There are days we wake up bright eyed and bursting with positive energy but there are other times we’d rather just turn over and do a day of “sheet therapy.” Here are five ways to stay in love with your life and yourself.
1. Be Grateful. It’s easy to notice what’s wrong, broken, or boring, but instead, consciously focus on what’s right and what’s working. Each night, review the good things that happened that day and smile. On a small card, write down the 5 most important things in your life. Carry your Gratitude List with you at all times and if you have a “moment” haul out your card and read it for instant perspective.
2. Be Kind. Be nice to yourself and others. Say “please” and “thank you,” even to your family. Be patient with people who appear rushed or pressured. If you start feeling stressed, breathe in relaxation and send it out to the world with your exhale. Do one good deed every day. Things get better when you keep the “kind” in humankind.
3. If You Make a Change, Start Small. If you made such a lengthy list of New Years resolutions that you’ve already abandoned them, simplify the process. Don’t go for a miracle makeover, simply pick one behavior to work on for the rest of the year and keep at it. For once, time will be on your side. This “annual practice” has changed my life.
4. Fake it Till You Make It. You’ve heard this a gazillion times but it’s true. Want to be happier? Act happy! Use the body language of a happy person: smile more, laugh, be friendly. Your brain treats whatever you think or say as “the truth” and interprets your body language as “how you are.” Act “as if” and that’s what you’ll become.
5. Treat Yourself With Loving Kindness. Flight briefings remind us to put on our own oxygen masks before helping others if cabin pressure is lost during a flight; this is a good rule to generalize. Nurture, care for, and indulge yourself in healthy ways, especially during difficult times. Give yourself the gift of living each day as fully as you can, even if things suck because sometimes they will (I hope that made you smile).
Simple Action: Several times a day remind yourself that living and loving start on the inside and work their way to the outside. It all begins within, and why would you want to be without?
