करोना का कहर

हाँ भय है, अलगाव है।
घबराहट है और मौत भी है।
परंतु,
पक्षियां अब भी उड़तीं और चहचहातीं हैं,
फैली हुई महामारी उन्हें नहीं डराती हैं |
डरे हम क्यों फिर करोना वाइरस के प्रहार से, 
सक्षम बने और हरायें इसे अपने सतत प्रयास से|
हम क्या करें ,
आगंतुक का स्वागत करें दोनों हाथ जोड़ कर,
आसन दे उनको अपने से तीन फ़ीट के दूरी पर |
मास्क लगाएं जब भी जाना हो घर के बाहर,
साबुन पानी से धोएं हाथ घर वापस आ कर |
न छुएं बारबार अपने नाक, मुँह और कान ,
बचाये रखें इस तरह वाइरस से अपने प्राण |
यदि सर्दी, जुकाम या ज्वर का प्रकोप लगे,
शीघ्र अति शीघ्र डॉक्टर से संपर्क करें |
अलग करें दुसरो को अपने संपर्क में आने से,
बचाये रखे उन्हें वाइरस के चंगुल में जाने से |
प्रार्थना करें,
हे ईश्वर कृपा कर इस महामारी का अंत करें ,
बचाये दुनिया और जीवन फिर आनंद करें |

चलते रहो,  कभी न थको 

मंज़िल पर पहुंचे बिना न रुको

जीवन के  ऊँचे नीचे  राहों से 

गुजरो जीवंत,  न कभी हारो  

मार्ग इतना दुर्लभ नही
जिसे  रौंद तुम सफल न हो

  

उलझन  

क्यों  है  इतना  हर  पल उलझन।
सुलझ  न  पाये  जो  जीवन  भर॥
एक   समस्या  जब   तक   सुलझे।
कठिनाई    नई    आकर    उलझे॥
क्रम   यह  सदा   चलता   रहता।
संघर्ष   सजीव  आजीवन   रहता॥

जीवन  की है  बस   यही     दशा। 

बदलते    रहते  इसके  रंग   सदा ।। 

 

 

 

अंजान  जग  के  दोषों  से, कलियाँ  जब   मुस्कातीं  हैं    
भवरें करते उन्हें आलिंगन, प्रकृति नव रचना रचती  है 
निर्मित  होती  है नई आकृति और उभरते  हैं नए  स्वर 
सागर के उस पार क्षितिज पर बीत गया एक और प्रहर
                                x x x  


जो  कुछ  दिया  था आपने ,
जग  को वह अर्पित  किया |
बची   है  अब यह  जिंदगी ,
जो आपको समर्पित किया || 
                                x x x 

जीवन  के  प्रिय  पल ,
सारे अब बिसर गए | 
पल जो   दुखदाई थे ,
सारे अब मुखर हुए || 

                              x x x 

हो  रहा  अभी जो  कुछ  है, बदले  शायद अगले क्षण में,
जो चाहो आगे मिले न मिले, जी लो भरपूर  इस पल में | 
समय अभी  का  है  अनमोल, देखो कहीं न जाये बिखर,
सागर के  उस पार  क्षितिज पर  बीत एक  और   प्रहर ||  
                            x x x 
समय संग जो चले नहीं,   सपने उसके हैं  जाते बिखर ,
                          x x x   
जीवन  की  है  यही दशा
बदलते  रहते  रंग   सदा
हो रहा अभी जो  कुछ  है
अगले पल होता वह विदा 
                          x x x  

सफल कर्म का मन्त्र यही,  

उद्देश्य  पावन निर्मल  हो

स्वार्थ निहित न हो उसमें 
ईश्वर   को  समर्पित  हो 

निर्मल मन से कर्म  करो
कर्म करो बस कर्म करो||
 
दुख न तुम्हे  उदास करे। 
हसकर  सदा उसे झेलो|। 
सुख दुख जीवन का हिस्सा है। 
जो मिलता है उसको लेलो||

