What makes the present situation even more terrifying is the underlying sense that something is very different this time.  We are seeing breakdown after breakdown within many of the socio-economic realities that we have taken for granted as being ‘safe and sound’ for so long.

Many of the newly jobless will have a tougher find finding employment in their line of work…and many will see the industry they toiled for so long completely disappear.

From the 30,000-foot level, we have to realize that this is OK…as the ‘unsustainable’ is finally showing to be, well, unsustainable.  And amid all the breakdowns there are, and will continue to be, many fantastic break-throughs that will literally transform what it means to be a human being in this world!

But this can be extremely difficult to see right now as we are smack-dab in the middle of it, directly in the thick and dense processing phase where it is so easy to get lost in fear and anxiety.

The question naturally arising in SO many is: “Well, what should I do”?  This is the 100 Million dollar question right now, and it’s a good one.  And I am not going to propose any universal answer in this article.

Rather, my purpose is to simply shine awareness on what is happening, and to get your mind stirring whether you personal world has been shaken or not, because ALL of us are being affected by the massive transition happening on this planet right now.

We ALL need to be vigilant and aware, and to allow ourselves to be guided (as gently as possible) to the next phase of our evolution.

The writing is on the wall, our biggest systems are breaking down, greed and separation do not work.  Rest assured, there IS hope for a better tomorrow…and much of it depends on how we deal with the challenges today!

So, What SHOULD I Do?

Begin to realize that when things in the external field become chaotic and stressed, our minds like to pull us even more externally searching for answers.

But the answers are not ‘out there’.  They are within you, and when times are tough we need to be even stronger and cultivate the ability to look within for solutions.

As hard as it seems to do, NOW is the time for powerful self-reflection, stillness and patience.

Yes, I fully understand how this sounds.  Life is throwing all kinds of challenges at you, things need to be dealt with, handled, and brought to some kind or order…and this blogger guy is telling you to meditate and not do anything.

But that is not the case.  Being patient and still, and moving slowly and thoughtfully throughout your day creates the necessary space for greater wisdom to come to the forefront.

It may take time, but the answer to the question ‘what should I do’ is always there.  Another great thing to do is constantly gain perspective on your life situation.  Try this exercise:

Get Great-Grand Perspective

We so easily lose sight of the fact that our lives as human beings are fleeting, microscopic and meaningless.  Think about your great grandparents.

Many of you may have memories of some (or all) of your grandparents…but very few of us can remember anything about the next generation back.

Close your eyes and try to imagine the lives of your recent ancestors…these people who lived and breathed at one point, and who are your family.  You may or may not know something about who they were, but just try and think how important everything must have seemed to them.

I know my great grandparents came from Hungary and Russia, and came to the United States in the early 1900’s and raised my grandparents.

How much they must have struggled and stressed…living through World Wars and depressions…and how much joy they must have had, experiencing a new country, new possibilities, and new way of being in the world.

When you take a moment and really go back, it is amazing to think about.

But your great grandparents are gone.  Forever.  Dust in the wind. All the stress and anxiety they felt amounted to nothing but a forgotten history.  All the successes and triumphs they achieved mean nothing today.

And how often are these people thought and talked about?  Not much, if ever.

You must realize that one day your existence will suffer the same fate.  Everything in your life that you take as SO important, everything that is SO real to you will not matter and soon be forgotten as if it never mattered at all.

Yes, in a very real sense your life (our lives!) are totally meaningless and void of any value in the greatest scheme of things.

But What About ‘The Real World’?

When I say things like this to friends and family, the response is usually “OK, I get it, but what’s the point of saying that?  Does that mean I should sit around and do nothing if it all meaningless and purposeless?  Should I never go to work, have relationships, raise a family, and try to get ahead in the world”?

Of course not!  These questions are simply missing the point.  Knowledge of our meaninglessness is freedom; freedom to explore the life that you were meant to lead; freedom to see the places you were meant to see; freedom to interact with the people that you were meant to interact.

The ‘real world’ can often be like a prison, incarcerating you in all of the heavy expectations that were ingrained in you as a young person.  Realizing the absolute non-meaning of your life is lightness, freedom and joy!

Imagine living with no limitations, and having pure unadulterated liberty to allow your inner most soul uncover itself moment by moment!  This is the blessing that was granted to you upon being born….yet it is SO easily forgotten.

And attaining perspective of our purpose-less existence does NOT mean that you should ‘sit around and do nothing’.  On the contrary, truly experiencing this breakthrough leads to powerful and swift action.

