In turbulent times, it is more important than ever to remain grounded and adopt an optimistic attitude.  The energy crisis we are experiencing is not a lack of oil, but rather the energy shortage of joy. Feeling happy and being optimistic are the key ingredients to being able to weather the economic and political storm. You can choose to shield yourself  and hide under th an umbrella and brace for the worst ;  or you can turn the umbrella upside down and catch the raindrops.... making the best of the situation. FEAR can be defined as False Emotion Appearing Real and if you refuse to buy into the scarcity and deprivation feelings you can be empowered tofeel happy here and now.

Step1 Make the Happiness Decision

 

l  Happiness is your birthright, you are entitled to it and you do not have to pursue it.

l  We are conditioned to believe that happiness is conditional( I will be happy when….; if…… ).

l  You cannot find something where it isn’t. Stop struggling; stop searching. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Happiness is the core of who you are.

l  It is not the events that happen to us that determine our happiness, rather it is the way we react to or interpret the event that creates our reality.

l  Take control over your life and realize that you alone are response- able for your happiness.

l  People like what is familiar, even if it is not working for you. In order to change that perception, choose to make a conscious choice and decision each and every day for a perception change to occur.

Exercise: Wake up 5 minutes earlier each day and develop a practice of centering and focusing your energy in a positive way. Some people listen to calming music, others meditate or follow a guided meditation. Develop a practice that puts your intention in a positive state.

 

Step 2 Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude

l  Focus is the combination of thought and emotions.

l  When you combine gratitude with focus, you create an amplifier for your experience.

l  If you spend time worrying and being anxious about money, for example, then you will continue o experience a lack of money.

l  If you spend time focusing and being grateful for the money you do have, you will start to experience abundance.

l  Having a genuine appreciation for what you have right now, is a very powerful turbo charger for experiencing happiness and creating positive changes in your life.

l  Gratitude also requires facing the dark and negative things or people in your life; things that have caused you pain, anger or unpleasant feelings.

l  Often the greatest gifts come from our most painful experiences. They often come to teach us something new or to build character.

 

 

 

 

Exercises for Gratitude:

 

1.     List three people who energise or who you appreciate and why?

2.     List two positive experiences that happened today that you are grateful for and why?

3.     List one negative experience you had today and the gifts that you can take away from the experiences.

4.     Create a gratitude list; a catalog of all the wonderful things to be happy about. Use the list as a reminder through the day when things are challenging.

5.     Create a practice of gratitude in a way that makes sense to you.

6.      As a variation, change the focus of what you are grateful for. For example  one day  think of 5 foods you are grateful for; the next  day five people; five events etc. to keep it fresh.

Stay tuned as we elevate our happiness levels when we climb the next steps...

Change your thinking... change your life

Create the feelings of happiness here and now

Use your strengths and talents to live an engaged and meaningful life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason that we find ourselves in such a financial meltdown is not a reflection of the greedy wall street bankers but rather a consequence of us looking for happiness in all the wrong places. We all bought in to the false beliefs that built a false reality that built upon itself. When the illusion could no longer be sustained, it collapsed, as it had to because there was nothing real there to begin with.