On the Cusp of the New Year, Tips for a Great Life
Posted on Fri, Dec 31, 2010
By Peter
A few weeks ago, I came across Robin Sharma’s blog post on 60 Tips for a Stunningly Great Life I want to share a few that can be effective in driving happiness and success.
Smile at strangers.
Most people who walk around the city these days have music blasting in their ears or cell phones glued to their faces; no one has time for simple human interaction anymore. I used to be guilty of this, as well. Then a few years ago, while I was walking to work with my head down and my iPod drowning out all ambient noise, I experienced a life-altering moment. I looked up briefly at a crosswalk and saw an older woman looking directly at me. I looked down at first, not wanting to make eye contact. But then she smiled at me with such sincerity, it was as if the random coincidence of our paths crossing had somehow made her genuinely happy. Although this all transpired in the span of a few seconds, it spoke volumes to me about not only the power of human connections, but the ability to find happiness in the most mundane places.
Eat less food.
The post-lunch food coma is the number one killer of afternoon productivity. I’ve fallen victim to its powers myself, especially if the lunch involves any sort of burrito. Instead of stuffing yourself with every last morsel of food on your plate, drink some more water while you’re eating. You’ll fill up quicker, be less dehydrated, and more alert when 3:30 rolls around.
Pursue your dreams.
Last year I got fed up with my life, so I sold my car and traveled to New Zealand, Australia and Thailand for 10 months with my girlfriend. We skydived over mountains and lakes, hiked on glaciers, and took every Lord of the Rings tour they could throw at us (those were mostly for me).
Instead of staying in a dead-end job where I made decent money, I took a chance and traveled the world. Now I’m in graduate school studying something I actually enjoy, and I’m working at a company full of smart, amazing people who not only appreciate my work, but also let me do fun things like write blogs and design cartoon ultracapacitors.