The action you take becomes determined by intuition, purpose and love as opposed to fear, stress and external circumstances.  You become free, featherweight and empowered to lead the life you were meant to!

SO even though times seem tough, and the world as we know it appears to be disintegrating before our very eyes, constantly bring yourself inward, give yourself perspective, and have awareness that new realities are being born that will make ALL of our lives extraordinary!

*If you like this article, please share it with a friend.  Thank you

To me, what this film is documenting is the very thing that can bring transcending and fundamental changes in the world.  More than EVER, we need to spread awareness of this message…get involved in it…and encourage our friends, families, colleagues to join in.

I will tell you that doing this work for the past year has been an incredible experience.  Millions of people are shifting their habits, careers, and even their worldviews, and we need to rejoice in this global awakening!

Have you seen the Paul Hawken clip that describes THE SHIFT?  If not, check this out and begin seeing how real it is:

World’s Largest Social Movement

OK, so this is just a short post to ask that you to go to THE SHIFT site, http://www.theshiftmovie.com and sign up!

Today, the message for this powerful film and movement was finally released to a very large audience! Over 4 Million people know now about THE SHIFT…so lets give this movement some legs!

Also, for those of you bloggers, list owners, or just very popular people…please send this message around.  Vote on it on Digg, Stumble and all social networks!

Here are some links:

THE SHIFT on Digg

BRAND New Facebook Fan Page

Thanks everyone…this is going to be huge…it needs to be.  Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

Todd

Does it hear the crash of the waves on the surf, the high shrill of other birds swirling around, and the cackle of human voices milling about? Does it feel the wind, the sand, and the water in a similar manner as I?

Of course I do not know the absolute truth here. I can only surmise the answer is ‘no’, that the sea bird does not sense its surroundings in the same notion as a human being.

But how exactly does the bird perceive the realities around itself? And is it remotely possible for me, a human being, to comprehend the tangible sensations of a different species of observer?

A few moments later I watched a woman taking her very young child towards the ocean. I watched intently as the little boy excitedly jumped in and out of the waves, and shrieked with delight as the water came in towards dry sand and then back towards the horizon.

I began thinking about this young child’s perception, and wondered how he senses the ocean, beach, sky and realities around him. Was it similar to my observation?

I think its safe to say that the child’s discernment is more closely related to my own then the sea bird’s…but when you intently watch a young child it becomes clear that his perception is markedly different then an adults.

How Does Perception Really Differ Between Beings?

So even within my own species, perception can vary greatly depending on a variable (like age).

This really got my mind running, and I began contemplating two 50-year old men sitting beside me: one of them a clan leader for an indigenous tribe in remote Africa, and the other a Plumber from Brooklyn, NY.

How would these two men perceive the ocean, sky and beach around them? Would they see and feel the similar sensations? And if not how exactly would their base perception differ?

For my last experiment, I closed my eyes and lay back on the sand. I took several deep breaths and relaxed my mind. I sat there for 20 minutes straight solely focusing on my breath, coming in and out of my body.

I got myself in a wonderfully meditative state and felt very present. I then sat back up and opened my eyes ready to perceive the circumstances around me.

I could feel the wind much more crisply and noted its sensations on parts of my body that I did not feel earlier. The ocean and sky appeared much sharper to me, and I could see the ripples in the water much more clearly…almost as if they were moving in slow motion.

The blue color of the sky was so blazing that it almost startled me. Wow. I noted the horizon in a much different way as well, and could see ripples of current much farther away.

I heard sounds that I did not notice earlier, like the ripple of the wind on a kite that had been flying above me. I heard the sounds of people from way down the beach, and could also hear the rustling of sand as it whipped up on my shorts.

In all, it was like I was a different person observing the same scenario. But it was not a different person, I was still me.

3 Primary Observations From My Hour On The Beach:

1) That the human ability to perceive its surroundings is distinctly evolved, enabling us to understand the universe with the highest capacity that we are aware

2) That even within our own kind, perception varies greatly, and

3) That we can have a purposeful influence on how clearly we experience our lives

To point #1 the sea bird’s tools for perception are not as advanced a human being’s; it is an older, more archaic form of consciousness sensing its surroundings with less awareness.

The bird has a lower vibrating level of perception then we do, and therefore senses reality at a different level of stimulation.

To point #2 a young child, although not tainted by the ego and intrusive thought process of most adults, still has less potential for higher levels of consciousness then his/her elders.

