If you could achieve anything in just one year, what would you do? Clone dinosaurs? Achieve 0% body fat? Swim around the world at warp 10? Discover the lost treasure of the Knights Templar? Sneeze with your eyes open?

Nothing is off the table if you read Achieve Anything In Just One Year by Jason Harvey, a Certified Life Coach and the founder of The Limitless Institute.

OK, the title is perhaps a bit exaggerated, but you already knew that. A more accurate (though less marketable) title would be “Daily Bite-Sized Self Improvement Tips for a Whole Year: Makes a Great Holiday Gift.”

This comprehensive and inspiring book shows you how to do things such as:

• Set goals and stick with them
• Take daily action that creates a ripple effect
• Stay motivated, focused and balanced
• Feel happier every day
• Define, pursue and celebrate personal success

Yes, a lot of books cover this kind of stuff, but what sets this book apart from the pack is the way it’s organized. The page-a-day format was a fantastic idea, and I definitely think that if you read one page a day and really take the time to think about it, do the exercises, and put it into practice, then major transformation is possible.

I’ll be giving away my copy as a Christmas present, since New Year’s is the perfect time to begin the 365 day program. If you’re short on holiday gift ideas, this would make a good one for a lot of people.

Keep in mind that while this book has enough material to cover all of 2011, it can’t cover all of 2012 because of the leap year and the 366th day. (Of course, that could be a moot point, considering the end of the world in 2012.)

Erin Pavlina has an ebook out called 10 Ways to Raise Your Vibration in Under 10 Minutes. It’s free, but you have to sign up for her newsletter “Spiritual Wisdom for Conscious People” (you can unsubscribe at any time).

It’s a very quick read, with 10 tips you can put into practice right now to “raise your vibration.” If that sounds too mystical for you, you can substitute the phrase “put yourself in a good mood.”

Are you feeling depression, anxiety, fear, anger, guilt, gloominess, shame, grief, apathy, or helplessness? If so, you’ll learn ways to instantly trade all that in for strength, happiness, vibrancy, cheerfulness, delight, elation, euphoria, hopefulness, lightheartedness, and peace of mind. (Wow, the thesaurus is sure getting a workout!)

How do you celebrate life? Let me count the ways. OK, there are 114 ways by my count.

Of course, I’m probably biased, having just read Marelisa Fabrega’s free ebook 114 Ways to Celebrate Life.

Just click and download instantly, no email address required. Then get lots of ideas for how you can make your life more enjoyable today. It kinda reminds me of Zen Habits.

As I went though the list, I kept count of how many of these things I’ve done in the last week or so. I’ve done 11 of them, including blowing bubbles (#36), going to a baseball game (#73), and eating Lucky Charms (#83).

(It would have been 13, but unfortunately the list does not include getting something from the ice cream man, or playing basketball with a stuffed cow.)

How many of the 114 have you done recently?

Incidentally, this is an example of a list post (or list ebook) done right.

So at last I get around to reviewing Napoleon Hill’s classic, Think and Grow Rich. It was first published in 1937. People had lost their money as well as their spirit in the Great Depression, and needed a reminder that financial success was still possible for people who would create their own opportunities. That’s not so different from today, is it?

“You have ABSOLUTE CONTROL over but one thing, and that is your thoughts. This is the most significant and inspiring of all facts known to man! It reflects man’s Divine nature. This divine prerogative is the sole means by which you may control your own destiny. If you fail to control your own mind, you may be sure you will control nothing else.

If you must be careless with your possessions, let it be in connection with material things. Your mind is your spiritual estate! Protect it and use it with the care to which Divine Royalty is entitled.

You were given a WILL-POWER for this purpose.

…

Doubting Thomases scoffed scornfully when Henry Ford tried out his first crudely built automobile on the streets of Detroit. Some said the thing never would become practical. Others said no one would pay money for such a contraption.

FORD SAID, “I’LL BELT THE EARTH WITH DEPENDABLE MOTOR CARS,” AND HE DID!

His decision to trust his own judgment has already piled up a fortune far greater than the next five generations of his descendants can squander. For the benefit of those seeking vast riches, let it be remembered that practically the sole difference between Henry Ford and a majority of the more than one hundred thousand men who work for him, is this-FORD HAS A MIND AND CONTROLS IT, THE OTHERS HAVE MINDS WHICH THEY DO NOT TRY TO CONTROL.”

This gives a taste of his writing, which is a bit old fashioned and peppered with glaring typos, creative punctuation, and RANDOM ALL CAPS. It also requires a good amount of patience to read it, because he’s very wordy, sometimes going on and on about things that are completely out of date.

But Think and Grow Rich is worthy of being a classic. While the wording is dated, the ideas are timeless. It’s also incredibly optimistic without being too cheesy.

And it’s practical. It’s about controlling your thoughts, but in a down to earth way instead of being all about “thought vibrations” (although there is some of that). If you find yourself making excuses instead of money, Napoleon Hill will whip you into shape.

Actually, it’s not really specific to money. At one point he says that “riches” means “financial, spiritual, mental, and material estates.” Think of it as a guide for keeping your mind from getting in the way of your success, whatever it is you’re working towards.

He alludes to Andrew Carnegie’s secret, which he says is the key to all great financial success. He doesn’t state it directly, but he hints at it in every chapter, and says the secret will appear to you when you’re ready. I’ll revisit the Carnegie Secret at a later time. (Update: now you can learn The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich!)

Meanwhile, Think and Grow Rich is freely available from this link.

