When was the last time that you found yourself surrounded by happiness and stopped to make a note (mental or actual!) of what you were doing/seeing/experiencing that elated you so?
There are so many things in life — both big and small — that make us happy. Yet, most of us never take a moment to record those moments of happiness to identify patterns, people and places that make our days brighter, lighter and happier. Very few people put thought into integrating more of these experiences into their lives. We simply wait for those moments of happiness to come to us instead of seeking them out and making them, when possible, part of our daily lives.
Action may not always bring happiness;
but there is no happiness without action.
-Benjamin Disraeli
The next time you find yourself in a particularly happy place, take a moment to write down what you’re doing. Who your with. How you feel and why you feel it. Take action to move more of this happiness into your life.
I follow the Harvard Business Review on Twitter and while their content doesn’t always apply to me and my readers, every now and again a really great article pops up that I just have to share. Yesterday, life coach Elizabeth Grace posted a wonderful piece about thought-patterns of success.
Up until a few years ago I was plagued by harmful thought patterns. Constant comparisons, inability to recognize success, not giving myself the focus that I deserve. I eventually figured this all out on my own — recognizing thought patterns that need to be tweaked (or overhauled!) so that I could see a bit more clearly.
How did I change my thought patterns?
Actually, by doing what Elizabeth recommends at the end of the article. I wrote stuff down. A lot of stuff. Sometimes when you see your insecurities/shortcomings/crazy-wacky-thoughts in print, it’s easier to come to terms with them; to reshape them into realistic and healthy thoughts instead.
Which of the harmful thought patterns in Elizabeth’s article did you find yourself nodding in agreement with? How can you morph her helpful solution into one that’s tailored just for you?
There is nothing that I love more than a powerful quote with lots of inspirational impact. They appear often in my posts, but I’m collecting them into one quote library on the site. Here are some favorites…
When you live abroad in a dreamy place like Florence, you often hear folks that say “I wish I lived there” or “I wish I could live abroad.” With a little prodding, I usually quickly discover they don’t actually wish they lived here, it just sounds adventurous and fun.
So, my question for you (and it’s a big one) is this.
What do you wish for?
Like, really wish for.
Stop thinking about what you’ve heard/seen/read other people doing and think really clearly about what you wish for. What about that wish gets you all warm and fuzzy on the inside? How can you make that wish come true?
