How to Increase Your Karma Points!

I am truly the universe's fair-haired girl. I know it sounds ridiculous but, honestly, the universe tends to shine on me (practically) all the time. This pertains to small things as well as large. I have amazing parking karma, can get things to grow even in decomposing granite "soil" at altitude with crazy Colorado weather and meet the most amazing people right when I need to meet them.

For example, when on safari, a lion scratched his back on my Landie (after posing for 10 minutes) right after I told my guide that I would like a close encounter with a lion. Later that afternoon (right after I made a silent request to the universe for an elephant), we rounded a corner and found ourselves 10 feet from an elephant. And I got some amazing photos, no telephoto lens required (or even "zooming in").

Seriously, serendipity is my favorite word for a reason. Hence, when things don't go my way I am shocked and disheartened. I have been, honestly, known to gently remind the universe (yes, out loud), "Don't you remember who I am? I am your fair-haired girl. Please reset my setting; I don't like how the other 95% lives. Thank you."

Here is my list as to how you, too, can increase your good karma/blessings/mojo/juju:

1) Adopt a shelter pet. No one is really that excited about your designer dog. Unconditional love comes in all forms and shapes.
2) Recycle.
3) Compost.
4) Support local businesses and farmers/apiaries/cheesemakers/ranchers/you get the idea.
5) Love the honeybee, butterflies and hummingbirds by not using pesticides and fertilizers. (See Initiative #3)
6) Stop vulturing for "good" parking spaces. Walking the extra 20 feet will not kill you.
7) Road rage. Seriously, people, move beyond it. I always assume that the person who cut me off is simply oblivious. My mom, for example, does not use her mirrors for anything other than lipstick application. She does not need to get flipped off for this.
8) Call your mom and your grandma, even if they are crazy. They love you more than you will ever know.
9) If a kid asks you to buy something, it is karmic law that you HAVE to. Even the weird wrapping paper.
10) Donate money and time to a charity you love. It is a rule of the universe that whatever you give, you will receive.
11) Plant a garden (even if it is only one tomato plant and some basil).
12) Share your garden's bounty (seriously, it is so charming to get a handful of snapdragons or zinnias from someone's garden versus a cultivated orchid. Not that I don't love orchids ... but to love someone enough to grace them with something you grew? Wowie zowie).
13) Take a child to the zoo.
14) Bring a sick neighbor some soup.
15) Take someone's grocery cart back to the store for them.
16) Stop at lemonade and farm stands, especially in small towns.
17) In the summer, occasionally leave some cold bottles of water out for your trash/recycling collectors.
18) Send your best friend flowers/cookies or something just because you are thinking of them.
19) Don't interrupt someone's story/joke just because you have heard it before. Humiliating others does NOT increase your good juju. Laugh at the appropriate places.
20) When in doubt, show some grace.

Have any other surefire karma-building tips? Please post them in comments!

Also, I have gotten two emails already with this list and I just posted it an hour ago. If you decide to share it via email please post the website on the bottom of the email. Thanks, beautiful ones!