Table of Contents:

Author’s Preface
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Desire: The Turning Point of All Achievement
Chapter 3 – Faith Visualization of, and Belief in Attainment of Desire
Chapter 4 – Auto-Suggestion: the Medium for Influencing the Subconscious Mind
Chapter 5 – Specialized Knowledge, Personal Experiences or Observations
Chapter 6 – Imagination: the Workshop of the Mind
Chapter 7 – Organized Planning, the Crystallization of Desire into Action
Chapter 8 – Decision: the Mastery of Procrastination
Chapter 9 – Persistence: the Sustained Effort Necessary to Induce Faith
Chapter 10 – Power of the Master Mind: the Driving Force
Chapter 11 – The Mystery of Sex Transmutation
Chapter 12 – The Subconscious Mind: The Connecting Link
Chapter 13 – The Brain: A Broadcasting and Receiving Station for Thought
Chapter 14 – The Sixth Sense: The Door to the Temple of Wisdom
Chapter 15 – How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

Thanks to the newly-released MTVMusic.com, we now have easy access to just about every music video ever made. It doesn’t completely replace other online sources for music, because many songs don’t have videos. Still, people are cheering for this long overdue shrine to classic MTV.

To celebrate its arrival and also provide some motivation during the financial crisis, I came up with this list of the 10 most uplifting songs of all time.

This was really hard because there are just so many songs out there, and many worthy contenders had to be left out. But I gave it a shot, making up 10 separate categories to ensure some diversity. The list is heavy on British groups and almost entirely 70s/80s songs, but that wasn’t by design.

Without further ado, here are 10 songs that are great for lifting your spirits.

Best power ballad:

Somebody to Love, Queen (1976)

A year after Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen once again demonstrated their abilities with a complex melody, intricate harmonies, many high notes, and deeply layered voice tracks. Freddy Mercury searches his soul and begs God to find him somebody to love. The lyrics by themselves are extremely depressing, and yet somehow you know that everything is going to be OK.

“I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can’t get no relief, Lord
Somebody, somebody
Can anybody find me somebody to love?”

Best doo-wop song:

The Longest Time, Billy Joel (1984)

Although doo-wop faded from popularity in the early 1960s, Billy Joel had a hit with “The Longest Time” in 1984. Because the only instrument used is a bass guitar, the song became a staple among a capella groups. However, Billy Joel did all the voices himself, by recording 14 different background tracks that were mixed in.

“I don’t care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time”

Best disco funk song:

Thriller, Michael Jackson (1984)

With creepy lyrics from Rod Temperton, a chilling monologue by Vincent Price, and a signature performance by then-black Michael Jackson, “Thriller” became the biggest-selling album of all time. The 14 minute video was more like a mini-movie, costing a record $500,000 and being listed in the 2006 Guinness World Records as the most successful music video. Ironically, Michael Jackson as a werecat or a zombie isn’t half as scary as what he eventually became in real life.

“It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You’re paralyzed
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night”

Best rap song:

Amish Paradise, Weird Al Yankovic (1996)

Weird Al really nailed it with this parody of Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise, teaching us what being Amish is all about. Because of a miscommunication, Weird Al was told that Coolio had given permission for the parody in advance, but Coolio later denied that and said he didn’t appreciate his song being desecrated. While that issue has long been behind them, I have to wonder what the Amish think of this song.

“We been spending most our lives living in an Amish paradise
We’re all crazy Mennonites living in an Amish paradise
There’s no cops or traffic lights living in an Amish paradise
But you’d probably think it bites living in an Amish paradise”

Best alternative song:

Birdhouse In Your Soul, They Might Be Giants (1989)

Back in the days when Istanbul was still Constantinople, TMBG filibustered vigilantly about a guardian angel nightlight. While many people questioned their sanity, this remains by far the world’s most popular nightlight song.

“Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I’m the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul”

Best supergroup song:

We Are the World, USA for Africa, 1985

To raise money for the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia, 45 popular singers recorded this charity single as the supergroup United Support of Artists for Africa. This included Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Hall & Oates, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, The Pointer Sisters, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, and Dionne Warwick. “We Are the World” reached #1 in 14 countries.

“We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making, we’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me”

Best instrumental song:

Gonna Fly Now, Bill Conti (1976)

Not strictly an instrumental, but close enough with only 30 words, “Gonna Fly Now” was used as the theme song in Rocky. It reached #1 on the charts and received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

“Trying hard now, it’s so hard now, trying hard now
Getting strong now, won’t be long now, getting strong now
Gonna fly now, flying high now, gonna fly, fly, fly”

Best progressive rock song:

Blinded By the Light, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (1976)

After Bruce Springsteen failed to even make the charts with this song, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band redid it and took it to #1. While the original was very folky and acoustic, the remake is very heavy on synthesizers and Chris Thompson’s New Zealand accent. (And no, he’s saying “deuce”).

“And go-cart Mozart was checkin’ out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
But she was blinded by the light,
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night”

Best transvestite song:

Lola, The Kinks (1970)

Even a bad case of mistaken identity couldn’t stand in the way of happiness in this song, based on two true stories in the band’s history. Surprisingly, its biggest controversy turned out not to be its reference to a drag queen, but its reference to Coca-Cola. The BBC banned “Lola” for mentioning a brand name, forcing the band to fly from New York to London to re-record it as “cherry cola.” The U.S. gets the uncensored version.

“Well that’s the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way
For my Lola, Lo-Lo-Lo-Lo Lola
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
Except for Lola, Lo-Lo-Lo-Lo Lola”

Best Beatles song:

Let It Be, The Beatles (1970)

If any group deserves their own category, it’s the Beatles. Paul McCartney based this song on a dream he had about his deceased mother (Mary), who told him, “It will be alright, just let it be.” This was the last single the Beatles released, and it went to #1 in five countries.

“When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be”

Like I said, the astronomical number of songs in the world meant that many great ones had to be left out, plus this list is obviously influenced by my own opinions. What songs would you add?

I have no words to describe this. Nick Vujicic video (5:18).

More at Nick’s site.

On March 31st, I wrote a post about A Complaint Free World, a movement started by Rev. Will Bowen. People complain 15-30 times a day on average, but this complaining really doesn’t do any good. And Bowen has a simple idea for fixing it.

Just put on one of his purple bracelets. If you ever complain, switch it to the other wrist. When you keep it on the same wrist for 21 days in a row, you’ve established a habit of not complaining, and life is better.

