There's a famous t-shirt that states: "It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys." Colloquial is very often correct! Your friends can either lift you up or bring you down. You make decision which type of friends you wish to have.

6. Your basic physical health.

Much about our health is a factor of genetics, environment, and exposure. Much more of our health is simply a matter of decisions we make about our health, such as: diet, exercise, drugs, sleep, routine physicals, check-ups, etc.

7. The environment you live in.

Your house, condition of your home, town you live in, amenities available to you are all things you can control, although some to a lesser degree (i.e., you decide to tolerate them or move someplace else).

8. Your fiscal situation.

Having or not having enough money is a factor of what you make versus what you spend.

9. Your time.

You choose how to "spend" your time and how much of your time to give to various activities. You'll never get more time than 24 hours you're given each day.

10. Your legacy.

All your actions, words, and knowledge that you share while you are living become gift that you leave when you are gone.

Do you *really* need to be contactable every minute of every day?

7. Turn off your computer

Today, we receive as much information in a single day as a person did in an entire year in early 1900 's. A large portion of that wave of information comes from our daily contact with computer... so turn it off. Check your email tomorrow. Give your mind a rest.

8. Get away from kids, pets, etc.

Ask a friend or family member to babysit/petsit for you for a day or two. (Then help them get some quiet time and return favor.)

9. Take a nap

We are much more sensitive to stress noise creates when we are lacking sleep. So take a nap and recharge your batteries.

10. Take a hike!

Literally. If you're going to surround yourself with noise, then surround yourself with noise of nature. Reconnect with yourself and with natural world around you, stroll around your favorite park or recreation area.