1. Tell your wife she’s beautiful.
2. Cook her favorite meal and serve it by candlelight.
3. Go for a walk together.
4. Hold her hand while taking that walk.
5. Look through a family photo album together.
6. Schedule a regular date night at least every other week.
7. Tell your wife how she has changed your life for the better.
8. Surprise your wife with a lunch together on her work day.
9. Apologize for something you did wrong, and work to not let it happen again.
10. Hug your wife from behind while she’s doing something like cooking or brushing her teeth.
11. Pray together.
12. Snuggle with her during a romantic movie.
13. Do a household chore that she hate to do.
14. Go for a bike ride together.
15. Caress her face while telling her you love her.
16. Write her a love letter and leave it where she will find it.
17. Have flowers delivered to your wife at work.
18. Next time she is in the shower, heat a towel for her in the dryer.
19. Play a board game together.
20. Buy her a small gift for no special reason except that you love her.
21. Make her a compilation CD with her favorite music.
22. Make her a bubble bath and wash her hair for her.
23. Buy your wife’s favorite chocolates.
24. Tell her your hopes and dreams.
25. Forgive your wife for something she did wrong, and don’t even mention it.
26. Plan a special date with dinner and dancing.
27. Tell her yes when you want to say no.
28. Take a day off of work and spend it with your wife.
29. Do all her chores for the day. Don’t allow her to do any work.
30. Listen to your wife without giving her advice.
31. Smile more often.
32. Say thank you when she does something for you.
33. Next time you go out together, compliment her looks.
34. Ask her about her hopes and dreams.
35. Go on a picnic that you prepared.
36. Wash dishes together.
37. Watch the children while she goes out with friends.
38. Try something different in the bedroom, or maybe in a different room.
39. Give up something you do alone on the weekends to spend time with your family.
40. Attend church together.
41. Give your wife a foot rub.
42. Always speak of her in a positive way to others.
43. Drop by her work with her favorite Starbuck’s drink or other treat.
44. Serve her breakfast in bed.
45. Compliment her cooking.
46. Take your wife shopping, and don’t complain.
47. Go to a carnival together.
48. Take a cooking class together.
49. Clean and organize the laundry room, pantry, closet or some other cluttered area.
50. Call her at an unusual time just to say you love her.
51. Tell her what a wonderful mother she is, and give examples.
52. Give her a card (the Hallmark type) of support before or after a particularly stressful day.
53. Leave a note on the refrigerator, phone, or car windshield telling her how special she is.
54. Leave Hershey Kisses all around the house just for her.
55. Thank her for doing the laundry (or other important task around the home).
56. Clean her car inside and out and make it smell nice.
57. Ask how her day was, and listen.
58. Make her a special sack lunch for work.
59. Read jokes together.
60. Give your wife a back rub, or better yet, a 30 minutes full-body massage.
61. Ask her what makes her feel special, and do it.
62. Prepare in indoor picnic next to a warm fire.
63. Let her be in charge of the TV remote.
64. Fix something around the house that you know bothers her.
65. Let her sleep late on the weekend.
66. Don’t tease her about her shortcomings.
67. Exercise to keep yourself in shape.
68. Take an interest in her hobbies.
69. Write a love story about how you met your wife and give it to her.
70. Go swimming together late at night.
71. Put your hand on her leg when driving in the car.
72. Give her a day at the spa while you take care of things at home.
73. Start a jigsaw puzzle together.
74. Read poetry to her at night.
75. Whisper something romantic to your wife when out in a crowd.
76. Make cookies together.
77. Recreate your first date.
78. Buy a kite and fly it together.
79. Take a shower or bath together.
80. Brush her hair.
81. Make a list of memories you have together and share them with her.
82. Take a weekend road trip together with no plans.
83. Double date with some good friends.
84. Go to a secluded park, lie on a blanket and watch the stars together.
85. Flirt with her in public.
86. Eat out at a fondue restaurant. Ask for a quiet, secluded table.
87. Don’t try to teach her something without her permission.
88. Turn off the TV and do something together.
89. Ask her to share a fantasy and make it come true.
90. Spend the first 15 minutes after work focused fully on your wife.
91. Learn to say I’m sorry, thank you and I love you.
92. Send her a romantic text message.
93. Sit down together to pay the bills.
94. Give her your full attention when talking.
95. Look through your wife’s school yearbook together.
96. Put on some music and slow dance in the living room.
97. Compliment her in front of friends.
98. Celebrate your wife’s achievements together.