A couple days ago, Will Bowen found my blog, I guess through a Google search (I’m currently #24 for “a complaint free world”). Someone from his organization emailed and called me, saying they wanted to send me a copy of their book, as well as the bracelets I requested a while back but haven’t received yet. Not that I’m complaining! But their all-volunteer staff is really backed up, and they’ve had problems with fraudulent requests and so forth. I’ve been using a bracelet that I got from alternate productivity superdude Clay Collins.

What makes this even better is the timing. When they contacted me, I had just completed the 21 day challenge 4 days earlier. So they offered to send me a complaint free t-shirt, and reminded me that I could have my name added to the list of 21 Day Complaint Free Champions.

It took me 5 months to go for 21 consecutive days without complaining, which is within the typical range of 4-10 months. Rev. Will Bowen took three and a half months to finish, and Tim Ferriss took three months (not sure why, the guy only works 4 hours a week). I showed very gradual progress, taking a week to make it one day without complaining, and taking maybe three months to make it a week without complaining.

What I noticed early on is that I felt very vulnerable when I didn’t allow myself to complain, like I had deprived myself of an essential means of defense. When talking to people, I felt like I had to be very careful not to say what was on my mind, and just take whatever they said without reacting much. But this feeling faded pretty fast.

The day after I started, I found that someone who had done something for me made a mistake that really needed to be fixed. I didn’t know what to do. Did I have to just accept what they had done, and live with the innocent but awful mistake? I checked the website for a loophole.

Fortunately, the website said you’re allowed to inform someone of a mistake that needs to be corrected. You just can’t get all emotional about it. So with that in mind, I found that complaining, as they define it, really wasn’t the necessary part of life that we make it out to be. I considered myself to be a low-volume complainer when I started, but I was surprised to see how much I complained without noticing. And I’ve noticed that a lot of people pick some really stupid things to complain about.

I’ve come a long way, but I’m certainly not perfect about not complaining. They say that complaints don’t count if you keep them in your head, and I’ve needed to use that technicality to make it for 21 days. I still complain in my head more than I’d like to, so I’m still working on that. But I was really surprised that I managed to not complain out loud when I upgraded to WordPress 2.6 and couldn’t log in to my blog.

So far, I only know for sure of one person who I’ve gotten to wear the bracelet. He’s been inconsistent with wearing it, and ironically, he’s been complaining that the bracelet isn’t comfortable. But he’s trying, and that’s really the point. Just make an effort, and you’ll get there eventually.

Are you complaint free? If not, what’s stopping you?

Image from The Simpsons

Abraham Simpson, also known as “Grampa,” is well known to fans of The Simpsons around the world. One of the leading experts on misery, he can teach us much about how to live more miserable lives. Here are some of his most important lessons.

1. Don’t take any crap from inanimate objects.

Being inanimate is just another excuse for being lazy, and we have to show these objects who’s boss. Abraham’s crowning achievement was being featured in the newspaper for yelling at a fluffy white cloud. In his day, clouds respected their elders. Nowadays, they’re floating around like they own the place. Don’t let them.

2. Be a lousy father.

Your kids probably won’t take care of you in your golden years, so why not get revenge in advance? Your children are the future…unless you stop them.

When his son Homer was six years old, Abraham told him, “Homer, you’re dumb as a mule and twice as ugly. If a strange man offers you a ride, I say take it!”

When Homer grew up, one day he realized that his parents never told him his middle name. When he asked what it was, Abraham said, “How should I know? It was your mother’s job to name you, and love you and such. I was mainly in it for the spanking.”

3. Write letters to complain about anything that isn’t exactly how you like it.

Abraham wrote a letter to the president, saying “Dear Mr. President, there are too many states nowadays. Please eliminate three.” While he didn’t specify which ones should be cut in the letter, on another occasion he said, “I’ll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missourah.”

He also wrote a letter to complain about the commercials on TV, saying, “Dear advertisers, I am disgusted with the way old people are depicted on television. We are not all vibrant, fun loving sex maniacs. Many of us are bitter, resentful individuals who remember the good old days when entertainment was bland and inoffensive. The following is a list of words I never want to hear on television again. Number one: bra. Number two: horny. Number three: family jewels.”

While many people would let these things slide, Abraham knows that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.

4. Make enemies with animals.

While humans deserve most of your wrath, animals aren’t automatically exempt. Every one of them is a potential threat, and you can never let your guard down.

Abraham once underestimated a turtle, who stole his false teeth and ran off. Adding insult to injury, when he finally caught up, the turtle bit him with his own teeth.

When a gorilla threatened to move in on his girlfriend, Abraham vowed to give him the frowning of a lifetime.

He was looking for a new pet at the retirement home, after they “accidentally killed that smart mouth bird.” Sure, “accidentally.”

5. Remain stuck in the past. Preferably, a past that never actually happened.

Abraham is very much stuck in a past that he created with his imagination, as well as what he was able to piece together from sugar packets. The past is much more important than the present, because you can make it whatever you want it to be, as long as you don’t get caught.

He claims to have invented the toilet, turned cats and dogs against each other, canceled Star Trek, lived in the head of the Statue of Liberty, been spanked by Grover Cleveland on two non-consecutive occasions, nearly killed Hitler with a javelin in the 1936 Olympics, invented kissing as a new way of spreading germs in World War I, and died in World War II.

Go ahead, try to prove him wrong (well, maybe we can prove he didn’t die in World War II since he’s alive today). Anything that’s not verifiably false is true enough. Don’t pay any attention to the present, because soon enough it becomes the past, and then you can change it to your liking.

This post is a sample entry for my “How To Be Miserable” Contest, sponsored by life coach Tim Brownson. Enter for your chance to win a book or a coaching session!

Well gang, we’ve just seen 1,000 Ways To Be Happy. But in the interest of living a balanced life, we should now explore the art of being miserable.

I’m running a contest sponsored by professional life coach Tim Brownson. Tim is offering these terrific prizes:

• A full life coaching session of one hour. (Tim suggests that helping the person understand their values would be most beneficial, but he’s happy to let them decide what they want the session to cover.)
• A signed copy of his book “Don’t Ask Stupid Questions – There Are No Stupid Questions” (mailed anywhere in the world).
• A copy of his ebook “Know Yourself – Change Yourself.”

