Tag Archives: Happiness

Finding My Way Home

18 Monday Mar 2013

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Finding My Way HomeLast night I was leaving San Jose where I had just heard Robert Holden, the author of Happiness Now speak. I was feeling happy, peaceful and filled with love. I got in my car and expected to be home in just over an hour.

I had confidence in being able to follow the freeway signs and navigate my way home. After 15 minutes I realized I wasn’t traveling on the same freeway I took to get there. I followed signs to San Francisco, knowing I was heading in the right direction, yet 30 minutes later I still was second guessing if I was on a route that was going to get me home to the East Bay.

Then, I had an epiphany. Recognizing that my feeling of happiness was being gradually taken over by stress, frustration and uncertainty, and wanting to get back to feeling happy, I had I asked myself, “What could I have done differently that would have been loving to myself?”

The answer was clear. The most loving thing I could do for myself when unfamiliar with an area would be to get out a map or turn on the navigation in my car or on my phone BEFORE driving.

I eventually made it home, as I always do, and I’m looking forward to creating a different experience for myself next time. What’s one area of your life where you could be more loving towards yourself?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Reclaim The Space In Your Head

28 Monday Jan 2013

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Reclaim The Space In Your HeadIt may be time to reclaim the space in your head taken up by thoughts of people who have hurt you. How often do you think about someone you resent? If you are harboring anger and resentment towards someone it may be time to clear out those thoughts.

Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace. It’s not about them.  It’s not about forgetting what they have done.  It’s not about agreeing with them.  It’s about you coming to terms with what happened, letting it go, and reclaiming the space they take up in your head.

The following is a process that you can do privately or with support of a trusted friend or mental health professional.  This process does not include any interaction with the person you have resentment towards.

1. Decide that you want peace around this person or event.

2. Write down all of the hurtful things you experienced.

3. Write (but don’t send) a letter to the person expressing your feelings of anger, resentment, hurt, pain, sadness, etc.

4. Next, write to the person what you needed and didn’t get, how you would have liked it to be.

5. Look over all of your writings.  Fully experience what ever feelings come up.

6. When you are ready, declare your forgiveness. If you desire, you can symbolize your forgiveness by safely burning your writings, shredding them or burying them.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

What Are You Looking Forward To?

18 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in Family Fun, Healthy Mind

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What Are You Looking Forward ToNo matter what your age, having something to look forward to that’s fun, special or different can help us get through our day-to-day routine.

Anticipating an upcoming event, outing or get-together, builds excitement and may even cause us to daydream about it, similar to being in meditation.

When have something to look forward to we may experience ourselves smiling more, being more kind to others and ourselves, and more tolerant of things that normally annoy us. In other words, having something to look forward may have a positive affect on our happiness, well-being, and even our productivity.

What are you looking forward to?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Another Reason to Eat Healthy

17 Thursday Jan 2013

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Another Reason to Eat HealthyWould you eat healthier if you were told it would make you feel happier? A recent study in the journal of Social Indicators Research, found that people who eat seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day have the highest mental well-being and are the happiest.

So what could seven servings of fruit and vegetables look like?

Breakfast could include one or two servings: a banana, 1/2 grapefruit, an orange, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, melon, or cantaloupe.

A mid-morning snack could include one serving: an apple, pear, grapes, carrots, celery, or red bell peppers.

Lunch could include two or more servings: a green salad with raw or cooked vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, red bell peppers, celery, or cucumber. Or vegetable soup, coleslaw, kale salad, beet salad, broccoli cranberry salad, or cauliflower salad.

An afternoon snack could include one serving: same as mid-morning snack.

Dinner could include two or more servings: vegetable soup, a salad, cooked greens, roasted vegetables, mixed vegetables, steamed broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots. spinach, zucchini, bok choy, or string beans.

