Zen Please

1. Set your intention.

Why would you want to increase dream recall? If you can’t think of any reason, let’s just say that increasing your dream recall will enable a better intercommunication between your conscious and subconscious mind. You will be able to increase your problem solving skills, you will be much more creative and you will understand yourself and your daily reality much better.

2. Start writing a dream journal.

Put a notepad and a pen or pencil next to your bed, and if possible, also a subtle source of light in case you need it. Before you go to sleep, make sure to open the pad on a blank page and put the pen within reach to avoid losing precious time when you wake up. When you wake up, even if it’s in the middle of the night, write down anything you can remember about your dreams, even if it’s only a sensation, a feeling, an object, a location, anything. Don’t be discouraged if you realize that especially at the beginning you don’t remember much. If you can’t remember anything, write down the first thing that comes into your mind. It may be related to the dream in some way, and it might trigger recollections. Write down all that you can, and you’ll see that even a couple of fragments may eventually enable you to remember more of the dream. If you can remember any dialogue, try to write it down first, as words in dreams tend to be easily forgotten. When you’re done, assign a title to every dream, date it, and note down what is going on in your life at the time. Write in the present tense, this will help to maintain the vividness of the dream while writing, and also while re-reading what you’ve written in the previous days. After a while the notepad will shape into your own dream journal. Dream recall will improve with exercise and soon enough you’ll be surprised at how many dreams you will have registered in your journal. An alternative to the notepad is to use a voice recorder so you can make verbal recounts of your dreams.

3. Try avoiding the use of the alarm clock.

But if you need one, place your alarm clock within reach. When you wake up, you need to write about your dream(s) as soon as possible, so if the alarm clock fires, you should be able to switch it off without moving or stretching out too much. Anyway, try not to use it, go to bed earlier instead so you’ll be able to wake up automatically at the right time and savor the precious transition between sleeping and waking life.

4. Repeat affirmations before going to sleep.

When you’re in bed and you’re about to fall asleep, repeat to yourself that you’re going to remember tonight’s dreams and that your dreams will help you solve any issue that you wish to address. These affirmations are very important because they enable you to give specific instructions to your subconscious mind at a stage in which it is particularly receptive.

5. When you wake up, try not to move.

Stay in the same position in which you awoke and try to remember as much about your dream as possible before you think about anything else, then write it down in your dream journal as soon as possible. It is likely that at least a couple of times you will tell yourself “I won’t bother to write this down, it’s so vivid, I will remember it anyway.” You won’t, so just write it down.

6. If possible, try to sleep less but a bit more often.

It is beneficial, and not only to increase dream recall, to take one or two naps per day, and since a sleep cycle is composed of 90 minutes, try to sleep a multiple of 90 minutes. 6 or 7.5 hours of sleep per night is enough.

7. Keep a notepad or a voice recorder with you during the day.

You will notice that you’ll start remembering parts or fragments of your dreams during the day. Your memories may be triggered by any object or event of your daily life, so having always at hand something to record the memories on is a very good idea.

8. Take small amounts of coffee or tea just before going to bed when you’re already sleepy.

Coffee and tea can have a beneficial effect in stimulating dream activity and aiding dream recall if taken in small amounts when you’re about to doze off.

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Put these tips into practice, and if you’re disciplined enough you’ll start noticing the results quite soon!

Let me know about your progress, and of course let me know if you have any other tip! Don’t forget to leave your comments.
In one of my next posts, I’ll be discussing ways of using your increased dream recall abilities with the aim of starting a conscious exploration of your dream universe: Lucid Dreaming. So stay tuned!

You may have heard of Chia Pets but maybe you haven’t heard of the beneficial impact that the Chia seeds can have on your health. Chia seeds have been in a sense “rediscovered” only in the past five or ten years, but the ancient Aztecs and other Native American civilizations counted on them as a fundamental part of their daily diet.

Chia, also known as Salvia Hispanica, is rich in proteins,  and one of the most unusual and unique qualities of these seeds is their ability to absorb about nine times of their volume if soaked in water or juice. This enables the body to prolong its level of hydration, making Chia suitable for people involved in sport activities. Furthermore, the gel-forming property of the seeds causes a slowing down of their digestion process and balances the level of blood sugar, which can be useful in preventing or controlling some forms of diabetes.

