15 Easy Life Improving Tips

The modern rat race can cause us great stress and leave us with little to no time to take care of our health and bodies. However, there are quick and easy ways to improve our lifestyle, improve our mood and improve our health, and they only take about 60 seconds each. Even if you only turn some of these into habits, you'll still enjoy a happy and healthier life with little effort and time.    

1. Take a deep breath

We all get nervous and stressed, whether it be because of work, traffic or even household chores. In our most stressful moments, it's vital to remember that we have an innate relaxation mechanism. Taking deep, controlled breaths for 60 seconds when feeling stressed or tired can completely alter your state of mind. Deep breaths lower your blood pressure, slows down the production of stress hormones and helps to ease anxiety and internal disquiet.

2. Hug someone you love

Hugging feels great on its own, but it also has scientifically-proven health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and stabilizing the heart rate. Hugging releases dopamine - a natural painkiller and can reduce cortisol levels (a stress hormone). A hug can give you more mental energy, and help you handle most obstacles.

3. Laugh and smile

There's a reason laughter has a reputation for being the best medicine. It's one of the body's natural painkillers and shares several physiological functions with exercising. William Fry, one of the pioneers in laughter research, claims that using a rowing machine for ten minutes exercises the heart to the same extent as one minute of laughter. Laughter also improves your memory and burns calories. If you're feeling down or even somewhat depressed, a little smile (even a fake one) can change your mood.

4. Eat some dark chocolate

Isn't it great to know that some delicious treats are actually good for us (in moderation)? Dark chocolate is beneficial for your health, it lowers blood pressure, raises the levels of "good cholesterol" (HDL) and reduces the levels of "bad cholesterol" (LDL). Dark chocolate is also known to be beneficial to the cardiovascular system, and some evidence indicates that it can prevent diabetes and even keep your skin healthier.

5. Stand up whenever you can

Most of us spend our days sitting down: Working, driving and watching TV are just a few of things we do while sat in a seat. A recent research paper found that prolonged sessions of sitting can induce psychological distress. Another study has found that women who sit for 10 hours a day or more are at a higher risk heart and cardiovascular disease when compared to those sitting for only 5 hours a day. Even standing up for a few seconds will improve your circulation significantly.

6. Wash your hands

You may think it's obvious, but this simple and quick action can protect your health more than you can fathom. Most people wash their hands before eating or after visiting the restroom, but washing your hands with soap more times a day will reduce your chances of getting sick by 20-30%. Remember to moisturize your hands from time to time.

7. Wear a seatbelt

As trivial as it may seem, this easy action takes about five seconds and saves thousands of lives every year. Think about it: You're not climbing Everest or running a marathon. You're simply reaching back, and pulling on a belt. This is particularly important when you have children in the car. So don't be lazy and think about comfort first, it's better to "waste" ten seconds than risk your life.

8. Add cinnamon to your breakfast

Cinnamon has a variety of medicinal properties, including helping with diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is also beneficial in fighting obesity, lowering bad cholesterol levels, and it even warms up the body on cold days. You can add cinnamon to your breakfast by mixing it in your yogurt, oats, cereals and even your coffee.

9. Wear sunscreen

It doesn't matter if you live in a sunny place or not, UV light is still there, and it's still harmful. Avoiding the #1 cause of skin cancer takes no effort and very little time – simply put on sunscreen before you leave the house.

10. Use the stairs

It doesn't matter if we're late, busy or even just lazy, most of us don't' engage in physical exercise in our free time. The modern world doesn't give us many chances to walk: we get in the car or on the bus, use the elevator and sit at our desks. This is why it is vital that we take every opportunity to exercise. Instead of waiting for the elevator, take the stairs and burn some extra calories. It will also help you avoid stiff muscles and joint pain.

11. Take a break from staring at the screen

If you have a desk job or are just an avid technology lover, it's safe to say you spend a lot of time in front of a screen. Staring at the screen for so many hours is bad for your eyes, so it is crucial to take frequent breaks. The best method is the "20-60-20": every 20 minutes look away from the screen at an object 60 feet away for 20 seconds. If you can, take a moment to walk around the office.

12. Add lemon to your water    

Adding a slice of lemon to your water is not only refreshing, but also has many health benefits. Lemons are a superfood and are considered to be one of the most efficient detox agents, making them a great addition to your diet.

13. Clean up your desk

It doesn't matter how tidy you keep your desk, it still gets covered with germs. Take a minute to wipe down leftovers and crumbs, which are the main source of bacterial contamination in your workplace. Use an antibacterial wipe on your keyboard and mouse, they are the most used items on your desk that come in contact with your hands regularly.

14. Elevate your feet

60 seconds of lying down with your legs raised up and leaning against a wall energizes the body as much as a half-hour nap. Rest your arms at the sides of your body and remain like that while taking slow, deep breaths. Studies have shown that this position helps the blood in your legs to flow back to your chest and head.

      

15. Chew some gum

Researchers from the University of Swinburne, Australia found that chewing gum improves your levels of alertness and reduces stress. Behavioral specialists recommend chewing gum before an important meeting, a job interview, and while driving. The reason is that chewing gum tricks the body into thinking it's eating, something we associate with being safe and having nothing to fear.

Black Stones

A farmer in Bangladesh was preparing his land for planting crops. As he dug through the soil the equipment kept getting stuck in one place. Out of curiosity he decided to check out what was in there. He dug the ground and discovered a big box. 

