Top Ten Things That Will Make You Feel Better in 2009!

1. Compost! Reduce how much garbage you generate. Give your food scraps to a gardening neighbor or local farmer, buy your own compost bin or vermicomposter (i heart worms)whatever you do, please do not throw food scraps into the trash! That is so 1980s!

2. Buy less! You're broke anyway right? Well even if you aren't you can at least leave the bag and put it in your own reusable bag. And if there is excess packaging on your purchase call the company and tell them they are wasting precious resources in packaging - they can save money and make products more affordable in the process!

3. Walk or Bike! I know, exercise sucks, but hey we all have a few extra pounds that we could do without and it is more fun to walk. You see more and it actually improves your mood instead of turning you into a road raging driver. You will be amazed how close everything really is. Really. Just try it.

4. Eat less...meat! I hate to say it because I love bacon, but really we don't need a lot of meat. You don't need to cut it out completely but make it more of a side rather than the main part of the meal. Eat a good, healthy protein rich breakfast (not a bunch of toast or a scone, but like eggs or lox or peanut butter on apples) and you won't get as hungry throughout the day.

5. Drink lots of water! not the bottled version, filtered tap water is just fine. But drink lots of it. When you think you are hungry, drink water. When you dream of cheeseburgers, drink water. When you are bored, drink water.

6. Laugh! Just for the heck of it. It will make you feel better and it is not only good for you, but it is contagious and good for other people.

7. Practice forgiveness! All of those grudges you are holding are not only giving you gray hair, wrinkles and a bad attitude, but it is aging you in life threatening ways. Write a letter to someone that you need to ask for forgiveness and then read it to them in person.

8. Be grateful! For what you have, who you know, what you do, for your family and friends and the trees and the wind and the air and everything you can think of. Instead of focusing on the negative, focus on all that is good in the world. Every night think of five things you are grateful for. Write a letter of gratitude to someone that you love. Then read it out loud.

9. Volunteer! Doing something for others for a change. Even if you are feeling martyrish, maybe especially if you are feeling martyrish, or woe is me, work at a homeless shelter, help children with special needs, go to a hospice training, plant trees at a restoration site, help the elderly, help children, whatever you do, do something for someone else.

10. Buy local. Okay, i know you have heard this until you are blue in the face, but it is true that buying locally helps your friends and neighbors. Looking for a website designer in Portland Oregon, try Joe and Mike Lepis at Alpha Multi-Media Solutions http://www.alpha-multimedia.com/, want a great strategic planning, community development and organizational consultant in the Pacific Northwest (i.e. big picture thinker and guru) try Charles Kingsley chazkingsley@hotmail.com, want to eat local food - go the farmers market, want to buy a gift for someone, go to your nearest main street...you get the picture. Plug your friends and colleagues and do what you know is right - buy local.

Okay folks, that's it. No pictures but lots of opining.
All the best to you and yours for a happy and healthy 2009!
Cheers
Kelley