One of the easiest ways of preparing Chia, is to put one tablespoon of seeds in a glass of water or juice, stir to avoid the formation of any clumps, let them soak for 5 or 10 minutes, stir again and then drink. Otherwise you can let them soak longer and use the resulting gel, adding it to jams, jellies, peanut butter, milkshakes, smoothies, hot or cold cereals, yogurts, barbecue sauces, etc. as a substitute of more fatty ingredients, for energy and endurance, or for added great taste. To prepare the gel:

Fill a sealable plastic or glass container with nine parts of water and slowly pour one part of Chia seeds into the water, then mix with a wire whisk or fork. This process will avoid any clumping of the seeds. Wait a few minutes and stir again to break up any chunks, let stand ten minutes, and stir again. Put the container in the fridge, and store there up to two weeks. Add the gel, between 50 to 70 percent by volume, to any of the above mentioned foods, or any other if you feel like experimenting, then mix well, and taste. You will notice a very smooth texture, that respects the integrity of the flavor, but you have added 50 to 70 percent more volume to your food and have displaced calories and fat by incorporating an ingredient that is ninety percent water!

But what are the benefits of the Chia seeds? Here’s a summary:

• Weight control: mixed with orange or other fruit juice, the gel-like seeds can be a fundamental part of a nutritious breakfast that leaves one feeling full and without hunger until noon.

• Research is being conducted to show how Chia may prevent and/or overcome Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes.

• High level of Omega-3 and Omega-6: Chia is the vegetable source with the most Omega-3 content, which along with Omega-6, is highly beneficial for the health of the circulatory system and of the central nervous system.

• High concentration of alpha-linolenic acid: This substance lowers the risk of heart disease, blurred vision, and numbness.

• Native people have used chia gel on wounds, for colds and sore throats, for upset stomachs, body odors, prostate problems, and even constipation.

• High level of B vitamins and calcium: By volume, one ounce of Chia contains two percent B-2 (riboflavin), 13 percent niacin, and 29 percent thiamin, and trace amounts of all B vitamins. In roughly two ounces of Chia (100 grams), there are 600 milligrams of calcium, contrasted with 120 milligrams of calcium in the same amount of milk. That’s five times as much calcium than milk!

• Chia also contains boron, which is needed for bones. Boron is needed to aid the metabolism of calcium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus in bones and for muscle growth. Boron also can increase the levels of natural estrogen.

• Early results in current cancer research with Chia show promise in this area.

• Chia is an excellent source of fiber - one serving can provide 30% of the daily requirement.

More information about Chia can be found in the excellent book:

Buy Chia Seeds 3 Pound (Chemical Free)

Planning to take a special someone out for a night? First dates are a very crucial point in any serious relationship. A lot can be said about a person, meaning that first impressions play a big role. Your first impression can seal the deal for another date, or leave you in the dust. You don’t want your first date to be too awkward. For example, a candle-lit dinner for two may be overboard. But, you don’t want to take your date to a fast food restaurant. First dates, as I have stated, are very crucial. Follow along for some great ideas for your perfect first date.

1. Cook a meal together.

Instead of taking your date out, why not stay at home. Not only will you save money, but you will have the opportunity to communicate while both of you make your own food for the night. You will be in your comfortable home atmosphere, leading to easier communication and laughter. Prepare something manageable and not too easy or difficult.

2. Go for a walk.

Yet again, another opportunity for easy communication. Ask your date where their favorite spot in the city, town, country, etc. is and turn it into a walk. Going on a walk not only is relaxing, but will help both of you get some exercise for the day. Stop for lunch along the way. Pack something for the both of you, or step into a local restaurant.

3. Mini golf.

Horrible at golf? Well, why not try a game of mini golf? Make it interesting say something like, loser has to cook dinner for the winner. Doing so will help you score a second date either way. Mini golf is a no pressure, casual game that has no tension. So relax and get putting.

4. Ice skating.

A bit of break from the norm. If you are bad at ice skating, you can give your date a few good laughs. Or, if you are good, you can help your date skate better. Either way can be a win-win situation. Be sure to buy some hot chocolate after you are done.

5. The Fair.

Street fairs and local festivals are always a good idea for a first date. They are filled with plenty of new activities if you start getting bored. Win a prize for your date or buy them cotton candy and a corn dog. Fairs are usually free or cheap, so give it a shot.

6. A day on the beach.

Get out and get some sun. The beach is a perfect location to talk in private while getting away from the hectic city. Be sure to bring towels and sun lotion. Plan a picnic there too for an added bonus.