So even though children may experience joy, excitement and thrill much easier then you or I, their potential for evolved human consciousness is not fully realized.

And to point #3, what about my own personal ‘transformation’? The difference between Todd before he lied down and Todd after he lied down is that the second Todd was much more present for the experience, sensing with greater clarity the truer nature of his surroundings.

Before the breathing and meditation exercises he was still wearing the lens of his everyday life. Things like work, money, food, and everything else that his mind incessantly thinks shrouded his ability to perceive to some degree.

Todd post relaxation was more still, present and aware. His ego was shelved for a few moments allowing the lens of his authentic self to perceive, in a more genuine manner, reality around him.

And what did this new perception bring? Clarity, crispness, increased beauty, and a sense of calm that were not there earlier…

We are always wearing some sort of lens that shapes our reality, and we have the ability at any given moment to wipe that lens clean!

So what is the point of making these distinctions?

The point is this: That we have the ability to purposefully generate a greater awareness of the world (and universe) in which we live.

Right here Right now YOU have the ability to be more aware and present.

And this is important because the more conscious we become, the more beauty, peace and love is brought into our lives and to the world around us.

And what’s more important than that!!

Even though this practice is primarily used during meditation, I have found great use in utilizing body awareness in my every day life as well. For those of you who already have a meditation practice, I highly recommend trying the following steps.

For those of you who do not currently meditate, the practice brings a great sense of peace, joy, perspective and fulfillment into your life. I highly recommend you giving it a whirl and have written two excellent pieces on ‘meditation for beginners’. I encourage you to check them out:

How To Meditate For Beginners
20 Steps for Quieting The Mind

Body awareness is extremely healthy and initiates the flow of fresh oxygenated blood to body areas that usually fall below the radar of your consciousness:

Using the Body

The big question for beginners is: where do I focus my attention during meditation? There are myriad schools of thought which answer this question. Many teachers suggest using the breath as a focal point to deeper awareness.

I have used the breath to some degree of success, but have always found deeper experiences through focusing on my body parts. Here is how:

First, it is always helpful to make your practice of meditation ‘formal’. Meaning, set aside at least 15 minutes every day to practice meditation. Make sure you will not be disturbed and commit yourself to sitting in stillness with your body, breath and even your thoughts for the allotted time.

After taking a few deep breaths, begin noticing the air as it travels in and out of your nostrils. Notice how the air feels colder during the inhale and warmer during the exhale. Focus your attention on where you feel the air most prominently.

Next, follow the breath inwards and notice it in the belly. Begin feeling the sensation of your stomach expanding with each inhale and deflating on each exhale. Really be there with your stomach as it goes in and out. Try and feel the air enter your domain and sense the space it is taking up.

Lower Body Awareness

After a few minutes of conscious breathing, you will have greater control on your attention span. That is the goal, and the next place I suggest bringing your attention is to the feet.

Start feeling your toes, heals, and arches in whatever position they are currently in. Notice a tingling sensation that seems to follow your attention, and bring your full awareness to it.

Next, lead your attention up the leg, through the ankle and on the calves. Stay there for a moment and breathe into the calves. Feel the blood flowing in your lower legs, and then bring your attention upward to the knees.

I love focusing awareness on the knees. They are a mystical and sensitive part to the body and bringing awareness here also brings health!

Follow the path upwards through the thighs and focus astutely in your pelvis area. Allow the tingling sensation to emanate throughout the pelvis and massage the internal organs that work so hard to keep you healthy.

The tingling sensation I describe is SO important in body awareness. It represents your life flow, your vibrational force, and the very essence of your being alive. Bring your attention to it over and over again.

As you continue to move upwards combine your attention with love and appreciation of the body parts you are feeling. When you begin this process, it might be as if you are feeling your body for the first time. Awareness is love, and love is wellness.

Upper Body Awareness

As you work your way upwards, feel your stomach and internal organs hard at work. Just sit with them, notice them, and appreciate them for what they do.

Sense the beating of the heart and bring your full attention to this beautiful masterpiece. Really feel the beating and begin to understand that this is your life, and not all the stresses of your every day ‘life situation’. Right here, right now, you and your heart.

Be still, and be at peace. No where to go, no where to be…

As you follow your awareness up your chest and shoulders, and down your arms into your hands notice how gentle and light your fingers feel. They are delicate and beautiful, and allow your awareness to wash freely over them.

