The Single Secret to Making 2009 Your Best Year Ever

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

I was sitting here at my computer, pondering whether I wanted to write a post with tips about “making 2009 your best year ever”. It’s been done, and most of my tips you’ve already read before on Zen Habits.

I made a small list of things I’d recommend to anyone wanting to make 2009 their best year ever … coming up with a single life-changing goal, creating a mantra for that goal to keep them on track, simplifying their lives, making time for loved ones and themselves, learning to be in the moment … all of these are great tips, and I could come up with a dozen more that would really help people if they wanted to make positive changes.

You Can Do Anything In Your Underwear

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead; follow him on twitter.

I have a secret.

But I’m not sure if I should tell you.

I mean, it pretty much lets me do whatever I want. I can overcome towering odds. I can keep going when all I feel like doing is throwing in the towel. I can defeat the most terrifying of fears.

I bet it could do the same for you… if only you knew what it was.

The Essential Zen Habits of 2008

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

At the end of 2006, I thought I’d just had the best year of my life — I quit smoking, took up running, completed my first marathon, became an early riser, became organized and productive, started eliminating my debt and getting my finances in order, became a vegetarian, my youngest daughter Noelle was born, among other things. Not bad, for one year!

At the end of 2007, I knew I’d just had the best year of my life: I’d created Zen Habits and made it a Top 100 blog in its first year, I’d sold a best-selling ebook, I landed a book deal, I was able to eliminate my debt completely, and quit my day job. I couldn’t top that!

Well, I just did.

My Four Commandments

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

Gretchen Rubin of the excellent blog The Happiness Project recently did a post with tips for writing your own personal commandments, and it got me wondering: what are my personal commandments?

I’ve always enjoyed Gretchen’s Twelve Commandments, even before I’d started Zen Habits, but it wasn’t until now that I decided to really think about what my commandments would be.

“The Power of Less” Has Launched! Free Giveaways for Book Buyers!

“Babauta has become a powerhouse of online productivity for good reason: his mantra works.” - Timothy Ferriss, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

Just in time for the New Year: I’m thrilled, overjoyed to announce that my new book is now available in bookstores and fine online book retailers near you: The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential … in Business and in Life!

You can order The Power of Less today:

• Amazon.com
• Barnes & Noble
• Borders
• Indiebound

Update: After just a few hours, The Power of Less became the #1 bestseller in Amazon’s Business Management & Leadership Motivational section!

New update: The book is now in the Top 100 on Amazon!

Make 2009 Great: Join The Power of Less New Year’s Challenge!

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

I’m excited to announce The Power of Less New Year’s Challenge — it’s free, and it’ll help you form a new habit in 30 days, in just 10 minutes a day.

It’s a great way to start the New Year, and to make 2009 a great year. Forming a new habit is better than making a resolution, because if you use the effective habit-change principles in The Power of Less, the habit will stick with you much longer than the resolution.

How to Press the Reset Button On Your Life

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead, follow him on twitter.

We all get stuck in ruts from time to time. We get off track and lose sight of the life we meant to live. I know I’m probably not the only one who has wished that I could find a reset button for life.

While we can’t exactly travel back in time (flux capacitor or not), there’s certain ways we can “reboot” our lives.

With the New Year right around the corner, it’s a perfect time to get a fresh start on an area of your life you’ve been meaning to overhaul.

The New Year is an exciting time. It symbolized transformation and starting new. It’s a time when you can let go of the old, shed your past and begin again.