it’s broadening your knowledge or reducing your impact on the earth, there are seemingly endless little things you can do to make a change for the better. Here, we’ll discuss 100 of these steps, and how you can go about doing them.

Health

Good health is the foundation of a good life, so make these improvements, and they’ll resonate out to the rest of your life.

1. Eat breakfast every morning: Eating breakfast is important for your health and mental power, supplying essential vitamins, minerals, and energy for your day.
2. Get a good night’s rest: You just can’t have a happy and productive life if you’re tired all of the time, so get some quality shut eye.
3. Drink water: Step up your water intake to lose weight, feel better, and improve your skin.
4. Eat slowly: Slow down when you eat, and you’ll find that you consume less while still feeling satisfied.
5. Cut down on junk food: Junk food has a nasty way of bringing your health down, so avoid it whenever possible, opting instead for healthy food like fresh fruits and vegetables.
6. Practice good dental hygiene: Researchers have found that dental hygiene is important for more than cosmetic reasons-it can help you chew food and even avoid heart disease.
7. Drink tea: Be sure to check out the powerhouse of benefits that tea can deliver, which includes improved memory and prevention of ills such as cavities, cancer, and heart disease.
8. Get some exercise: Whether you need to lose weight or not, exercise will have a positive effect on your overall health and quality of life.
9. Improve your energy: If you’re feeling sluggish all day, chances are you’re just not going to feel good about yourself. So take a few steps to boost your energy, and you’ll be better in your daily life.
10. Intensify your workouts: Researchers have found that by doing more intense workouts, you can enjoy similar benefits that you would with a more relaxed workout for a longer period of time.
11. Enjoy fish a few times a week: Eat fish, and you’ll get a serving of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce heart disease.
12. Wear better shoes: Don’t torture your toes with restrictive shoes all the time-limit the amount of time you spend in uncomfortable shoes.
13. Protect your skin: Stay out of the sun to avoid skin damage, or use sunblock to help.
14. Eat at home: It’s easier and cheaper to prepare healthy foods on your own at home, and skillfully cooking a meal is sure to impress just about anyone.
15. Get tested for prediabetes: Diabetes is a disease that many Americans are susceptible to, and by discovering it early on you can prevent it or lessen its impact.
16. Take a daily walk: Get a little bit of movement and clear your mind with a walk every day.
17. Lose weight: One of the best things you can do for your health and overall quality of life is to shed a few pounds.

Social

Take these steps to change your social life for the better.

18. Join a book club: Get some social interaction while improving your knowledge with a book club.
19. Get out of the house: Believe it or not, the world just isn’t going to come to you. You’ve got to get out of your “zone” for social interaction.
20. Volunteer: For a rewarding social experience, look into volunteer opportunities.
21. Ignore minor irritations: Whether it’s some jerk in traffic, or incessant Facebook application requests, some things just aren’t worth dealing with.
22. Start a blog: Spark an online discussion and network with new people through a blog.
23. Talk to strangers: Don’t hesitate to spark a conversation with someone you don’t know-you just might enjoy yourself, or even make a new friend.
24. Don’t stereotype or label people: Avoid dismissing people based on factors you don’t fully understand, and you may find that they have something to offer you.
25. Call old friends: You’d be surprised how many people would be overjoyed to hear from you, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve seen them.
26. Go to church: Make new friends and get in touch with your spiritual side at church or temple.
27. Host a party: Spend some time with good friends and enjoy yourself at home by inviting others over for a party.
28. Enjoy a hobby: Having a regular, relaxing activity will bring you joy.
29. Join a club: Whether you’re into board games or photography, there’s a group out there for you.

Emotional

Improve your emotional life with these simple strategies.

