How can you improve your life?

 The 18 unconventional ways to elevate your consciousness, expand your influence and ultimately improve your life.

1. Have sex. There's something unflinchingly "human” about a sexual experience. It builds something within you that connects deeply to nature. A confidence is built. From a person who went stretches- sometimes over a year- without having sex due to deeply rooted sexual anxieties (fear of climaxing too quick, that I wasn't “good enough” in bed, distaste of one-night-encounters etc) rediscovering the feeling you get in your life while being sexually active has really made a positive impact.
2. Introduce yourself to anyone and everyone. Human beings are social creatures by nature. With that in mind, it is imperative to make your presence known in any room you're in. Don't you hate that feeling when you're at a party or gathering, you go there with a friend and the friend doesn't introduce you to anyone? It sucks. Extreme responsibility is needed on your part to make your presence known. Introduce yourself to your barista, to the grocery store clerk, to the person next to you at the cafe, to the new coworker in your office, anyone! Help illuminate this darkening world by being the light.
3. Always be asking “why?” When you are stumped with a thought, ask why. When someone tells you their opinion on how something should be done in the workplace, follow up with why. This isn't a method of communication to help foster confrontation (which can easily follow) but more a method of conversation to foster curiosity and understanding. When you understand more, your mind grows and you improve your standing in life.
4. Always find a way to laugh at yourself first. Human existence is completely absurd. Whether you follow some secular existence that adheres to chance or perhaps some religious narrative that defines some prescribed purpose- our existence is pretty preposterous. Laugh at that. Nothing is going to change about it. We live in a time where the most unimaginable technological advances have given us an unbelievable freedom of knowledge, choice and opportunity. So you fell on your face at the party, embrace it. You got rejected by the girl you asked out, laugh it off. You're enough.
5. Dream. What muse is calling you? Whatever it may be, you better at least listen and hopefully answer the call. Think what you will in terms of explaining the voice in your head: be it God, or destiny, or chance, or the soul; it really doesn't matter. What matters is you foster your dreams and work towards making them a reality. This is how you actualize your true self.
6. Work your ass off to make those dreams a reality. Dreaming alone won't cut it in this world. Have you ever gone and talked with a senior citizen who essentially regrets the professional choices they made in life? It's a very sad conversation. Take action. Action and anxiety have a hard time living in the same space. When you take action and move forward, you tend to get out of your head. Of course you need to accept feedback and subdue your pride enough to “pivot” when the evidence is contrary to your initial hypothesis. Again, work towards the voice in your head and you will improve your live.
7. Ask the people around you how you can be better. My best friend is an amazing person. Since college we have been roommates for almost ten years. We have experienced struggles in life and we have been able to help one another along the way. One of the best lessons he ever taught me was to occasionally ask the people in your life one very simple question: “how can I be a/get better [blank]” It's marvelous what you will hear back. “How can I be a better boyfriend?” “How can I be a better worker in this office?” “How can I be a better son for you and help out the family?” The feedback you will get from important people in your life will be eye-opening and help you grow. It takes subduing the Ego and checking your pride. When you do that, however, good things follow.
8. Seek the uncomfortable situation. I've found in my life, when I put myself in a situation when I may not be well equipped my learning through the experience is exponential. I remember when I was working for an online startup I asked the CEO what advice he would have for a hopeful young 20's professional such as myself. He said, “Well… that's a very interesting question. I think my advice to that would be to put yourself in roles where do don't fully know you can deliver. Let me tell you a little secret… this is my first time as a CEO. Part of me is scared. A bigger part of me is energized. I'm going to use both the fear and excitement as the fuel to carry me forward and help this company prosper.” Take on responsibilities from you job you are unsure of. When your back is up against the wall- push back and overcome the challenge.
9. Find the opportunities to push your body to the limit (and then push farther). For about a year now I have been taking private boxing classes. Recently, I had my trainer sparring with me. He wanted me to lose the fear of hitting someone in the face (contrary to what you would think- getting hit myself). We go through an intense training session. I haven't sweat so much in my life. Almost every time before my session I am a bit apprehensive to go. When you put yourself in a physically strenuous situation, you push your body and mind to it's limits, break those limits and find a new height to attain.