The 1st place finisher will choose the prize they want, the 2nd place finisher will choose from the remaining two prizes, and the 3rd place finisher will get the remaining prize.

To enter the contest, you’ll write a post about how to be miserable. To see some sample ways to be miserable, and to get an idea about the spirit of the contest, watch Tim’s video Ways To Be Miserable.

There are three steps to entering:

1. Write a post about how to be miserable. The style and format is up to you. You might pick your favorite method of misery and describe it in detail, or you might write a list post, or you might record a video post…whatever works for you. Entries will be judged by Tim and me on the basis of originality, humor, and insight.

2. Link to both Tim and me in your post. Exactly how you do that is up to you, just use decent keywords in the link text.

3. Leave a comment below to tell us you’ve entered the contest. We want to be able to see all the entries in one place, so just leave a comment below saying “Hi, my post about how to be miserable is here: http://…” Of course, you’re welcome to leave a comment without having entered the contest. And don’t worry about someone else reading your post and stealing your ideas, because we’ll know who wrote what first.

I’ll write a misery post just for fun and to demonstrate a sample entry, not to actually enter the contest. On the other hand, if we don’t have at least three people enter, then heck yeah I’ll claim a prize–I want that coaching!

(BTW, in my last contest, I said that if you entered but didn’t win, your entry would roll forward to the next contest. Obviously that won’t work here since this isn’t a random drawing, so your entry from last time will roll forward to the next contest after this one.)

All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST Monday, September 1, 2008. Good luck, and may the most miserable person win!

