1. Keep fit and live a wellness lifestyle
There is nothing that will do more good for you in terms of being vibrantly healthy, energetic, and youthful than a regular fitness program. Develop a well-rounded program that includes strength training, aerobics, and stretching. Make this program a top priority in your life and stay committed to it. Rest and sleep, pure water, clean fresh air, healthy amounts of sunshine, and fresh wholesome foods are all essential ingredients to vibrant health. Try to select foods as close to the way nature produced them as possible. A whole-food, plant-based diet has been shown to be the best for radiant health and youthful vitality. Only when you approach health and fitness from a holistic perspective can you expect to achieve optimal well-being.
2. Learn to elicit a relaxation response
Stress comes from many sources and taxes our nervous systems. Excessive environmental stimulation -- noise, traffic, and especially commercial advertising -- causes stress. Unexpressed negative feelings are stressors, too. They feed on themselves -- anger can turn against the self and emerge as depression or severe anxiety. People who do not express feelings get sick more often, stay sick longer, and die sooner than expressive people. Becoming deeply relaxed in mind and body is something for which we must work. Learn deep relaxation techniques, such as meditation, visualization, yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises, so that your stress levels will be under control.
3. Find time each day to be alone, visualize, and meditate
Enjoy the peace of your own company. By spending time alone, breathing deeply, and quieting your everyday thoughts, you can tremendously enhance your health, happiness, and peace of mind. Silence nourishes your soul and heals your heart. Spend a few minutes every day visualizing, not only your goals, but also how you would like your life to be. In addition to visualizing, assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled. Also, spend time in meditation daily. Listen to your intuition. Notice that your mind is constantly chattering. Allow your mind to become still and open. Meditation establishes a quiet, dynamic mind.
4. Simplify life and slow down
Find joy in simple pleasures. Breath deeply, smell the flowers, talk to the animals, sing with the birds, be with friends, greet the sun, scratch behind your dog's or kitty's ear, and make someone smile. Marvel at the miracle you are, tell someone you love them, and laugh out loud - often! A healthy degree of emotional detachment and hearty laughter can stimulate the immune system. Don't take yourself and life so seriously. Laugh and smile more and play at this game of life. Laughter is one of the best ways to quell stress. A sense of humor allows you to see through a mist of confusion to the celebration of life.
5. Nurture and develop your intuition
Intuition is sometimes called a hunch, going on instinct, an inner-knowing, or a sixth sense. Whatever you call it, intuition can be nurtured in a variety of ways -- through contemplation, relaxing your mind, or by taking walks in nature. Be still and listen. The more we act on our intuitive hunches, the stronger and more readily available they become.
6. Embrace an attitude of gratitude
The single most important inner trait for happiness is gratitude. So be grateful for everything that's going on in your life, no matter the circumstances. This kind of attitude will help foster happiness and peace of mind and assist you in living more fully. Gratitude is a dynamic spiritual energy that allows you to exert a powerful influence on your world. It's like a bridge -- a connecting link -- between you and every possible avenue of good in your life. Keep a gratitude journal. Each day write at least three things for which you are grateful, and you will find that your blessings increase.
7. Become more childlike
Young children instinctively know how to celebrate life. Be more flexible, practice forgiveness, and leave time for spontaneity in daily activities. Choose to be less critical and judgmental. Let faith and trust light your path and invite joy to be your constant companion. And don't forget to let your inner child come out to play.
8. Learn to live in the present
Living in the moment is different from living for the moment. Don't compare the present with the past. Be fully present each moment -- be mindful -- and free yourself from the past. Take the wisdom and love you learned from all past experiences and let the rest go. What you give your attention to, expands and grows in your life. So choose to be positive, happy, and appreciative every hour of the day.
9. Share your love and kindness
Being loving and kind improves health. We all need love -- and I'm not just talking about romantic attraction. The warm, loving feeling you get from hugging a child, counseling a friend, being a good listener, or even treating yourself to a luxurious bubble bath or a day at the spa, will boost your self-esteem and your immune system.
10. Live calmly and peacefully
What would be a greater goal in life than peace of mind? What asset could be of more value to us than unshakable calmness and tranquility? There is no better evidence of spiritual strength than a peaceful mind and a joyful heart. The way to create more peace in your life is to turn within. We must sometimes disconnect from the outer world, so that we can reconnect with the love--the Divinity--that's always within us. Love is who we are. And when we are loving ourselves, by taking care of ourselves, and by living a balanced life, we are loving God.
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