कान्हा ने है कहा यही,
कर्म करो बस कर्म करो||
फल की इक्च्छा उचित नही। 
कर्म करो बस कर्म करो॥ 
     

नई चेतना जब लहराए। 
जागृति जीवन  में आए||  
नई सोच हो नया विहान। 
मानव  तब बने महान ||
-------------xxx-----------

 साथ निभाया अब तक  तुमने 
 फिर छोड़ अकेला क्यों  चली
मैं भी चलने को तैयार खड़ा  था 

चले   दूर तक  जीवन  पथ पर 
सुख दुःख  हमने मिल कर झेले 
हर  निर्णय   साथ  लिए  हमने
कर्म  किये , सबसे   प्रेम   किये 

जीवन के इस अंतिम पड़ाव पर
साथ     तुम्हारा   छूट      गया 
जो बंधन सोचा था जन्मो का है 
सहसा   ही    वह    टूट     गया
 
जीवन पथ पर साथ चले हम 
सारे   निर्णय   संग      लिए 
सुख  दुःख  साथ झेला  हमने 
कर्म  किये , सबसे प्यार किये
जीवन  के अंतिम  पड़ाव पर 
साथ  तुम्हारा   छूट      गया 
जो बंधन सोचा जन्मो का है 
सहसा  ही  वह   टूट    गया
------------xxxx----------
मिले एक  से   एक  तो बने नया संसार 
बिछड़े दो से एक तो बिखरे वही संसार  
------------xxxx----------
सत्य वचन कहता हूँ यारों
सुनो सभी अब मेरी बात
वीरों के मिलते फूल नहीं अब
चढ़ते अब वो नेताओं के माथ
------------xxxx----------
सब कुछ गंवा के होश में आये तो क्या होगा
------------xxxx----------
 ये राहें  ले ही जायेंगी मंजिल तक हौसला रख
कहीं सुना है कि अँधेरे ने सवेरा होने ना दिया
------------xxxx----------  
 नियति संचालित करती है मेरे सारे काम । 
 मैं  बिमूढ़ अज्ञानी कहता हूँ "मैंने किया है" ॥
 ------------xxxx---------- 

गाथा अपनी  तुझे  सुनाता हूँ
जिन मोड़ों से होकर  गुजरा, उन्हें तुम्हें बताता हूँ
 गाथा अपनी  तुझे  सुनाता हूँ
 ------------xxxx---------- 

 

गाथा मैं तुझे  सुनाता हूँ
जिन मोड़ों से मैं गुजरा, उन्हें तुम्हें बताता हूँ
 गाथा मैं तुझे  सुनाता हूँ

