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8 Ideas for Finding More Joy

Have you ever climbed into bed wondering, “Where did the day go?” Have you ever felt you were on a treadmill–trying to go “somewhere” that never arrives? In our busy world, we often find ourselves living on auto-pilot with one day blurring into the next.

Several years ago, I implemented the “8 Challenge Life Principles” into my daily routine. These Principles take very little time and are so simple to implement–you could start using them tomorrow if you like. The Principles have allowed me to realize great contentment, happiness and meaning in every day. The days of auto-pilot living have been replaced by purpose-filled living through the application of the Challenge Life Principles.

Challenge Life Principle 1 ~ Good Morning: The first thing I do after opening my eyes each morning is say (aloud or to myself):  Something great is going to happen today–I can’t wait to see what it is! When I started this practice, it was a bit awkward–perhaps, because I was at a low-point and didn’t fully believe the words. I said it anyway. Every day! Soon after, great things started happening.  Why? … Because I was looking for them!

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Moving Beyond Mind Games: Tools for Healthy Thinking

You have likely seen this excerpt below before, but I want to share it with you and some insights about what it means beyond being a fun and interesting exercise for the brain. Please read the quote below:

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a ttoal mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Now let me ask you a few questions:

• Did you have any problem reading this sentence?
• Did you read what it actually says, or what you thought it said?
• What does that reveal about the way the mind works?

What became stunningly apparent to me after seeing this paragraph was the natural inclination of the mind to create meaning where none exists. In actuality, this paragraph doesn’t make any sense - if you read the actual words. Yet our mind quickly juxtaposes the words and interprets it in a logical way.

When we communicate with others, how often do we take what they say and interpret it to make sense to us, instead of hearing what they are actually saying? When we think our private thoughts (especially negative thoughts), how often do we distort what is actually happening or being said, and instead interpret something in a way that doesn’t actually have anything to do with the meaning?

Let me give you some examples of how this works in our daily lives. More »

Tags: negative thinking, postive thinking

Choosing Optimism

“I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” -Winston Churchill

I laughed when I came across this quote. Winston has a very good point, doesn’t he? We know what happens to the pessimists-they live a sad, pessimistic life. Since we can choose whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about any single situation in life, what use does pessimism serve? We have all chosen pessimism from time to time. We know what  it looks like: we feel bad about ourselves or the situation at hand. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like much fun to me! More »

Let’s get it done!

 ”We control what we look at. Start looking at what you can control. Brook Noel

 Good morning! Often, we desire change in our lives during those times when we feel completely overwhelmed! Because we feel weighed down by life, we desire change. It is a catch-22: the change we desire is hard to reach because we feel so overwhelmed. Welcome to the number-one reason that people start to change, and also the number-one reason most people fall off the wagon.

To honor the self we begin each day with a simple good morning. We begin by learning to complete steps that build us up instead of tear us down.

There is a great story in Level Six Performance by Stephen Long, about how a hammer isn’t actually a tool until someone picks it up. Until that point it is just a funny looking shape; it may as well be an art object. The hammer doesn’t derive purpose as a tool until someone uses it. I have heard a similar analogy with the postage stamp. Until you put it on something, it is just a little square piece of sticky paper. We can buy all the tools in the world, look at them, and study them, but they don’t actually become tools until we start using them.

Imagine that you had never properly used a hammer before, so you sign up for a building class. Oddly, the first assignment the instructor gives is to build a house. How do you think you would do? I don’t think it would work real well. Why? Well, not only do you not have any practice with the hammer, but a house would also require many other tools that you likely don’t have experience with. How would you master the hammer and all the other tools? I don’t know about you, but I think I would drop out of that class.

While the hammer and house story may sound silly, many of us are trying to build something even bigger -our lives-without first mastering the simplest tools.

On any given day, if any of us were to look at the whole picture of life, surely it would be overwhelming. So, why look at it? It only paralyzes us and stops us from making any progress in the place where we can be effective-today-right now! You don’t need to build your entire life right now: just build today. Make today matter.

Your Turn:
Instead of looking at the whole picture, focus in on a single area. Ask: What can I do right now that makes a difference? And then take that little step, and another little step, and another little step. There will always be things that aren’t done-but today we both have twenty-four hours (less sleep time) to do what matters. Let’s get it done.

Today’s Affirmation:
I focus my attention and energies on making today matter.

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Affirmative Statements

Afirmative statements (or affirmations) are positively phrased sentences in the present tense. We strip out the “I should, I will, I’m going to…” and replace those words with “I am.” Let’s use the basic example of health to show how this process feeds the mind.

Example A: A woman is full of unhealthy habits that she wants to change. Month after month she says, “I want to become healthier.” When her favorite dessert is passed around at a dinner party, she takes some. Why? Because she wants to become healthier—at some point! Not today. She sees that in her future, not in her now. As long as that remains in her future, she won’t take any action toward it in the present.

Example B: The same unhealthy woman says, “I am a healthy person.” (An affirmative statement) At that same dinner party, when her favorite dessert is passed, she doesn’t take any. Why? Because she is a healthy person. She has already identified with it and become it, simply by affirming it. She’s not taking action tomorrow; she’s taking action right now.

The differences between this woman in Example A and Example B are very subtle. She didn’t go out and buy a membership to a club, or revamp her cupboards, or purchase expensive exercise equipment or diet plans. She changed her thinking, and her thinking changed her action. Isn’t it incredible to realize that the changes you desire are within your reach? The primary tool you need is your mind. Change is a matter of learning how to work with your mind, versus against it.

Also in this above example, that simple shift of mind did make her a healthier person. The person in example B is making better decisions both physically and mentally.

Attitudes are a lot like our hair! If not maintained daily we will get snarls and split ends! Brook Noel

Also in this above example, that simple shift of mind did make her a healthier person. The person in example B is making better decisions both physically and mentally.

That seems too easy… More »

Tags: affirmations, inspiration