What are you picking up?

Use your positive thinking power! A band that I grew up singing with, the Beach Boys, inspired me this morning. “I’m picking up good vibrations…good, good, good, good vibrations!”
 
You are receptive everyday to the stimuli all around you. Remember that you have full control over which stimuli you allow into your space. You have got to tune out the negative, and only allow in the positive. Filter out the bad, and let in only good. You have the power to do this. Namaste.

An easy, effective assignment.

Grab a garbage bag and take a walk through your home. Open up closets, look under the beds, and inside drawers. Pick 5 things that you no longer need or want, or that just no longer have a spot in your life anymore.
 
Choose things like shoes you no longer wear, old jackets, boardgames, old make up or hair products, books, toys or something out of your kitchen. It may be your favorite jeans… the ones that you can’t even wear out of the house anymore because they are so worn out.
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As you put things into your garbage bag, let go of any feelings you have associated with those items. Say “thanks for being there for me, but I need to move on”.
 
Be sure to find at least 5 items, and feel free to get rid of more (but don’t spend all day on this).
 
This task should take less than 10 minutes, if you walk fast and make quick decisions. It’s only 5 things. No excuses. Just go do it now.
 
Look through the garbage bag and decide what you are going to do with your 5 items. If the item is garbage (not reusable), put it there now. Decide if you want to donate, or sell, the remaining items that are still usable. Put the items you intend to donate into your car so you can drop them off on your next outing. If you plan to sell some items, decide how you are going to do that and then do it. Take pictures of your items and upload them to Kijijji, or decide on a date for your next garage sale. If you think trying to sell the items will be a hassle, just donate. You will be making someone’s life better. By doing this exercise, you will also be making your own life better. Reducing the amount of stuff you have in your life can increase your efficiency and reduce your stress. Namaste.

Something to consider.

Something to consider. Is what you have right now really what you want?
 
If you answered yes, then get excited and be happy and enjoy every moment. Strive every day to maintain, and get more, of what you have. You must nurture what you have to be able to keep it.
 
If you answered no, then get excited and be happy because you have the power to change it! Stop embracing the comfortable, and start embracing change. You can have what you want, but you need to do something different. Remember that thinking about doing it is way more painful than actually doing it. So just do it!
 
Have a wonderful week!

Make Monday Fun!

A thought on positive thinking about work.

The Seven Dwarfs always seemed happy (except for Grumpy, of course), so what was their secret? Was it because they were mining diamonds all day? Perhaps. But I think it was because they chose to whistle while they worked!

So today, no matter what you do with your time, “whistle while you work”. And if you can’t whistle, add some music to your day somehow.

Enjoy your Monday!

Birthdays.

We all deserve to have at least 1 day of every year where we feel like we are the most important person. That day is normally your birthday. The phone rings for you more often that day and you may be able to take liberties like longer lunches or sleeping in, and feel good about it. Today is your reminder that age is a state of mind.

I am constantly preaching about looking at results and using those as a basis for judgement and action. When I look at people who practice yoga, I see the kind of results I want. They may have grey hair, but their bodies are tighter and more flexible than most people in their 20’s! I am looking forward to feeling like a 25  year old until I am 105, and I want to have the body to back those feelings up.

Do what you can to preserve the wellness of your body so that you can continue to do all of the things that you feel like you should be able to do, for as long as you want to do them. And don’t let a number like your age restrict you. Remember, you’re only as old as you feel…how old is that today? Me, I’m 25 and holding. Namaste.

Faith.

It’s Sunday, a typical day of rest, reflection and worship in a lot of cultures. No matter what your religious background is, today I want to remind you that

“you gotta have faith…oooh you gotta have faith. You just gotta have faith, faith, faith….”

-George Michael

I awoke to this song the other morning on my clock radio. That same day at  school while volunteering with my daughter, I was cleaning up after an activity and there was a sticker affixed to the paper tower rack. It simply said “Faith”. I had to take a picture of it!

What is faith? Defined per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Faith is a”firm belief in something for which there is no proof.”

