101 Things Things You Can Do For Yourself

101 Things You Can Do For Yourself

October 23, 2005

On a recent service call to a client's office, I was waiting for their computer to finish scanning for spyware when I began to look around the room and notice a few things. My wife is pretty accurate when she says that she could rearrange the furniture in our house and I wouldn't notice for three months. Of course, that is assuming that she left my recliner in the same place so I didn't fall on the ground when I try to sit oh, and that she didn't move the television.

Anyway, on this day, I did notice some things and in particular I noticed a bulletin board that had clippings of all sorts of sayings and bible verses posted on it. In the center of the clippings was a tall narrow clipping with lots of words on it. Upon further examination, I found that it was originally published in 1989 by Exxon Health Services as a hand-out to Exxon employees as part of their Employee Health Advisory Program. Hopefully, since I'm giving them credit for this, they won't mind too much if I share it with you. I'm going to put this in a format similar to the original so if you want to print it out and put it on your bulletin board you can.

One other note, while the original stated that it was a 101 things, the list was actually only 100 items. I've added one thing to make it the full 101. If you would like to share other things that you can do for yourself to improve your health and/or well-being, feel free to share it with me and I'll add those to the list as well. Who knows, maybe there are a thousand things you can can do for yourself!

101 THINGS I CAN DO FOR MYSELF

Get up 15 minutes earlier Prepare for the morning the night before Avoid tight fitting clothes Avoid relying on chemical aids Set appointments ahead Don't rely on your memory…write it down Practice preventive maintenance Make duplicate keys Say 'No' more often Set priorities in your life Avoid negative people Use time wisely Simplify meal times Always make copies of important papers Anticipate your needs Repair anything that doesn't work properly Ask for help with the jobs you dislike Break large tasks into bite size portions Look at problems as challenges Look at challenges differently Un-clutter your life Smile Be prepared for rain Tickle a baby Pet a friendly dog/cat Don't know all the answers Look for the silver lining Say something nice to someone Schedule play time into every day Take a bubble bath Be aware of the decisions you make Believe in yourself Stop saying negative things to yourself Visualize yourself winning Develop your sense of humor Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today Have goals for yourself Dance a jig Say hello to a stranger Ask a friend for a hug Look up at the stars Practice breathing slowly Learn to whistle a tune Read a poem Listen to a symphony Watch a ballet Read a story curled up in bed Do a brand new thing Stop a bad habit Buy yourself a flower Take time to smell the flower Find support from others Ask someone to be your "vent-partner" Do it today Work at being cheerful and optimistic Put safety first Do everything in moderation Pay attention to your appearance Strive for excellence NOT perfection Stretch your limits a little each day Look at a work of art Hum a tune Maintain your weight Plant a tree Feed the birds Practice grace under pressure Stand up and stretch Always have a Plan "B" Learn a new doodle Memorize a joke Be responsible for your feelings Learn to meet your own needs Become a better listener Know your limitations and let others know them too Tell someone to have a good day in pig latin Throw a paper airplane Exercise every day Learn the words to a new song Get to work early Clean out one closet Play patty cake with a toddler Go on a picnic Take a different route to work Leave work early (with permission) Put air freshener in your car Watch a movie and eat popcorn Write a note to a far away friend Go to a ball game and scream Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight Recognize the importance of unconditional love Remember that stress is an attitude Keep a journal Practice a monster smile Remember you always have options Have a support network of people, places and things Quit trying to "fix" other people Get enough sleep Talk less and listen more Freely praise other people Tell someone you love them…everyday Relax, take each day one at a time…you have the rest of your life to live

I'm sure a lot of these are common sense, but sometimes we just need a reminder. In the midst of a busy and stressful week, this list jumped off the wall at me. Here's hoping you find at least one item that jumps out at you.

Paul H. Tarver

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