आपकी अंगुली क्या कहती है 

जहां आपके हाथ का अंगूठा आपकी सफलता की पहचान होता है वहीं तर्जनी अंगुली आपके ताकत, स्वामित्व और दूसरों पर पड़ने वाले आपके प्रभाव का प्रतीक मानी जाती है। इसके अलावा मध्यमा आपकी बुद्धिमानी, काबीलियत और विश्वसनीयता को साबित करती है। अनामिका आपके स्वभाव की रचनात्मकता और आपके भीतर लाइमलाइट में रहने की चाह को प्रकट करती है वहीं कनिष्ठ अंगुली आपके संप्रेषण के तरीके का प्रतीक है।
अगर आपकी संबंधित अंगुली दूसरी अंगुली की ओर झुकाव रखती है या मजबूती से खड़ी नहीं हो पाती तो इसका अर्थ आपके व्यक्तित्व की उस कमी को दर्शाना है। वहीं अगर आपकी अंगुली अपने स्थान पर मजबूती लिए हुई है और उसे किसी सहारे की जरूरत नहीं तो मतलब साफ है कि आपके व्यक्तित्व का वो पहलू बहुत प्रभावी है।
अगर आपकी तर्जनी अंगुली, मध्यमा की ओर झुकाव रखती है तो इसका अर्थ है कि आपके अंदर आत्मविश्वास की बहुत कमी है। आपके अंदर ग्लानि और भय की स्थिति हमेशा बनी रहती है। ऐसे लोग कोई भी काम सफलता से नहीं करते क्योंकि आत्मविश्वास की कमी उनके राह मे बाधा बन जाती है।
जिन लोगों की मध्यमा अंगुली, अनामिका की ओर झुकती है तो ऐसे लोग अविश्वसनीय और विध्वंसक स्वभाव के होते हैं। अपनी इसी कमी की वजह से उन्हें कई बार शर्मिंदा भी होना पड़ता है। लेकिन जिन लोगों की मध्यमा और तर्जनी की लंबाई बराबर होती है वे बहुत महत्वाकांक्षी और सफलता पाने के लिए अग्रसर रहने वाले होते हैं।
ऐसे लोग जिनकी अनामिका और मध्यमा अंगुली की लंबाई बराबर होती है वे जुआ खेलने में बहुत दिलचस्पी रखते हैं। जिन लोगों की मध्यमा अंगुली अनामिका से छोटी होती है वह अपने जीवन में बहुत बार नासमझी भरा काम करते हैं।
जिन लोगों की मध्यमा अंगुली थोड़ी घुमावदार होती है उनका स्वभाव दूसरों के जीवन में खलल डालने वाला होता है। ऐसे लोग कई बार उन लोगों की हत्त्या के बारे में भी सोच सकते हैं जिन्हें वे पसंद नहीं करते।
जिन लोगों की मध्यमा अंगुली, तर्जनी और अनामिका से बड़ी होती है ऐसे लोग बुद्धिमान और सूझबूझ वाले होते हैं।
वहीं सभी अंगुलियां समान वाले लोग काफी आलसी तो होते ही हैं लेकिन साथ में इनके आत्म विश्वास में भी कमी होती है।
अंगुली के अलावा आपकी अंगुलियों के छोरों (फिंगर टिप) का आकार भी आपके बारे में बहुत कुछ कहता है। मसलन अगर आपके अंगुली के छोर गोल आकार में हैं तो इसका अर्थ है कि आप अस्वीकार्यता को बर्दाश्त नहीं करते और सभी के साथ मिल-जुलकर रहना चाहते हैं।
अगर आपके अंगुली के छोर चपटे या फिर वर्गाकार हैं तो इसका मतलब है कि आप शुद्धता और पारदर्शिता के लिए प्रयत्न करने वाले हैं।
चौड़े छोरों का अर्थ है कि संबंधित व्यक्ति मौलिकता में विश्वास रखता है और नियमों में बंधकर नहीं रह सकता।

बीता प्रहर

सागर के उस पार क्षितिज पर बीत गया एक और प्रहर
लघु हुई जीवन की रेखा, बने अतीत अनेकों  प्रिय  क्षण
इतिहास  के  पन्नो पर, अंकित  हुए नए कुछ   विवरण
जग  से  मिला जो अनुभव जीवन का वह बना धरोहर ॥ सागर के …।
कलियाँ अब विकसित होकर उन्मुख हैं यौवन की ओर
मिलन तत्पर उन्मद  भवरें  झूम  रहे  है   भाव बिभोर
मिलन तदअंतर निर्मित होगें  नई आकृति और नए स्वर ॥ सागर के …।
सरिता  का अतिशय  जल  सेतु  के नीचे   हुआ प्रवाहित
दुर्गम पथ पर चलती धारा बाधाओ   से रही अप्रभावित
सिंधुमिलन  की लिए  लालसा सरिता हो  रही   अग्रसर ॥ सागर के...। 
प्रहर   कई    बिते  पथ  पर  लक्ष्य  अभी  भी  दूर   कहीं
चलना  है  कब   तक   युहीं  पथिक  को  यह ज्ञात  नहीं
एकाग्र किये मन शक्ति बटोरे  बढ़ना  है  उसे    निरन्तर ॥ सागर के …।  