30. Make an effort to be happy: Whether you actually feel happy or not, make it a point to attempt happiness. It will help you feel better, as well as others around you.
31. Consider religion: If you’re not a spiritual person, consider becoming more involved with religion to improve your emotional well-being.
32. Stop taking things personally: Although it may seem to the contrary, know that not everyone is out to make your life harder.
33. Be optimistic: Put a positive spin on things and feel better about the future.
34. Know when to lose sleep: Sometimes, you have more important things to do than sleep, but they key is knowing when that should happen.
35. Step out of your comfort zone: Make it a point to step out of your comfort zone once in awhile. It’s a great way to advance yourself.
36. Get rid of ill-fitting clothing: Clothes that don’t fit right will just make you look bad and feel worse about yourself. If you love a piece, but it just doesn’t look good, consider getting it tailored.
37. Spend time with a child: Look at the world through a child’s eyes and get inspired. You’ll learn to appreciate simple things and see life with excitement.
38. Pamper yourself: Take care of yourself, whether that means getting a pint of ice cream now and then, or just getting a spa treatment.
39. Celebrate your successes: When you’ve accomplished something great, take a moment to feel good about it!
40. Quit your technology addiction: Although you may love your BlackBerry, you’ll feel a whole lot better if you just step away from the screen for a while.
41. Set goals: By setting goals, you’ll give yourself something to strive for and look forward to.
42. Feel good about yourself: Make a decision to improve your self-confidence, and you’ll feel better. Others will notice it, too.
43. Be thankful: Every now and then, take some time to acknowledge all of the good things you have in your life, big and small.
44. Cut yourself some slack: Avoid inventing your own impossible, stringent rules that you have to stick to-they’ll only make you feel nervous and guilty.
45. Let go of the past: Don’t hold grudges-let go, and you’ll free up emotional space.
46. Don’t be dramatic: Stop inflating small problems, or you’ll make yourself more anxious than you need to be.
47. Express yourself: Let your emotions come out through art, writing, or other forms of expression.
48. Meditate: Take some time out every day to have an inner dialogue with yourself.

Financial

Make these changes to improve your life’s financial outlook.

49. Pay off debt: Nothing will improve your finances better than simply getting rid of debt.
50. Build an emergency fund: Keep an emergency fund to save yourself from plummeting into the red when something pops up, and you’ll be much more secure.
51. Track your spending: At some point in their lives, nearly everyone has wondered where all their money goes. Try this exercise to finally get to the bottom of it, and identify spots where your money could be better spent.
52. Be frugal: Embrace frugality in your life, and you’ll save money while living more simply.
53. Make extra payments: Pay off mortgage and other large debts early, and you’ll take a load off.
54. Diversify your income: Provide yourself with some financial security by finding multiple sources of income.
55. Save: The concept is simple-save money, and you’ll have more financial power to do the things you’d like to do.
56. Eat at home more often: Eating out all the time may be fun, but preparing meals at home is a better financial strategy.
57. Invest: Investing is not only fun, it’s an excellent way to make your money grow.
58. Set a goal: Give yourself a financial goal to achieve, whether it’s saving for a particular item, or doubling your investments.
59. Save for retirement: Don’t give your future self a huge mess to take care of-save now, and you’ll enjoy it later.

Mental

Improve your mind by taking these simple steps.

60. Go back to school: Continuing your education does not have to be a complicated endeavor. Take an online class, or just a weekend seminar.
61. Read classic books: Improve your mind by finally picking up all those books you were supposed to read in school.
62. Plan: Always have a plan for your life, so you’ll know what you’re working toward.
63. Quit procrastinating: Resolve to get moving, and you’ll find that you have much more time than you originally realized.
64. Get inspired by a book: Read a book that will help you spark positive changes in your life.
65. Learn from your mistakes: Don’t let mistakes get you down. Instead, consider what you did wrong, and how you can avoid doing so again in the future.
66. Stop worrying: Let go of worry, and know that the future will come no matter what you do about it.
67. Learn to play a musical instrument: Pick up a guitar, or even a harp, to improve your mental capacity and have something fun to do.
68. Work to your own advantage: Improve upon what you can, and let the rest fall away.
69. Think slowly: Instead of jumping to conclusions, carefully calculate what a situation means. Doing so can help you save relationships that might be damaged by rash thinking
70. Participate in a debate: Have a rational discussion with someone of similar intellect to improve your knowledge.
71. Learn a new language: Broaden your horizons by learning how to speak a new language.
72. Visit Wikipedia: Spend some time on Wikipedia learning lots of interesting facts you’ve never realized before.

Habits

Make these changes in your daily life to improve upon yourself.

73. Quit smoking: It’s the single most important thing you can do for your health, appearance, and energy. You’ll smell better, too.
74. Wake up early: Be an early riser, and you’ll find that you have more time to get things done.
75. Spend more time outside: Head outside to become more active and enjoy the world around you.
76. Be organized: Make things easier on yourself by living a more organized life.

At Work

You spend so much time at work, but probably don’t often consider how you can improve upon this important facet of your life. Take these steps to make things just a little bit better.

