We're only young a few years and old for the rest of our lives, why not live wisely if not "like we're dying"?
1. It wouldn't hurt if you loosened up every once in a while.
Instead of going for a black blazer, why not use instead a pastel colored cardigan? Place your feet on the coffee table while you read your favorite book, coffee tables are low and small for a reason. Play old school hits like "Play that funky music" or "Ice Ice baby" or "Stay the light" and actually dance to them! Watch cartoons or the the food channel or whatever channel to your liking. Unless there's a raging storm or an incoming hurricane or a war, you don't have to watch the news 24/7. Your brain needs a break too!
2. It wouldn't hurt if you spend some of your money to pamper yourself. Take note: SOME.
Instead of the usual retail therapy, why not get a home service for a massage or a mani-pedi? Get a slice of your favorite cake. Skip that espresso or brewed coffee and go for that caramel macchiato. Go online and look up the recipe of your favorite dish. Actually go to the grocery store, get your ingredients and cook or prepare yourself a good and hearty meal. With a little extra cheese, or mushrooms, or that Caesar or Ranch dressing. After the long week, you deserve a treat.
3. It wouldn't hurt if you spent at least 30mins. of your day on exercise.
If you don't have time to go the gym, or if it's out of the budget, why not walk around your village for 30mins? Invest on 2-4lbs dumbbells. Download that Nike Training program on your iPod and do the workouts at least twice a week. Take the stairs to the 3rd floor. Skip the tricycle ride and walk to your house. Play out loud your greatest house mix playlist and dance to them. There are a lot of ways to use up those stored energy, we can always be creative and resourceful.
4. It wouldn't hurt if you helped other people.
Helping doesn't always have to involve money. Help can be in the form of time and effort. Help your little brother with his assignment. Help your mom with her garden, or with doing the groceries. Listen to your friend's recent existential dilemma. Volunteer for the relief operations, or to the tutorial of kids, or even in the cleaning and repairing of your church. Spend a day with an orphan and make her happy, that's help too! But if you can shell out finances, help send a kid to school or support missions or purchase milk and diapers for the orphanage. Conduct a feeding or bathing program. Share God's word! That's also a way to help others :)
5. It wouldn't hurt if you be nice to people. Even when you don't feel like it.
Say thank you to the officer who help you cross the street or the crew that help you carry your food tray. Thank your secretary for staying even if you're a ferocious monster half of the time. Smile at babies. Say please when you ask for a favor. Ask how the security guards' day were, before you exit your building. Tell your parents you love them for no reason at all. Buy Sampaguitas from street children. Remember to give food and not alms to the poor. We all deserve some degree kindness :)
6. It wouldn't hurt if you be still even for just a while.
Meditate. Switch off your electronic gadgets and just lie still on your bed. Think of everything and then nothing. Notice your breathing, look out the window, listen to the clock. Appreciate silence and the pleasure of doing nothing. Stop worrying, designate a time to worry. Drop work for 5 minutes, stretch out your arms and legs and just breathe. Close your eyes, rest them a while and then open them again. Just. Be. Still.
7. It wouldn't hurt if you be honest with how we feel.
If we're having a bad day, we can say so. If we enjoyed the meal we had, we can share it. If we're unhappy with an output given to us, we can give constructive feedback instead of redoing and editing it without his consent or knowledge. We can say we feel sick and take the afternoon off if we really can't function anymore. We can tell our partners what we want and what we don't need. Honesty liberates us in ways we only belittle. You'd be surprised as to how much relief honesty can and will bring.
8. It wouldn't hurt if you prayed. more.
It is only right that we give back to God. We can thank him for that birthday card that was thoughtfully sent by your friend or the approval from our boss that we worked hard for, or the time we spent with our family last weekend. We can pray for our heart's desires and our struggles and our pains. We can never make it on our own that's why it's always nice to know that there's a very busy father up there who still prioritized us enough to listen to our rants and whims, no matter how petty. :)