So take the time to do just one of these today. Then print out this list as a reminder of things you can do to improve your marriage. And don’t forget to add your own ideas.

[PhotoCredit:SeanMcGrath]

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I’ve finished graduate school almost twenty years ago. The last time I received a grade for a learning assignment Ronald Reagan was just leaving office. I’ve attended workshops and professional trainings since then, but long gone are the weekly classes and homework assignments. That is, until recently…

In January, I registered for a DreamWeaver web design course at the local community college. This wasn’t a job requirements or even a skill needed in my career. It was just something I wanted to learn. I’d learned some online through the excellent videos available at Lynda.com, but I felt that there was something of value in having an instructor to answer my questions.

We are now halfway through the semester long course and here’s some of the unexpected lessons I have learned (or relearned):

1. You can learn just as much from your classmates as you can from the teacher.

2. There are other ole’ dogs, just like me, looking to learn new tricks.

3. Spring break is still for the young and financially free.

4. Even when grades don’t matter, you still check the gradebook each week.

5. Everything is computerized, from registering for classes to viewing last week’s class presentation.

6. My son still doesn’t want to be seen with me on campus.

I’m really enjoying the classroom experience and will probably take another class later this year.  There is so much I still want to learn.  But the most important lesson is that education is not just for the young.  So take the time to learn a new skill or study an interesting subject.  Sign up for a class at your local community college.

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And the secret to using these power tools is to write down your goals. What, too simple? Not worth it’s own post? Well, stop a moment. Do you have written goals? Written goals with measurable results? Most people do not.  But nearly every highly successful person understands that having written goals is critical to achieving those goals.

Read any book on personal success or scan any list on goal setting and 99.9% of the time you will find something about the importance of putting your goals in writing.  So why is writing out your goals so important?  Written goals provide several advantages to helping achieve success:

1. The act of writing your goal helps you to better define exactly what you want to achieve.
2. Writing out a goal makes that goal seem more real.  It is the first physical step we take toward making it happen.
3. Written goals are easier to remember.  You can even post them in places to remind yourself throughout the day.
4. Written goals are like a contract with ourselves.  We are more likely to achieve those things that we have agreed to, in writing.

Now, take time to write out two to four goals for yourself.  It doesn’t matter if those goals are something you can accomplish tomorrow.  As a matter of fact, that is even better if written goals are new to you.  Write out your goals and put them somewhere you will see them each day.  And while your at it, jot down a date for when you’d like to have accomplished each goal.

Sure, it’s okay to use a computer…the modern substitute for the original power tools.  Just write down those goals and begin the steps necessary to achieve success!

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I’m looking for two or three writers to share the load at Seven Actions. This is a blog about personal development, achieving your goals and being successful in all parts of your life. If writing about this interests you, then consider becoming a writer at Seven Actions. Here’s a list of what I am looking for:

1. A clear, friendly writing style that can turn seemingly complicated tasks into simple advice.
2. Able to write one post a week.
3. Interested in writing more than just making money. (This is important since this blog does not make a lot of money.)

In case you are wondering, I’m not particularly looking for experienced bloggers or self-help experts. If you can research great ideas and write about them, then this may be a great way to start blogging. All writers will be able to promote their own websites/blogs through bylines and an author’s page. We could possibly work out other advertising agreements.

Want to just be a guest author? Let me know. I’m definitely open to considering any posts of interest to Seven Actions readers.

So, if you are interested, or even curious, drop me a note on my contact page. I would love to tell you more about the changes ahead, and how I would like to continue improving this blog.