As your attention creeps up the neck, bring it to your lips and mouth. Sit in pure silence and stillness as you feel the sensation of having a mouth. Next, follow the tingling to the nose and again feel the sensation of the breath as it travels in and out of the nostrils.

You may feel much more alert to your breath then when you first began this process. That is great, and appreciate how easily you have become an observer to your body.

Go to the eyes and allow your awareness to spread appreciation to your vision. Go behind the eyes and feel the brain working and sense its vibrational frequencies. This is a very powerful part to the practice, and I love feeling the sensation of my entire head hard at work as I sit here, in silence, observing it.

Full Body Awareness

Once your attention has traveled from toes to head, get a sense of the entire body. Feel everything all at once and spread the tingling of awareness throughout the wonderful organism in which you live. Feel your life force beating, breathing and flowing within you.

Appreciate with loving kindness all your body does for you. Say thank you. Say it again.

What a transcending way to start a day, and I hope you cultivate the thirst to feel your body. I have found higher levels of consciousness by learning how to focus on my physical body during my meditation practice, and I hope this experience is useful for you.

As always, I look forward to your comments!

I would like to share this story with you and discuss how the caterpillar’s transformation is highly symbolic with what’s going on in our world today:

Imaginal Cells and Transcending Change

The genesis of the caterpillar’s transformation begins with the appearance of what scientists have termed “imaginal” cells. Researchers have no idea where these cells come from, or why they appear.

They are termed ‘imaginals’ because scientists can only hypothesize that their purpose is to ‘imagine’ something incredible that is about to happen.

At first, the imaginals are fought off and destroyed by the intelligence of the caterpillar organism. But the imaginals keep coming back and eventually form clusters of cells to strengthen their domain.

Soon the clusters form bonds where they pass genetic type information to one another. The clusters resonate at a higher frequency then their host and begin changing the physical make-up of the caterpillar.

At a certain point in time, the long string of clumping and clustering imaginal cells switches gears from simply being a group of like-minded cells into the programming cells of the butterfly. They literally reach a critical mass of influence where the caterpillar’s destiny is altered to become a butterfly.

The pictures on this page show the beginning of the physical transformation the caterpillar undergoes, and certainly connotes a temporary state of chaos.

What is happening amid this clump of goo is old caterpillar cells transforming into wing cells, into antenna cells, into digestive tract cells, and so on. A new consciousness being born…

Implications of Imaginal’s in Humanity

Many people believe that this story is highly symbolic of what is occurring in our world today, and how a more evolved experience is on the horizon for humanity.  Imaginal cells are clustering all over the globe, resonating at a higher frequency and bringing the light of a new consciousness to mankind.

We can see it tangibly by the countless people that are stepping out of their societal roles and doing things to help the collective good. We see it by innumerable organizations that are popping up with the sole mission of making the world a better place.

We can see it by books like A New Earth becoming international bestsellers for the first time in history. We can see it by mainstream icons like Oprah Winfrey taking this type of content and bringing it to the masses in unprecedented ways.

We can see it in the excitement that Barack Obama’s campaign is providing tens of millions of people with the simple message “we need to change things”. These are humanity’s imaginal cells manifesting and clustering.

They are resonating at a higher frequency and their purpose is to bring about a new consciousness to mankind where peace, sustainability and social justice become the norm.

Why Your Personal Growth Means So Much

In order for you to evolve within the collective movement, it is absolutely necessary for you to embrace your own spiritual development. The answers are not somewhere outside of you, but within the framework of your being.

Imaginal cells exist within your body right now, and are attempting to cluster together and help you increase your own consciousness. We The Change must begin with I The Change. The question is: are you allowing this to happen?

The spark for your individual transformation is all around you…all you have to do is look. Perhaps reading the words of this article will serve as an increase in awareness, and motivate you to expand your consciousness.

The point is, we must all become seekers of our own mission in life for a new global reality to take form. It is the only way…

What Our Collective Future Looks Like

Currently mankind resembles the clump of caterpillar goo shown on this page. There is internal conflict which is exemplified by great war, poverty and suffering that exists in our world.

But there are also clusters of imaginal cells emerging and organizing into stronger groups. The chaos we feel is part of the transformation process, as humanity is literally being pulled in two opposing directions as a rubber band being stretched to its max.

Our destiny is to emerge into a new realm of being, and we must each make the decision to either become a part of the new consciousness (butterfly) or stagnate with the dying way of things (caterpillar).

