Top 9 Ways to Improve Our Lives Starting Today

1. Dispose of Rubbish in Designated Areas

'Dispose of Rubbish in Designated Areas' may be a slogan we've been familiar with since childhood, carrying our little backpacks to kindergarten. It's common and communicated everywhere, yet perhaps many young people, due to being in a hurry, sometimes forget about it, and we easily see bread crusts on park benches, candy wrappers flying out of car windows, or pieces of sandwich wrapping paper fluttering on the street...

Perhaps many people are becoming indifferent to the very life they live every day as if it were all just obvious? The world is facing serious pollution issues, and Vietnam in particular is classified as one of the countries with the highest waste generation in the world.

Just one small action, just a little, after finishing a sandwich, holding the wrapper and putting it in the trash bin, receiving a leaflet at a red light and putting it in your pocket to throw away at home... Oh, it's definitely a great deed, and you can't know how much of a 'kind act' you've just done for this world.

2. Express gratitude to everyone

'Words can be priceless, choose your words to please each other.' Words sometimes can evaluate a whole person. And sometimes just a simple word can make someone feel happy. Every day of our lives, we encounter many people, from fast food restaurant staff to supermarket checkout clerks. Always appreciate the people around us when they do something for us, even if it's just smiling and serving food when we walk into a store.

Learn to give and receive values worthy of oneself. The phrase 'thank you' will always soothe people's hearts and make life much less burdensome. So learn to say 'Thank you' to those who help us. Learn to appreciate and express gratitude so that every day we can feel how beautiful life is.

Waste sorting may still be a relatively new concept for us, but in developed countries, especially in Japan, South Korea... waste sorting is becoming increasingly popular and it truly brings many benefits to life.

In South Korea, waste sorting is quickly learned by homemakers and it is gradually being integrated into life as a positive habit. Thus, waste sorting has become everyone's positive living habit.

There are many different ways to sort waste such as sorting by 'Organic Waste', 'Inorganic Waste', and 'Recyclable Waste'.

• 'Organic' means still useful. Organic waste includes vegetables, fruits... that have been spoiled and you dispose of. This type of waste can be recycled into organic fertilizer.
• 'Inorganic' means 'Useless' and can no longer be used. It includes bricks, ceramics, nylon... These types of waste will be completely discarded.
• Recyclable waste like paper, cardboard... will be recycled into new products.

In addition, you can also sort waste by types of containers: plastic containers, aluminum containers, paper containers... This is a very common practice in Japan.

Every act of assistance in difficult times is extremely valuable. Life is too busy so sometimes we forget the simple ways of treating others with kindness every day. Let's slow down a bit, appreciate life, and care for others whenever possible.

A child wanting to cross the street, an elderly person carrying heavy luggage needing assistance, someone hungry needing food... Whatever we encounter on the street, on the bus, or public transportation, extend a helping hand, and surely you will receive what you deserve in return.

As adults, we realize we have two hands, one to help ourselves, and one to help others. Caring for others, assisting them in any way possible, and sharing what we have, when we do these things, life becomes joyful with many achievements not far from us.

Saying thank you is incomplete without apologizing. If expressing gratitude brightens up life and makes people happy, apologizing isn't much different. In a minor collision caused by traffic congestion, a sincere apology swiftly simplifies matters much more than ignoring each other would. Surely, the recipient of the apology will easily overlook the incident as if it never happened. And of course, apologizing when you've done something wrong with genuine sincerity is something we must do.

A sincere and effective apology conveys genuine empathy, remorse, and regret, as well as a promise to learn from your mistakes. In other words, you need to truly believe that you've done something wrong and feel regret for the harm you've caused.

Every year, millions or even billions of plastic bags end up being discarded and drifting towards destinations that cannot be fully accounted for. What we do know is that many animals in the wild have been affected, even killed, by these plastic bags.

When burned, nylon material emits highly toxic chemicals that can cause diseases, including cancer, when inhaled in large quantities.

Colored nylon bags used for wrapping food, meat, for instance, when exposed to hot water, release harmful toxins that seep into the food. Consuming such food undoubtedly poses health risks to everyone.

So, starting from now, let's minimize the use of plastic bags as much as possible. Replace them with paper bags or eco bags when going shopping, to the market, or buying groceries. Clean nylon bags can be reused instead of being disposed of immediately. Additionally, there are now biodegradable nylon bags that are environmentally friendly. Let's use these bags when disposing of garbage or dirty items.

It might seem odd to include reading books here. However, reading books can actually be a beneficial activity for ourselves and our lives. Always remember that we, as individuals, are part of life itself. Engaging with knowledge, harmonizing with the endless knowledge of humanity, indirectly contributes to making life better.

If you have aspirations to change your life, to change society, then books are a wonderful path to guide you. Choose wisely and embrace the great advancements that the world has to offer.

When reading books, your entire mind and senses focus on the words on the page. Your hands flip through each page, and your mind concentrates on the knowledge the book imparts or follows the storyline without needing to be concerned about everything around you. Just let your brain and eyes do the work. Being helpful, or having more helpful people, is enough to contribute positively to society.

Almost everyone has experienced betrayal or hurt at least once in their lifetime. No matter the circumstances, forgiveness is key. Forgiveness doesn't mean ignoring, not thinking, or being indifferent, but it's about reflecting on what happened positively, understanding that everyone makes mistakes.

Forgiveness isn't about becoming great or noble; it's about feeling more peaceful and happier within ourselves. People often think that forgiving will make all the wounds disappear. Some may feel that those who betrayed or hurt them don't deserve to be forgiven.

However, we forgive not for someone else's sake. We don't need to pretend as if nothing happened. Instead, we forgive ourselves to overcome the pain.

When you focus on blaming someone or being angry with yourself, you can't hear your inner voice. But when you let go, you'll find it easier. Beneath the pain lies genuine happiness. You'll free your heart from the prison of resentment, opening up a new life – a life you've always dreamed of.

Society harbors many who aren't true to themselves. They praise when they should criticize, speak kindly in person but undermine behind the scenes; when faced with opposing views, they get angry, and when they make mistakes, they offer excuses to justify themselves. They fail to see their own flaws.

These individuals don't live authentically with their emotions. This leads their minds to be constantly tense, unable to relax. Let's wake up, remove all masks, and live authentically. Cry out loud when sad, laugh freely when happy, express love openly, and offer constructive criticism when needed.

Each of us feels there's a job, a role at the right moment to develop ourselves. However, we must venture into life, work until we find your passion. What are you passionate about? Envision what you want for the rest of your life.

To find life's purpose, you'll need to dig deep. With so many answers to this question, what's important is finding the one that resonates with you and satisfies you.