39

 Every day when you wake up,

You're one day older...

And

One day wiser... 

So next time you start to do something stupid...

just remember:

this is the oldest and wisest you've ever been.

Do you really want something stupid on your record when you're this old and wise?

38

Raise your heart rate.

37

Find

a

way

to

use

music

as

an

expression

of

your

life.

36

Challenge your intellect.

35

Make eye contact

With everyone.

No really...with everyone.

(And smile too,

if you feel like

you can fit it in.)

34

"We are what we

repeatedly do.

Excellence,

then is not

an act,

but a habit."

~Aristotle

33

An emotion in motion tends to stay in motion until acted upon by an equal and opposite emotion.

(Say that three times fast.)

Thanks for the insight, Sir Isaac Newton.

32

(Contributed by Jena at Southern Utah Hodgepodge)

The 5 most important lessons

a pencil-maker teaches his pencils:

1. Everything you do will leave a mark.
2. You can always correct the mistakes you make.
3. What is important is what is inside of you.
4. In life, you will undergo painful sharpenings, which will only make you better.
5. To be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.

We all need to be constantly sharpened. This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities. Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are is what's inside of you.

~Anonymous

31

Getting

a good

night's

sleep

creates a

better day

on both sides.



30

"Success is rarely simple. Generally it is preceded by

tears, trials, trust, and testimony.”

–Thomas S. Monson

Work urgently for success

Wait for it patiently

29

Spend 5 more minutes
doing something good.

Spend 5 less minutes
doing something bad.

By the end of the day,

you’ll be 10 minutes better

than you were yesterday.

28

People aren't necessarily interested in seeing what they already are. Show them who they can someday be. Speak to them as though they already are what they dream of becoming.

You are an essential step to helping someone else achieve greatness.

27

It's okay to be happy.

Let yourself be happy and don't feel guilty about it.

26

Take responsibility for your actions.

25

Hearts

are

not

pinatas.

24

Guest post written by my cute cute dad:

I was just thinking of a smile, what does it imply? How much does it cost? How much can you give away without running out? Why is it that people don’t keep your smile? Most of the time if you give one out you get one back.

A smile has therapeutic value.

Just let the middle of your mouth sag and keep up the ends (heck most people sag in the middle anyway)

I have seen dogs smile...

And people with big lips have no more smile value that people with small lips.

Anyone can smile!

You can even carry a smile in your heart.

It’s an equal opportunity.

Smile. Smile. Smile.

Smile.

Smile.

23

Live as though you were born specifically for this day and this day alone.

Speak for today.
Breathe deeply for today.
Love for today.
Laugh, smile, and cry for today.

If this is the day you were born for, would you act that way, say those things, think those thoughts, eat that meal, be that person?

You were born for today.

And while you've had other days, and there are probably more on their way to you...
...none will be quite like this one.

So live it up.

22

“If all you know

is what you see with your natural eyes

and hear with your natural ears,

then you will not know very much.”

~Boyd K. Packer

21

Think it twice

before

you say it once.

Save yourself the hassle of embarrassment and apologies.

Give yourself the benefit of compliments and appreciation.

20

Dance in the boat.

Rock the heck out of it.

Make waves.

Because the only risks

are getting wet,

falling in,

and possibly sinking your boat.

But other than that, it’s totally worth it.

As for the other people in the boat, ptth. Come on.

Who doesn't enjoy a good dance party?!

19

Rely on silly sources to make silly decisions.

Should I do it? http://www.shouldidoit.com/

Would you and why? http://wouldyouandwhy.blogspot.com/

eHow: How to make decisions http://www.ehow.com/how_3838_make-decisions.html

18

Resurrect your love of Garth Brooks music. And if you’ve never loved him, well, it’s seriously about time.

And for the record, I’m not saying to bring it back forever, I’m saying bring it back for today.

17

Consider:

What can you do

today

that will

make you better

than you were

yesterday?

(Sometimes you already know

how to have a better day.)

16

Drive the correct direction down one-way streets.

Because if you don't then I'll laugh at you...

I'll laugh at you the same way I laugh at people every day who drive the wrong way down the one-way street right next to my apartment. I see them. I laugh at them. And frankly, I'd laugh at you too. And I don't think you'd like to be laughed at. But you'd deserve it...the same way little black Honda deserved it this morning. And that just might ruin your day. Ahem. That's what the instructional signs are there for. The "ONE WAY" sign is not a suggestion.

So...

Drive the correct way down one-way streets.

Because better days shouldn't necessarily

be difficult to come by.

15

Wake up and smell the roses.

Or in my case, wake up and smell the roommate's roses... because I don't have any, but the roommate just so happens to have some that just so happen to be our kitchen table desk.

And if you don't have any roses to smell,

feel free to buy yourself some.

And if you can't afford any roses,

sleep in.

Because sometimes sleeping in feels just as good as anything else.

14

Open your eyes. Open your blinds. Open your door. Look outside.

BEHOLD!

Natural light. (Assuming its daytime where you are...)

Doesn't it feel like a better day already?

You're welcome.

13

Walk in the center of the sidewalk.
Drive down the middle of the road.
Sit large.
Take up every inch of desk space.
Lay across your whole couch.
Use an extra chair for all your stuff.
Un-pile your stack of mail.
Swim in the middle of the pool.
Put   two   spaces   (or   three)   between   words   you   type.
Never minimize another window.
Stop living life "on the edge."
Opt for the 44oz Diet Coke instead of your usual 32oz.
Move from 12pt font to 16pt (or larger).

  Spread   out.
Because,
my dear,
you're worth it.

12

Recommit to your forgotten or abandoned

New Year’s resolutions and goals.

Even if you’re still going strong with your goals,

it’s a new month,

a new start,

a new day,

a new commitment.

You’ll walk around today and people will ask you why you’re smiling or why you look so happy or why you have that strange sparkley light in your eyes.

And you’ll tell them,

“It’s time for my February re-commitments!”

Today has brought a second wind,

a second burst of energy,

a second level of commitment,

a second resolution.

YeeHaw!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go drink another glass of water. Because this is among my formerly abandoned resolutions. ;)