So allow yourself to cluster with the other imaginal cells, and “be the change you want to see in the world”. That’s really the best advise I can give

OK, keep your intrigue going and read these We The Change classics:

Healing From The Inside Out: A Remedy To Save The World
How To Find Your True Purpose
4 Pillars of Effective Personal Growth

One of the promises I made to readers when I launched We The Change was to only write about things that I personally experience. 

Given that this website has garnered over 1,000 subscribers in 6 months (I still can’t believe this) there must be something appealing to the very personal and sometimes vulnerable approach I take with the articles I publish.

Truthfully, this website has served as a direct mirror to my life over the last 180 days.  As many of you know I left a relatively stable and financially secure job situation last September follow to my passion in life. 

More accurately, I transitioned out of the position to give myself time to figure out what my passion really was. 

So 6 months later the million dollar question becomes: have I found it?  Yes, I think I have.  But that is not to say I know exactly how it’s all going to play out…because I don’t. 

I am moving into what I call “Phase II” of my life transition process, which entails how I am going to make money and support myself amid recent revelations. 

I plan on openly exploring this next phase with We The Changers, and am certain the right situations are manifesting even as I write this!

The Evolution of My Own Personal Development

When I first began writing this site, I wrote a lot about the benefits of nutrition and physical exercise.  In the last few months, I have not written so much about these topics. 

It is not that I don’t believe in proper eating and exercise anymore (because I do), it’s just that my own journey has evolved to a point where I feel compelled to write about other issues.

I have made no secret that I believe we are living in a time where fundamental cultural changes need to occur across our political, social and economic spectrums.  Actually, I think we would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t understand this…at least from an intellectual standpoint.

I have written a lot about the underlying movement that is banding together all over the world to initiate such changes.  At its core, this ‘movement’ has a spiritual undertone and I have embraced this philosophy because I am experiencing it very personally. 

I have tried to share my own awakening with readers, and my mission in doing so has been to initiate these types of changes within YOU.  For more, please check out the following articles:

All Roads Leading to Costa Rica (For Me)!

Kill Your Ego: Recognize The True You

Stages of Consciousness

I want you to know that writing articles on these subjects, because of their subjective nature, has not been a great thing for the physical growth of We The Change. 

I get a lot less traffic then I did when I wrote about the benefits of eating berries everyday.  But the truth is, I don’t care so much.  I am sharing my own journey in life, and I refuse to steer away from this purpose.

Where We The Change Is Headed Months 6-12

This site is 100% about helping readers expand their consciousness.  My mission is to provide content that sparks moments of awareness within you, and I will continue to share my personal journey as I think it’s a very effective way for this to happen.

I see myself as a conduit of information.  Stuff comes to me, I experience it, and then I throw it out there.  But I do not want WTC to be solely viewed through my own lens, which is why I have started a Podcast called Conversations to Change the World. 

There are countless individuals out there who are doing incredible work to help you live a better life, and my goal is to share a different angle with you every other Wednesday.

As for what I hope to get out of We The Change, I feel that if I am honest about the things that I am going through this platform will not only serve me externally (as a business venture) but also internally, and help me find my most sought after paths in life.

Both of these things are happening, and I am now experiencing a much higher level of clarity about my life’s purpose then I was 6 months ago.  I will continue down this path and utilize WTC as a tool for detailing my experiences.

Lastly I am VERY OPEN to reader suggestions.  How can I make this site more meaningful for you?  Are there any specific things you would like to hear about?  Please let me know and I will try my best to accommodate.

This is NOT a One Man Gang

I want to recognize the incredible array of people that I have met in the last 6 months that have helped me establish WTC as one of the fastest growing personal development blogs around! 

These people are my mentors, my inspiration, my supporters, and my friends.  If you like what you have found here, please take a few moments and learn from these amazing people:

Tim at A Daring Adventure
He is an incredible Life Coach and a unique writer.  Check out one of his best articles Changing Your Thoughts!

Steve at Champion Success
A true inspiration, Steve has attained success in all areas of life.  My favorite piece of his is Top Opportunities for Entrepreneurs.

Peter at I Will Change Your Life
Perhaps my first blogging friend who has also become the editor of Pick The Brain.  This is my favorite article from Peter: Feel The Pain, Then Make The Change.

Tejvan at Sri Chinmoy Inspiration
If you are ever looking for perspective in life, he is one of the best.  My favorite is Seven Steps to Inner Peace.

