Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
By Jeffrey P. Fisher
http://www.jeffreypfisher.com

Musicians are notorious for leading less-than-healthy lifestyles. While that notion may fit with the mythical rock and roll image, the reality for most of us is a need to protect our health. And the key component to this is preventative -- work to stay healthy in the first place.

Eastern thought teaches us that cultivating our Chi, or life energy, promotes health. You do not need to believe in this to benefit from some basic advice, though. Author Laurence Boldt in his groundbreaking book, "The Tao of Abundance" provides ten simple ways to cultivate Chi. Like most good advice, it's simple and makes sense. Gives these ideas a try and see how you can improve your quality of life.

Be cheerful. Did you know that happy people have longer lives? Put the clouds behind you and warm others around you with your sunshine.

Breathe. Practice deep breathing and feel the benefits of improved circulation, reduced stress, and more nourishment for your blood and vital organs.

Move. Exercise regularly through both stretching (or a low impact routine such as Yoga or Tai Chi) and get your heart rate up a few times a week for several minutes, too.

Rest. Get some sleep to energize your body and mind and stimulate your creativity.

Control those feelings. Work to keep harmful thoughts from interfering with your life. Let the past go, forgive and forget, and think about today (and tomorrow). If controlling your emotions is a struggle, seek professional help.

Quiet, contemplative time. Turn off the internal thought machine and meditate regularly.

Keep it simple. Mental and physical clutter are nuisances that prevent you from focusing on what's really important. Dump the mental baggage and clear the closets of what you don't need and move on.

Get back to nature. This is a wonderful world we live in full of everyday miracles. Wake up, take a bath in nature, and soak it all in.

Watch what you eat. Follow the food pyramid 80-90 percent of your days and you'll have more energy and be healthier.

Often the simplest notions turn out to be the most prudent. This is far from ground-breaking advice. Nevertheless, follow these ideas and you stand a better chance of extending your ability to bring your unique gift to the world.

Jeffrey P. Fisher is the author of four best-selling music books: "Moneymaking Music", "Ruthless Self-Promotion in the Music Industry", "Profiting From Your Music and Sound Project Studio", and "How to Make Money Scoring Soundtracks and Jingles". Get more information from his "Moneymaking Music" Web site at http://www.jeffreypfisher.com