Because apparently the blogosphere doesn’t have enough already…

1. Take a walk.
2. Learn a new language.
3. Talk to a child.
4. Play with a child.
5. Adopt a child.
6. Work on your 5-year plan.
7. Set realistic goals.
8. Cross something off your todo list.
9. Stop and smell the roses.
10. Pretend to be a marine biologist.
11. Hug someone.
12. Kiss someone.
13. Do something else with someone.
14. Digg something.
15. Forgive yourself.
16. Forgive someone else.
17. Empty your spam folder.
18. Shake someone’s hand.
19. Start a business.
20. Make a list of things you’re thankful for.
21. Stop complaining.
22. Stretch.
23. Make someone else happy.
24. Bake a cake from scratch.
25. Give excess stuff to charity.
26. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
27. Play pinball.
28. Sing.
29. Listen to music.
30. Listen to a car alarm as if it were music.
31. Call a friend and just chat.
32. Quit your job.
33. Use positive affirmations.
34. Do some spring cleaning.
35. Tell a joke.
36. Decide not to keep up with the Joneses.
37. Buy an expensive car and give it to the Joneses, just to mess with them.
38. Draw something.
39. Start a garden.
40. Quit smoking.
41. Get some fresh air.
42. Just decide to be happy.
43. Practice origami.
44. Jump in puddles.
45. Stay focused on the moment.
46. Dream.
47. Buckle your seat belt.
48. Balance your checkbook.
49. Do laundry.
50. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
51. Put on a fake moustache and go around telling everyone you’re looking for your long lost twin.
52. Go to church.
53. Stop going to church.
54. Only watch TV shows that make you feel better.
55. Start hitting yourself, and see how good it feels when you stop.
56. Get enough sleep.
57. Cross the street.
58. Obey the law.
59. Lose weight.
60. Gain weight.
61. Refinance your mortgage.
62. Pick your battles carefully.
63. Find a feather.
64. Go to the Super Bowl.
65. Go to the World Series.
66. Go to the Olympics.
67. Go to a party.
68. Have your portrait painted.
69. Watch the launch of the space shuttle.
70. Eat a box of donuts.
71. Brew your own beer.
72. Grow a beard.
73. Write a fan letter.
74. Do jury duty.
75. Go to Oktoberfest.
76. Be a mentor.
77. Teach a kid to read.
78. Write your mission statement.
79. Watch a lunar eclipse.
80. Celebrate a made-up holiday.
81. Support a cause.
82. Drive across America.
83. Count the stars.
84. FTP a file.
85. Go to the beach.
86. Ride a roller coaster.
87. Go fishing.
88. Go hot air ballooning.
89. Go camping.
90. Stop worrying about what other people think.
91. Compliment someone.
92. Take up photography.
93. Dye your hair blue and pretend you don’t know it’s blue.
94. Have phone sex with a telemarketer.
95. Stop watching the news.
96. Vote for someone who’s not George W. Bush.
97. Switch to Gmail.
98. Switch to Firefox.
99. Switch shampoos.
100. Clip coupons.
101. Light a candle.
102. Go to a museum.
103. Change a tire.
104. Change a diaper.
105. Go dancing.
106. Sneeze.
107. Make a time capsule.
108. Read articles about how to be happy.
109. Stop being a perfectionist.
110. Dress up like a clown.
111. Floss.
112. Stop being envious.
113. Stop being fearful.
114. Stop being angry.
115. Stop being sad.
116. Talk to someone about your problems and realize how stupid they sound.
117. Drop out of school.
118. Go back to school.
119. Look at trees.
120. Count to 1,000,000.
121. Go quack at some ducks.
122. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
123. Take a kid’s nose and eventually give it back.
124. Do a good deed.
125. Perform CPR on someone (when the situation warrants it).
126. Become an organ donor.
127. Visit the library.
128. Embrace simplicity.
129. Lower your expectations.
130. Wash your hands.
131. Read a random article on Wikipedia.
132. See how fast you can run.
133. See how high you can jump.
134. Mow the lawn.
135. Learn sign language.
136. Learn Pig Latin.
137. Teach your kids Pig Latin as their native language.
138. Subscribe to a blog.
139. Get married.
140. Get divorced.
141. Say please.
142. Say thank you.
143. Say you’re welcome.
144. Leave comments on a blog.
145. Read a blog post.
146. Write a blog post.
147. Read a book.
148. Write a book.
149. Watch a movie.
150. Write a movie script.
151. Read a haiku.
152. Write a haiku.
153. Read a sonnet.
154. Write a sonnet.
155. Visit Alabama.
156. Visit Alaska.
157. Visit Arizona.
158. Visit Arkansas.
159. Visit California.
160. Visit Colorado.
161. Visit Connecticut.
162. Visit Delaware.
163. Visit Florida.
164. Visit Georgia.
165. Visit Hawaii.
166. Visit Idaho.
167. Visit Illinois.
168. Visit Indiana.
169. Visit Iowa.
170. Visit Kansas.
171. Visit Kentucky.
172. Visit Louisiana.
173. Visit Maine.
174. Visit Maryland.
175. Visit Massachusetts.
176. Visit Michigan.
177. Visit Minnesota.
178. Visit Mississippi.
179. Visit Missouri.
180. Visit Montana.
181. Visit Nebraska.
182. Visit Nevada.
183. Visit New Hampshire.
184. Visit New Jersey.
185. Visit New Mexico.
186. Visit New York.
187. Visit North Carolina.
188. Visit North Dakota.
189. Visit Ohio.
190. Visit Oklahoma.
191. Visit Oregon.
192. Visit Pennsylvania.
193. Visit Rhode Island.
194. Visit South Carolina.
195. Visit South Dakota.
196. Visit Tennessee.
197. Visit Texas.
198. Visit Utah.
199. Visit Vermont.
200. Visit Virginia.
201. Visit Washington, D.C.
202. Visit Washington state.
203. Visit West Virginia.
204. Visit Wisconsin.
205. Visit Wyoming.
206. Visit Albania.
207. Visit Algeria.
208. Visit Andorra.
209. Visit Angola.
210. Visit Antigua and Barbuda.
211. Visit Argentina.
212. Visit Armenia.
213. Visit Australia.
214. Visit Austria.
215. Visit Azerbaijan.
216. Visit the Bahamas.
217. Visit Bahrain.
218. Visit Bangladesh.
219. Visit Barbados.
220. Visit Belarus.
221. Visit Belgium.
222. Visit Belize.
223. Visit Benin.
224. Visit Bhutan.
225. Visit Bolivia.
226. Visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
227. Visit Botswana.
228. Visit Brazil.
229. Visit Brunei.
230. Visit Bulgaria.