77. Make friends with your coworkers: One of the easiest and most important things you can do to improve your career is to practice inner networking. Socialize with your coworkers, and they’ll be more willing to help you when you need it.
78. Improve your writing skills: If you improve upon your writing skills, you’ll instantly sound more intelligent and persuasive.
79. Collaborate: Don’t go it alone-ask for help, and give help in return.
80. Keep your inbox empty: Reduce anxiety and simplify by clearing out your inbox as much as you can.
81. Leave work at the door: Don’t bring work home with you, or you’ll stress yourself out at home.
82. Join a professional association: Network with others in your field for fun and career advancement.
83. Ask for a raise: Simply asking for a raise you deserve is a no-brainer way to feel better about work and your paycheck.
84. Improve your resume: If you’re not happy with your job, give your resume a facelift and consider seeking a new position.
85. Improve your system: If you’ve got a messy desk, or generally lead a disorganized work life, take charge by reorganizing.
86. Start your own business: One of the best ways to improve your career is to go into business for yourself.

In Your Community

Getting involved in your community is a great way to improve upon your life. Try these methods for getting out there.

87. Vote: Impact your community’s future by participating in the election of officials.
88. Donate unused items: Instead of holding a garage sale, pass your old items on to people who need them-like books to schools, and clothing to shelters.
89. Support charitable endeavors: Whether it’s with money or time, do what you can to help out charities in your community.
90. Be a coach: Offer to coach a youth sport, and you’ll shape young lives while having fun.
91. Visit your local library: Take advantage of your community’s library to both save money and broaden your mind.

In the Environment

An excellent way to improve upon yourself is to reduce the negative impact you have on the world. Take these steps to get greener and change your life for the better.

92. Work to reduce your carbon emissions: Find out about the many things you can do to help cut your carbon emissions, and then take action on them.
93. Improve your gas mileage: Drive more slowly and coast as much as you can to improve your gas mileage.
94. Turn off the lights: Cut your waste and energy bill by turning off your lights whenever you don’t need them.
95. Get a reusable water bottle: Keep plastic water bottles out of our landfills by getting a container you can use over and over again.
96. Reduce your trash: Take steps to cut down on the waste you put in landfills.
97. Buy local and organic food: Support your health and local farmer by purchasing local, organic produce.
98. Adjust your thermostat: Let your heater and AC take a small break by adjusting your thermostat to reduce waste.
99. Stop using plastic bags: Quit using plastic bags, and you’ll both reduce your impact and save animals.
100. Take shorter showers: Save a precious resource by reducing the amount of water you use in your daily shower.

Dear Diary! It's Been a Long Time But a lot Has Happened!

So I sit here listening to the amazing vocal arrangements of The Weepies and I think to myself, "Where the crap do I begin?" I've been bad, I know! I can't believe I've allowed myself so much time to pass by since I last graced all of you with my wonderful wordage. Honestly, so much has happened that I have been dreading getting on here to catch you all up on what's going on. So, I've decided to only give you a brief overview of many of the things that have happened as of late.

If you haven't already heard, I've been "moved" at work, which means, I have taken on a whole new set up responsibilities at work. I'm now doing sales. Let me just tell you. It is an incredible opportunity for me to learn and grow in something I haven't had a ton of experience with, but, I've found that I do have a natural talent for it. (Thanks Dad!) The money is quite a large upgrade as well, which I am not complaining about!!

Also, if you haven't already heard, I'm engaged. You can see the video of the engagement below. I did it at Medieval Times in California. Janae and I were visiting down there so that I could ask her dad for her hand in marriage. We're thinking we will do the deed in the Fall sometime. Let me just fill you guys in on my Fiancée' Janae. She rocks my world. She is the cheese to my macaroni. You guys, I have to say that I am a very lucky man! Janae puts up with SO MUCH, and I am so lucky that she hasn't given up on me yet! I seriously don't know how she does it sometimes! I am trying really hard to be better about all my little quirks and oddities that I have, but I am still just an ADHD, procrastinating, all fun no work kind of guy lots of the time. If you know Janae, you know she's 135% opposite of that. We definitely equal each other out a lot in those areas, and I think that's how we get along so well. But, either way, I just feel kind of bad that I'm getting so lucky! I often ask myself, "Geez, well what's in this for HER?" I guess she sees more in me than I often see in myself, and for that I am eternally grateful. Anyway, I am so excited to be married to this girl! She makes my life so much better! She makes me so much of a better person than I knew possible!

