I haven’t a single person who has told me, “When I wake up I make a decision to not be happy. Unhappiness is my goal.” We all want to be happy, some seem to have higher levels of happiness than others. What’s the difference? According to an article on Inc.com, there are five ways to make ourselves happier: exercise, practicing kindness, being grateful, surrounding ourselves with people we love, and letting ourselves be happy. Happiness is within our grasp. Happy people grasp know where to look
feel good
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ What Book Have You Read Recently?
I love to read. I read a book a week, almost always fiction. I get my books from my local library. Early on as a child the library was like a second home to me. The library has changed with the times since I was a child; however, my enjoyment of going to the library remains high. It is a peaceful place to work on my laptop. There are treasures to be found in authors I haven’t read. Today’s library is filled with online resources not readily available to most people. And, you meet interesting people. Check out your library, there’s a treasure waiting for you.
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Reasons to Feel Good Surround Us
I have two beautiful crepe myrtle trees in my backyard. Crepe myrtle trees are the official Texas state shrub (the photo is of one of my crepe myrtles). Whether I look out my window at them or wander in the yard they make me feel good. I am grateful for them. I am grateful for eyesight to see their beauty. Sometimes, we don’t have go any distance at all to feel good.
Feel Good Tip of The Day ~ Avoid the Rattlesnakes
I live in south Texas. I enjoy walking on nature trails. When I walk on a nature trail I am always alert for rattlesnakes. When I spot a rattlesnake I give it a wide berth. It doesn’t make sense to walk up close to it, nothing good is going to happen. What’s true in walking in nature is also true in our daily lives. Avoid the rattlesnakes whenever possible. Don’t hang out with them. Tune them out when you can’t avoid them, then leave as soon as possible. Life will be happier,
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Practice Self Compassion
I read an article in Huff Post titled, “The One Thing Therapists Say Harms Your Happiness Most.” It is a wonderful article describing how we often sabotage our own happiness. The authors give this advice:
“Shame, guilt and worry are the most common disruptors of happiness, just in what I see in working with people,” said Tamika Lewis, the clinical director and founder of WOC Therapy in California. When you’re experiencing one of these feelings, you’re holding yourself hostage to past life experiences or worrying about the future, she said. “So we’re not in the present moment, and that really disrupts … that contentment and joy.” Practicing self-compassion is one way to combat these feelings, Lewis noted. She said it’s also important to have grace for yourself and practice mindfulness so you stay in the present moment.
Additionally, Lewis said she talks a lot about the Hawaiian practice of ho’oponopono with her clients. “It’s four phrases, simply saying, ‘I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you,’” she explained. Lewis encourages folks to close their eyes and recite this mantra four times.“They really hit all these areas; the guilt, the shame, all of that. And then the love as a reminder of self-love, and sometimes it could help too to even do this in the mirror as you’re looking at yourself,” Lewis explained.
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Don’t Get Tricked by the Headlines
Information rushes at us at incredible speed. I get my news and information from Internet sources. When I review my online news sources my first filter is the headline. If the headlines has the words “could happen” or “might happen” I skip them. They’re not real, so why get worked up. I read a headline this morning that told me, “you should be worried too.” My first thought, ‘yah, right! I’m going to worry over something over which I have no control.” Many news sources write headlines that elicit an extreme emotion such as anger or fear. Don’t let them trick you. Ignore them. You’ll fell a heck of lot better.
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Let it Slide
Some folks believe you have to answer each criticism with a strong defense and go on the attack. To me that’s wasted energy. It’s better to let it slide. The moment we give the criticism or the person doing the criticism our attention it becomes the moment we cede control to them. Let the criticism drift on by and get on with matters and people more important and meaningful. You’ll feel better and they’ll get the message that you’re not interested in playing their game.
Feel Good Tip of The Day ~ Roll With It
My amigo Jose is worried about the affect of the hot Texas sun on the new grass he planted this spring. I can understand how Jose feels since we are in a day after day cycle of 100 degree (38 C) weather. There are things in our lives we can’t change no matter how much we want to change them. Why waste a moment of energy fretting about it? It’s better to focus on what we can change and make the most of the moment. I think I’ll just roll along with the hot weather and pour myself another Texas sized glass of iced tea.
Feel Good Tip for Today ~ Are You Happy?
I read an article this morning that proposed that 3 simple habits can make us much happier. I consider myself a happy guy. I do have an occasional down moment, but they never last. I wanted to see how my behavior matched up against the three habits suggested in the article. The following are the three habits. One, train your brain to focus on the good things life has to offer. The authors say that our brains evolved using protective mechanism to keep us safe from predators. That’s a good thing, but when focusing on fears and possible negative outcomes rule our lives we miss out on life’s joys. Two, practice gratitude. If we consciously practice gratitude we can turn down times into happier moments. Three, think about the definition of happiness. The author suggests happiness is multifaceted comprising three parts: pleasure, meaning, and “feelings of commitment and participation in life.
How did I do? I am really good at practicing gratitude. Yesterday, I felt myself slipping down a negative slope and consciously made myself speak aloud ten things for which I was grateful for that happened to me during the day. By the time I hit number 8 my mood changed, I was back to being my happy self. As far as the first point I try (not always successful) to do a lot of self talk. When a negative thought hits, I’ll ask myself if it’s real or am I making up stuff that hasn’t happened. This kind of questioning works for me. I’ve never really thought about a definition of happiness, so that is one habit I don’t have. I hope you have a happy day today with many more to follow.
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ I Love to Exercise
One of the things that makes me feel good is exercise. I enjoy exercising as much as I enjoy a good meal. Hold on, I don’t need an intervention LOL. I like the feel of moving my muscles. I like it when sweat drips of my face and my shirt clings to my body. I like the emotional high I feel after a good workout. I’ve been doing it for so long that it’s second nature to me. If you’re an exercise person, like me, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t exercise start slowly and be consistent. You’ll feel a lot better.