231. Visit Burkina Faso.
232. Visit Burundi.
233. Visit Cambodia.
234. Visit Cameroon.
235. Visit Canada.
236. Visit Cape Verde.
237. Visit Chad.
238. Visit Chile.
239. Visit China.
240. Visit Colombia.
241. Visit Comoros.
242. Visit Costa Rica.
243. Visit Côte d’Ivoire.
244. Visit Croatia.
245. Visit Cuba.
246. Visit Cyprus.
247. Visit Czech Republic.
248. Visit Denmark.
249. Visit Djibouti.
250. Visit Dominica.
251. Visit the Dominican Republic.
252. Visit East Timor.
253. Visit Ecuador.
254. Visit Egypt.
255. Visit El Salvador.
256. Visit Equatorial Guinea.
257. Visit Eritrea.
258. Visit Estonia.
259. Visit Ethiopia.
260. Visit Fiji.
261. Visit Finland.
262. Visit France.
263. Visit Gabon.
264. Visit the Gambia.
265. Visit Germany.
266. Visit Greece.
267. Visit Grenada.
268. Visit Guatemala.
269. Visit Guinea.
270. Visit Guinea-Bissau.
271. Visit Guyana.
272. Visit Honduras.
273. Visit Hungary.
274. Visit Iceland.
275. Visit India.
276. Visit Indonesia.
277. Visit Ireland.
278. Visit Israel.
279. Visit Italy.
280. Visit Jamaica.
281. Visit Japan.
282. Visit Jordan.
283. Visit Kazakhstan.
284. Visit Kenya.
285. Visit Kiribati.
286. Visit Kuwait.
287. Visit Kyrgyzstan.
288. Visit Laos.
289. Visit Latvia.
290. Visit Lesotho.
291. Visit Liberia.
292. Visit Liechtenstein.
293. Visit Lithuania.
294. Visit Luxembourg.
295. Visit Macedonia.
296. Visit Madagascar.
297. Visit Malawi.
298. Visit Malaysia.
299. Visit Maldives.
300. Visit Mali.
301. Visit Malta.
302. Visit the Marshall Islands.
303. Visit Mauritania.
304. Visit Mauritius.
305. Visit Mexico.
306. Visit Micronesia.
307. Visit Moldova.
308. Visit Monaco.
309. Visit Mongolia.
310. Visit Montenegro.
311. Visit Morocco.
312. Visit Mozambique.
313. Visit Namibia.
314. Visit Nauru.
315. Visit Nepal.
316. Visit the Netherlands.
317. Visit New Zealand.
318. Visit Nicaragua.
319. Visit Niger.
320. Visit Nigeria.
321. Visit Norway.
322. Visit Oman.
323. Visit Palau.
324. Visit Panama.
325. Visit Papua New Guinea.
326. Visit Paraguay.
327. Visit Peru.
328. Visit the Philippines.
329. Visit Poland.
330. Visit Portugal.
331. Visit Qatar.
332. Visit Romania.
333. Visit Russia.
334. Visit Rwanda.
335. Visit Saint Kitts and Nevis.
336. Visit Saint Lucia.
337. Visit Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
338. Visit Samoa.
339. Visit San Marino.
340. Visit São Tomé and Príncipe.
341. Visit Senegal.
342. Visit Serbia.
343. Visit Seychelles.
344. Visit Sierra Leone.
345. Visit Singapore.
346. Visit Slovakia.
347. Visit Slovenia.
348. Visit the Solomon Islands.
349. Visit South Africa.
350. Visit Spain.
351. Visit Suriname.
352. Visit Swaziland.
353. Visit Sweden.
354. Visit Switzerland.
355. Visit Syria.
356. Visit Tajikistan.
357. Visit Tanzania.
358. Visit Thailand.
359. Visit Togo.
360. Visit Tonga.
361. Visit Trinidad and Tobago.
362. Visit Tunisia.
363. Visit Turkey.
364. Visit Turkmenistan.
365. Visit Tuvalu.
366. Visit Uganda.
367. Visit the Ukraine.
368. Visit the United Kingdom.
369. Visit Uruguay.
370. Visit Uzbekistan.
371. Visit Vanuatu.
372. Visit Vatican City.
373. Visit Venezuela.
374. Visit Vietnam.
375. Visit Zambia.
376. Stumble something.
377. Do pushups.
378. Go jogging.
379. Smile.
380. Laugh.
381. Swim (backstroke).
382. Swim (breaststroke).
383. Swim (butterfly).
384. Swim (freestyle).
385. Go diving.
386. Take deep breaths.
387. Meditate.
388. Do jumping jacks.
389. Do cartwheels.
390. Stretch.
391. Go canoeing.
392. Lie in a hammock.
393. Go to the zoo.
394. Solve the Towers of Babylon.
395. Play basketball.
396. Play baseball.
397. Go bowling.
398. Play volleyball.
399. Play beach volleyball.
400. Play tennis.
401. Ride a horse.
402. Play rugby.
403. Play cricket.
404. Do crunches.
405. Go on a picnic.
406. Learn how to juggle.
407. Learn how to solve Rubik’s Cube.
408. Practice speedcubing.
409. Play soccer.
410. Do a jigsaw puzzle.
411. Do sudoku.
412. Do a crossword puzzle.
413. Play golf.
414. Practice yoga.
415. Do a headstand.
416. Throw away your PDA.
417. Play ultimate frisbee.
418. Play underwater football.
419. Play underwater rugby.
420. Play water polo.
421. Learn how to ride a unicycle.
422. Learn morse code.
423. Go scuba diving.
424. Go snorkeling.
425. Take up archery.
426. Take up painting.
427. Take up sculpture.
428. Take up auto racing.
429. Go surfing.
430. Go bodyboarding.
431. Go skateboarding.
432. Go hang gliding.
433. Go skiing.
434. Go cross-country skiing.
435. Go snowboarding.
436. Make a snowman.
437. Make snow angels.
438. Go sailing.
439. Play bocce.
440. Play dodgeball.
441. Play kickball.
442. Have a snowball fight.
443. Have a food fight.
444. Go rock climbing.
445. Go skydiving.
446. Upgrade WordPress.
447. Install a new WordPress plugin.
448. Look at something with binoculars.
449. Play chess.
450. Play checkers.
451. Ride a bike.
452. Solve a mystery.
453. Be there for someone.
454. Ride a train.
455. Get on a plane.
456. Take up wrestling.
457. Take up sumo wrestling.
458. Take up judo.
459. Play laser tag.
460. Play paintball.
461. Clean out your garage.
462. Clean your refrigerator.
463. Vacuum the carpet.
464. Polish the banister.
465. Clean a toilet.
466. Take up ballet.
467. Take up ballroom dancing.
468. Take up breakdancing.
469. Take up Irish dancing.
470. Take up Latin dancing.
471. Take up salsa dancing.
472. Take up tap dancing.
473. Take up hip-hop.
474. Take up fencing.
475. Take up kendo.
476. Take up boxing.
477. Take up karate.
478. Take up kickboxing.
479. Take up kung fu.
480. Take up taekwondo.
481. Take up hapkido.
482. Take up jeet kune do.
483. Take up ninjitsu.
484. Practice with nunchakus.
485. Play straight pool.
486. Play eight-ball.
487. Play nine-ball.
488. Play three-ball.
489. Play seven-ball.
490. Play ten-ball.
491. Play cribbage.
492. Play cutthroat.
493. Play Russian pyramid.
494. Play bumper pool.
495. Take up bullfighting.
496. Take up gymnastics (balance beam).
497. Take up gymnastics (floor).
498. Take up gymnastics (high bar).
