Preserving the Earth by Putting Our Health First

Did you realize that what is healthy for us is also healthy for the Earth?
If you just said, "Of course!", you are one of the few Americans who is conscious of it. The biggest problem is that we are not made of aware of the bad (or good) that we do to the Earth. Here are some tips on how you can help mother Earth and yourself at the same time:

1. Walk or Ride the Bike - You do not need to drive to the store that is within 15 minutes walking distance from your house. Walk or if you are short on time, ride the bike. Not only will you be saving yourself gas money and burning up some calories, you will reduce your carbon footprint.

2. Use Natural Products - Whether it is hairspray or cleaning products, using natural products is just as effective and helps keep the Earth healthier as well.

3. Eat Organic - Pesticides don't only hurt your body, but they also negatively affect the atmosphere (the air we breathe included). The more organic foods you buy, the more energetic you are likely to feel and the cleaner the air and earth will be.

Be healthy and help the Earth do the same!

Take Reponsibility for Your Faults

Rather than finding fault in everything around you, look to yourself to see if you are indeed responsible for the wrongdoing, shortcomings, and faults of which you are being critical. By blaming others for your own failures and shortcomings, you are doing more than others a disservice because you also harm yourself. Failure and slip-ups will happen but they are indeed just that unless something positive comes from such events. Now, you’re probably asking yourself, “How can that make me happier?” Well, if you improve different aspects of your life, and you are constantly working to refine your strengths and characteristics, you will emerge a more competent, reliable, and contented individual.

The more confident you are, the more responsibility you will be able to undertake. Particularly when you are held accountable for more and more responsibilities and tasks, you must learn to lead by example. That means that you most certainly need to find fault in yourself, your decisions, or actions when things go awry.

Taking responsibility for your faults and actions will help in making you a happier person because you will know that you are being honest with yourself on your way to becoming the best you. Sometimes only you will know that you’re at fault in a situation and it’s up to you to make it right for you and all parties involved. One step that may make it easier to take responsibility for your faults, wrongdoings, or shortcomings is to learn humility. Yes. You must learn to laugh at yourself, no matter how big or small your mistake or error. That is not to say that you should mess up or fail and learn to take it lightly and humorously. Rather, you should take your faults and trials seriously but allow yourself to approach life as a learning process.

If we fail to find fault in ourselves, we will also fail in improving ourselves and the results of our trials. When we present ourselves to the world as fallible, as we all are, others are less likely to judge us as that person who thinks they can do no wrong. None of us are perfect and, if we present ourselves as such, others will be less likely to accept us as friends, colleagues, and partners. Admitting fault is an important part in making positive changes in our lives. Doing this makes us more appealing because others can see us for what we are—human beings just like them. Be true and genuine in character and the rest will fall into place.

Harsimran Singh, Ph.D.