Some tips to help us create a charmed life for the year 2008.
Everyday Living:
- Start your day with a prayer, meditation or 10-minute silence. These activities guarantee a strong and centered spirit.
- Never leave the house without making the bed. Tidy up the bed as soon as you wake up and it will surely give you a sense of accomplishment knowing that the first chore of the day is done.
- When you wake and look in the mirror, decide there and then that you are beautiful. Believe it and you will look it.
- Never skip meals especially breakfast. It's not worth having ulcers or any other internal bodily disorders just for the sake of looking sexy or skinny. Moderation to eating is always the key, not starvation to death.
- Exercise! Physical activities assists in blood circulation and releases a neurotransmitter called Endorphins which aids in lowering the blood pressure and has been implicated in the fight against cancer.
- Start the day with happy thoughts. If feeling a little flat or low or not-so-good, TRY, it will ease the gloominess somehow.
- Write a journal emphasizing on two things: (1) Things I Learned Today and (2) Things I am Grateful For Today. When you have days when you feel depressed or sad, just read on your past entries and it will surely make you realize that given unhappy circumstances, you are still blessed.
- If feeling depressed or sad can't be help, just accept that there are days like these and you just have to go thru it as gradually or as fast as you can. Give yourself some time to get things over with, however, it is not advisable to wallow for a long time.
- Be friends with everyone you interact with--or at least be friendly (no need to be a snub). Everyone refers to people in your neighborhood, the waiters/waitresses of the restaurant you dine in, the attendant in the department store, etc.
Travel/Recreation/Leisure:
- Travel once or twice this year, alone or with family or friends. Not only will you have a chance to relax but it will also give you the opportunity to re-connect with yourself (if alone) or your family or friends.
- Learn something new. Attend pottery/art/photography/dance/coffee making classes--or whatever interests you. You may also want to learn a new language in preparation for your upcoming travel (i.e. a friend of mine enrolled herself to learn how to speak German in preparation for her travel to Germany).
- If you can't travel, read travel books...this activity will help you enlarge your world.
- You need not travel far in order to relax. You may also spend a weekend at a nice hotel and just hang out the by swimming pool to de-stress. This will also be a good time to avail of the hotel's spa services.
Maintaining Relationships:
- The key is to spend time with family and friends and most importantly with yourself.
- Have weekly or monthly dinners with friends.
- Have weekly dates with your significant other.
- Celebrate little milestones. It doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive dining out experience. Little milestones can be celebrated by having pizza night or sushi night. Or you celebrate by giving each other back massages.
- Be there for family, relatives and friends by attending their parties (take note: you should be invited of course hehehe)
- Never ever leave a sour note with a loved one. End fights as soon as possible. Time is precious and it's never wise to spend it angry with a loved one.
- Tell your loved ones that you love or miss them. Even if action speaks louder than words, our loved ones would still appreciate it if they hear us say the words "I love you" or "I miss you".
- Let our loved ones know that we appreciate them. Always always say "Thank you".
Financial Aspect:
- Save, save, save. Need I say more?
- LIVE SIMPLY. Live within your means and always be practical when acquiring things you want.
- Aside from putting some of your money to savings, you may also opt to set up funds like a Christmas Fund, Birthday/Anniversay Fund, Travel Fund, Emergency Fund, etc.
There you have it, some tips to help you go thru your 2008 with a little ease. I hope some of these tips will help prepare you to a busy and productive year. Remember to FOCUS on the positive side of things and always treat challenges as an avenue for learning.
Let's all have a charmed life!
