How to Live a Long and Happy Life

Analyze the things in your life that keep you from having a long and happy life. Determine the steps to rid yourself of those things (while not harming anyone else). As long as you have conflicts in yourself and with others, you can’t live happily. Decide to change those things necessary to produce the results you want. You are the sum of your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Take charge of your well being, by eating healthy foods, exercising your body, stretching your mind by using it, and finding what develops the spiritual part of you. These are life long pursuits, so there’s no time to waste. Start today.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Time
• Patience
• Heart
• Intelligence
• Understanding
• Knowledge
• Forgiveness

1. Near Bar Harbor, Maine Learn to be at peace with yourself. If you are angry, sad, stressed-out, in other words, if your knickers are in a twist, it will gnaw at you. Find a way to get past these emotions. Acting on such emotions by doing something mean to someone else doesn’t diffuse the anger; it multiplies the negative emotion.
2. New Brunswick, Canada Find peace with others in your life, specifically your friends, family, and business associates. It’s not an easy task, and you might have to make significant changes to achieve it. Sometimes there are people in your life that you are in conflict with; sometimes you can resolve the issues; sometimes you can’t.
3. Florida Keys, Florida Do what you can do to solve problems between yourself and other people. Sometimes the solution is to not be around the person with whom you can’t find peace, or, at least, a truce. If it’s someone you must be around, but you don’t like, explore ways of reducing the tension.
4. Black Hills, South Dakota Consider carefully the personal advice you’re given. Only take it from sources that are knowledgeable and that have your best interests at heart. If a person’s own life is a total mess, why would you listen to them for solutions to your problems?
5. Sunset in Everglades National Park, Florida Ask yourself what conflicts come from within you. It would be easy to say, see a shrink, and that’s an option. Writing out what is bothering you can also begin to relieve the tension. If you try this, don’t share the writing with anyone. Consider it as a communication with yourself, in which you can say anything. There are many paths to resolution; find what works for you.
6. St. Petersburg, Florida Gradually, as situations allow, move people into your life who don’t cause you tension. Accept the things you can’t change while adding activities and people into your life who bring real joy, not just a quick laugh.
7. Bring fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods into your life. Don’t think in terms of meat and potatoes, not that you give these things up, but that you eat a more balanced diet.
8. If you aren’t getting any exercise, start with small things. Walk rather than using the elevator. Park your car at the edge of the parking lot, so you will walk a bit to get to the store. Every day move a little more.
9. Taking care of your body and your mind actually opens you and allows for spiritual growth. What direction that will take is up to you. Know this: spiritual development creates an overall sense of well being. It makes a person at peace with the world, in spite of all the challenges therein. You can’t be angry at yourself or others and be at peace with the world.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you like yourself, you are on the way to liking and being liked by others.
• Think about what works in your life and what doesn't. Drop what doesn't work!
• Do no harm.
• Dismiss bad advice.
• 11. The practice of yoga is good for your physical, mental, and spiritual state.
• Don’t go over the same ground numerous times. If your father-in-law is a conservative and you are a liberal, accept that as the way it is. If every conversation ends in an argument, change the conversation! Don’t just wade into the same old ground.
• Don’t be a
• disturber!