10 Positive Habits That Could Change Your Life

Ideas

October 13, 2014 3:56 PM EDT

Trust karma.
But when you do something good, be genuine and do it from your heart, not because you’re expecting something good to happen to you later.

Volunteer.
That one hour you spend talking to that pregnant teenage mother or that one hour bonding with that orphan might (just might) change the course of their lives more than you could ever imagine.

Embrace your emotions (So long as you’re not hurting others).
We’re meant to feel happiness, fear, sorrow, anger, disappointment, jealousy, passion, love… the full spectrum. I believe it’s what makes us more humble, human, more accepting and patient.

Count your blessings… Every. Single. Day.
Never take anything for granted. There’s always someone out there in circumstances far worse than yours. So stop pitying yourself, pick yourself up, and be the fighter you know you are.

Cherish every moment with loved ones as if it was the last.
I tell my parents and little brother that I love them as often as I can (we’ve all lived in separate continents for almost 10yrs now so it’s not easy). I’ve had too many friends who’ve lost loved ones without having the chance to hold them one last time or say “I love you” one last time; scars like these take a very long time to heal.

Judge less, accept more.
No one is perfect. Everyone has a story, a battle of some sort, that no one else knows about. Keeping this in mind has helped me tame my (previously unstable) temper!

Meditate.
I’ve never been more in tune with my own body and learned to take care of myself emotionally, mentally and physically until I learned to meditate properly.

Lists and more lists!
I know this sounds a bit ridiculous but this has changed my life in ways you cannot image. I’ve become so much more organized and focused. I forget less. And believe it or not, it’s helped me gain more confidence and get over breakups easier!

Find an outlet to your emotions.
Your body is nothing but a medium, a vessel; and it can only handle so much. Embracing your emotions is important but releasing those emotions is just as important (yes, even the good ones)! Find an outlet that helps you use your emotions constructively. Mine is writing in the diary I’ve kept since I was 11, listening to music, singing, dancing and sketching.

Last but not least, follow your heart but take your head with you.
Ask yourself twice if you really need that new pair of shoes you say you love when your shoe-rack is already crumbling under the weight of two dozen pairs. Ask yourself twice if you’re really dating him/her because you genuinely like them or because deep down you’re feeling lonely. Life is short. Don’t waste your time on mistakes that could’ve been easily prevented by thinking twice and having an honest conversation with yourself!

This question originally appeared on Quora: What are 10 (or fewer) good habits that changed your life?

See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America

Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another.Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis

San Francisco, California — San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural.Getty Images

Burlington, Vermont — **Burlington, Vt.** *Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids* This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long.Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com

**Silicon Valley, Calif.** *Best Place for Workplace Wellness* With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job.Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux

Minneapolis, Minnesota — **Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.** *Best Place for Aging Well* Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down.Getty Images

Boulder, Colorado — **Denver and Boulder, Colo.** *Best Place for Keeping Fit* The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape.Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis

**Plano, Texas** *Best Place for Staying Safe* Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together.Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME

Portland, Oregon — **Portland, Ore.** Best Place for a Healthy Environment Small, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city.Getty Images

Boston, Massachusetts — **Boston, Mass.** *Best Place for Health Care* This history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all.K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital

Provo, Utah — **Provo and Orem, Utah** *Best Place for Spiritual Well-Being* A stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease.Getty Images

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See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America

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