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15 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist

15 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist
post written by: Marc Chernoff Email As Jack London once said, “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.” Far too often we travel through life on autopilot, going through the motions, accepting what is, and having every day pass like the one before it. Everything seems relatively normal and comfortable, except that constant twitch in the back of your mind that’s saying, “It’s time to make some changes.” Here are 15 simple suggestions for those who want to break free from the mold and truly live more of their life – to experience it and enjoy it to the fullest, instead of settling for a mere existence. Appreciate the great people and things in your life. – Sometimes we don’t notice the things others do for us until they stop doing them. Photo by: Toni Blay If you enjoyed this article, check out our new best-selling book. And get inspiring life tips and quotes in your inbox (it's free)... Related:  things that make me go "Hmmmmthats really good to know"

9 Warning Signs You’re in Bad Company Email It is better to be alone than in bad company. A big part of who you become in life has to do with who you choose to surround yourself with. Sometimes luck controls who walks into your life, but you decide who you let stay, who you pursue, and who you let walk back out. Ultimately, you should surround yourself with people who make you a better person and let go of those who don’t. Here are some warning signs you’re in the presence of the latter: 1. It’s obvious, but any relationship without regular interaction and communication is going to have problems, especially when there’s a lack of commitment. Don’t waste your time with someone who only wants you around when it’s convenient for them. Being in a relationship with someone who overlooks your worth isn’t loyalty, it’s stupidity. 2. Some people will refuse to accept that you are no longer who you used to be – that you’ve made mistakes in the past, learned from them, and moved past them. 3. 4. 5. Love is a verb, not a noun. 6. 7. 8.

12 Things Happy People Do Differently post written by: Marc Chernoff Email by Jacob Sokol of Sensophy “I’d always believed that a life of quality, enjoyment, and wisdom were my human birthright and would be automatically bestowed upon me as time passed. Studies conducted by positivity psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky point to 12 things happy people do differently to increase their levels of happiness. I want to honor and discuss each of these 12 points, because no matter what part of life’s path we’re currently traveling on, these ‘happiness habits’ will always be applicable. Express gratitude. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Jacob Sokol is committed to living an extraordinary life. Photo by: Aurelio Asiain If you enjoyed this article, check out our new best-selling book. And get inspiring life tips and quotes in your inbox (it's free)...

60 Tiny Love Stories to Make You Smile Here’s a selection of 60 tiny love stories recently submitted to our sister site, Makes Me Think, that not only made us think, but warmed our hearts and made us smile too. We hope they do the same for you. Today, my 75-year-old grandpa who has been blind from cataracts for almost 15 years said to me, “Your grandma is just the most beautiful thing, isn’t she?” I paused for a second and said, “Yes she is. I bet you miss seeing that beauty on a daily basis.” And, of course, be sure to check out Makes Me Think for more thought-provoking love stories like these.Photo by: Patrick Related 25 Inspiring Stories to Make You Smile Here’s a selection of 25 short stories recently submitted to our sister site, Makes Me Think, that not only made us think, but made us smile too. July 11, 2011 In "Hacks" 60 Short Love Stories to Cheer You Up February 13, 2013 In "Happiness" 101 Short Stories that Will Leave You Smiling, Crying and Thinking

12 Ways to Get a Second Chance in Life Email “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” -Maria Robinson We all need second chances. We rarely get things right the first time. The only difference between an opportunity and an obstacle is attitude. 1. What’s done is done. The smartest, and oftentimes hardest, thing we can do in these kinds of situations is to be more tempered in our reactions. Every difficult moment in our lives is accompanied by an opportunity for personal growth and creativity. 2. Everything is a life lesson. Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go your way. 3. Negative thinking creates negative results. Every one of the other suggestions in this article is irrelevant if your mind is stuck in the gutter. 4. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. 5. Some forces are out of your control. 6. 7. is a great read on this topic. 8.

28 Dignified Ways to Impress Everyone Around You post written by: Marc Chernoff Email Far more often than any of us like to admit, our actions are driven by an inner desire to impress other people. This desire is often reflected in the brand name products we use, the bars and restaurants we frequent, the houses and cars we buy and the careers we choose. But are name brand products, fancy bars, houses and cars really that impressive? Why? Consider the following questions: He drives a Porsche, but can he truly afford the car payment? You get the idea. Now take a moment and imagine a person who loves what he does for a living, smiles frequently and bleeds passion in every breath he takes. Here are 28 dignified ways to impress everyone around you. We make a living by what we get. Be authentic. Of course, the coolest thing about this list is that everything you need to impress everyone around you is already contained within you. Photo by: Khalid If you enjoyed this article, check out our new best-selling book.

12 Rules for Being Beautifully Human Email “There is some kind of a sweet innocence in being human – in not having to be just happy or just sad – in the nature of being able to be both broken and whole, at the same time.” ―C. JoyBell C. Be present, let go of the past, don’t beat yourself up over what you did yesterday, and don’t try to be perfect. Just be a beautiful example of being human… 1. No matter what’s happening, anyone can efficiently fight the battles of just one day. 2. Bad things happen every day and to everyone at some point. 3. Hard times are often blessings in disguise. Truth be told, sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones your spirit needs most. 4. There will be a distinct few times in your life when all your instincts will tell you to do something – something that defies logic, upsets your plans, and seems completely crazy to others. In life, if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything. 5. In life you have to create your own love, define your own meaning, and harbor your own inspiration. 6.

The Weekly Challenge: Cardboard Follow Me to hear about all of the Weekly Challenges. This Week's Challenge:Make something - anything! - using cardboard. First off, I'd like to congratulate our 1st Place winner, supersoftdrink, who wins a Dremel, a robot T-shirt, Sugru, and 1-year pro membership. And a big "Thank You!" Don't forget to check out this week's Headphone Challenge!

Want to know the truth? Verifiable information on banking, health, energy, media, war, elections, 9/11, more Four Homemade Cleaners This was easier than I thought it would be. One of Betsy’s goals for the year was to ditch some of our standard cleaners that we use around the house and make them! Honestly, I was a bit skeptical about this project mainly because I wasn’t sure that homemade cleaners would really get the job done. And my lovely wife is a bit of a neat freak so there’s no way she would use something that didn’t perform well. So a couple of weekends ago she went out and bought a few staple ingredients and some empty spray bottles and we spent a few minutes mixing up four different homemade cleaners that have since replaced 90% of the cleaners we use around the house. For the last few weeks we’ve been using them now and I’ve been so impressed by how well they are working, I thought I’d share them all with you in case any of you are interested in ditching the chemicals. The Cost of Cleaning. Basic stuff. Really Clean Cleaning. The Basics. - Homemade: How to Make 100′s of Everyday Products Mixing the Solutions.

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