Good luck and keep things relaxed!

Have a hard time getting things done? Do you often use the phrases “I’ll do it later.”, “Well, I will do it tomorrow.” or my favorite “I’ll get to it eventually.” It is natural for us to put things off that we really don’t feel like doing. We just wait last minute to do these things and eventually, we get them done. Wouldn’t it be better to get the job done right away though and be done with it? That is what I tell myself, yet I still will put off things I need to do until later. In this blog post, I will be highlighting what holds people back and how to get stuff done. I barely wrote this post today, but luckily I didn’t put it off.

1. Theres time later.

Technically, yes there is time later. But why don’t you just finish it now? Finish it now and relax, be done with it. If you don’t finish it now, it will remain on your mind the rest of the day. Just daunting there, reminding you constantly you need to do this. I run everyday and if I don’t get my run in the morning, I will just think about how I need to run. Stop putting it off and just finish whatever it is you need to do. Clear it away from your mind and enjoy the rest of your day.

2. Getting Started.

The hardest part to getting anything done is just getting started. Once you are started, the process becomes that much easier. There is less to worry about once you get going. So just bear with it and get going. Who knows, it may not be as bad as you thought it would be. Yet again, another running example, before every race I get nervous, but as soon as the that gun goes off, all my nervousness is gone. This probably isn’t the best example, but I think it applies to the statement that getting started is the hardest part.

3. Make a list.

Lists are a great way to get something done. Write down what you need to for the day. Check off each thing as you complete it. With each check mark, you become that much closer to being free from your chores or errands.

4. Do a good job.

Finish your work/errand/chore the first time. Do a good job on it and get it completely done. There is nothing worse than having to do something you don’t like twice because the first time you half-assed it. Make an honest effort and give it your best. You will feel better about your yourself.

5. Work smarter, not harder.

Save time and think first. What is the fastest, most efficient way I can get this done? Are there tools available? Think to yourself and find out. Time is of the essence in our busy, hectic lives. Make the most of it by cutting out unnecessary work.

We hope you enjoyed this post about getting things done. So why are you still reading? Get going.

I am trying to extend Zenplease.com’s reach to the rest of the web. We only just begun a week ago, but already we have gained a few RSS readers, received a few contributing comments and we even gained some links from some very cool sites you should check out like http://livsimpl.com and http://kitchentablemedicine.com. I believe the time has come now to keep growing and making Zenplease.com an even bigger site. I can’t do it alone, so I am asking for your help. In order to do so, I will be holding a contest to try and get more RSS readers. From now on, anyone new who subscribes to this feed should post a comment on any of our old and upcoming articles stating that they did subscribe and then contribute something to the post.

So in other words, 1. Subscribe to my feed.

2. Post a comment anywhere on the blog letting me know you subscribed. 3. In that comment, contribute something to the article you commented on.

*Make sure when you post a comment, you include your email.

In about two weeks, I will pool all of the RSS subscribers’ emails and randomly choose one for a prize.

The prize will be a mystery, I may offer some hints later.

If you have any questions or comments, just let me know.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Chris Williams

[digg-reddit-me]Destressing and relaxing are extremely important to our overall health. Physical and mental health problems due to stress are increasing at an alarming rate today. Our lives are consumed by distress and stress from the time the alarm clock goes off, and the time our heads hit the pillow. They affect our lives in many different ways. They often create undiagnosed health issues that go untreated.

Distress is defined as extreme mental pain or suffering. Stress is the reaction of your body different changes it is confronted with. They can cause both physical and mental health problems. Our bodies can react to stressors physically, mentally, or emotionally. These reactions can cause medical problems that doctors often misdiagnose.

Our bodies need a certain amount of stress in our lives. It keeps us sharp and helps us avoid many dangers in our lives. Destress and stress become damaging when our minds and bodies do not have enough time between stressful situations. Normal stressful situations that are not resolved can cause distress. Distress can lead to serious health problems.

Some of the adverse health problems caused by distress and stress are:

• *Headaches: A very large percentage of all headaches are caused by stress. Relaxing and alleviating the stressful situation can relieve the headache.
• *Upset stomach: Stomach issues can appear almost instantly in reaction to stress.
• *High blood pressure: Stress can cause your blood pressure to rise and increase your risk of cardiac issues.
• *Anxiety: Stress can cause extreme anxiety.
• *Insomnia: Stress can cause sleep disorders.
• *Fatigue: Distress and stress can cause extreme fatigue and tiredness.
• *Immune System: Prolonged stress can damage your immune system.
• *Depression: Stress can lead to manic depression.
• *Mental breakdown: Untreated stress can cause a complete mental breakdown. This mental breaking point is different for every person. It is not known why some people can handle stress better than others.

