The following are ways to live a balanced life - to be the best you can be, healthier and happier than ever before...

1 Keep fit and live a wellness lifestyle. Develop a well-rounded fitness program that includes lifting weights or body-

building, aerobics and stretching. There is nothing that will do more good for you in terms of being vibrantly healthy, energetic and youthful than a regular fitness program.

 

2 Learn to elicit a relaxation response. Our nervous systems are bombarded by excessive environmental stimulation.

Learn deep relaxation techniques such as meditation/yoga/breathing exercises so that stress levels are under control.

 

3 Watch out for stress associated with prolonged feelings of anger and depression. People who do not express

feelings get sick more often, stay sick longer, and die sooner than expressive people. Non-expression of emotion and denial of hostility or anger are two of the factors most related to unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients. Remember that feelings aren't good or bad; they just are. Sharing feelings with a trusted friend or other support person is healing.

 

4 Be aware of your thoughts. Thoughts determine your experiences. Each of us has the freedom to accept and

embrace whatever thoughts we choose. We possess within the silence of our being the ability to think, create and become whatever we want to become. so don't think negatively; instead, only think about things we want to be part of our lives.

 

5 Feel the fear and let it go. In The Knight In Rusty Armor by Robert Risher, the knight grows to love his armor not

only because it shows everyone who he is, but also - most importantly - because it keeps him from feeling anything. then when he tries to remove it, he can't. Merlin, the magician, helps him realize that the only way to rid himself of the armor is to rust it away. To do so, he must feel something so deeply that he cries, thereby rusting the armor and causing it to fall away, part by part. No matter how brave or strong we are, we all wear a type of invisible armor to protect us from some aspect of life. All we risk by uncovering our fears is to become healthier and more fully human and to taste another part of life and love.

 

6 Visualize your goals and dreams daily. James Allen wrote: "You think in secret and it comes to pass.

Environment is but your looking glass." Every day we should spend a few minutes visualizing with our mind's eye not only our goals, but how we would like our lives to be.

 

7 Find time each day to be alone. Find some time each day to enjoy the peace of your own company. It is by

spending time alone, breathing deeply and quieting everyday thoughts that you can do the most for your health, happiness and peace of mind. Silence nourishes your soul and heals your heart. Solitude is necessary for deep silence.

 

8 Practice some kind of meditation daily. Research has shown that meditation not only improves immune function,

but is associated with a host of other beneficial physiological effects such as altered brain states, decreased heart rate, lower blood pressure, a relaxed body and a more youthful appearance.

 

9 Simplify life. Contrary to popular belief, we are not mere victims of our environment. Slow down. Find you in

simple pleasures. Breathe deeply, smell the flowers, talk to the animals, sing with the birds, be with friends, greet the sun, scratch behind your kitty's ear, make someone smile, marvel at the miracle you are, tell someone you love them, and laugh out loud and often.

 

10 Develop a sense of humor. A healthy degree of emotional detachment and hearty laughter every day can stimulate

the immune system. Research shows that humor aids most, and probably all, major systems of the body. Don't take life so seriously. Strive to move gracefully among all the activities of daily life without being ensnared by either outer things or inner desires.

 

11 Nurture and develop your intuition. Intuition can be nurtured in a variety of ways. The best way is to be still and

listen. The more we act on our intuitive hunches, the stronger and more readily available they become.

 

12 Embrace an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for everything that's going on in your life not matter the

circumstances, for it's this kind of attitude that will help foster happiness and peace of mind and assist you to live more fully.

 

13 Become more childlike. Young children seem to know how to celebrate life, live fully, and create magical moments.

Be more flexible, practice forgiveness, leave time for spontaneity in daily activities, don't plan your calendar minute- to-minute, and let go of being critical and judgmental. Let your inner child come out and play.

 

14 Live in the present. To be fully present each moment, we must free ourselves from the past. To achieve this

freedom, we must heal our past. If we don't, the past will repeat itself and keep us trapped in it. We must stop living our lives mechanically and unconsciously and start paying attention to the present moment.

 

15 Share your love and kindness. That warm, loving feeling you get from hugging a child, counseling a friend, being

a good listener or even treating yourself to a luxurious bubble bath boosts the immune system. Petting a dog or watching fish in a tank lowers your blood pressure. In one study, people watching a film of Mother Theresa tenderly caring for sick children experienced the same heightened immune response as people who had recently fallen in love.

 

16 Live with integrity. To live with integrity means that who you appear to be is who you really are. The more you

live with synchronicity in what you believe, think, feel, say and do, the more peace and happiness you will invite into your life. It is emotionally and intellectually exhausting when who you are on the inside and how you behave on the outside are not aligned or congruent with one another.

 

17 Reverence for life. Living with reverence brings happiness and fulfillment and makes every moment sacred. Take

notice and enjoy the everyday miracles that make up your life. And behold the divine in everyone and everything.

 

18 Develop high self-esteem and self-love. Be true to yourself. This means following your heart. To find out if you

are being true to yourself, ask yourself. 1) If I weren't getting paid for what I'm doing, would I continue to do it? 2) If I only had one year to live, would I continue to do what I'm doing? If the answer is "no," carefully consider what you can do to make different choices.

 

19 Live in God's loving presence. With practice, you can withstand any turbulence by keeping your thoughts centered

on God. Honor your holiness. Participate in a divine love affair with God. His loving presence is who you are.

 

20 Live peacefully. Peace of mind comes from accepting what you can't control and taking responsibility for what you

can. It grows out of faith in your higher power and your spiritual nature. It comes when you let go of guilt, fear and doubt. It is the result of forgiving yourself and others for all human imperfections. When you let go of the delusion that something will someday make you happy, you can concentrate on the peace and contentment of the present moment. Inner peace is always found in the here and now. It waits quietly for you to discover it.

Copyright © 1996. The Light Party.