So today, have faith in the universe and its ability to provide for you. Have faith in your wildest dreams, and faith in your ability to create everything you want and need in your life. Have faith that no matter what, everything is going to be all right. Have faith, even when there is no proof! If you believe in something, you make it real.  Namaste.

Just add Fun.

The Best Books on Self Help will teach you how to get happy.  One way to do this quickly is to add fun!

I was volunteering at my daughters school the other day and in gym class the kids were doing skipping. I was immediately taken back to the asphalt of my elementary school and I vividly remembered skipping my lunch hours and recesses away. The challenges of learning to skip double dutch and doing double- and triple- unders while singing silly rhyming songs had me reminiscing and giggling to myself. And I found myself wanting more of it!

As we age, the pressures of work and family and home life leave little time for fun. But fun is what keeps us going. Fun is what motivates us to hop out of bed in the morning. Creating fun in our lives inspires us, makes us smile, and helps us learn in a positive way. Fun is what it’s all about.

Think back to your days as a child and think about an activity that you really enjoyed, like skipping, softball, hockey or dancing. Remember the fun you had. And start creating some of that fun energy in your life right now!

My birthday is coming soon, and this year I am asking for 2 long skipping ropes and a couple of friends willing to take turns skipping double dutch. I am already imagining the conversations that we can have, and the laughter that will ensue from an afternoon of skipping on a chilly spring day.

Add some fun to your life today. Namaste.

Success Laws: Keep your cool.

It is important to remember that your successes in life are dependent upon your interactions with other people. We cannot do things on our own. We need others to help us, guide us, and give us what we need. Oh, there are times when I wish this was not the case! But it is a reality.
 

There will be times when it seems like other people are on a mission to destroy you. They seem to thwart all of your efforts and have you thinking that you are just an interruption and annoyance in their day. Unfortunately, you need them. Even though you will feel like you want to scream, swear and cry to get what you want, you need to approach these situations differently. It all comes down to proper communication and persuasion. And it all hinges on your own perception of the person and the situation.
 
When someone appears to be pulling attitude with you, or just generally not doing what you need or want them to do,  remember that it is rarely about you. It is not personal. Everyone has their own issues, and often the reactions that you get from people are a result of their own insecurities or background, which you know nothing about. And you may not need, or want to know that information!
 
All you need to do is keep your cool. Remember what the goal is… get what you need out of that person. Time to turn on your charm. Let them know that you understand where they are coming from and that you appreciate everything they are doing for you (even if they are blatantly NOT doing a thing for you), and then help them to understand where you are coming from. People are innately selfish, so focus on what they are going to get out of a successful transaction with you. Maintain your assertive position, but keep your emotions in check.
 
And if you need to lighten it up, just keep thinking to yourself “how sweet can I be to the B*#tch*s I encounter in my life?” (you may also insert an appropriate male gender specific title when the need arises).
 
Keep your communications light and sweet… do whatever it takes to make yourself smile even when you’re having a particularly difficult negotiation. Do not get discouraged if one conversation ends in you not getting what you wanted. It’s not personal. The important thing is to keep trying and keep smiling.  Namaste.

How can I deal with stress? Consider your needs.

Life can be hectic, and our own lofty goals can sometimes interfere with our feelings of happiness. Consider your happiness definition.

My 6 year old daughter Kayley reminded me tonight that “all you need to survive is food, and life and love”.

While we are frantically chasing down other things in our lives, we can forget that the simplest of things are often the most desirable and the most rewarding. Most of the time, we already have these simple things, but we are too busy to enjoy them.

Make some time to enjoy a relaxed, healthy meal with the people you love.  Truly savor the food that is nourishing your body and giving you the energy you need to live your best life.  Be grateful for the health you enjoy everyday.  And tell the people you love how much you love them.  And when they tell you how much they love you, let your heart swell with happiness. To be loved by anyone is an amazing feeling.

Be thankful for everything you already have in your life, and do not take anything for granted. Don’t forget to smile, especially if you feel like you don’t want to.  Namaste.