होंठो की बनावट से जानिए अपनी किस्मत

दोनों होंठ समान और सुंदर- ऐसा व्यक्ति सत्यप्रिय, सुशील एवं सज्जन वृत्ति का होता है। वह कोमल शब्दों से युक्त मीठी वाणी का प्रयोग करता है। परहितकारी तथा भाग्यशाली जीवन व्यतीत करने वाला होता है। 

दोनों होंठ मोटे- ऐसा व्यक्ति मुंहफट होता है। अंतरमन में कोई रहस्य छिपाकर नहीं रखता। खानपान में विशेष रुचि रखता है। पेटु जैसा होता है। 

दोनों होंठ पतले- ऐसा व्यक्ति सरल चित्त होता है। संघर्ष से उन्नति करता है। ढलती आयु में हर प्रकार का सुख भोगता है।  

ऊपर का होंठ भारी- ऐसा व्यक्ति प्रभावशाली होता है, स्वादिष्ट भोजन की लालसा रखता है तथा गंभीर प्रवृत्ति का होता है। 

निचला होंठ भारी- अहंकारी वृत्ति का प्रतीक है। ऐसा व्यक्ति अपनी बात मनवाने के लिए कुछ भी कर सकता है। दूसरों का दुख सुनकर या देखकर आंतरिक प्रसन्नता अनुभव करता है। सहनशील नहीं होता। 

रक्तिम ओंठ- शौर्य, वीर्य और उत्साह के द्योतक हैं। ऐसे नर-नारी काम लालसा का भरपूर लाभ प्राप्त करते हैं। ऐश्वर्यशाली एवं धनवान होते हैं।  

काले ओंठ- कपट तथा संघर्ष का प्रतीक है। ऐसे व्यक्ति मिथ्यावादी होते हैं तथा सदा दुख भोगते हैं।

Your Name Meaning According to Vedic Numerology 

(Compiled from different sources. You may find it enjoyable)

Consult the chart below and begin assigning the appropriate number to each letter in your first and last name. Once you've done that, you will come up with a multiple digit number, like 182. You will reduce this number to a single digit. For example: 1+8+2=11. Reduce this again, like so: 1+1=2.

A=1    B=2    C=3    D=4    E=5      F=8    G=3     H=5     I=1
J=1     K=2    L=3    M=4    N=5     O=7    P=9     Q=1     R=2
S=3    T=4    U=6    V=6     W=6    X=5    Y=1      Z=7

I've provided personality attributes (in social/vocational aspects) according to your name number. Just look up your number and know the type of personality you have:
    •    1 - The Pioneer
    •    2 - The Philosopher
    •    3 - The Innovator
    •    4 - The Engineer
    •    5 - The Negotiator
    •    6 - The Pacifier
    •    7 - The Educator
    •    8 - The Entrepreneur
    •    9 - The Philanthropist

