#26: You Are What You Eat (Friday, June 29)

A few weeks ago I watched my neice eat a meal of fried food, soda and sweets. The next day she had difficulty completing a 3.5 mile walk. I knew it was because of her eating habits.

The Idea: Be mindful of what you put into your body. No, you don't need to be a vegetarian to eat healthy, but you should consider things like portion size, nutrition information (good and bad fats, cholesterol, etc.) and the way your food is processed.

The Cost: A little time and dedication to your personal welfare.

The Benefit: Well it should be obvious, but a healthier, more productive you! And you'll probably increase your life span by a few years. Remember, junk in, junk out!

#25: Be Present For The Experience (Friday, June 22)

I was at the same company for 7.5 years; today was my last day. I spent the day rushing through trying to finish up last minute things, sort files and transition things to other people. My perfectionist nature wouldn't let me leave until every "i" was dotted and every "t" was crossed. I ended up leaving without deleting my emails and other relevant information from my computer, and horror of all horrors, not sending out my weekly Good Friday email!

The Idea: Be present for the experience. Stop to enjoy and appreciate the things that don't happen very often - you might never have another opportunity.

The Cost: Your time.

The Benefit: You will always have that experience and the fond memories from it.

#24: Are You On Track? (Friday, June 15)

By this time of the year, many people have already forgotten about their New Year's resolutions and the goals they set out to accomplish this year. On May 18th 2006, I made a public goal to get out of the job rut I was in, and increase my income by $20K by the end of 2007. On May 18, 2007 (sheer coincidence that it was exactly a year later), I got a job offer that far exceeded my my goal.

Although this is my biggest goal accomplished for the year thus far, I'm on target to complete the other goals I've set for myself.

The Idea: It's almost the middle of the year; re-evaluate the goals and New Year's resolutions you made and see if you're on track. If you're not on track, try to identify what has sidetracked you, and decide whether the goal is still something you want to pursue.

The Cost: Your time and a little introspection.

The Benefit: A more productive and positive you. If any of your goals involves others, you will also impact their lives as well.

#23: Become A Mentor (Friday, June 8)

Every major decision I've made for the past five years, I've done so with the help and guidance of my mentor. Her wisdom, insight and objectivity have always helped me to excel beyond what I thought my capabilities were.

The Idea: Become a mentor. It could be a child, a teen, a coworker, an intern, someone at church or someone in another organization to which you belong. No matter how much you think you have to learn, you ALWAYS have the potential to pass on wisdom and knowledge to someone else. And you'd be surprised how much you can learn from your mentee. It's a two-way street.

The Cost: Your time

The Benefit: A one-on-one opportunity to share knowledge and experiences and to see the impact you have on another human being.

#22: What Will You Leave Behind? (Friday, June 1)

I've recently taken to leaving little positive post-it messages inside the books that I borrow from the library. Sometimes it'll be as simple as, "Have a nice day!" Other times, I'll leave a suggestion for a random act of kindess (such as "Smile at a stranger today.") or a nice quote.

I thought it would be a fun idea to make the concept more global.

The Idea: Leave positive post-it notes for others to find. In the pocket of a plane/train/bus seat; in the changing rooms of a department store; in books you borrow from the library; on the windshield of someone's car; on a carton of milk in the grocery store - the possibilities are endless.

The Cost: The cost of a pack of Post-It notes.

The Benefit: Maybe someone will find your note...or maybe they won't. Just the act of leaving it will make you feel 10 times better! :)