I'm always pretty skeptical of any list that tells me to follow a few easy steps and then all my problems will be solved. It just never seems realistic to me. So when reading my advice, know that these are suggestions and opinions. They might all work wonderfully or they might in fact leave you right where you started. I have faith though that you'll walk away with at least a little bit of help you came looking for.

So on to "5 ways to improve your life", sounds pretty solid huh? Well, how about I just tell you what they are and then you can be the judge. Ready? Ok good, enough of the intro.

1. Eat Breakfast.I know, I know, everyone says it and expects people to think they are genius because of it. Take it from me, I went for almost 10 years without ever eating before 12 o'clock. I was sick all the time though, and finally decided to try having a yogurt or bagel in the morning. I couldn't believe the results. My mood was improved, I felt healthy again, and most importantly, I had so much energy! Energy drinks are so bad for your system, with a healthy breakfast you could add hours of energy to your day without having to gulp down a mega-sized battery charged volt of sugar to your system. If you aren't used to eating breakfast, or think you don't have time, re-think and re-plan. Try packing yourself a yogurt and some grapes that you can eat at your desk once you get to work, or keep a box of crunchy granola in your car so if you happen to forget breakfast you can munch on the way to work. Once you start eating breakfast you'll notice how much healthier you really do feel. For some great breakfast recipes check out : http://www.mrbreakfast.com/super.asp
2. Save the Drama. This is one that hits very close to home for me, and it's for that reason that I think it is imperative to share with you. It's simple really, find the relationships that add the most joy to your life, and get rid of the ones that bring you stress. You only live once, why deal with relationships (both romantic and friendships) that don't add anything to your life. So often we get caught up in pleasing others just to keep a friendship. We never really stop and ask ourselves why we want the friendship to begin with. I grew up in a small town. Everyone knew everything, even down to the smallest detail. Small towns mean big drama, I learned that at an early age. It wasn't until recently however that I learned to "clean out" my relationship closet. I had so many "friends" that only caused me stress and precious time. The type of friends that always took and never gave anything. I decided it wasn't worth it anymore and I cut ties with those people. I know what you're thinking "That seems pretty heartless to just get rid of friends like that". Ok an maybe it does, but they weren't giving me the same friendship I was giving them. Once you learn that the people in your life who truly care about you are the only people you need to surround yourself with, you'll begin to realize how enjoyable life can be. Take a second and think of the last time you went to dinner with people you didn't really care to see and ate at a place you thought was too expensive and not even that good. Ok, now think back to why you went if you obviously didn't want to? Because you felt obligated in order to keep a friendship. The truth is, if you were really friends you could have voiced your opinions about the restaurant and you could have gone somewhere else. Its just a small example, but it goes to show that relationships can become very one sided. It is then that we need to re-evaluate the relationships we have and begin to get rid of the ones that don't add anything to our lives. I promise you will be so much happier! It is better to have a small group of close friends than a large group of acquaintances.
3. Read.That's right, actually pick up a book and start to read. My suggestion is a self-help book. Stop curling up your lip and scrunching your nose. No one is above a little self-help. After all, You're reading this article. Think of something you want to work on. Lose a little weight, have better sex with your partner, become a better cook, think of anything you want to improve on. Now go to a book store and find a book that addresses your needs. It's cheaper than seeing a counselor or taking a cooking class, and the feeling you get once you're done reading it will be surprisingly fulfilling. About 2 years ago I started reading a book on how to stop attracting "douche bag men" (That was the title, i swear). It opened my eyes to so many things I didn't know about myself. It was written in such a comedic way that I didn't even realize it was basically telling me I had no self worth. Long story short, I was able to apply those silly lessons to my dating life and found the man of dreams, who might I add, is not a douche at all. Reading exercises the brain, is a great way to wind down at night, and can potentially teach you a thing or to. So go ahead, pick out a self-help book and start reading! For a guide to choosing the perfect self-help book, go to http://www.books4selfhelp.com/
4. Impress Yourself.This one is simple, and one of my favorites. Dress for yourself, not the opposite sex. Get up every morning and get ready for your day without even thinking what the men or women at the office will think of you. Once you think you look good, the rest will fall into place. And women....STOP buying clothes that you don't like just to please a man. If you don't like little black dresses with less material then a pillow case and a price tag of the entire bed set than don't wear it. If you don't like shirts so low that a man could see your belly button if he tried, then don't wear it. Men, if you hate that light pink shirt you think all the women want to see in, then throw it away! No man should be forced to wear pink. Confidence is the new black ladies, and Individual style is the new pink.
5. Limit Yourself. Last but not least, limit yourself once in awhile. Exercise self control, yup that's right I said it....self-control. Start your week by telling yourself what things you are going to limit. Maybe it's shopping, drinking, eating out, watching tv, etc. When we limit ourselves we are actively recognizing the need for self-control and taking small steps to improve that area of our lives. Just think how beneficial it would be if you told yourself you could only eat out one time during the week. Not only would you force yourself to eat healthier, you would save money and have more time at home. I always slip in a little reward for myself if I can make it a whole week without breaking the limit I set for myself. We live in a culture that is "more, more, more", It's not always such a bad idea to scale back and re-think the way we have been doing things. Once you prove to yourself you can abide by a limit, you'll realize you didn't actually need to go shopping 5 out of 7 days or that you didn't need to drink every night of the week. You'll find that you're happier once you can set limits for yourself.