Name Meanings According to your Vedic Name Number:
1 - Pioneer: 
You are a real go-getter, both in social settings and at work. You tend to see things in a linear way, which makes it easy for you to set goals and achieve them. You like things done your way - nothing wrong with that - but sometimes you can be inflexible, or unwilling to try different methods of doing things. You are dynamic, and radiant.....these qualities make you a bright center of attention in social outings. You feel comfortable in leadership roles, and have a healthy self-confidence. You like to start new projects, and get a thrill from seeing your vision come into reality. You're best suited for fame, leadership, management and roles in which people depend on you.
2 - The Philosopher: 
You've got an incredible amount of patience, and you are quite perceptive. You like to take a "wait and see" approach, preferring to stand back and watch how events unfold before you make any hasty decisions. You tend to be introspective, thoughtful, and sometimes moody. Making decisions can be a challenge for you sometimes, but you have an expansive mind which allows you to see solutions where others only see problems. You work your best when you are in a partnership, or in a team. In fact, people seek you out for your advice because you have such a unique way of seeing the world. You are best suited in situations where you can give of yourself to others, like as an advisor, a guidance counselor, or even nursing.
3 - The Innovator
: Your name numerology indicates you've got a sharp intellect which gives you a knack for picking up skills easily, learning lessons fast, and retain information easily. These aspects make you highly talented in almost any field you set your mind to. You adapt well to new cultures, are diverse and flexible. You can be impatient with yourself and others, but you are not quick to anger. You tend to be quite lucky, and great opportunities often fall into your lap. You are best suited in fields where your versatility and creativity are put to use. Fields such as the arts, sciences and sports will have a strong calling for you. You've very gregarious, and are often the life of the party. People are drawn to your artistic flair, and sense of style.
4 - The Architect
: You love to build things from the ground up, and get a charge when you are in control of projects from start to finish. You value order and structure, which makes you a very good planner and organizer. You have a practical side to you, and people seek you out for your stability. You have a quick mind, but rarely make hasty decisions. Rather, you would prefer a methodical plan of action after you have done thorough research. People adore you for your honesty, reliability, and supportive nature. Some fields that are best suited for you include construction, land development, research and computer sciences.
5 - The Negotiator
: Your enthusiasm is contagious, and people just can't seem to get enough of your charm. You have an adventurous spirit. You communicate with others very well, and have a keen way putting others at ease. You have a genuine interest in people, which wins you plenty of friends in your life. People adore you for your high-energy, jovial personality and cleverness. You like to do things for yourself, learning from experience rather than being told what or how to do things by others. Foreign languages tend to come natural to you, and you are born to travel. Consider vocations in the travel industry, communications, social directing, counseling.
6 - The Pacifier:  
People admire you for your sweetness of spirit and your calm demeanor. You tend to render good-will wherever you go. You can be overly critical of yourself, and others, but you recognize this tendency in yourself and do your best to compensate. You tend to enjoy the finer things in life, like quality food, appealing surroundings. Friendship and harmony are your watchwords, and you strive to maintain peace in your relationships. A sense of community is important to you, and you will go out of your way to insure others are comfortable. You tend to be impartial and objective. Some fitting careers for you would be a lawyer, judge, politician, homemaker, liaison, or law enforcement agent.
7 - The Educator
: Your name numerology indicates you love to learn, and are never satisfied until you are discovering something new about the world. You have a scholarly, poetic nature. You are highly imaginative, and can be overly fanciful sometimes. Nevertheless, you've got an nimble mind, and are able to analyze data very quickly. You are attracted to the mysterious, and love to figure out codes, secrets and puzzles. You are capable of solving challenging problems, and get great joy from teaching others how to solve problems too. You have plenty of friends (they love you for your intelligence and curious mind), but in reality you prefer solitude over social settings. Sitting in a library surrounded by books is your idea of a great time. Vocational fields that would be well-suited for you include, music/composing, education, research, spirituality.
8 - The Entrepreneur
: You've got killer instinct for what works in the business world, and you have a unique acumen for spotting profitable trends. Your mind is active, and you can easily identify patterns, which gives you the power to make smart investments. You have a strong, forceful nature, and tremendous tenacity. You never back down from a challenge. People come to you when they've got a hefty problem because you are in your glory when you can bring clarity and solutions to the table. Success comes relatively easy for you, and this can make you a little cocky, when in reality, you have every right to be confident because of your can-do attitude and your ability to get things done. You are a loyal friend, but woe to those who claim to be your enemies because you can be ruthless when you feel you or your well-being is threatened. You are highly competitive, so much so, that you work your best when you feel like you are outwitting or outperforming those around you. Careers best suited for you include military, finance, business, investing/stock-market, politics and self-employment of any kind.
9 - The Philanthropist
: You see the world with wise eyes, and have a sharp intellect. You tend to be very influential, although through no effort of your own - you simply have a charismatic way about you that rubs off on people. People look up to you because you have a "been there, done that" attitude. You are well-rounded, stable and highly magnetic. You like to surround yourself with people of like-minds, who value equality and decency of heart. You can't tolerate injustice, and you tend to be a champion for the underdog. You thrive most when you have a deep sense of purpose or duty, especially for a noble, admirable cause. You have high standards, and you expect others to live up to a certain high moral code. When others don't comply with your ideals of integrity, you can become irascible or even withdraw from society due to disappointment. Vocations best suited for you include philosophy, care-giving, activism, not-for-profit, guidance counseling, writing and public speaking for a cause you love.
I hope you have enjoyed these insights into Vedic name numerology. Numerology is a time-honored system of symbolic interpretation, and a powerful tool to self-discovery. Nevertheless, it's important to use common sense, self-knowledge and level-headed judgment when incorporating number meanings for life-guidance.