These are just a few of the adverse affects of stress on our bodies. Study continues on the negative effect of stress on our physical and mental state. Research also shows that stress can make any disease worse. People will often try to alleviate stress through the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Studies show that the use of these substances only makes stress worse, and can lead to distress.

Stress can be caused by many situations in our lives. It can be something as simple as rising fuel prices. Some common causes of stress are:

• *Relationship conflicts: Conflict with other people is one of the number one causes of stress. How we deal with conflict in relationships is very important in lowering our stress levels. Each of us “Deal” with relationship conflicts differently.
• *Financial: Financial problems cause severe stress and can lead to distress.
• *Change: Change can trigger stress. Any kind of change confronting us can trigger stress. It can be as simple as roadwork or a traffic jam. Changes often trigger stress on top of other stress. This increased stress can lead to significant distress.
• *Nutrition: Quite often we do not have time in our busy lives to eat properly. Poor nutrition causes physical stress on our bodies. Proper diet and nutrition is critical to lowering your stress level.
• *Exercise: Lack of exercise can lead to undue stress in our lives. Exercise is also a way to eliminate stress. Regular exercise can increase blood flow and relieves muscle tension.
• *Negative attitudes: Being around people who are negative can cause stress. Watching depressing and negative news can cause stress. Being positive is important to relieving stress.
• *Cultural problems: These problems include things like war and politics. The problems that face the country you live in can be stressors.

Any change that faces us in our lives can cause stress. Learning to deal with these changes is essential to our health and well being. Each of us will deal with stress in different ways. Often, we do not realize that stress is affecting us. A huge percentage of all visits to doctors in America are caused by stress related illnesses. Often, our doctors will not recognize that the illness is caused by stress. This can end up making the illness worse because the root cause, “stress” is not treated.

Learning what causes us stress and relieving it is important to our health. It can add years to our lives. You should always discuss the stress levels in your life with your doctor. It will often affect the treatment plan for your illness.

The first step to relieving stress is to understand its cause. Doctors will often send you to a therapist or your church pastor. Talking about the changes and issues in your life will lead you to the cause of your stress. Some things you can do to relieve stress are:

• *Nutrition: Eating properly is the first step in dealing with stress. Eating a proper breakfast is the foundation for your day. A good balanced diet is a very important part of reducing stress.
• *Exercise: Exercise is a natural stress reducer. It breaks down the tension in our muscles and body. It also increases blood flow and clears our minds.
• *Breathing: Deep breathing exercises will decrease stress levels. In our modern lifestyles none of us breathe properly. Most take shallow breathes which only provide oxidized blood to our major organs. Deep breathing exercises and training ourselves to breathe properly will significantly reduce our daily stress.
• *Meditation: Meditation can help us reduce the stress in our lives. Meditation is often used in conjunction with deep breathing exercises. You can use meditation to train yourself to handle change in your life in a better way.
• *Spiritualism: Attending church and praying has been shown to reduce and eliminate stress.
• *Therapy: If stress evolves into distress in your life you may need to see professional help. Talking about your problems can often help you cope with them.
• *Communication: Learning to communicate effectively with family, friends and co-workers can help you deal with stress. Communication leads to positive attitudes in your life. Positive attitudes in turn lead to less stress.

Each of us has different stress levels in our lives. Science does not understand why stress affects each of us differently. Learning to relieve distress and stress will enrich and lengthen your life. The first step is to understand that distress and stress are present in your life. Discover the cause and effect and you can then learn to relieve it.

Making your own Zen garden can be a huge undertaking. It is a great deal of manual labor. Your Zen garden will not be much maintenance once created though. Zen gardens have been around for hundreds of years. They were used to enhance meditation for Buddhist monks. Zen is self examination, enlightenment, and spiritual refinement.

The gardens were created to help the monks find enlightenment. The Japanese Zen garden was one of the world’s first forms of art. One might think that a garden would be full of plants and trees. Plants are not used in a Zen garden however.