It’s easy to add fruit and vegetable servings to what you already eat when you plan ahead!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

The Domino Effect

07 Monday Jan 2013

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The Domino Effect

Have you ever stopped to think about the impact of what you say and do has on others? The effect of what we say and do, good or bad, ripples out beyond ourselves, and even beyond the people we interact with.

One random act of kindness, as simple as a smile or a kind word, can cause a domino effect, positively impacting the recipient, which then sets the tone for them to conduct themselves in a positive way, and who knows how many other people will be effected, all because one person decided to spread some kindness.

What you do matters and can change the direction and path of not only the people you personally encounter, but also the people they encounter, and on it goes.

Choose your words and deeds wisely!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Care or Curse Your Body?

20 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by in Healthy Body

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On a continuum, of lovingly caring for your body on one end, and cursing your body on the other, where do you see your level of care? Do you feel let down or betrayed by your body? Do you appreciate all that it does for you?

We only get one body, and the messages we tell ourselves about our body can significantly affect how well we care for ourselves. What if treating your body with kindness was the answer to feeling better, less stressed, more confident, and possibly the answer to overcoming an illness, injury or weight issue?

You only get one body. Treat it with the kindness, love, respect and care that it and you deserve.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Happiness is…

15 Monday Oct 2012

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When I was growing up I had this little book by Charles Schultz called, Happiness is a Sad Song. Happiness has to do with what meaning you give something. Some people are happy being sentimental, others are happy when they accomplish something, while others are happy when they are with friends or family.

Happiness is a choice. Find what makes you happy and warms your heart or makes you feel alive.

Here is part of my Happiness is … list:

Hearing my favorite songs

Peach color roses

Flannel pajamas

An outdoor meditation in the sunshine on a cool day

The turning of Fall leaves

What’s on your Happiness is… list? Type a few in the comments below.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

I’m All Ears!

12 Friday Oct 2012

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When was the last time you felt someone give you their undivided attention? Our lives, and especially the lives of children today, are so busy, filled with things to do and places to be, that we rarely stop long enough to acknowledge each other, yet alone take the time to really listen.

Here are some suggestions to increase connections with people of all ages who matter to you:

1. Make eye-contact.

2. Stop what you are doing long enough to be present.

3. Schedule some one-on-one time to talk, laugh, play and have fun.

4. Give your full attention to the other person so that they may feel seen and heard.

5. Listen with interest.

6. Be curious and ask questions.

7. Put judgments aside.

8. Reply with kindness, encouragement or something positive.

9. Share your happiest moments of the day with each other.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Whose Problem Is It?

01 Monday Oct 2012

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If you are like me, you may find yourself sometimes taking on what’s not yours. I like solving problems, think I have a lot to offer, and enjoy helping others.  So what’s the matter with that?

When I do for others what they can do for themselves:

1. I take away the opportunity for them to solve their own problems and build confidence, skills and resiliency.

2. It prevents them from finding their way, maybe having to struggle to grow their own wings.

3. I may be giving the message that they aren’t capable or that I don’t trust them to solve their own problems.

4. It puts the focus on them and off of me. Then I have to ask myself, Who’s life am I living?

Just think how life would be if everyone took care of what was their’s to handle.  It would free up those of us who tend to over do and allow others the chance to learn and grow.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Would You Trade Your Problems For Someone Elses?

24 Monday Sep 2012

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I was washing dishes not too long ago, helping out a friend who was recovering from surgery. I thought about how often I hear about different peoples’ problems that seem so challenging.

Whether it’s health, weight, relationships, work, a living situation, or finances, in the context of other peoples lives, these problems can look so much worse than what we are each dealing with. I am by no means suggesting you minimize your own challenges, yet by looking at someone else’s life, it can give you an appreciation of your own situation, even if it isn’t ideal or close to the way you would like it at this moment. While we all have our own struggles, we can appreciate the aspects of our life that are working as well as they are.

I think I’ll keep my own issues.  They are familiar and most days seem manageable. How about you? Would you trade your problems for someone elses?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis