I found it very interesting that the #1 New Year’s Resolution (as reported by Good Morning America), is that people just want to be happy with their life. Honestly, that is what I am doing.
For me, it means taking care of other things, which in turn, make for a happier (and less stressed) me! I find that when I feel better, I treat others better. My kids are happier. My husband smiles more. It is amazing how the way that we feel about ourselves affects those around us as much as it does.
While it all sounds great in theory, it can be difficult to really make this idea turn into reality. I’m sharing what I do to reach happiness in my own life. I hope these ideas work for you too.
1. Do it for yourself. Trying to be happy to make others happy will never work. Before you can ever achieve any change in your life, you have to do it for yourself. That is the case when it comes to losing weight or just eating healthier. It is also true when it comes to being in better control of your finances. If you do anything for someone else, you are destined for failure.
2. Think before you speak. This one can be difficult. You hear people say things like if you just tell someone what you think you will feel better. That is not always true. Sometimes, you end up feeling even worse.
This is one thing I tell my kids all of the time. I tell them to stop and think about what they want to say. First of all, you can’t undo your words. There is no delete or backspace button to hit. Those words can hurt someone else dearly and make you feel worse.
So, before you actually speak, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Do I NEED to say this?
- Will it make a difference?
- Will it hurt someone?
- How will I feel once I say it?
Once you run through those thoughts, you might find that you really do not need to say what is on your mind and may end up feeling better.
3. Let it go. I apologize as most of you are now probably singing the song in your mind and if you weren’t until you read that, you are now). Sadly though, Elsa’s got a point.
Holding onto things just weighs you down. You need to find a way to let issues and negativity go. This is very difficult to do.
Sit down and make a list of all of the negative things holding you down. It doesn’t matter if you think it is ridiculous or if someone else thinks it is foolish. If it is causing you stress and negativity, then you need to add it to your list.
When you are done, burn it. I mean literally…. get-out-the-matches-and-light-that-thing-on-fire. You will see that negativity burning up right in front of you. As the smoke rises, it takes all of those things with it.
Of course, this can’t work for all issues, but you might be surprised to find out how much better you feel.
4. Pray. This sound so simple, but it is honestly the most powerful one for me. When life gets to be too much, I have to remember to just turn it over to the Lord. He knows what I can handle, but sometimes, I need his help.
I’ve even done the same thing as in step 3. I write down the things with which I need his help. I burn it and send it up to heaven. I honestly just gave it all up to him. It was too much for me to handle anymore.
It was amazing as I began to feel better. I was sleeping better. I was eating better. All because of one simple action.
5. Take care of yourself. A healthy lifestyle directly relates to how you feel. Drinking plenty of water, eating healthy foods and getting the sleep you need all make you healthy. As an added perk, it affects your mood!
Try to cut out those heavy foods that make you feel horrible after you eat them (you know which ones do this for you). Replace them with healthier options and you will begin to feel better.
What I love about this one is the added perk of trimming my waistline, too! 😉