10 Things You Should Do Every Day

1. Do something kind for yourself. This doesn't have to be something that costs money. Treat yourself to a few minutes of peace and solitude, or speak an affirmation to yourself in the mirror. Or take a bubble bath. For me, it is waking up a bit earlier than everyone else and getting time just for me. I find this incredibly important as a single mother of four busy children.
2. Say something nice to an important person in your life. Tell them you love them. Tell them why. Point out a person's strengths rather than criticizing their faults. Life is short, and missing the chance to tell someone how you feel is just sad.
3. Be kind to someone who is unfriendly or rude. Yes, they are difficult to be around, but you don't know why they are the way they are. I am always telling my children, when they are dealing with a mean person, that there is a reason. Usually the person has a terrible home life, and their angst pours from them in the form of meanness. A kind word, even scoffed at, might make their day.
4. Do something you want to do. Don't barter with yourself and say you will do it as a reward for doing something icky. Just do one thing each day that makes you smile and feel like life is worth living. Because it is.
5. Do something you need to do. You know what I mean: the thing you are always putting off until later, the thing you don't want to do, but if you don't you will curse yourself at night. For me that would be housework. But if I do it, I can go to bed without guilt or dread.
6. Do something you don't want to do. This is different than number five. This is something that isn't a necessity, just something that you find difficult, that you simply don't want to do. As a matter of self discipline, you should do it. (I must say "as long as it is legal".)
   
7. Do something to improve the world around you. It doesn't have to be big, or noticed by others. But an act of goodness inspired from within. Even a small gesture can make a difference. A pebble on the water makes many ripples.
8. Create something. If you are an artist or a writer this seems obvious, but for others, it could require more thought.
   
9. Take care of your body. It is an amazing machine. Even if you are a couch potato (or an internet junkie), your body is working very hard on a cellular level. Help it out. Drink lots of water. Eat good food. Move. Think.
   
10. Do something primal. No not that. I mean something humans do that connects us with our ancestors, something we have done through the ages. I have found that cooking fulfills this basic need for me some days. For guys it might be hunting (or simply bringing home the bacon). Brushing a loved one's hair, or giving a back scratch are examples. Nursing a baby. Well, OK, I guess "that" would count, too!