100 Simple Ways to Change Your Life for the Better

By Jessica Hupp

No matter how perfect you may think you are, the fact this there’s always some small way you can improve upon yourself. Whether it’s broadening your knowledge or reducing your impact on the earth, there are seemingly endless little things you can do to make a change for the better. Here, we’ll discuss 100 of these steps, and how you can go about doing them.

Health

Good health is the foundation of a good life, so make these improvements, and they’ll resonate out to the rest of your life.

1. Eat breakfast every morning: Eating breakfast is important for your health and mental power, supplying essential vitamins, minerals, and energy for your day.
2. Get a good night’s rest: You just can’t have a happy and productive life if you’re tired all of the time, so get some quality shut eye.
3. Drink water: Step up your water intake to lose weight, feel better, and improve your skin.
4. Eat slowly: Slow down when you eat, and you’ll find that you consume less while still feeling satisfied.
5. Cut down on junk food: Junk food has a nasty way of bringing your health down, so avoid it whenever possible, opting instead for healthy food like fresh fruits and vegetables.
6. Practice good dental hygiene: Researchers have found that dental hygiene is important for more than cosmetic reasons-it can help you chew food and even avoid heart disease.
7. Drink tea: Be sure to check out the powerhouse of benefits that tea can deliver, which includes improved memory and prevention of ills such as cavities, cancer, and heart disease.
8. Get some exercise: Whether you need to lose weight or not, exercise will have a positive effect on your overall health and quality of life.
9. Improve your energy: If you’re feeling sluggish all day, chances are you’re just not going to feel good about yourself. So take a few steps to boost your energy, and you’ll be better in your daily life.
10. Intensify your workouts: Researchers have found that by doing more intense workouts, you can enjoy similar benefits that you would with a more relaxed workout for a longer period of time.
11. Enjoy fish a few times a week: Eat fish, and you’ll get a serving of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce heart disease.
12. Wear better shoes: Don’t torture your toes with restrictive shoes all the time-limit the amount of time you spend in uncomfortable shoes.
13. Protect your skin: Stay out of the sun to avoid skin damage, or use sunblock to help.
14. Eat at home: It’s easier and cheaper to prepare healthy foods on your own at home, and skillfully cooking a meal is sure to impress just about anyone.
15. Get tested for prediabetes: Diabetes is a disease that many Americans are susceptible to, and by discovering it early on you can prevent it or lessen its impact.
16. Take a daily walk: Get a little bit of movement and clear your mind with a walk every day.
17. Lose weight: One of the best things you can do for your health and overall quality of life is to shed a few pounds.

Social

Take these steps to change your social life for the better.

18. Join a book club: Get some social interaction while improving your knowledge with a book club.
19. Get out of the house: Believe it or not, the world just isn’t going to come to you. You’ve got to get out of your “zone” for social interaction.
20. Volunteer: For a rewarding social experience, look into volunteer opportunities.
21. Ignore minor irritations: Whether it’s some jerk in traffic, or incessant Facebook application requests, some things just aren’t worth dealing with.
22. Start a blog: Spark an online discussion and network with new people through a blog.
23. Talk to strangers: Don’t hesitate to spark a conversation with someone you don’t know-you just might enjoy yourself, or even make a new friend.
24. Don’t stereotype or label people: Avoid dismissing people based on factors you don’t fully understand, and you may find that they have something to offer you.
25. Call old friends: You’d be surprised how many people would be overjoyed to hear from you, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve seen them.
26. Go to church: Make new friends and get in touch with your spiritual side at church or temple.
27. Host a party: Spend some time with good friends and enjoy yourself at home by inviting others over for a party.
28. Enjoy a hobby: Having a regular, relaxing activity will bring you joy.
29. Join a club: Whether you’re into board games or photography, there’s a group out there for you.

Emotional

Improve your emotional life with these simple strategies.

