The best things in life are free.
It’s true.

America is a free country, and I think it’s the best.
Birds are happiest when they can fly through the air, rather than being trapped in small cages. (At least I assume they are. I have not actually conducted surveys.)
And people love life most when they are free to be who they really are.

Some of my favorite things also happen to not cost anything. Consider the following:

Sunshine
Sunlight boosts vitamin D production in our bodies and, according to NIH, at least 1,000 different genes, governing nearly everything in your body, are thought to be regulated by vitamin D3. Sunlight promotes happiness and helps us be alert and dispels depression. All for free!  Feeling blue, sluggish, or unwell?  Unless your complaint is skin cancer, a quick 15 minutes outside in the sunshine will most likely boost you like plugging into the charger boosts your cell phone!

Air
Take a deep breath.  Feel better?
It’s free. It’s pretty much everywhere. (Vail, Colorado could use more) It keeps you alive. And noticing it, and how you breathe it in and release it, can lower your stress.  Read here to learn more about how to breathe to reduce PTSD.

The Radio
Ok. So technically, you actually have to buy a radio before you can listen to it. But after you have one, you get music and talk shows and CSPAN and  news reports and more music– all for free!  How awesome is that?

Smiling
Did you know studies show that smiling makes you happy?  I know. You’re thinking I have it backwards, and that people spent thousands of dollars to discover that being happy makes you smile. (People actually do silly studies like that sometimes.) But actually, the converse is also true. Smile, and you’ll feel happier! Smiling also boosts your immune system, is contagious, helps get you promoted, and makes you better looking.  And it costs nothing!  =D

Talking to Friends
Hard day at work?  Kids acting up?  Flowers all died?  Mother-in-law coming to visit?  Talk to a friend, and suddenly the hard things are something to laugh at!  I’ve realized I’ll pretty much fall in love with friends who talk to me. I makes our spirits happy to connect with other people.

Looking at Pretty Things

Flowers, trees, clouds, sunrises and sunsets. They’re all out there. They are beautiful.  And we can soak them up with our eyeballs all day without paying a penny.

Music
Humming is completely free.  But so are summer concerts in the park, playing an instrument (assuming you already own it), singing with friends, and listening to birds and crickets.  Music can put you in a better mood, help you relax, give you energy to keep exercising, and create harmony in stressful situations.

Exercise
No need to join a gym! Jumping jacks, running, push-ups and sit-ups can all be done almost anywhere, anytime!  I’m a fan of CrossFit, but there are tons of free and fun exercise programs out there.  REgular exercise helps dispel depression, increases health and makes you look better.  When I’m feeling sluggish, I remind myself, “Exercise for Energy!”  See my Resources page for info on CrossFit.


Relaxing
Taking a few moments to relax lowers blood pressure, helps you be more kind, and probably lengthens your life.  You can incorporate sunshine, air, smiling, friends, the radio and noticing pretty things, and music, all into relaxing.
Try it!  You’ll like it!  =)

Being Grateful
It doesn’t cost anything to say Thank you. And it makes at least two people’s days better.

I could go on and on. I was composing this list while getting ready in the morning, and the more I thought about it, the more wonderful, no-cost things I noticed in my life!

What are some of your favorites?