by Reena Daruwalla, guest writer for Nancy Hayssen.com

I really liked this post that Nancy did a while back about the 39 ways to live a better life in 2008. If of all the 39 I had to pick one that I liked best, I would pick no. 6 : Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007, because by following this faithfully you take care of your physical, mental and spiritual well being!

Putting this into practice can really make a difference in your life. What with work and looking after the kids and home I was really not getting any time to read, or so I thought! So I resolved to take at least some time out for myself everyday and read.

By making this a rule in my life, I got around to reading a lot of stuff that I had meant to for so long and had been putting off! Books have been my lifelong friends, they have taught me so much, they improved my language, widened my world view, given me the opportunity to travel while sitting at home and above all, made me wiser because I have gained that wisdom vicariously from that which brilliant authors chose to share with me!

Now I have to implement the second part of the resolution: play more games. What I would like to do in get into a badminton or table tennis group which plays regularly. As in all games, I have far more enthusiasm than skill in these as well, but no matter. I am thinking that by joining such a group, I will give myself a goodish work out because these are strenuous, indoor games, enabling you to work up a good sweat!

The additional benefit from playing a game on a regular basis is that you make likeminded friends and develop a regular social circle. Since games are perhaps the most enjoyable work out that there is, they are a self rewarding activity that you don’t have to push yourself to engage in everyday, it will become something to look forward to each day!

Did I give you any reason to read more, play more? I hope I did.