7 Random Things That Make Life a Little Sweeter

There is no finite formula that to allows us to be successful in life. Everyone measures success in different ways, and has a different opinion on how to achieve it. For some, success is home ownership, or attaining that dream job, whereas for others it could be experiencing motherhood, or traveling the world. But we can all learn something from each other's successes and failures, and we call use a tip or two to keep us positive, keep us productive and most importantly, to remind us of all the little successes we achieve along the way.

1) Post up your progress. I am a list-maker. I realize that many of you may scoff at the idea of making endless lists, but it can be quite an effective tool to getting things done. When I began researching top online schools to allow me to finish my degree, I posted up a list of questions and requirements that I needed from my perspective school on the wall beside my computer, and as I crossed the items off on the list, I felt steps closer to completing my degree.

2) Give yourself no more than 5 minutes each day to clearing out your inbox! Don't spend hours on end sorting through crap, and don't let it pile up! Messy inbox, messy life. You have folders, use them! Organize your contacts accordingly, and return emails promptly.

3) Leave work at work. I'm sure you've heard this a thousand times, but bringing work home with you is so toxic for so many reasons. It never gives you time to enjoy life at home, nor does it ever give you a chance to enjoy your work if that's all you do.

4) Stop drinking bottled water. C'mon now, unless you're living somewhere in a developing country, most North Americans have access to clean drinking water. If choose to buy bottled water, you are simply putting more harmful plastic into our brimming landfills, costing yourself money you needn't spend, and putting harmful chemicals into your body.

5) Eat Slower. Not only is eating slower good for your health, but enjoying a meal at a slower pace helps you relax. North Americans need to take a few tips from the Europeans!

6) Have regular brainstorming sessions. Ideas are the seeds of greatness, and every now and then, putting your swimming thoughts onto paper, somehow legitimizes them, and gives them life. The world's most splendid inventions all began with an idea.

7) Get up early. Yes, yes, we all know, you should try and get at least eight hours of sleep per night, but that doesn't mean you should be getting fifteen hours on the weekend! We're only on Earth for so long, so why waste it sleeping? North American's are some the laziest people on the planet! We spend more time on our behinds, than on our feet, it's time to seize the day and get moving!

Public Speaking Isn't Just for Presidents

Speaking in public actually ranks as number one in the top ten list of the greatest fears in America, number one! This is the same list that includes things like the fear of dying, the fear of heights, and the fear of darkness, just to name a few. The thought of standing up in front of a crowd and speaking a few words creates a violent physical reaction for some people. Nausea, vomiting, cold sweats, the shakes, you name it, people experience it. But the truth is, public speaking is a skill that you should have been able to master at a very young age! Of course, as most of us spend most of our lives trying to avoid public speaking situations,  we don't learn the skills required to deliver believable, noteworthy speeches. Guess what, it's time to stop being a wallflower because fewer and fewer of us have the luxury of hiding in the shadows. You are only doing yourself a disservice.

There are several things we know about public speaking, one being that if you lack the confidence to stand up and speak in front of a group of people whether it's five people or five hundred, it can permanently hurt your career. You could be passed over for promotions of any kind, because you lack the confidence needed to show leadership and inspire others to follow. Statistically, it doesn't matter if you're  a man or woman, both sexes are equally terrified to speak publicly, however, it has been shown that women suffer longer, and men tend to seek help for their anxiety. C'mon girls, we're better than that! 

The anxiety behind public speaking generally starts when children are very young. They're shy around other children, and as they get older, they fall prey to peer pressure, when being outspoken and different isn't cool. Parents and teachers don't realize that letting social awkwardness and speaking fears flourish, they are harming those children far more than helping them.

If you feel that you are one of those individuals that's terrified to speak in front of others, it's time to take charge of your future. Whether it's giving a speech at a wedding, making a presentation in the boardroom or you're defending your dissertation, acquiring the skills to deliver your words in an effective manner will set you apart from those who are too afraid to step out of their shell. Make the change today. 

How to Love Yourself Better!

It seems that some people are simply born confident. They never let anyone ruffle their feathers, they hold their heads high and march through life with purpose. But rest assured, absolutely no one was born perfect, not even Jesus! That sort of confidence is learned and practiced, so for all you wallflowers, there's hope for you yet! You don't have to become a police officer to come out of your shell, and claim your self-confidence, there are plenty of other ways to feel like the master of your own domain, and none of them involve joining the military or taking up some masculinized hobby.