You know that person that all of us have in mind, the person we want to become, but it always just seems so out of reach, untouchable, unachievable. Janae makes me feel like I can really become that person and more! I finally for the first time realize that it's possible for me to break the mold I've built around myself, to become something I have always wanted to become, but never had the guts, or motivation to do it. I am so glad to know that I have someone that will support me in ANYTHING I decide to do. She will support me in a way that will only make my desires and goals all the more amazing, and achievable. So, I am publicly expressing how much this girl means to me. She is my life, my breath, my being. I am in awe at how much I fall more deeply in love with her every day. She is really the best girlfriend ever. Not because we never fight, or disagree, or get annoyed at each other, or anything like that. We're not this perfect couple that always gets along. Are you kidding? She's marrying TANNER PHILLIPS remember? But what we have is the ability to really communicate. We make it a point to communicate what we're feeling, why, what we can do differently as a couple to make things more comfortable, etc... We both have sincere desires to do what is right. We both have the same goals to live righteously, to raise our kids righteously, and to better ourselves everyday. Of course, my list of "Things to Fix" is much longer than hers, since she's so close to perfect in my eyes, but I have been really doing my very best to make the concerted effort to work on the things she asks of me. And for that, our relationship works. We always have a desire for progression and to me that is all we need to succeed in the great Plan of Salvation.

I could literally talk about Janae all day long, but, since I only have like 1,000,000 gigs of space or whatever Gmail gives you now a days, I'd better save some room for future posts.

On another note, I don't know if I've mentioned this to very many of you guys who aren't within my little circle of friends, but, we are doing a Non-Profit concert in September that will raise hopefully up to $30,000 for the Save The Children organization. I am working on the website right now, go check it out and tell me what you think! www.MusicSavesBenefitConcert.com

Also, I've started doing the Nutrisystems Diet thing about a month ago. It was really difficult for me at first, because I felt like I was eating 3 ounces of nourishment a day, but my body has finally adjusted, it is fairly easy now. I've lost about 13 lbs I'd say so far. I'm moving into the 2nd month of it, so we'll see how much more weight I can lose on this puppy!

The way I've been exercising is by riding my bike again. Can I just tell you how much I love riding my bike? It really is such a calming experience for me! I LOVE riding in the beautiful Provo Canyon everyday. Utah is such a fantastic place to live in my opinion. Anyway, I love that, and I'm feeling stronger and stronger as time goes on. I'm glad I did the spin classes for a couple months before I started riding though. It made my getting in shape period a lot shorter. Even though, now I just have to work twice as hard as everyone else to get my fat and increasingly less fat butt up the hill everyday.

Well, I'm sure there's plenty of stuff I left out of this, but for the sake of not having any of you read past like 5 paragraphs ago, I'll make this shorter. I just wanted to catch you guys up on the things going on right now. I am doing great! I feel like things improve all the time and I feel like I'm finally moving in a sure direction in my life. I am so grateful to the Lord for everything I have. I am so beyond blessed! I am so grateful to have opportunities to do the things I do. It really makes me so aware that the Lord has big plans for us later on in life. I'm striving to get to the place where the Lord can really use me as a tool in his hands. I want him to mold me into the person HE wants me to be. I'm working on that all the time and I hope that with your continued prayers and support it can continue to improve everyday!

I really will make an effort to write in my blog often again. So, re-establish the habit of checking it every hour to make sure I haven't updated it yet.

Sorry this is such a grammatical mess; but I just don’t care enough, nor do I have the attention span to go through this and fix all the grammar; like excessive use of commas and semicolons etc…

Look What Came Out of My Feet!!!

So, last night Martha brought over a device called the EB-305, which is used to cleanse your body of toxins, and other junk. All you have to do is dip your feet in this bucket of water, and through a process I'll explain below, it sucks out all of the bad things that have collected in your body.

Hard to believe? Well, let me show you the results video of our little experiment. Watch the video below, and then read on to have an explanation of how it works.

The Erchonia EB-305 was designed to create ION fields in order to detoxify and balance the overall energy in the body.

An Ion is a charged atom or molecule. This charge can be either positive or negative. These ions want to naturally negate their charge back neither to positive or negative but rather a stable position. Ions then seek out things of opposite polarity to negate that charge

The EB-305 device takes advantage of that natural occurrence to remove the unwanted toxins and other harmful free radicals from within the body, that are stored within the body. By using the foot bath and water as a vessel to transmit this Ionic charge, the body will naturally absorb this energy force through the meridian points within the feet.

This energy force will then attract the opposite polarized items in order to negate their charge and return to a stable position. This polarizing process has a similar effect as a television picture tube (this is why your television set always gets so dusty).