30. Make an effort to be happy: Whether you actually feel happy or not, make it a point to attempt happiness. It will help you feel better, as well as others around you.
31. Consider religion: If you’re not a spiritual person, consider becoming more involved with religion to improve your emotional well-being.
32. Stop taking things personally: Although it may seem to the contrary, know that not everyone is out to make your life harder.
33. Be optimistic: Put a positive spin on things and feel better about the future.
34. Know when to lose sleep: Sometimes, you have more important things to do than sleep, but they key is knowing when that should happen.
35. Step out of your comfort zone: Make it a point to step out of your comfort zone once in awhile. It’s a great way to advance yourself.
36. Get rid of ill-fitting clothing: Clothes that don’t fit right will just make you look bad and feel worse about yourself. If you love a piece, but it just doesn’t look good, consider getting it tailored.
37. Spend time with a child: Look at the world through a child’s eyes and get inspired. You’ll learn to appreciate simple things and see life with excitement.
38. Pamper yourself: Take care of yourself, whether that means getting a pint of ice cream now and then, or just getting a spa treatment.
39. Celebrate your successes: When you’ve accomplished something great, take a moment to feel good about it!
40. Quit your technology addiction: Although you may love your BlackBerry, you’ll feel a whole lot better if you just step away from the screen for a while.
41. Set goals: By setting goals, you’ll give yourself something to strive for and look forward to.
42. Feel good about yourself: Make a decision to improve your self-confidence, and you’ll feel better. Others will notice it, too.
43. Be thankful: Every now and then, take some time to acknowledge all of the good things you have in your life, big and small.
44. Cut yourself some slack: Avoid inventing your own impossible, stringent rules that you have to stick to-they’ll only make you feel nervous and guilty.
45. Let go of the past: Don’t hold grudges-let go, and you’ll free up emotional space.
46. Don’t be dramatic: Stop inflating small problems, or you’ll make yourself more anxious than you need to be.
47. Express yourself: Let your emotions come out through art, writing, or other forms of expression.
48. Meditate: Take some time out every day to have an inner dialogue with yourself.

Financial

Make these changes to improve your life’s financial outlook.

49. Pay off debt: Nothing will improve your finances better than simply getting rid of debt.
50. Build an emergency fund: Keep an emergency fund to save yourself from plummeting into the red when something pops up, and you’ll be much more secure.
51. Track your spending: At some point in their lives, nearly everyone has wondered where all their money goes. Try this exercise to finally get to the bottom of it, and identify spots where your money could be better spent.
52. Be frugal: Embrace frugality in your life, and you’ll save money while living more simply.
53. Make extra payments: Pay off mortgage and other large debts early, and you’ll take a load off.
54. Diversify your income: Provide yourself with some financial security by finding multiple sources of income.
55. Save: The concept is simple-save money, and you’ll have more financial power to do the things you’d like to do.
56. Eat at home more often: Eating out all the time may be fun, but preparing meals at home is a better financial strategy.
57. Invest: Investing is not only fun, it’s an excellent way to make your money grow.
58. Set a goal: Give yourself a financial goal to achieve, whether it’s saving for a particular item, or doubling your investments.
59. Save for retirement: Don’t give your future self a huge mess to take care of-save now, and you’ll enjoy it later.

Mental

Improve your mind by taking these simple steps.

60. Go back to school: Continuing your education does not have to be a complicated endeavor. Take an online class, or just a weekend seminar.
61. Read classic books: Improve your mind by finally picking up all those books you were supposed to read in school.
62. Plan: Always have a plan for your life, so you’ll know what you’re working toward.
63. Quit procrastinating: Resolve to get moving, and you’ll find that you have much more time than you originally realized.
64. Get inspired by a book: Read a book that will help you spark positive changes in your life.
65. Learn from your mistakes: Don’t let mistakes get you down. Instead, consider what you did wrong, and how you can avoid doing so again in the future.
66. Stop worrying: Let go of worry, and know that the future will come no matter what you do about it.
67. Learn to play a musical instrument: Pick up a guitar, or even a harp, to improve your mental capacity and have something fun to do.
68. Work to your own advantage: Improve upon what you can, and let the rest fall away.
69. Think slowly: Instead of jumping to conclusions, carefully calculate what a situation means. Doing so can help you save relationships that might be damaged by rash thinking
70. Participate in a debate: Have a rational discussion with someone of similar intellect to improve your knowledge.
71. Learn a new language: Broaden your horizons by learning how to speak a new language.
72. Visit Wikipedia: Spend some time on Wikipedia learning lots of interesting facts you’ve never realized before.

Habits

Make these changes in your daily life to improve upon yourself.

73. Quit smoking: It’s the single most important thing you can do for your health, appearance, and energy. You’ll smell better, too.
74. Wake up early: Be an early riser, and you’ll find that you have more time to get things done.
75. Spend more time outside: Head outside to become more active and enjoy the world around you.
76. Be organized: Make things easier on yourself by living a more organized life.

