Life means moving forward every minute of every day – and all of us have three great aspects we must care for: the Soul and its two great instruments – the Mind and Body. Like in a good book, every minute of yours will have to enrich either your character or your destiny – for a balanced and happy life. Let’s list just a few ideas on how to make your days brighter in the coming New Year 2018.

Activities:

Spirit/Mind

1.Start a journal.

Doodle and draw, to make it inspiring, make an action plan to make it useful. Study calligraphy to make it really pretty. You can use your bullet journal as a daily journal or a habit-tracker. You can make it digital to make it more resourceful – or the good auld daily planner with a pen that is mightier than the sword. Journaling and scrapbooking are some affordable pleasures for the mind.

2. Meditate

Peace is said to come from within. Focus on yourself as a being, which is safe, creative, strong, loved, expressive, connected and divine. Peace to all, Om Shanti Om.

3. Create some long-term goals

Give your mind a sense of purpose.  Dream, believe, achieve!

4. Intellectual stimulation

Be mindful of beautiful words and pictures, surround yourself with great minds – of writers, directors and artists, and great thinkers. Emerson said: “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that, I learn from him.”

5. Read a paperback love novel

A love novel? Yes…for they are the greatest and at the end, your two favorite characters will finally want the same thing.

6. Play

Play like a child, it’s the best way to experience the world – let everything be curious and fascinating to you, don’t judge your experiences as gullible and childish – just enjoy.

7. Learn

Nowadays Internet gives you so many chances to improve your education online, with the best teachers of really great universities – and all that for free. Pick the best courses for you and start improving yourself in the fields which interest you. Of course, there are the TED talks – the world’s online favorite learning resources.

8. Travel

Everybody loves to travel. People flock to places such as Paris and Venice, and they say all ways lead eventually to Rome. Gather postcards, fridge magnets, and adventures from the most beautiful places on the globe. Pick a dot on the globe and appear there, wearing only your toothbrush and a couple of clean undergarments.  A man is a man when he’s on his way.

9. Get a new habit.

Focus on mini habits – such as making my bed, or starting to plan my weekly meals. Do ten of these every month, it’s absolutely possible and it is enough for a positive change.

10. Do not indulge in taking yourself too seriously

After all, “individual” comes from the Latin “dividere”- to divide, and it practically means “impossible to divide.” Ego aside, on the level of our unique souls – we are one melody.

Body

1.Go.

Go outside. If you have nowhere to go to – go to your garden, or the nearest cinema. Walk out even in the cold, winter days, the movement should never cease, for your body loves walking.

2. Stop ignoring your body.

It is a great instrument – finer than a grand piano, more soulful than a violin – it gives you the right signals at the right time: stop eating, move a bit, don’t abuse me, use me right!

3. Clean the mess and tidy up.

Remove all the things that you don’t need – and make space for new ones. True, creative minds are rarely tidy, but it will help you in organizing your spiritual work as well. Take some time to study the ancient art of Feng Shui – then give your home a brand new style.

4. Nutrition.

Vegetables and fruit are good for you. If you want to lose weight, eat fewer calories. If you want to treat your body right try random foods. Watch culinary shows and surf the web and then practice.

5. Exercise

My favorites are yoga, hiking, ballet, dancing, walking, swimming. They are great for the body, except for ballet they are comparatively easy to perform, and they are good for any physical structure at any age.

6. Aromatherapy

It helps harness the anxiety, balance anger, build self-confidence. It helps in moments of depression, fear, or grief. Aromatherapy lets you overcome stress and boost happiness and peace.

7. Balance your Chakras

Chakras can be healed with crystals, essential oils, and Reiki. When they are balanced, the person is confident and full of energy, he constantly has got new ideas to create life, he is organized and successful, loved and loving, He expresses himself freely, he is calm and at peace.

8. Massage

Massage is one of the best holiday gifts. It relieves stress, alleviates pain and relaxes. It is safe and beneficial for all kinds of conditions including arthritis.

9. Ayurveda

It is a 5000-year-old system of natural healing – originated in the Vedic culture of India – it is considered by many to be the oldest healing science there is. Its primary goal is to help people live long, healthy, and balanced lives, without the need for drugs, surgeries or suffering. It is also called “the science of life.”

10. Dress to impress.

The way you dress is directly linked to your mood. “Always dress like you are going to see your worst enemy.” – says K.L. Simmons. To this Giorgio Armani adds: “Elegance is not about being noticed. It’s about being remembered.”

Soul

 

1.Say something I’m giving up on you!

“There is hardly a greater agony than carrying an untold story inside you” – as Maya Angelou put it. So speak your true feelings, because people are not together forever.

2. Creativity and play.

They are important for our emotional and social and physical development. You are most encouraged to draw, play music, sing, dance, cooperate, work with crayons, scissors, paints, brushes, or dance.

3. Lovemaking

Stop time by kissing. The difference between sexual encounters and lovemaking is that the latter transcends the physical, two people are actually penetrating each other’s souls. You tune into your Beloved.

4. Compassion

It is defined as the wish to see others free from suffering. It starts with embracing a healthy lifestyle for yourself. Reading or random acts of kindness also help to develop this great human virtue. “Ubuntu” stands for “the belief that we are defined by our compassion and kindness towards others.”

5. Adventure

You can hike, or jump, or bike ride naked, you can talk to strangers or embrace the cold weather. You can enjoy solitude and walk along trail tracks, you can read books or learn anything, you can write, observe, help, run, scream, breathe, do, say “yes” to everything, try as hard as you can. Just be adventurous.

6. Stay positive.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love…” – Marcus Aurelius

7. Experience

Do things for the first time. Make a bucket list. Visit UNESCO Heritage Sites, or go on a trip of pilgrimage to Israel. Go to owl cafes and cat cafes, drink expensive tea, write on a billboard that you love him…do the tango,  gift a fortune, don’t live the same way 80 years and call it life…

8. Socialize.

Get more and more lawful friends on Facebook. Why not? Don’t forget to take your old friends out for foreign and domestic meals. Or why not fly a kite with them?

9. Music

Make a list of songs for cold winter days, such as classical, Christmas carols, or cabaret songs like Baby It’s Cold Outside…Music makes people emotional, the soul rises in music. It’s one of the best forms of therapy.

10. Romance

You can ignite a romance with certain aphrodisiacs: oysters, honey, avocados, banana, chocolate, chili peppers, coffee, watermelon, pomegranate, salmon.  Souls believe in chivalry, romance, and love.  Put that into handwriting and send a love note – for everyone needs a romantic lover in their life.