A Simple 3-Week Plan To Better Yourself 1% Every Day 

(That Will 100% Benefit Your Life)

 Ivan Dimitrijevic

 

Change, especially the positive kind is not an easy task. There are a huge number of factors involved in any given aspect of life, and there are plenty of these aspects as it is. Well, Dave Brailsford, a trainer of the professional British cycling team, Team Sky, reasoned that given the fact that there are tons of little variables, one could improve a tiny bit in each one to make a big overall change. He said that through aggregation of marginal gains it is possible to overshoot the competition after a while. Making tiny 1% changes in things ranging from the comfort of the seats and weight of the tires of your car, to the most comfortable pillows that allowed athletes to get better rest, yielded impressive overall results – it took only 3 years for Sir Bradley Wiggins to become the first ever Brit to win the Tour de France.

By adopting this simple yet highly effective method of aggregation of marginal gains to our own life, we can start making a huge improvement in under a month. The theory is very straightforward – every day for the next 21 days you will make a small and manageable 1% adjustment to a particular aspect of your life, which will result in the development of 21 good habits that you can keep doing for years and years. All the changes are small and easy to make, yet within a few years you will be miles from where you are now in terms of physical and mental health, productivity and overall quality of life.

 

Day 0 – Make a firm decision right now

We all like to start things at the beginning of the week or the beginning of next month, but you should sit down right now and commit to the program. Make a firm decision to start making these small improvements first thing tomorrow.

 

Day 1 – Drink a couple of glasses of soda less

Looking at the manufacturer’s official website we find that a can of Coca-Cola has 139 calories, and most sugary sodas are around the same. The can contains less soda than two average-sized glasses. That means that by drinking only a couple of glasses less you are cutting down on over 150 calories and 40 grams of sugar a day, leading to very slow, but steady weight loss if all aspects of your diet remain roughly the same. You can drink more water instead.

 

Day 2 – Go outside and walk for 30-40 minutes

An hour of walking at a normal steady pace will burn between 200 and 300 calories, depending on your weight size – heavier people burn more calories during the same exercise as skinnier people. This means that 30 minutes will burn 100-200 calories. It’s not that difficult to find the time for a short walk, and you can even break it down into 2-3 walking sessions of 10-20 minutes during the day. Combine it with less soda and you get about 250-350 calories less every day without changing much at all.

 

Day 3 – Eat a fresh salad before lunch and dinner

You don’t have to replace your regular meals with salads, just make sure you eat a medium-sized bowl of fresh salad – plenty of veggies and no toppings except spices and olive oil – before lunch and dinner. Not only do you get plenty of much-needed micronutrients, but the fiber in the vegetables will also make you feel full, so you won’t be able to gorge on unhealthy and highly caloric food as much.

 

Day 4 – Read 10-20 pages of a book

It has been shown time and time again that reading has plenty of psychological and even mental health benefits. Not to mention that it makes you more eloquent and broadens your horizon. Even if you are a slow reader it won’t take you more than about 30-60 minutes to read 10-20 pages. Do this every day and you’ll be going through at least a book or two per month. You can start with some of these.

