To create the world you wish to be a part of you must start from within. Leading by example is a very simple and effective means to influence your peers and community.
Here are some simple ways to gain happiness and health for yourself while living a life that is beneficial to the earth and your community as well.
11. Less is More
Reduce clutter from your life and donate or sell unneeded items to people who can use them. Craigslist.com is a great resource to make a little money and put your items in a new home.
My rule of thumb is if I haven’t used it in a year it is probably not worth having around. And if I use it only on a rare occasion it’s probably a resource that could be used better elsewhere.
The less money you need, the less you have to work, and the more time you have to do what you want whether it be spending time with family and friends, exercising, learning, or sitting on the couch and watching Youtube.
10. Be Nice and Give Back
It feels good to do good. You can start small and work your way up. If you continue to do good things for others it will become a habit and you’ll find yourself spreading goodness as second nature.
9. Be Grateful
We have so much to be grateful for in America. What are you grateful for? Today I am grateful for running water, electricity, healthy food, my comfortable apartment, and fresh air.
Focus on enjoying and appreciating what you have rather than what you think you want. You’ve likely got everything you need to be happy and healthy.
8. Take Time to Think About Your Dreams
Ask yourself what you really want out of life and take some time to answer the question. Set priorities based on your true desires. Once you know what you want write it down. Then act on it.
7. Change your Perspective and Change your World
Life is merely a matter of perspective. You get to choose whether a situation is “positive” or “negative.” With your attitude you choose whether today will be “good” or “bad.”
6. Embrace the Sharing Economy
Share with your friends, your family, your community, and strangers. The more you share the more people will share with you. And the more you share the less you need. The web is a valuable source of sharing sites that offer lodging, transportation, food, sporting equipment and more!
5. Make Exercise a Normal Part of Life
Exercise in the manner we treat it today is a recent creation. In the past it was much more common to get exercise by carrying out daily tasks. It is still possible to do this. Bike to work, to school, to your friend’s house, or to the store.
Walk while you talk on the phone or do business meetings. Drive less and bike or walk more. It might take an extra 15 minutes to get where you are going but those are valuable minutes where you can connect with your community and your body.
4. Eat Healthy
Try out a whole food plant based diet. This is a very simple way to eat and leaves so many delicious healthy options. Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds and less meat and dairy.
When you eat healthy it is so much easier to maintain your weight and health. If you want to eat really ethically and healthy stick to unprocessed unpackaged items and buy local and organic when you can.
3. Live Simple and Live Free
Simplify, simplify, simplify. Less money less stuff, and less choices often means more health, more happiness, and more freedom. The less you need the easier it is to be friendly to our earth.
2. Be a positive Consumer
When you make decisions take into account where things come from and how they were produced. If you don’t know then find out. Make your decisions based on the wellbeing of all humans, animals, and the earth. Your decisions will be much easier by supporting businesses that truly care.
1. Be Conscious
Think. Ask Questions. Seek knowledge. Take control of your mind and you will take control of your life.
By Rob Greenfield;
About author: Rob Greenfield is an American adventurer, environmental activist, and entrepreneur. He is best known for Off the Grid Across America, a bicycle tour across the USA on a bamboo bicycle to inspire Americans to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Rob is also an inspirational writer and speaker, world traveler, ambassador to 1% for the Planet, and founder of The Greenfield Group.
