This was an email sent to me early this week. Makes a great blog post I think! Definitely things to think about. (I especially like #8, 21, 30 & 36). Think of this as a weekly checklist for the creation of a great 2010!

HANDBOOK 2010

Health:
1.       Drink plenty of water.
2.       Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3.       Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that    is manufactured in plants..
4.       Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5.       Make time to pray.
6.       Play more games
7.       Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8.       Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9.       Sleep for 7 hours.
10.    Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11.    Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12.    Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13.    Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14.    Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15.    Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16.    Dream more while you are awake
17.    Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18.    Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19.    Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20.    Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21.    No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22.    Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23.    Smile and laugh more.
24.    You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree…

Society:
25.    Call your family often.
26.    Each day give something good to others.
27.    Forgive everyone for everything..
28.    Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of  6.
29.    Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30.    What other people think of you is none of your business.
31.    Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32.    Do the right thing!
33.    Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34.    GOD heals everything.
35.    However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36.    No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37.    The best is yet to come..
38.    When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39.    Your Inner most self is always happy. So, be happy.

Yes. You read that right!

I hear so many people preach balance in life. And the rest of us try to live up to that, and then feel bad because we never really get there. Guess what, it’s all a scam, there is no such thing as balance! Actually, (and I’ve said this many times) if you want to be balanced, you need to allow “unbalance” in.

I listened to an interview with Jame Arthur Ray, and he says aim for harmony in your life, not balance. When things are properly balanced, nothing is happening. Think of a scale, when 2 things are in balance on a scale there is no movement. So to aim for a balanced life means that you do not move…AT ALL. No growth…and I would consider that unbalanced.

So instead (and according to James Ray) aim for harmony. Harmony refers to being able to have everything in play at the same time, with a main focus on one thing for a while. Then you switch focus and something else gets your attention. This doesn’t mean ignoring everything else, and is more like the lives that most of us lead – or at least are aiming for.

I think there is a little bit of confusion with the word balance in itself. I think when people talk, they mean harmony, not balance. Balance brings up thoughts of life perfection, and that is an impossible task. Plus, who really has the energy to spend that much time, just trying to be perfect?

So seek Harmony and leave true balance to the scales at the doctor’s office, your authentic self will be very relieved and you’ll feel more peaceful!