A few years ago one of our clients was struggling desperately to balance his life. His business had become his "neat fort" where he hid from his wife, his kids, and from all the things he could do and become outside of work.

I sat with him for an hour and created a twelve-point list of things he could do to get his life and his family back. Here's the list:

1. Book time for yourself and family as you would for any other important client.

2. Create family traditions; they're the glue that keeps families together.

3. Hug more. Hugs are free, healthy and returnable.

4. Go to any Cirque du Soleil show or any extraordinary live musical or theatre performance. Expose yourself to people with vision, talent and passion. They uplift and enrich us.

5. Buy the biggest and best bath towels and bed linens you can find - and use them every day. Pamper yourself with small, affordable luxuries and you'll feel more special. Feeling more special will help you to be more special.

6. Buy any kitchen gadget by OXO. Live with great design and understand that great design doesn't have to be expensive.

7. Use the alphabet to trigger new experiences. Starting with the letter "A", do something different every week that starts with the next letter of the alphabet. Week one: go to Al's Diner or try Asiago cheese or pick apples. Week two: try Butterscotch ice cream or go to Brazil. You get the idea.

8. Give back, volunteer and practice random acts of kindness.

9. Get the book A 1,000 Things to Do before You Die, by Neil Teplica and Dave Freeman (available online at both Indigo and Amazon). Don't forget to read it.

10. Walk more. Everything looks different up close when you're moving slowly.

11. Listen to more good music and less bad news.

12. All those things that you're saving for special occasions - get them out and use them now! Life is a special occasion.

So, there you have it - twelve things you can start doing right now to be more alive.

Donald Cooper has been both a world-class manufacturer and an award-winning retailer. Now, as a business speaker and coach he helps business owners and managers throughout the world to rethink, refocus and re-energize their business to create compelling customer value, clarity of purpose and long-term profitability. For more information, or to subscribe to his thought-provoking free business e-newsletter, go to www.donaldcooper.com.