Day 5 – Start doing bodyweight workouts

Getting a good workout in doesn’t require anything but good will and 20-30 minutes of free time. You can do this type of bodyweight workout 2-3 times a week to reap some great health benefits, get a sexier body and boost your confidence.

 

Day 6 – Warm up your body and stretch in the morning

Doing 3-5 minutes of jumping jacks or mountain climbers when you get out of bed is a good way to warm up your joints and it gets the heart pumping. You can follow this with some 10-15 minutes of static stretching. You can do these after your workout on your workout days instead of in the morning. Stretching has numerous health benefits and is fairly easy to do.

 

Day 7 – Devote 30 minutes to learning a new skill

There are probably a bunch of skills that you would love to have right now. Whether it’s work related, general skills that can be applied to a broad range of things like team management or conflict resolution, we could all stand to learn something new. By devoting just 30 minutes a day to learning a new skill you will have learned the basics and gotten fairly decent at it within a few months.

 

Day 8 – Replace one of your regular snacks with fruit and nuts

We reach for snacks a lot of times during the day, whether it’s because we’re a bit hungry, sad or just bored. The next time you feel like you need a snack reach for a couple of apples, a banana, a pear or a cup of berries, combined with a handful of walnuts or almonds. Nuts have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and can lower the risk of heart disease, while certain berries have great amounts of antioxidants, and various fruit contains plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber. It’s a healthy snack and it keeps you feeling full for longer.

 

Day 9 – Get some vitamin D and fish oil supplements

In a perfect world we would have access to all that the body needs, but this is not the case. Most people lack omega 3-fatty acids in their diet – these keep the heart healthy, the skin looking young and your mind sharp – and hardly get enough sun exposure, which limits vitamin D production which is responsible for bone density and keeping normal testosterone levels. These supplements are relatively cheap and will ensure that you stay healthy despite common dietary deficiencies.

 

Day 10 – Use moisturizer after you shower, shave or wash your face

Keeping your skin as soft, smooth and elastic as possible is the key to looking and feeling young even as you get older. A lot of people, particularly men, fail to utilize moisturizers on a regular basis. This means that after washing your skin will dry out and even become flaky, becoming less soft and smooth over time. By using a good moisturizer on a regular basis you will ensure that your skin becomes fresh and soft, and remains that way for a long time.

 

Day 11 – Do 10-15 minutes of running/cycling/ jump rope training

If you’ve stuck to the changes you’ve made, you will already be walking a bit more, warming up and stretching and doing a couple of short workouts a week. However, in order to ensure good cardiovascular health you will need to elevate your heart rate and keep it in an elevated state for a certain amount of time. You don’t have to be exact about it – as long as you do some running, cycling or jump rope training for about 10 minutes 2-3 days a week you will significantly lower the risk of heart disease.

 

Day 12 – Brush and floss your teeth after dinner and before bed

An important yet often overlooked part of overall health is your oral health. Tooth decay can cause a host of problems, extreme pain being one of them, and can cost you a lot to repair if things go out of hand. A lot of food gets stuck in your teeth after big meals, and the bacteria do the most damage if you forget to brush before bed and leave them to eat away at your teeth overnight. With this simple habit you will have a beautiful smile for a long time.

 

Day 13 – Listen to some relaxing music and do breathing exercises for 10 minutes after work

Once you come home from work it’s time to shift mental gears from busy and stressed to comfortable and relaxed. Music is an excellent stress reliever and when combined with some good breathing exercises can help you calm down and relax your body and mind fairly quickly. Just 10 minutes of this relaxing therapy a day and you will become much calmer and happier in the upcoming months.

