I’ve always thought that people need to feel good about themselves and I see my role as offering support to them, to provide some light along the way. –Leo Buscaglia
This week on the podcast I talk about being a parent, finding your joy, and what you can do today to feel better. (Are you sensing a pattern?) I end with these 7 things you can start doing today to be happier, feel better and all around easy but potentially game changing practices.
Consistency. Get with the program and stick with it. Working out doesn’t work if you only do it sometimes. The same goes for everything else in your life. This is the cornerstone of the steps because without this one none of the others will work. Be consistent with your physical body, your spiritual practice, your eating habits and your life will change for the better. (You know, if you’re consistently choosing good things!) Be consistent, be true to your word. Consistency in all aspects of life will help you to be respected and trusted by people you love. You will begin to feel better when you live with consistency. Swear.
Stay Present. If consistency is the cornerstone than staying present is, well, whatever is the next most important piece of building something. Because this one is BIG. My friend Tori, (Holla!), said to me once “Look down, are their spiders crawling up your legs? Then you’re alright.” Get your head out of the past. I know, I know, but its true. Its over and you can’t change it. Don’t worry about the future. Of course make plans but take the worry part out. Once you accept that life is going to keep going no matter how much you worry than maybe you won’t worry so much. Its true what they say worry doesn’t change tomorrow but it robs of your joy today.
Help Someone Else. I can gaur-on-damn-tee, that if you reach out to someone who needs help you will instantly feel better. There is nothing in this world that feels better than being the cause or the catalyst to someonelse’s joy. I think that is why its so hard to watch kids grow up, you become addicted to that feeling of being the person gets to help someone all the time. So go find somebody that needs help, unfortunately they are not in short supply.
Practice Gratitude. Like, all the time. I was reminded of this when I forgot my ez pass while driving my daughter back to school last week. I was so annoyed with the fact that I had to wait in the cash lane and I wouldn’t shut up about it. When my daughter said, “Oh well, at least we aren’t that guy”, as we passed a man with a flat tire on the ramp going onto the bridge. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. And please send an angel down to help that poor guy while he changes his flat. Thank you, all the time about the smallest of things. (I love my hairbrush, it works just right in my crazy hair!) To the tallest of things, thank you for this incredible healthy family. Keep practicing, even when you forget, you can stop and go back to being grateful anytime.
Change your default setting. Are you stuck on, Eeyore mode? It probably won’t work out? Change it. Change your default setting to automatically say, when it works out. It’s going to work out. I can’t wait for this to work out! I am so grateful that this is going to work out. (You get the picture?)
Change your Mind! Don’t forget to remember to change your mind. Be flexible in life. Take things as they come and when the bad stuff starts creeping in just stop and change your mind. Don’t “go there.” (Oh no she d’int!) Stop it! Don’t think bad thoughts. The universe is listening so when you think things like, “I can’t lose this job. I had better not lose this job. I hope I don’t lose this job!” And you lose the job and you say, “I knew it!” Well, you made that happen. All the universe heard was lose job, lose job, lose job. So keep the thoughts positive and watch what you think!! Recently I was driving around pot holed filled streets and all I kept thinking was I had better not get a flat. I have never had a flat tire in my entire life and after and hour of thinking about it, guess what? I got one! All I could do was laugh because I did that. Oh well, watch what I’m thinking, I know better.
The last key to feeling better…
Laugh. It is a universal language that everyone speaks. We are all connected by love, music and by laughter. Laughter transcends age, culture and language. Get with people who make you laugh. Ditch the energy zappers that bring you down. Don’t be addicted to misery. Be addicted to happiness. Do things that give you a lift. Listen to great music, watch a comedy, read something funny. Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” Its true, you get with a good friend who can make you laugh, your troubles go out the door.
It isn’t reinventing the wheel. It is actually all very simple. The key is being consistent with all of it.
Peace