At Work

You spend so much time at work, but probably don’t often consider how you can improve upon this important facet of your life. Take these steps to make things just a little bit better.

77. Make friends with your coworkers: One of the easiest and most important things you can do to improve your career is to practice inner networking. Socialize with your coworkers, and they’ll be more willing to help you when you need it.
78. Improve your writing skills: If you improve upon your writing skills, you’ll instantly sound more intelligent and persuasive.
79. Collaborate: Don’t go it alone-ask for help, and give help in return.
80. Keep your inbox empty: Reduce anxiety and simplify by clearing out your inbox as much as you can.
81. Leave work at the door: Don’t bring work home with you, or you’ll stress yourself out at home.
82. Join a professional association: Network with others in your field for fun and career advancement.
83. Ask for a raise: Simply asking for a raise you deserve is a no-brainer way to feel better about work and your paycheck.
84. Improve your resume: If you’re not happy with your job, give your resume a facelift and consider seeking a new position.
85. Improve your system: If you’ve got a messy desk, or generally lead a disorganized work life, take charge by reorganizing.
86. Start your own business: One of the best ways to improve your career is to go into business for yourself.

In Your Community

Getting involved in your community is a great way to improve upon your life. Try these methods for getting out there.

87. Vote: Impact your community’s future by participating in the election of officials.
88. Donate unused items: Instead of holding a garage sale, pass your old items on to people who need them-like books to schools, and clothing to shelters.
89. Support charitable endeavors: Whether it’s with money or time, do what you can to help out charities in your community.
90. Be a coach: Offer to coach a youth sport, and you’ll shape young lives while having fun.
91. Visit your local library: Take advantage of your community’s library to both save money and broaden your mind.

In the Environment

An excellent way to improve upon yourself is to reduce the negative impact you have on the world. Take these steps to get greener and change your life for the better.

92. Work to reduce your carbon emissions: Find out about the many things you can do to help cut your carbon emissions, and then take action on them.
93. Improve your gas mileage: Drive more slowly and coast as much as you can to improve your gas mileage.
94. Turn off the lights: Cut your waste and energy bill by turning off your lights whenever you don’t need them.
95. Get a reusable water bottle: Keep plastic water bottles out of our landfills by getting a container you can use over and over again.
96. Reduce your trash: Take steps to cut down on the waste you put in landfills.
97. Buy local and organic food: Support your health and local farmer by purchasing local, organic produce.
98. Adjust your thermostat: Let your heater and AC take a small break by adjusting your thermostat to reduce waste.
99. Stop using plastic bags: Quit using plastic bags, and you’ll both reduce your impact and save animals.
100. Take shorter showers: Save a precious resource by reducing the amount of water you use in your daily shower.

Alphabetical Paintings.....

100 Small Facts

1. Ants don't sleep.

2. Owls have eyeballs that are tubular in shape, because of this, they cannot move their eyes.

3. A bird requires more food in proportion to its size than a baby or a cat.

4. The mouse is the most common mammal in the US.

5. A newborn kangaroo is about 1 inch in length.

6. A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

7. The Canary Islands were not named for a bird called a canary. They were named after a breed of large dogs. The Latin name was Canariae insulae - "Island of Dogs."

8. There are 701 types of pure breed dogs.

9. A polecat is not a cat. It is a nocturnal European weasel.

10. Tapeworms range in size from about 0.04 inch to more than 50 feet in length.

11. A baby bat is called a pup.

12. German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.

13. A female mackerel lays about 500,000 eggs at one time.

14. It takes 35 to 65 minks to produce the average mink coat. The numbers for other types of fur coats are: beaver - 15; fox - 15 to 25; ermine - 150; chinchilla - 60 to 100.

15. The animal responsible for the most human deaths world-wide is the mosquito.

16. The biggest pig in recorded history was Big Boy of Black Mountain, North Carolina, who was weighed at 1,904 pounds in 1939.

17. Cats respond most readily to names that end in an "ee" sound.

18. A cat cannot see directly under its nose. This is why the cat cannot seem to find tidbits on the floor.

19. Pigs, walruses and light-colored horses can be sunburned.

20. Snakes are immune to their own poison.

21. An iguana can stay under water for 28 minutes.

22. Cats have more than one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.

23. The biggest member of the cat family is the male lion, which weighs 528 pounds (240 kilograms).

24. Most lipstick contains fish scales.

25. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.