The farmer quickly opened the box to see what was in it but to his disappointment, there were only black stones inside the box. He decided to throw those stones at the birds when they come to eat the crops at the time for harvesting. Eventually, a day came when the crops were ready and the birds come to eat them. So, he started throwing the stones at the birds from where ever they showed up. 

One day a man was walking by the field who sells precious stones such as pearls, diamonds, rubies etc. Two stones happened to fall right in front of him when the farmer threw them at the birds. The man brought the stones to the farmer and asked if he was willing to sell them to him for $5,000 each. The farmer thought that the man was joking so he replied, "No." Then the man offered $50,000 for each stone and explained that they were precious jewels. Now the farmer started crying saying that he had only 1 or 2 stones left and the rest were thrown away.

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This story is mentioned in the book "20 Reminders" by Abu Yusuf

In fact, every second of our time is very valuable. Today, we are just throwing them away here and there. But one day in our life, we will realize how valuable they were but it will be too late. Now is the chance to use our time properly and wisely. Now is the time to do self audit on where our time is being wasted, what are our priorities and what needs to be done. Time is precious, very precious!!!

Wise Quotes from "Lift Me Up" by Ron Kaufman

Chapter-1: Everyday wisdom:

1. Thought is the original source of all wealth, all success, all material gain, all great discoveries and inventions and of all achievement. – Claude Bristol

2. The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.   – William James

3. Great People talk about ideas, average people talk about events; small people talk about other people. – Anonymous

4. You can tell whether a person is clever by his answers, you can tell whether a person is wise by his questions. – Mahfouz Naguib

5. Going to work for a big company is like getting on a train. Are you going at sixty miles an hour or the company is going at  sixty miles an hour and you are just sitting? – Paul Getty

6. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts. – Marcus Aurelius

7. A wise man never knows all, a fool knows everything – African proverb

8. None of us is as smart as all of us. – Japanese proverb

Chapter-2: Profound Wisdom:

1. More mistakes, more experience. More experience, less mistakes.

2. If you are patient in moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. – Chinese Proverb.

3.Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.  – Jackson Brown.

4.Information applied gives knowledge. Knowledge applied yield wisdom. Wisdom applied brings success.

5.To the man who only has a hammer, everything looks like a nail. – Abraham Maslow (the world we see is the reflection of who we are)

6. Speak to open the minds of others, listen to open your own.

Chapter-3: Insightful Wisdom:

1.Thoughts have power, thoughts are energy. You can make your own world or break it by your own thinking – Susan Taylor

2. The commentator makes a  noise, the activists makes a difference.

Chapter-4: Acquiring Wisdom:

1. I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow. – Woodrow Wilson.

2. The ability to focus attention on important things is a defining characteristic of intelligence. – Robert Shiller

3. What we see depends mainly on what we look for. – John Lubbock

4. Being willing to change allows you to move from a point of view to a Viewing Point – A higher, more expansive place, from which you can see both sides. – Thomas Crum

5. Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. – Plato (Speak only when your words improve the silence)

6. Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about. – Solomon Short. (The other half is finding someone smart about it who can help you)

7. The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that smart man knows what to say and wise man knows when to say and whether or not to say. – Frank Garafola.

31 Quotes of Lao Tzu (Old Master)

Lao-Tzu was a philosopher and poet of ancient China. He is best known as the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching and the founder of philosophical Taoism, but he is also revered as a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions. Although a legendary figure, he is usually dated to around the 6th century BC and reckoned a contemporary of Confucius.

01. All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.

02. In the world, there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet, for attacking that which is hard and strong –nothing can surpass it.

03. If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead the people, you must learn how to follow how to follow them.

04. Silence is a source of great strength.

05. Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.

06. Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.

07. He, who has power over others, can’t empower himself.

08. Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and water is clear? Can you remain unmoving until the right action arises by itself?

09. If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand. If you want to get rid of something, you must first allow it to flourish. If you want to take something, you must first allow it to be given. This is called the subtle perception of the way things are. 

10. By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond the winning. 

11. At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.

12. The soft overcomes hard. The slow overcomes the fast.

13. When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

14. Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.

15. He, who rushes ahead, doesn’t go far.

16. He, who tries to shine, dims his own light.

17. If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.

18. He who defines himself can’t know who he really is.

19. Express yourself completely & the keep quiet. Be like the forces of nature: when it blows there is only wind; when it rains, there is only rain; when the cloud pass, the Sun shines all the way through.

20. When nothing is done, nothing left undone.

21. When you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying there is nothing you cannot achieve.

22. If you want to become whole, let yourself be partial. If you want to be straight, let yourself be crooked. If you want to become full, let yourself be empty. If you want to be reborn, let yourself die. If you want to be given, give everything up.  

23. He who clings to his work will create nothing that endures.

24. The wise man is one who knows what he does not know.

25. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.

26. The Sage does not hoard. The more he help others, the more he benefits himself, the more he gives to others, the more he gets himself. The way of Heaven does one good but never does one harm The way of Sage is to act but not to compete.

27. Being content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize that there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

28. New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.

29. When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.

30. Health is the greatest possession, contentment is the greatest treasure, confidence is the greatest friend, and non-being is the greatest joy.      

31. If you realize that you have enough, you’re truly Rich. 

10 Scientific ways to be Happy

Every Negative Experience

Every negative experience leaves a negative mark on our mind. 

When we talk about that to someone, they too would be influenced. 

In the same way, when someone talks about others, it creates negativity in our minds too.

Although we did not have that negative experience, we tend to carry the unnecessary burden of negativity. 

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