10. Redefine what food really is. We live in a world of “mouth pleasure.” Food is fashion. We seek out the biggest burgers, the spiciest burritos, tastiest buffets and strangest cuisines. We forget what food is supposed to be- fuel. Now Im not saying to completely abandon the exploration of taste- far from it. We do need to take a step back and focus on ingesting more food from the Earth (plants) and responsibly raised livestock (lest we forget- It's not “we are what we eat” but rather “we are what we eat, eats”) Animals that are raised in industrial farms with antibiotics and pesticides eating food they don't naturally eat (grain fed cows vs grass fed for instance) will have a pathological effect on our energy levels and overall prosperity.
11. Struggle. By definition, without struggle how can one have prosperity? It's like the idea of “good.” You cannot really have “good” without “bad.” We live in a world today of unparalleled ease (well for a lot of us). With this ease, a lot of people are experiencing a confusing state of mind. They are unsure why they aren't happy or fulfilled. They took jobs that provide a decent salary and acceptable benefits. They are grinding away with relative ease of keeping that job. There is no “hunt” however. There is no “mission.” Rather, we are aimlessly drifting by with life as if we were leaves in the wind. If you aren't fulfilled with your job, save up some money, and follow a pursuit that you both struggle with but makes you fulfilled in the long run.
12. Put your oxygen mask on first. In order to make the world a better place around you, you must make yourself “right” first. You cannot find and share love with another unless you love yourself first. You cannot be the best at your job if you aren't the best in your personal life. What does this look like? Take care of your body- exercise and eat right. Take care of your surroundings- keep your room and house/apartment in perfect order. Take care of your network- who is holding you back or keeping you down- eliminate toxic people from your experience.
13. Wear your suit of armor. What do you feel comfortable wearing? I remember when I was younger, I needed to be “in” with all the fashion trends. It got to a point where I would wear things just to fit in even though I didn't feel comfortable wearing the clothes (both literally comfortable and the feeling of being a fraud). Wear what makes you feel like $1,000,000. If you want to wear the tailored suit everywhere you go and you feel comfortable. If you need to wear the Jimmy Buffet Hawaiian shirt with Birkenstock sandals and a pair of $2 wayfarers, rock on dude.
14. Keep track of your poop. It seems funny and perhaps it is. Your poop is a great indicator of your overall health. Is it always “mud butt” that forces you to use half a roll of paper? Is it so hard that you fear your sphincter is going to split when ever you have to make your business? If you're poop is vile, perhaps think about what you have been putting down your gullet that is causing this mess. Experiment with different foods and how that effects your excrement. When your insides are optimized, so is your attitude.
15. Define your own PhD. We live in a world today where all of recorded human history and knowledge can be found and called upon by reaching into our pocket. What are you interested in? Research that information until your head goes numb and then research some more. Do you want to become an expert in marketing? There is a plethora of literature on the subject. Do you want to be a paragon of comic book knowledge? Again, do your homework with the resources online. Any thing is possible and transforming yourself into an expert in just about any field is within reach.
16. Take a punch to the face. Both literally and figuratively. In life, you cannot have prosperity without struggle. That's true by definition. You also cannot have good without bad. When you fall over and get knocked in the face, you callous over and come back stronger than before. A physical punch in the face builds humility and strength in the face of adversity.
17. Refrain from credit debt. There are many ways to become a “prisoner” to society nowadays. One overly too abundant way to becoming said prisoner is to become a prisoner of debt. When this happens you limit your range of choices. You have to make moves contingent on your piling financial crisis. Don't buy things you don't need. Don't overspend. I know it's tempting. A credit score of 760 is way sexier than a BMW 3 series that you leased for 3 years.
18. Believe that you “can” (even if you need to fake it). Sometimes it's hard to build inner confidence. Sometimes you need to tell yourself you're a king in order to live it. When I wake up in the morning and when I'm walking down the street I catch myself partaking in internal negative self talk. When I finally identify this pitfall I quickly correct the internal dialogue with, “I am enough” and I say it over and over. I keep saying it until I begin to smile. To overcome average and mediocrity tell yourself “you're enough” because I'm damn sure you are.