100 Simple Ways To Make Life Better

Don't wait to change. Don't wait to say I will do it tomorrow. All we have is today to choose what we will do, what our character reflects, and how we will live our lives.

Change isn't easy, but it is certainly worth it. Over the Christmas break I did a personal inventory of my life and found I have some gaping holes that need to be filled. When I give advice to others about change in their lives, I usually tell them to start small so they won't fail in their resolutions, but I usually don't follow the same advice myself. The reason I don't is because I have found in my own life I need a big challenge in order to really change. When I gained a bunch of weight in my mid-twenties I decided to get healthy. A few years later I was 60 pounds lighter and running marathons and triathlons. When I found I wasn't praying enough, I took up a daily rosary and reading of Scripture. I have kept that habit for almost 10 years. So, what is next? My personal list is below. I guess you could call it a Christmas resolutions list, because the other kind of resolutions usually fade quickly for most people.

But, before we get to my personal list, I want to give suggestions for you as well.

100 Simple Ways To Make Life Better:

1. Pray more (or start if you aren't)
2. Say "I love you" to those you love
3. We have too much stuff - go through your stuff and give some of it away. 
4. Visit your relatives
5. Tip bigger
6. Volunteer at a nursing home / soup kitchen / homeless shelter / animal shelter / Habitat for Humanity
7. Smile more
8. Say "hi" (or if in Texas "howdy") to strangers
9. Be thankful for what you have, not envious of what you don't have
10. Write someone a hand-written letter
11. Volunteer for a task at work that nobody else wants
12. Tithe 10%
13. Forgive someone you hold a grudge against
14. Do something on your "bucket list"
15. Learn a new skill
16. Say something encouraging to a loved-one that you should have said long ago
17. Drive with kindness
18. Volunteer with a youth group
19. Save your money for something important and distant
20. If you need help - get help
21. Take a class in something you want to learn about
22. Read the Bible every day
23. Pray for your enemies
24. Do the little things that matter
25. Conquer a fear
26. Exercise more
27. Don't compromise your beliefs
28. Communicate better - more in-person / telephone conversations with less texting / email
29. Keep criticism to yourself
30. Turn off your cell phone when you spend time with others
31. Donate blood
32. Offer to watch someone's children so they can go on dates
33. Be eager to do something someone else wants to do, even if you don't
34. Go on picnics
35. Schedule quiet time
36. Pay for the person behind you at a drive-through
37. Buy extra items at the store and donate them
38. Be patient with people who annoy you
39. Dream big dreams
40. Finish a project you started and put aside
41. Work on what you are passionate about
42. Be more hopeful and positive
43. Stop making excuses
44. Lose weight
45. Send someone flowers
46. Make a family member breakfast-in-bed
47. Less TV/Facebook/Electronic stuff and more time on relationships
48. Do something spontaneous every week
49. Talk to your neighbors
50. Share your talents / Teach someone something you are good at
51. Be a better listener and talk less
52. Say "I am sorry", "thank you", and "please" more
53. Break a bad habit or addiction
54. Donate books to the library
55. Don't waste time with bad entertainment
56. Mentor a troubled youth
57. Host a block party
58. Ask more open-ended questions of others
59. Stop gossiping
60. Go on a spiritual retreat
61. Become an organ donor
62. Don't argue electronically. If it is serious enough, then talk in-person
63. Start a new hobby
64. Play board games
65. Get involved in a new organization at church
66. Go for more walks with others
67. Be persistent in doing the right thing
68. Be yourself
69. Do chores for an elderly person
70. Go on a mission trip / service trip
71. Eat healthier
72. Keep a holy hour in Adoration
73. Vote
74. Give sincere compliments
75. Brag less
76. Recycle more
77. Start a garden
78. Write your political representatives
79. Teach a child to read / ride a bike / swim
80. Don't one-up others in conversations
81. Invite others for a big feast
82. Plant a tree
83. Have a garage sale and donate the proceeds
84. Carpool
85. Hold doors open for others
86. Pick up random litter
87. Learn CPR
88. Eat family meals more
89. Forgive a debt that someone owes to you
90. Introduce yourself to those you sit near in church
91. Give big hugs
92. Call just to say "hi"
93. Bake cookies and give them away to others
94. Make care packages for the military
95. Buy fair-trade items when possible
96. Read good books
97. When you are wrong - take the blame
98. Go to Confession monthly
99. Look for Christ in others
100. Love God with all you are

If you decide to pick some of these and want to let others know about them, leave a comment below.

As for me, here is what I decided to do - all of these will be new or renewed habits:
Spiritual:

• -Weekly Holy Hour
• -Bi-weekly Confession

Reasoning behind these resolutions - I keep a Holy Hour most weeks, but am inconsistent with it. Some weeks I will have 4 hours in Adoration, others none. As for Confession, a friend who is a priest recommended I go more frequently because of the nature of my profession. I agree.

Physical:

• -6 days a week exercise for (at least) 40 minutes.
• -Average 1,800 calories per day intake
• -Lose 20 pounds by June 22
• -No caffeine in 2011
• -Take care of my voice

Reasoning behind these resolutions - I have had a number of health issues the last few years including a bad back and vocal chord issues. I need to make sure that my health is a priority. Because of my back, and some bad eating habits, I have put on about 20 lbs I need to take off. I have already dropped about 5 lbs. The caffeine has always had control over me, so I need to kick it for good.

Intellectual:

• -Read (at least) 1 book/journal every 2 weeks

Reasoning behind these resolutions - This is the easiest resolution for me and I will probably do much more. But, it is merely a reminder that I need to keep reading, which can get pushed aside when I get busy with work and family.

Professional:

• -Write draft of another book by July 2011
• -Get more speaking gigs for 2011 than I had in 2010
• -Reach out to at least two co-workers per week in a special way.
• -Move Catholic classes for credit (at St. Mary's Catholic Center) toward becoming a reality

Reasoning behind these resolutions - Some of these goals have been ongoing for a while, so now is the time to make them a reality.

Relationships:

• -Call my parents more often
• -Play with my kids more
• -Be less critical of others
• -Go on a monthly date with my wife
• -Go on 6 day trips with my family

Reasoning behind these resolutions - Doesn't this seem like public confession? I guess in some ways it is and that is okay with me, because now I will have others expecting more of me. These are all simple ways to work on bettering my relationships.

Other:

• -Donate blood (at least) 4 times in 2011
• -Donate more personal items to the poor (already filled up a big bag last week).
• -Reach out to those who seem lonely.
• -Smile more.

Reasoning behind these resolutions - Why not?