Zen gardens are created with sand, gravel, and rocks. Rarely, they have moss and wood used in them. Each individual Zen garden is different. No two gardens are alike. A Zen garden is an individual expression of one’s thoughts. Others enjoy the garden but it is created from thoughts and spiritualism of one person. You should think about this if you are creating your own Zen garden. It should come from your inner self and be a place you can be at peace.

Zen gardens can be quite large. Some are over 30 meters in length. They are often meant to be viewed from one central position. Most outdoor Zen gardens are enclosed or have outside walls. These walls help define a garden and make it a quiet place.

The materials in a Zen garden have symbolism. They are:

• Sand: Sand represents water.
• Stones: The stones are the major parts of a Zen garden. Stones are very important to the Japanese people. They are more important than trees to the Japanese people. Stones represent the elements of nature. They can also represent fertility. Stones were passed down for generations in Japanese society. There are many different types of stones used in the traditional Japanese Zen garden. Some represent metal, some fire, they all have symbolism. There are five classes of stone shapes:
  1. Taido: Represents wood. They usually represent tall trees. They are often called body stones and are placed in groups.
  2. Shigyo: Fire. They are usually placed to the side or in front of other shapes.
  3. Reisho: Metal. They are usually placed low and vertical. They can be referenced as soul stones. They usually represent firmness.
  4. Shintai: Water. They are usually flat. They are usually referenced as base or mind and body stones. They are often used to harmonize rock groupings.
  5. Kikyaku: Earth. These tones usually look like they are reclining. They are often called root stones.
• 

White sand cones are used to represent the Shinto salt cones of purity and are used often. Rocks are used to bring a sense of power and tranquility. Gravel can be used in modern Zen gardens to help drainage. It is usually placed under the sand. The Zen gardens do not use water. This is often a problem for westerners. They have a hard time not having plants and water in their gardens.

You can use wood to create a pathway or bridge in your garden. If you put up lighting make sure they are wood lamps. This keeps with the natural setting of the garden. Remember, traditional Japanese Zen gardens only use natural materials.

A rake or stick is used to create circles or swirls in the sand of the garden. These shapes help represent water in the garden. They are often interpreted to help channel your mind during meditation. Zen perceives reality in all things and has special reverence for nature. The traditional Zen garden uses only stones, rocks, and sand.

In recent years the Western Zen gardens have included water and plants. Traditionalist, do not recognize these as Japanese Zen gardens. You should remember the idea behind the garden and create it so that it suits your needs. The end result is a place where you can meditate, heal, and become one with all things.

A full scale Zen garden may not be possible where you live. In this case you can create a miniature Zen garden inside or on your porch. You use the miniature Zen garden in the same way that you would a full scale one. Use it to help you concentrate and meditate. Change the shapes in the sand is much easier for the miniature. Shaping the sand should be methodical and spiritual. Meditate while performing this task.

Miniature Zen gardens are available over the Internet and often in book and gift stores. You can also create your own. If you wish to create your own you will need:

• *A small box or container. You can create your base box with one flat piece of wood. You can use 1×2’s for the sides or even one inch dowels. Cut the bottom and sides to the size you are comfortable with. Use wood glue to piece together.
• *You can use small stones of any color. You can collect stones from anywhere. Collect ones that speak to you.
• *Purchase any color sand you want to use. White is often used. You can even use sand found near your home.
• *Use a twig as a small rake.
• *If you want to make a modern miniature you can use water.

You can often find small plastic boxes to make your Zen garden in. If you want to keep with the natural materials you will want to use wood.

Miniature Zen gardens are used in cities and highly populated areas. They perform the same function of helping one meditate and relax.

What to do on your day off? This is a question we all ask every week. The answer is getting harder these days. Rising fuel prices are keeping more people close to home on the weekends today. You work hard all week and the weekend is your time to relax and have fun.

Your local newspaper is a great place to find out what’s happening in your local area. Some activities for your day off will depend on your geographical area. Some places to find great things to do on the weekend are:

• Local Newspaper
• Local Radio
• Local library bulletin boards

Some ideas for your weekend are:

1. Rent a video: This is a very affordable activity that the whole family can enjoy.
2. Movie Theatre: Take in a great motion picture at your local theatre. Affordable and will not take a great deal of fuel to get there.
3. Garage Sales: One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. This is an activity that can be great fun.
4. Art Gallery: Visit your local art gallery.
5. Museum: A visit to your local museum can be educational and fun at the same time.
6. The drive in: Drive in movie theatres is becoming popular today. Pack up the family and take in a movie at the drive in.
7. Tennis: Tennis is great fun and a good cardio work out as well.
8. Jogging: We often do not have time to exercise during the week. A nice jog on the weekend will clear your mind.
9. Hiking: A daytrip hiking can be very rewarding.
10. Camping: Take the family on an overnight camping trip. Get one with nature.
11. Swimming: The heat is rising as summer arrives. It is the perfect time to cool off in the local swimming hole.
12. Softball: Get your friends together for a game of softball. Have fun and get some exercise.
13. Dinner: The weekend is the perfect time to go out for that special dinner.
14. Play: Take in a play.
15. Sky diving: Get your heart pumping with this great sport.
16. Sleep: The weekend is the time to catch up on some much needed sleep. Turn off the alarm clock and sleep late.
17. Email: Spend some time catching up on your correspondence.
18. Night out on the town: The weekend is time to let your hair down. Spruce up and head to your favorite club.
19. Bike ride: Cycling is a good way to get some exercise. It is something the whole family can do together.
20. Gardening: Gardening can be very relaxing. It is also rewarding to eat something you have grown.
21. Read a good book: Relaxing with a good book is a great way to spend some time on the weekend.
22. Game night: Get out the cards and board games and have some fun.
23. Barbeque: Have some friends over and throw a steak on the barby.
24. Massage: Take an hour and get a wonderful massage.
25. Beach trip: Visit your local beach. Even if you do not live close to the ocean there is a beach near you. Many are unaware that there are beaches to visit on river banks near them.
26. Go tubing: Just about everyone lives near a river in America. Get a tire tube and head to the river.
27. Catch up on your television: Curl up on the couch and fire up the DVR. Catch up with your favorite TV shows.

These are just a few of the activities you can do on your day off. Whichever activity you choose, we hope you do it with someone you love.

[digg-reddit-me] Believe it or not, all of us need help at some point in our lives. It can range from a major problem like losing a house to a fire, or a minor problem like fixing a flat tire. Often times we are selfish and overlook those in need. This blog post will deal with 10 things you can do to make someone’s day or even life a little bit better. So what are you waiting for? Start making a difference.

1. Tell someone they look good today.

Even a simple gesture such as this can really brighten someone’s day. By nature, people love receiving compliments. A simple comment like, “Wow, you really look stunning this evening.” can literally flip a person’s day around. Who knows, maybe next time they will return the gesture to you. Little comments like this can really go a long way.

2. Donate your time.

Sure you could donate your money, but why not help out personally? Offer to mow the lawn for someone who cannot, or ask the local school if they need help. Your time is more valuable than money in some cases. If you specialize in something, offer your expertise there. Surely by going out of your way and making an effort, you will have made someone’s day.

3. Write a letter to a friend.

I believe I already mentioned this in another post of mine, but I believe it should be mentioned again. If you know someone who has been having a rough week or even day in this case, take some day and actually write a friendly letter and mail it to them!

4. Fill an empty parking meter.

If you see any parking meters that are about to expire and the driver of the car is nowhere to be seen, take a few quarters out and put them in. You can probably save that person a big headache by doing so!

5. Hold open doors.

We’ve heard this since we were children, but I rarely see it! Rekindle your kindness and hold doors for those coming and going. It is amazing how small things like holding doors can make someone’s day that much better. Add to the effect with a smile and a greeting.

6. Tell a joke.

Laughter can ease anyone’s nerves and mind. Turn someone’s rotten day around with a gut buster.

7. Offer to babysit a friend’s or family member’s kid(s).

Take some time out of their hectic lives by babysitting their kids for a day. Not only will the kids be ecstatic to play with someone new, but the parents will have a relaxing day to themselves.

8. Anonymously donate.

Know a family in need? Buy some groceries and drop them off on their doorstep when no one is home. Contribute your old computer to someone without one. Anonymous donations really can be a blessing for those really in need. Some may even view it as a miracle.

9. Leave a big tip.

Next time you eat at a restaurant, leave a nice sized tip to your waiter or waitress. These people work hard and put up with a lot of customers everyday. Add to this by adding a personalized note along with your tip.

10. Smile.

You got it, smile. A smile is a warming gesture. Show off your radiant smile to anyone. Smiling can be contagious. Next time you see someone down just give them a big grin. You would be surprised the wonders a simple smile can do.

Of course, there are more than just 10 ways to make someone’s day! Be creative and try your own. But don’t start too late, there are people who could use your help now!