 

Day 14 – Do one thing that’s a bit outside of your comfort zone

The best way to grow and improve is to step just outside your comfort zone. You can’t just do this with everything all at once, but doing one small thing that you don’t feel that comfortable with – speaking to a crowd, singing, etc – every week will make you become more relaxed with it and eventually help you overcome your fear of it. Focus on one thing until you get comfortable and then switch to something else. Start of small – e.g. speaking to five people – and graduate to something big over time – e.g. giving a toast at a celebration.

 

Day 15 – Start a conversation with at least one random person during the week

A lot of situations in our daily lives can be boring and even a bit awkward. By talking to a stranger while waiting in line or siting in a coffee shop you can actually become happier. Connecting with others keeps boredom at bay, lets you share your frustrations and get a few good laughs. Approach one random person a week and spark a conversation – who knows what interesting places it will take you.

 

Day 16 – Get a foam roller and massage your muscles for 5 minutes before bed

Foam rollers are a great way to give yourself a good massage and reach all the tight muscles. A myofascial release, e.g. loosening up those tight knots in the muscle, is achieved, which will reduce muscle soreness, improve mobility and help you feel more relaxed. You can do it a few minutes before a workout or before going to bed to relax and prepare for sleep.

 

Day 17 – Watch 15-20 minutes of TED talks every other day

TED talks give you insight into a variety of different topics, can inspire you, make you think, and as with books, broaden your horizon. Here are some of the most popular ones that you can listen to every other day, or if you get a chance even one per day. Learning about different topics will come in small basic fragments, but will grow over time and even motivate you to do some further research on your own, thus gaining plenty of knowledge over time.

 

Day 18 – Read about body language and work on yours during the day

Spend an hour or two during the weekend to do some research on body language and then try to improve yours at various times of the day. You want to have the body language of a confident and powerful person, to know which mistakes to avoid and read other people’s intentions to a degree. With time you will be able to exhibit confidence and become more assertive, tell if someone likes you or doesn’t like you by reading small queues and much more. “The Definitive Book of Body Language” by Barbara and Alan Pease is a good read.

 

Day 19 – Take your partner somewhere nice at the end of the week or treat yourself to a nice night out

It is important to keep your relationships strong, and if you don’t have a significant other it is important find yourself someone you can be close and intimate with. By taking one day out of the week, or even just once in two weeks if you’re busy and devoting it to the other person you will earn a lot of goodwill with them. On the other hand if you are single, go out and have some fun. Get a couple of friends to come with you and try to meet some new people – some of that confidence, experience in sparking up conversation with strangers and positive body language might come in handy. This will help you relieve stress and keep your relationship strong or help you overcome the fear of rejection and improve your love life.

 

Day 20 – Shut off all the lights and electrical equipment before going to bed

Lack of sleep is a common problem in the modern world and it can have a lot of negative side-effects. There are a lot of things that can get us distracted like computers and phones, but we also seldom create good sleeping conditions. Your room needs to be dark when you go to sleep – no music, background movies to help you dose of, just a couple of more YouTube videos or lights of any sorts. If you make this a habit, you will slowly begin to have more regular sleep patterns and sleep for the full 7-9 hours that you need to feel well-rested, focused and energetic.

 

Day 21 – Take the day off from mundane life and get some quiet time for yourself

Once or twice a month choose a day to be your rest day. Distancing yourself from everyday worries and other people and simply doing nothing can do a whole lot of good for you. It can be a weekend at the countryside, a fishing trip, sitting around the house watching an entire season of your favourite show or whatever else lets you get some privacy and relax. A completely relaxed day or two like that every month will go a long way towards improving your mental and physical health, which can be severely degraded by stress.

Slow and steady wins the race

If you follow this comprehensive guide and make a tiny lifestyle change every day for the next 21 days, you will end up with a host of very good habits that can help you make a huge overall improvement in terms of health, fitness, productivity, relationships and happiness. It’s all about sticking with these small changes for the long run and steadily improving over time. At one point you’ll look back and be amazed at how big of an impact these 1% improvements have made.