499. Take up gymnastics (parallel bars).
500. Take up gymnastics (pommel horse).
501. Take up gymnastics (rings).
502. Take up gymnastics (uneven bars).
503. Take up gymnastics (vault).
504. Take up cheerleading.
505. Take up rope jumping.
506. Take up rhythmic gymnastics.
507. Take up trampolining.
508. Take up the trapeze.
509. Play handball.
510. Play four square.
511. Play field hockey.
512. Play lacrosse.
513. Play indoor field hockey.
514. Play indoor soccer.
515. Play hurling.
516. Go rollerblading.
517. Go roller skating.
518. Go ice skating.
519. Play ice hockey.
520. Play underwater hockey.
521. Play street hockey.
522. Go hunting.
523. Fly a kite.
524. Defuse a bomb.
525. Be a volunteer firefighter.
526. Enter a biathlon.
527. Enter a triathlon.
528. Enter a pentathlon.
529. Enter a decathlon.
530. Enter a marathon.
531. Enter a half marathon.
532. Enter an ultramarathon.
533. Enter a 10K race.
534. Enter a 5 mile race.
535. Enter a 1 mile race.
536. Enter a 1500 meter race.
537. Enter a 400 meter race.
538. Enter a 100 meter dash.
539. Enter a 100 yard dash.
540. Enter a 50 meter dash.
541. Enter a 50 yard dash.
542. Go motorboating.
543. Go waterskiing.
544. Ride a motorcycle.
545. Go kayaking.
546. Go whitewater rafting.
547. Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.
548. Go paragliding.
549. Go parasailing.
550. Go skysurfing.
551. Play badminton.
552. Play jai alai.
553. Play with a Ouija board.
554. Play paddleball.
555. Play ping pong.
556. Play platform tennis.
557. Recycle.
558. Turn off lights when not in use.
559. Plant a tree.
560. Help someone with their homework.
561. Help someone with their Eagle Scout project.
562. Update a Wikipedia entry.
563. Play racquetball.
564. Play squash.
565. Play softball.
566. Play t-ball.
567. Play speedball.
568. Play speedminton.
569. Play speed golf.
570. Play speed chess.
571. Play Chinese checkers.
572. Use a GPS navigation system.
573. Enter a hurdles race.
574. Go yachting.
575. Try ski jumping.
576. Go sledding.
577. Go bobsledding.
578. Do clay pigeon shooting.
579. Play hide and seek.
580. Play red rover.
581. Play tag.
582. Play freeze tag.
583. Go hiking.
584. Go to a waterfall.
585. Play backgammon.
586. Play Parcheesi.
587. Play Chutes and Ladders.
588. Play Go.
589. Play Monopoly.
590. Go to a rodeo.
591. Join AARP.
592. Renew some kind of membership.
593. Register a domain name.
594. Do a high jump.
595. Do a long jump.
596. Do a triple jump.
597. Do a pole vault.
598. Play hopscotch.
599. Do a discus throw.
600. Do a hammer throw.
601. Do a javelin throw.
602. Do a shot put.
603. Carry the Olympic torch.
604. Open a high-yield savings account.
605. Go racewalking.
606. Take up ham radio.
607. Go orienteering.
608. Enter a wheelchair race.
609. Play shuffleboard.
610. Twirl a baton.
611. Throw a boomerang.
612. Go bungee jumping.
613. Enter an eating contest.
614. Enter an egg and spoon race.
615. Play hackysack.
616. Go lumberjacking.
617. Go spelunking.
618. Buy a new mattress.
619. Play tetherball.
620. Enter a three-legged race.
621. Enter a sack race.
622. Enter a typing contest.
623. Play pin the tail on the donkey.
624. Play wallball.
625. Take up synchronized swimming.
626. Take up inline speed skating.
627. Take up figure skating.
628. Take up arm wrestling.
629. Take up thumb wrestling.
630. Take up bodybuilding.
631. Take up weightlifting.
632. Take up powerlifting.
633. Take up toe wrestling.
634. Play tug of war.
635. Play air hockey.
636. Play Connect Four.
637. Play dominoes.
638. Play Scrabble.
639. Play Stratego.
640. Play Risk.
641. Play foosball.
642. Play croquet.
643. Play darts.
644. Play horseshoes.
645. Take up knife throwing.
646. Play marbles.
647. Play jacks.
648. Play mini-golf.
649. Play beach handball.
650. Ride a dune buggy.
651. Play beach soccer.
652. Play beach rugby.
653. Join a marching band.
654. Join the circus.
655. Play polo.
656. Join Toastmasters.
657. Play ultimate football.
658. Play fantasy football.
659. Play wheelchair tennis.
660. Play wheelchair rugby.
661. Play wiffle ball.
662. Play flag football.
663. Play touch football.
664. Ride a jet ski.
665. Follow someone on Twitter.
666. Eat a banana.
667. Eat an apple.
668. Eat a pear.
669. Eat an orange.
670. Eat grapes.
671. Eat blueberries.
672. Eat strawberries.
673. Eat a kiwi.
674. Eat a watermelon.
675. Eat a cantaloupe.
676. Eat an apricot.
677. Eat cherries.
678. Eat a plum.
679. Eat a nectarine.
680. Eat a tangerine.
681. Eat blackberries.
682. Eat raspberries.
683. Eat cranberries.
684. Eat gooseberries.
685. Eat non-poisonous honeysuckle berries.
686. Eat mulberries.
687. Eat a coconut.
688. Eat a mango.
689. Eat mangosteen.
690. Eat rhubarb.
691. Eat figs.
692. Eat a honeydew melon.
693. Eat raisins.
694. Eat dates.
695. Eat olives.
696. Eat pomegranate seeds.
697. Eat blood oranges.
698. Eat a clementine.
699. Eat grapefruit.
700. Eat a tangelo.
701. Eat an avocado.
702. Eat a guava.
703. Eat a kumquat.
704. Eat a passion fruit.
705. Eat peanuts.
706. Eat a tomato.
707. Eat cashews.
708. Eat chili peppers.
709. Eat macadamia nuts.
710. Eat a pineapple.
711. Eat a plantain.
712. Eat tofu.
713. Eat squash.
714. Eat beets.
715. Eat broccoli.
716. Eat asparagus.
717. Eat a salad.
718. Eat brussel sprouts.
719. Eat corn.
720. Eat cabbage.
721. Eat lettuce.
722. Eat spinach.
723. Eat endive.
724. Eat peas.
725. Eat turnips.
726. Eat pickles.
727. Eat cucumbers.
728. Eat eggplant.
729. Eat a bell pepper.
730. Eat a cayenne pepper.
731. Eat a chili pepper.
732. Eat zucchini.
733. Eat black-eyed peas.
734. Eat chickpeas.
735. Eat lentils.
736. Eat rice.
737. Eat celery.
738. Eat an onion.
739. Eat a carrot.
740. Eat an artichoke.
741. Eat ginger.
742. Eat a potato.
743. Eat a sweet potato.
744. Eat a radish.
745. Get off caffeine.
746. Eat less sugar.
747. Eat chocolate (but cut back on sugar overall).
748. Eat less processed food.
749. Eat a peach.
750. Eat less meat.
751. Drink less alcohol.
752. Drink more water.