26. Each day in the US, animal shelters are forced to destroy 30,000 dogs and cats.

27. A shrimp's heart is in their head.

28. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.

29. A cockroach will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death.

30. The cat lover is an ailurophile, while a cat hater is an ailurophobe.

31. A woodpecker can peck twenty times a second.

32. It may take longer than two days for a chick to break out of its shell.

33. Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects, flying 50 to 60 mph.

34. Despite man's fear and hatred of the wolf, it has not ever been proved that a non-rabid wolf ever attacked a human.

35. There are more than 100 million dogs and cats in the United States.

36. Americans spend more than 5.4 billion dollars on their pets each year.

37. Cat's urine glows under a black light.

38. The largest cockroach on record is one measured at 3.81 inches in length.

39. It is estimated that a single toad may catch and eat as many as 10,000 insects in the course of a summer.

40. Amphibians eyes come in a variety shapes and sizes. Some even have square or heart-shaped pupils.

41. It would require an average of 18 hummingbirds to weigh in at 1 ounce.

42. Dogs that do not tolerate small children well are the St. Bernard, the Old English sheep dog, the Alaskan malamute, the bull terrier, and the toy poodle.

43. Moles are able to tunnel through 300 feet of earth in a day.

44. Howler monkeys are the noisiest land animals. Their calls can be heard over 2 miles away.

45. A quarter of the horses in the US died of a vast virus epidemic in 1872.

46. There is no single cat called the panther. The name is commonly applied to the leopard, but it is also used to refer to the puma and the jaguar. A black panther is really a black leopard. A capon is a castrated rooster.

47. The world's largest rodent is the Capybara. An Amazon water hog that looks like a guinea pig, it can weigh more than 100 pounds.

48. The poison-arrow frog has enough poison to kill about 2,200 people.

49. The hummingbird, the loon, the swift, the kingfisher, and the grebe are all birds that cannot walk.

50. The poisonous copperhead snake smells like fresh cut cucumbers.

51. A chameleon's tongue is twice the length of its body.

52. Worker ants may live seven years and the queen may live as long as 15 years.

53. The blood of mammals is red, the blood of insects is yellow, and the blood of lobsters is blue.

54. Cheetahs make a chirping sound that is much like a bird's chirp or a dog's yelp. The sound is so an intense, it can be heard a mile away.

55. The underside of a horse's hoof is called a frog. The frog peels off several times a year with new growth.

56. The bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in an American court. 98% of brown bears in the United States are in Alaska.

57. Before air conditioning was invented, white cotton slipcovers were put on furniture to keep the air cool.

58. The Barbie doll has more than 80 careers.

59. To make one pound of whole milk cheese, 10 pounds of whole milk is needed.

60. 99% of pumpkins that are sold for decoration.

61. Every 30 seconds a house fire doubles in size.

62. The month of December is the most popular month for weddings in the Philippines.

63. A one ounce milk chocolate bar has 6 mg of caffeine.

64. Carbon monoxide can kill a person in less than 15 minutes.

65. The largest ever hailstone weighed over 1kg and fell in Bangladesh in 1986.

66. Ants can live up to 16 years.

67. In Belgium, there is a museum that is just for strawberries.

68. The sense of smell of an ant is just as good as a dog's.

69. Popped popcorn should be stored in the freezer or refrigerator as this way it can stay crunchy for up to three weeks.

70. Coca-Cola was originally green.

71. The most common name in the world is Mohammed.

72. The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.

73. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

74. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row ! of the keyboard.

75. Women blink nearly twice as much as men!!

76. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.

77. It is impossible to lick your elbow.

78. People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond.

79. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.

80. The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest
tongue twister in the English language.

81. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.

82. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents great king from history. Spades - King David Clubs - Alexander the Great, Hearts - charlemagne Diamonds - Julius Caesar.

83. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

84. If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

85. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser
printers all have in common?
Ans. All invented by women.
Question - This is the only food that doesn't spoil. What is this?
Ans. Honey.

86.A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
A snail can sleep for three years.
All polar bears are left handed.

87. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.

88. Butterflies taste with their feet.

89. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

90. In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

91. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.

92. Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.

93. Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.

94. The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

95. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

96. The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

97. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

98. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

99. Most lipstick contains fish scales.

100. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.