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Reasons to Abandon Television – I know it’s not for everyone, but Travis Wright at CultivateGreatness.com makes a good argument for why you should dump the television for more fulfilling activities.

Stop Worrying: 7 Effective Strategies for Dealing with Anxiety – At PickTheBrain.com, Tejvan Pettinger offers excellent advise for avoiding unnecessary and unhealthy worrying.

35 Sneaky Ways to Improve Your Finances – You’re probably doing some of these already. And several of the tips you know about, but just haven’t taking action. But I bet you’ll find a few that you’ve not really considered. This is a guest post by Alex Shalman on RirianProject.com.

Reconnect with Your Teenagers – Shelley Stile uses personal life examples to help you renew your relationship with your teenage children.

Can You Say ‘No’ When You Need To? – Jeff Cohen knows that one of the most important skills anyone can learn is how to say ‘no’. Take a few minutes to learn the skills you need to avoid taking on more than you should.

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1. No one is more responsible for the current state of my life than me. The economy is not to blame. My boss didn’t create this situation. It wasn’t just good luck or bad luck. I don’t owe my neighbor the credit. I can’t blame George Bush. Regardless of how good or bad life is, I am the primary reason the way things are.

2. If things are going to change, it’s dependent on the action I take. If life takes a turn for the worse, it’s the result of something I did (or didn’t do). Likewise, if my life is to improve, it’s going to require action on my part. I am the captain of my ship.

I know, some of you want to ask a question like, “What if I’ve been in a terrible car crash and now I can’t walk.” What do you want me to say? Life sucks. You got a raw deal. There’s nothing you can do? Okay, life sucks and you got a raw deal, BUT there is so much that you can do!

Sure, you can spend the rest of your life blaming the driver of that car, or the boss that fired you, or the wife that left you. If you choose to give them that much power, it’s your choice. But no matter what…you HAVE a choice! You can choose to blame…or you can choose to live.

I choose not to give that much power to anyone in my life. My life is my design. My actions determine my successes AND my failures. Too often we want to find someone to blame for not getting the job or losing the business deal. We believe that prejudice, ignorance or some other factor, outside of our control, is responsible for where we are. We give control to others. But to blame others is to believe that what we do means nothing.

Start living your life by these two facts, and watch the difference it makes. Look at your situation and examine what you did to get there. Did you work hard? Were you purposeful in the actions you took? Did you put first things first? And most importantly, where are you headed and what actions will get you there?
[PhotoCredit:FábioPinheiro]

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“He’s turned his life around. He used to be miserable and depressed, now he’s depressed and miserable.” – David Frost

“Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out alive.” – Anonymous

“Life is wasted on the living.” – Douglas Adams

“Life is like playing the violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes along.” – Samuel Butler

“I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” – Winston Churchill

“In spite of the cost of living, it’s still popular.” – Kathy Norris

“Live every day as if it were your last, and then someday you’ll be right.” – Anonymous

“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” – Groucho Marx

“Life is a sexually transmitted disease.” – Anonymous

“Life is one long process of getting tired.” – Samuel Butler

“It’s not true that life is one damn thing after another – it’s one damn thing over and over.” – Edna St. Vincent Millay

“Not only is life a bitch, but she’s always having puppies.” – Anonymous

“The difference between sex and death is that with death you can do it alone and no one is going to make fun of you.” – Woody Allen

“If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” – Mickey Mantle

“Life is like a dog-sled team. If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” – Lewis Grizzard

“The first half of our life is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.” – Clarence Darrow

“He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt.” – Joseph Heller

“Death is nature’s way of saying, ‘Your table’s ready.’” – Robin Williams

“Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral? Because we are not the person involved.” – Mark Twain

“My husband and I are either going to buy a dog or have a child. We can’t decide whether to ruin our carpet or ruin our lives.” – Rita Rudner

“People find life entirely too time-consuming.” – Stanislaw J. Lec

“I think it’s better to not have been born at all. But how many people do you meet in a lifetime who were that lucky?” – Yiddish Saying

“Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.” – Yogi Berra

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