Habits kind of creep up on you if you're not careful but as Stephen Covey says, the conscious choices we make can become habits and change our world for the better. Here are insights from our experts on healthy, happy living. 

How Does Betty White Do It? by Sandwiched Boomers

A real comedy standout on TV and in the movies lately - among all the youthful as well as botoxed, lifted, heavily made-up faces - has been Betty White. Lifetime Achievement Award winner at 88 and ½, as Betty proudly declares, White is the poster gal for throwing away the calendar when talking about age.

With the population of older adults growing, the percentage of adults over 65 is projected to increase in the U.S. from the current 12% to 19% in the next twenty years. Given this expected exponential growth, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has looked at how baby boomers can achieve healthy aging. Read more for 7 ways to age gracefully>>

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7 Habits of Health by Dianne Orwig

In one of the best books ever written, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey explains, “Our character is a composite of our habits.”

So, too, is the case when it comes to your health. It isn’t the occasional slip ups here and there that define overall health, but the day-to-day rituals, practices, and behaviors that mold how your body looks, feels and performs. Read more for the to see if all seven habits are operating in your life>>

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Stephen Covey 7 Habits DVD. Integrate the 7 Habits into Your Life.

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Gaining Perspective from Space by Simon Sinek

It was a surreal night to say the least. The four of us, two former astronauts, an Air Force Major General and I sat on the front porch sipping single malt scotch while a huge air force jet was making touch-and-go’s a hundred yards away. 

When in the company of astronauts, the conversation, undoubtedly, turns to space travel. It is an experience so few people in the world have ever had or will ever have the opportunity to try, so the curiosity of the two non-astronauts at the table was bubbling.  It was the two-star general who asked the question that we both needed to know the answer to, “Did going to space change you?” Read more >>

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Dear Boss, I Quit! by Michael Lee Stallard

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in August, more Americans quit their jobs than lost them. Voluntary job quits have been steadily rising since late 2009 which is quite remarkable given the continued weakened state of the U.S. economy. Certainly some of these "quits" reflect employees moving to other jobs. It may also be the case, however, that the pain level of remaining at some organizations has become so high that more workers have decided to leave of their own accord in hopes of making it as entrepreneurs or finding jobs down the road as the economy recovers.

Read more on how this dynamic could change.>>

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More stories on Career, Wellness, Wisdom, Relationship and Success

Whether you've lost your job, been passed over for a promotion or you're not quite where you want to be in life, confidence is that elusive trait we can't get enough of. Lack of it can make us doubt our judgment, be afraid to try new things or meet new people, speak up and even eats away at our time.  It's the concept resonating the most with our experts and contributors. They offer insights and advice to help you boost yours and get some perspective.

3 Time Management Mistakes by Sharon Melnick

When you trust yourself you don’t have to spend time worrying about what other people will think, and you don’t have to waste time living in fear of judgment if mistakes happen.  You don’t have to put inordinate energy into trying to control the process because you expect to ‘fail fast’, learn from the process, and let your clients and stakeholders give you input that will help you come up with the best deliverables. You don’t have to waste time on lack of clarity, you can ask questions without the fear looking stupid.

Read more for three ways to effectively save time through self-management.

Watch Sharon Melnick's video on why time management doesn't work.

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Why Get Out of Your Comfort Zone? by Art Jansik

As we pursue our goals in life, we're going to feel uncomfortable. Count on it. That's part of the process.

The comfort zone is the area of activities that we've done often and feel comfortable doing. Anything new, different, or untried lies outside of the comfort zone, in the land of the uncomfortable.

So, why risk if you are truly comfortable and your life is working just as it is? What exactly is the appeal and value of risking and moving outside of the comfort zone? Read More.

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Build a Foundation for Resilient Living by Rosalind Joffe

Life's curveballs can show up as a chronic illness, a divorce or any major setback. Whatever challeng it is, it can take up space in your life and it's easy to resent it. You have a choice about how much space it takes and what you want that to look like. With a chronic illngess, ignoring  symptoms can lead you to misjudge what you can do.  You disappoint everyone - - and especially yourself.  If you let illness define you, you can become paralyzed with fear, consumed with narcissistic pity or just plain boring.  Living successfully with any of life's challenges requires creating a space for that challenge to exist reasonably without letting it take over.

Read more for taking charge of your life by building a foundation of resilience.

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4 Beliefs to Live a Sane, Happy Life by Larry Lipman

So much of our confidence is built on our beliefs; beliefs about ourselves, our role in the world and beliefs about the way things or other people should be.  We're often moving too fast to reflect on whether these beliefs are judgments and not the facts we think they are.

Read more for a simple prescription on how to live a happy life full of sanity.

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