20. Live each moment to the fullest. Be completely present. Few of us focus our total attention on the present moment. We are trapped by the pains of the past and fears of the future. Be as fully and conscious and present as possible here in now and your experience of life will be infinitely richer.
2l. Cultivate and treasure silence. Regularly, every day. Our daily lives are filled with busy-ness and noise. It is only when we are able to still our minds that we can really develop clarity and concentration. It is best to be silent for at least l5 minutes every day, preferably alone. Some people set aside a day a week, or an hour at the beginning or end of each day, to silence the chatter of their minds. Try it and you'll find it brings you greater peace and increases your mental capacity.
22. Patience is not just a virtue, it's a necessity! Many of us are in such a hurry that life's precious moments pass us right by unnoticed. There are very few things that really have to happen immediately. Take care of the few things that are urgent. Then, take time to appreciate and enjoy the rest of your life. Impatience creates nervousness, interpersonal conflicts, and can make you sick and miserable. It's definitely not worth it.
23. Know what makes you tick. Do what makes your heart sing. No one knows better than you what you're here to accomplish. But many of us are confused about our life's direction and have spent so much time pleasing other people that we don't even know who we are or what we want for ourselves. Connect deeply with yourself. Live on purpose, in integrity, and in alignment with what makes you really happy.
24. Take responsibility for your own life. No one else will. We create our own reality and draw to us the fruits of our own thoughts. We are not victims. No matter what happens to us, good or bad , we can choose how we respond to the challenges of our lives. Take charge of your life. Make it more wonderful than you ever thought possible. Share your happiness, positivity, and enthusiasm with others. It's contagious.
25. Make loving and being of service your highest priority. There's nothing more important than to help each other as much as we can, whenever we can, and with as much compassion as possible. We're all in our particular predicaments for a good reason, even though we might not understand why while we're in the midst of it. Adversity creates the perfect opportunity to help each other.
Drs. Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman are naturopathic and homeopathic physicians and cofounders of the Northwest Center for Homeopathic Medicine in Edmonds, WA. They are coauthors of The Patient's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine and Beyond Ritalin: Homeopathic Treatment of ADD and Other Behavioral and Learning Problems. They can be reached at (206) 774-5599.