Get Movin'! Join a gym and actually go. Or join a running club or ski club. Make getting in shape an absolute priority, and as you start to see results, you'll start to see a significant change in the way you look at yourself in the mirror. If public exercise isn't your bag, try an intense at-home program like P90X, where you can work out in the comfort and security of your livingroom. You can join online community if you wish, and share your results. After 90 days, you can emerge from your cave looking smoking hot! 

Show off your strut! Whether you're a guy or gal, when you walk tall, you feel tall. My father was in the military, and he always use to tell me, "stand tall, shoulders up-back-and-down". And it worked. If you repeat that mantra in your head over and over again, you'll be less likely to slouch. Slouching is for slackers, so chin up, you are in control of your life!


Giving the best brings out the best! This may sound strange, but paying others compliments makes us feel better about ourselves. By acknowledging the best in others, we bring out the best in ourselves.

Eliminate negativity from your life. Do a social media cleanse, clear out your phone and email contacts, it's time for a clean slate. Life is already full of downers, why on earth do you need list after list of negative acquaintances? It's better to have 10 positive friends, than 336 negative ones. Avoid gossip, and refuse to participate in knit-picky politics (especially in the workplace!). People respect and gravitate towards people who maintain their integrity, so be the exception, and not the rule.

Be a little less selfish! This may sound a little contradictory when you're trying to gain more self-confidence, but it's necessary. We tend to get all wrapped up in ourselves, what we want, and how we're going to get it, and then we stress ourselves out, and a get bogged down when we don't achieve our goals. Spend more time time focussing on the needs of others, and you'll spend less time focussing on your flaws. Think about how you can make the world a better place, and when you make a difference in other people's lives, the self confidence will flow!

Not Just About the Bucket

Have you ever given any thought to the phrase "I have a new lease on life"? Probably not, so now's the time. A lease. That is a fairly accurate way of describing the nano second of time we have here on Earth. And we are forever abusing our time. We steal it, lose it, waste it, try to manipulate it so we can eek more out of it, but we forget to respect it, appreciate it, make the most of it. Well, there is no time like the present, you have the ability to change that, so stop cheating it, and start living it.

It's a new year and it's only natural to feel inclined to set new goals, make drastic changes, a list of resolutions. You have every intention of fulfilling every single one of those resolutions, but let's face it, you'll be lucky to get a third into that list before you let your mundane life get in the way. You'll slip back into a monotonous routine because you're too damn scared to stand up to yourself, and demand better. Stop. Sit down, and calculate how many hours on average you spent on your behind in front of the television last year, unable to will yourself into doing something more productive, more exciting, thrilling even? Enough! It's time to earn yourself a little life merit scholarship. Time to get out there. Unless you are one of the incredibly fortunate few who actually adore their 9-5, it's time to break the mundane, and catapult yourself out of your comfort zone.

Bucket lists are not a new phenomena, and with the influence of globalization, the world has become incredibly accessible to a greater percentage of the global population. Traveling has never been easier (for those who can afford it). Within mere seconds, an individual in Johannesburg can chat with someone in Bangkok. If you are lucky enough to live in a big North American city, you can dine on cuisines from Namibia to Bali. So why aren't you out there tasting, sampling, gallivanting even? Stop making lists about making lists, get out there!

Your Bucket List doesn't have to include illusions of grandeur. Going on safari up the Skeleton Coast, or spending an afternoon dishing it up with Gordon Ramsey in one of his swanky London restaurants may not be an attainable, nor affordable option for you, hell, that may not even interest you. Your list can be as small as learning to run a 5km run without stopping, or maybe you want to learn to knit, and you don't think all the guys at pub are going to think you're so slick. Or maybe you want to go back to school! You are never too old to further educate yourself, so why not check out a fine establishment like Boston University Online and get yourself the career you truly wanted, instead of the one you settled for.

Sara McKinninmont, Owner of Eager-Beaver.com

For many of us, life is about choices. And if you're just wasting it, slugging along at a job you hate, eating food your dog wouldn't eat, plunking your tired rear end in front of the television every night while your brain wastes away, snap out of it! Erase that old list, and write a new one, a personal proclamation to live by. As a very good friend of mine always says, it's time to start living like you give a damn!