753. Become a vegetarian.
754. Become a vegan.
755. Become a raw foodist.
756. Lower your cholesterol.
757. Lower your blood pressure.
758. Drink orange juice.
759. Eat salmon.
760. Play with a dog.
761. Play with a puppy.
762. Play with a cat.
763. Play with a kitten.
764. Start an ant farm.
765. Look for an alligator.
766. Look for an antelope.
767. Look for an ape.
768. Look for a baboon.
769. Look for a badger.
770. Look for a bat.
771. Look for a bear.
772. Look for a beaver.
773. Look for a bee.
774. Look for a beetle.
775. Look for a bird.
776. Look for a bison.
777. Look for a bluebird.
778. Look for a buffalo.
779. Look for a butterfly.
780. Look for a buzzard.
781. Look for a camel.
782. Look for a caterpillar.
783. Look for a cheetah.
784. Look for a chicken.
785. Look for a cobra.
786. Look for a coyote.
787. Look for a crane.
788. Look for a crocodile.
789. Look for a deer.
790. Look for a dolphin.
791. Look for a donkey.
792. Look for a dove.
793. Look for a duck.
794. Look for a duckling.
795. Look for a eagle.
796. Look for an eel.
797. Look for an elephant.
798. Look for an elk.
799. Look for an emu.
800. Look for a falcon.
801. Look for a ferret.
802. Look for a finch.
803. Look for a fish.
804. Look for a flamingo.
805. Look for a fox.
806. Look for a frog.
807. Look for a tadpole.
808. Look for a gazelle.
809. Look for a gerbil.
810. Look for a giraffe.
811. Look for a goat.
812. Look for a goldfinch.
813. Look for a goose.
814. Look for a gorilla.
815. Look for a guinea pig.
816. Look for a gull.
817. Look for a hamster.
818. Look for a hare.
819. Look for a hawk.
820. Look for a heron.
821. Look for a hippo.
822. Look for a hog.
823. Look for a hornet.
824. Look for a horse.
825. Look for a hummingbird.
826. Look for a hyena.
827. Look for a jackal.
828. Look for a jaguar.
829. Look for a jay.
830. Look for a jellyfish.
831. Look for a kangaroo.
832. Look for a ladybug.
833. Look for a lark.
834. Look for a leopard.
835. Look for a lion.
836. Look for a llama.
837. Look for a lobster.
838. Look for a magpie.
839. Look for a mallard.
840. Look for a manatee.
841. Look for a mink.
842. Look for a mole.
843. Look for a monkey.
844. Look for a moose.
845. Look for a mouse.
846. Look for a mule.
847. Look for a nightingale.
848. Look for an opossum.
849. Look for an ostrich.
850. Look for an otter.
851. Look for an owl.
852. Look for an ox.
853. Look for an oyster.
854. Look for a panda.
855. Look for a panther.
856. Look for a parrot.
857. Look for a partridge.
858. Look for a peafowl.
859. Look for a pelican.
860. Look for a penguin.
861. Look for a pheasant.
862. Look for a pig.
863. Look for a pigeon.
864. Look for a polecat.
865. Look for a pony.
866. Look for a quail.
867. Look for a rabbit.
868. Look for a bunny.
869. Look for a raccoon.
870. Look for a ram.
871. Look for a rat.
872. Look for a raven.
873. Look for a reindeer.
874. Look for a rhinoceros.
875. Look for a sea lion.
876. Look for a sea urchin.
877. Look for a walrus.
878. Look for a shark.
879. Look for a sheep.
880. Look for a skunk.
881. Look for a snake.
882. Look for a sparrow.
883. Look for a squirrel.
884. Look for a swallow.
885. Look for a swan.
886. Look for a tiger.
887. Look for a toad.
888. Look for a tadpole.
889. Look for a turkey.
890. Look for a turtle.
891. Look for a weasel.
892. Look for a whale.
893. Look for a wolf.
894. Look for a wombat.
895. Look for a wren.
896. Look for a yak.
897. Look for a zebra.
898. Play straight poker.
899. Play stud poker.
900. Play draw poker.
901. Play community poker.
902. Play bridge.
903. Play euchre.
904. Play hearts.
905. Play pinochle.
906. Play spades.
907. Play rummy.
908. Play 500 rummy.
909. Play gin rummy.
910. Play gin.
911. Play Mah-Jongg.
912. Play Go Fish.
913. Play Old Maid.
914. Play Crazy Eights.
915. Play Bingo.
916. Play Mao.
917. Play Uno.
918. Play war.
919. Play slapjack.
920. Play Egyptian ratscrew.
921. Play blackjack.
922. Play solitaire.
923. Play FreeCell.
924. Play Seven Up.
925. Play the flute.
926. Play the Irish flute.
927. Play the fife.
928. Play the pipe organ.
929. Play the pan pipes.
930. Play the recorder.
931. Play the slide whistle.
932. Play the tin whistle.
933. Play the piccolo.
934. Play the alto flute.
935. Play the bass flute.
936. Blow a whistle.
937. Play the piccolo clarinet.
938. Play the soprano clarinet.
939. Play the saxonette.
940. Play the basset clarinet.
941. Play the basset horn.
942. Play the alto clarinet.
943. Play the bass clarinet.
944. Play the saxophone.
945. Play the alto saxophone.
946. Play the tenor saxophone.
947. Play the bass saxophone.
948. Play the oboe.
949. Play the bagpipes.
950. Play the bugle.
951. Play the French horn.
952. Play the mellophone.
953. Play the sousaphone.
954. Play the trombone.
955. Play the trumpet.
956. Play the tuba.
957. Play the accordion.
958. Play the harmonica.
959. Play the banjo.
960. Play the clavichord.
961. Play the fiddle.
962. Play the acoustic guitar.
963. Play the electric guitar.
964. Play the harp.
965. Play the harpsichord.
966. Play the lute.
967. Play the mandola.
968. Play the mandolin.
969. Play the piano.
970. Play the viola.
971. Play the violin.
972. Play the piccolo.
973. Play the zither.
974. Play the bass drum.
975. Play the bongo drum.
976. Play the snare drum.
977. Play the steel drum.
978. Play the timpani.
979. Play the triangle.
980. Play the xylophone.
981. Play the castanets.
982. Play the chimes.
983. Play the cowbell.
984. Play the cymbals.
985. Play the glass harmonica.
986. Play the glockenspiel.
987. Play the gong.
988. Play the handbell.
989. Play the maracas.
990. Play the metallophone.
991. Play the rainstick.
992. Play the rattle.
993. Play the spoons.
994. Play the tambourine.
995. Play the vibraphone.
996. Play the electronic organ.
997. Play the electric piano.
998. Play the mellotron.
999. Play the synthesizer.
1000. Play the laser harp.

What are your top 1,000 ways to be happy? Share them in the comments.