The basic goal of most meditations is to focus on the present moment without distraction or disturbance. This may sound easy in theory, but it can take a lot of work to cultivate a mindful meditation practice. However, any effort you put into meditating will reward you with a sense of calmness and an enhanced perspective of the present. Choose whether to meditate while sitting comfortably or while walking slowly through a peaceful environment. Focus on your breath. Take deep breaths down into your diaphragm, feeling your belly rise and fall with each breath. Scan your body and notice any physical sensations you're experiencing. You might feel the air moving through your nostrils, the sensation of the floor underneath you, a sense of calm, or even a sense of fear/anxiety. Do not judge the sensations you notice, and do not try to hold on to them. Simply acknowledge their existence and let go of them. Any time a thought enters your head, do not force it away or cling to it. Much like the sensations you noticed, you should acknowledge that thought's existence and simply let it go. Any time you lose focus or become distracted, return to your breathing and focus on the sensation of each breath. Your brain has a seemingly endless river of thoughts rushing through it at any given moment. These thoughts help you most of the time, but they can be distracting or even damaging. The best way to quiet your mind is to focus on what's observable. Take note of concrete, tangible sensory information, and force your mind to dwell on the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and physical sensations of your environment. Look around you and notice the intricate arrangement of the world around you. Let yourself listen to the sounds of your environment. If you are in a noisy area, like a crowded coffee shop, try to listen to the steady hum of all the voices together instead of trying to single out individual sounds. Feel the chair/couch/floor under your bottom, and take note of the ways your legs and rear end feel against that surface. Notice the way your feet touch the floor, the way your hands rest on your lap or on the arm rests at your sides. Don't force yourself to appreciate the things around you. If you are fully present, you will become aware of everything in your immediate environment. As you observe your surroundings with your senses, resist the urge to evaluate them. Think of them as simply "being," rather than as being good or bad. You may be tempted to think of your life as a series of big events, and those events are important. But don't forget that your life is also composed of countless little moments, which are available to you every day. One of the easiest ways to enjoy a moment is to mindfully engage with that moment and appreciate it for what it is. You can do this in countless little ways each day to bring greater meaning and peace to every moment. Slow down each day to appreciate the way things look, sound, taste, smell, and feel. When you shower, notice the sensation of rubbing shampoo into your hair or soap on your body. Every time you eat, slow down and notice your food: the way it looks, smells, tastes. Chew slowly and think about how much water, sunlight, and farm work went into creating that meal. Engage with each moment fully, and eventually you will learn to enjoy and appreciate every aspect of every moment. If you're upset about something that a friend, relative, or colleague said/did, that frustration can quickly ruin an otherwise enjoyable moment. It's easy to feel angry with others when you view that person's actions from your own point of view, but it's worth considering that his/her choice made sense to that individual. When you feel yourself becoming upset with another person, take a moment to step back. Force yourself to think of three positive reasons that someone might have said/done the thing that upset you. Focus on positive reasons - don't say things like, "He did it to upset me," or "He doesn't know what he's doing." As you come up with positive reasons, work to see the situation from that individual's perspective. He or she probably had a rational reason for the behavior at hand, which you might be blind to because you're locked in your own perspective. Learning to see things from other people's perspectives can help you see situations more objectively, making you more calm and in the moment. It can also help you become a more understanding, empathetic individual.
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One-sentence summary -- Meditate. Focus on your senses. Try to appreciate the little things. Learn to see other perspectives.

In most instances, creditors and lenders want to see a debt-to-income ratio of 36 percent or less. If your debt-to-income ratio is higher than this percentage, you might have difficulty securing a loan until after that percentage drops. A ratio of 19 percent or less is ideal, and if you can secure this level of financial security, you should have very little problem securing loans or taking on new credit. A ratio between 20 and 36 percent or less will usually be deemed healthy enough to secure a loan from most lenders, but you should begin cutting back once you . If your debt-to-income ratio is between 37 and 42 percent, you are in a state of minor financial crisis and may not be able to get any loans or new lines of credit. At a ratio between 43 and 49 percent, you will likely begin seeing financial difficulties in your everyday life in the near future. If your ratio is 50 percent or higher, you need to seek professional help to quickly reduce your debt. These are terms that are used when you are looking to secure a mortgage loan. Front-end debt ratios only use proposed monthly housing expenses, while back-end debt ratios use all existing debt and any new projected monthly mortgage payments. For most purposes, you should look at your back-end debt. Many lenders will usually look at front-end debt, but as a borrower, you should look at both front-end and back-end debt to determine how much you can actually afford regarding new loans and credit. Front-end debt-to-income ratios are also known as housing-expense-to-income ratios. This percentage should be at or below 28 percent, while a back-end debt-to-income ratio should be at or below 36 percent. If your debt-to-income ratio is higher than you would like it to be, you can help lower it by implementing lifestyle changes that decrease your debt levels. Increase the amount of money you pay toward your debts. If you can manage it, make extra payments toward your loan, house, car, or any other debt for which there is a principle you must pay off in addition to interest. Make sure that the payment goes toward your principle. This will lower your overall debt faster. Do not take on more debt. Put away the plastic and avoid making more purchases on your credit card. Do not apply for any other loans or lines of credit, either. Avoid making any large purchases. If you do not have much savings built up right now, wait until you do. This will allow you to make a larger down payment, and as a result, less of your purchase will be funded with credit and you can reduce the amount of debt you accumulate. Whether your debt-to-income ratio is healthy or not, monitoring it continually can help you avoid major credit problems. You should keep an eye on it even if you do not plan to make a major investment any time soon. If you know that your debt-to-income ratio is on the high end, keep tabs on it every month. Otherwise, checking the ratio once or twice a year should suffice. Having too much debt can lower your credit score, causing your lending limits to decrease and your interest rates to increase. Monitoring this ratio can help you make better decisions about buying on credit and taking loans out. It can also make the benefits of making more than your minimum credit card payments more evident and allow you to avoid major credit or financial problems in the future. If your debt-to-income ratio rises too high, you could have difficulty making major purchases and you might lose out on the lowest interest rates and best credit terms.
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One-sentence summary --
Know how your ratio looks to lenders. Understand the difference between front-end and back-end debt. Take steps to lower your debt-to-income ratio, if necessary. Monitor your debt-to-income ratio periodically.