Albert at Urban Monk
His articles are thoughtful, deep rooted and comprehensive.  His greatest piece is The Blossoming of Love.

Alex at The Next 45 Years
A newer blogger with so much to offer.  Alex’s greatest piece in my eyes is How To Live a Balanced Life.

There are so many more (I feel like I am accepting an academy award here, hehe)..but I can’t mention everyone. 

As always, I hope sharing my personal story contributes in positive way to your personal growth and happiness!  I Look forward to continuing the conversation with you!  With much gratitude and respect, Todd

But there were a few tangible lifestyle choices I adopted which helped me overcome the awakefullness I so often felt in the wee hours of the night, and I would like to share them with you.

Like most recommendations pertaining to personal growth, the 9 activities I suggest below will not only help your sleep but also a myriad of other areas in your life. Enjoy!

1. Visualize the feelings of being tired

The first time someone suggested this to me, I thought they were mad. But it works, and its amazingly simple. After taking a bunch of deep breaths, use your mind and thoughts to intentionally generate the feeling of being tired. Your mind is used to reverting back to thoughts of your life, work, relationships, etc (FYI, this is why you don’t “feel” tired) but you can train your brain to create the emotion of tiredness. It is incredibly powerful, and there are also audio tools that can help you do this!

2. Wind Down: Partake in relaxing activities at night!

Many people complain to me that they have problems falling asleep, and when I ask them what they do before bed-time they say “lift weights” or “conference call for work” or “watch a thrilling movie”. When I write about it like this it seems pretty obvious that the adrenaline and stimulation these activities cause are not ideal preparation for a night’s rest. I suggest spending a few hours winding down instead: write in a journal, listen to relaxing music, meditate, or do something that brings peace and relaxation into your life.

3. Rise earlier

When did it become so normal for people to wake up at 10am and go to bed past midnight? As a human, the body’s natural cycle is to rise when the sun comes up, and wind down as the sun disappears into the night. Making a habit of getting up earlier will re-set your connection with natural earthly cycles, and drastically improve your quality of sleep over the long run!

4. Do work that stimulates you!

When your brain is actively engaged during the day, it will require greater rest at night. If your daily work does not stimulate you, you will be bored, anxious and even depressed. These negative feelings inhibit the release of hormones in the body that are required to generate the bodily cycle of wakefulness and rest. You need to feel alive and awake to feel tired and spent. So do work that inspires you and you will sleep like a baby!

5. Read some fiction before you go to bed

Reading is a wonderful activity as you wind your day down, but be wary of reading work-related materials or other content that might get your mind moving too fast. Even personal development and self-improvement work is not recommended before bedtime, as it gets the thoughts moving too rapidly. Fiction is ideal to read because it stimulates the more imaginative areas of the brain, and prepares the body to dream.

6. Don’t consume food after 6pm

Think about the main purpose of food: to provide the body with energy. When you stuff large quantities of food into your mouth late at night, the intelligent organism of the body processes it and activates the digestion, circulatory and nervous systems. And then you want to go to sleep? There is a dis-connect here, and if you want to start getting great nights’ sleep it is imperative to limit (or stop) eating food past 6pm.

7. Don’t consume caffeine or sugar past 3pm

On a similar note, the worst kind of food to consume at night is carbohydrates. These foods break down much faster than fats and proteins and cause a spike in energy that is hard to ignore. The worst of the worst is highly processed sugary foods that will make it almost impossible to get a peaceful night’s rest. Caffeine should also be limited because it causes a similar reaction in the body. To be safe, make a habit of limiting simple carbs and caffeine past 3pm. This one suggestion alone could be the key to healthy sleep!

8. Exercise regularly

Pushing your physical limits 3-5 times a week is an excellent way to improve your quality of sleep. Getting the heart pumping during the day generates more efficient blood flow to the brain and body parts, and allows all body parts to experience a more graceful rest period. Plus, common sense dictates that working out will simply make you more tired at night.

9. Take several deep breaths as you prepare to sleep

The easiest recommendation that most people simply do not do is breathe! If you are consistently awake at night, try taking 10 deep breaths as soon as you lie on the bed. Close the eyes, and just let the day go. Notice how immediately afterwards you are in a different state; a more relaxed one. If you are habitually anxious, this feeling may not last long, which is why visualizing being tired (point #1) is a great next step!

OK, now if you want to know how to get up more effectively, read the wonderful article Mind Over Mattress: How To Wake Earlier When All You Want to do is Sleep by Peter over the I Will Change Your Life.