Living La Vida Loca/the Best Life You Can...

I count my lucky stars to have found someone who really knows how to live a 'good' life.   If there's any doubt all you have to do is look at the list in a Time's article "10 Things You Should do to Improve Your Life" by Eric Parker.  Natureman made these part of his regimen a long time ago not only by where he chose to live but how he chooses to live his life.

Are you doing the following to improve your life? Here's the list and how Natureman accomplishes them.

1. Get out in Nature.  Natureman chose to live out in the woods some forty years ago. He takes a daily walk whether it's down the mile long dirt driveway/ off the old log trails to be surrounded by his environs.  

2. Exercise.  Going on a walk releases stress, helps with creativity and clears the mind.  The road/trails aren't flat. Also when you heat with wood, you have your very own fitness club. And animals ?Water has to be hauled year round as does their feed. 

3. Spend Time with Friends and Family. There are always meetings, movie nights and discussion groups with friends in town. He makes it a point to stop over to see his eldest child and family at least once a week. And living in the middle of nowhere, we've got each other. 

4. Express Gratitude.  Natureman's tends to be complimentary and appreciate my efforts. Daily he verbalizes appreciation of my adventuresome cooking and use of our garden food/ completion of a simple task. Nobody ever thanked me for emptying a dishwasher before. And I can't tell how often he utters words of thankfulness for being able to live a good life.

5. Meditate. With woods all around, the country's woods setting is very calming. Saturdays are for formalized spirituality as he attends religious services.

6. Get Enough Sleep. The man has no problem sleeping his 8 hours nightly. It must be all that fresh air!

7. Challenge Yourself.   Natureman's always has 6 new books lying around to read and now with the internet can research his most recent interests in addition to playing Scrabble on line.

8. Laugh. Humor, it does the body good. Although very serious conversation can dominate the household, there's more than a couple of very funny moments each day. 

9. Touch Someone. A great stress reducer, touch is a miracle worker.  I am glad I've got me a hugger. 

10. Be optimistic. Your frame of mind can help you "live longer, be healthier and happier." Natureman looks for the good in all and every situation. His "it's good enough" isn't loaded with pressure striving for perfection either. He thinks the best of everyone and rarely says a bad word about people.  

It's never too late to incorporate these 10 items in one's life.  I  know having Natureman in my life serves as a daily reminder of  how to improve one's life by choices we make to live a simpler life right here in the End of the Rainbow Valley.