We all have years where we are in denial or have a hard time getting into the holiday spirit. When that has happened to me I have always regretted it later, so, I make sure to nurture the Christmas spirit in my heart. Here are some of my favorite ways to do so.
We all have our moments of sadness, whether they are based on something that happened or seem to just show up for no reason. For many of us, these sad moments can keep piling up, leading to long term low moods or even depression.
We can feel helpless when that happens.
But, we don’t have to if we remember these 3 things:
Have you ever noticed that as people get older they become more entrenched in the way they view the world? I remember one woman I met while volunteering at an Alzheimer’s facility. She was always smiling and would get really excited about simple things like a game of Bingo. Her positive mindset was helping her stay happy and enjoy better moods during a challenging time of her life.
And then, I remember my dad. He would complain endlessly about people who he felt took advantage of him or what was wrong with the world. Visiting him meant listening to much repeated stories of things that had gone wrong in his life. He was angry, hateful and sad and I always felt drained after visiting him.
Both of these people had chosen a way of thinking that programmed their brains year after year until they were living fully in the mindsets they created.
I’ve recently returned to the practice of journaling gratitude at the end of each day. I was feeling off center and a bit ungrounded and this is something that has worked for me in the past. It has been one of my favorite practices since Oprah talked about it decades ago and recent studies have shown it improves mood and well-being.
Even when our days feel good, there is always room for improvement. It doesn’t mean you have to put a lot of effort into it. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that can brighten your day the most.
Here are some simple and easy ways to make your days feel great:
Many of the people I talk to as a Life Coach tell me they wish they had less clutter in their homes. It comes up so often it feels like a cultural trend. When they are working on clearing out stuff, one of the things they often get stuck on is getting rid of unused or unloved gifts. They seem to feel a sense of obligation to display or keep whatever has been given to them.
For those of you who don’t know, this is Daisy. Today is the 3rd anniversary of her adoption day and I am grateful that she has come into my life. Daisy is my first dog so I had a lot to learn. I had always wanted one, but lived in apartments and condos for years and didn’t feel I had the right space. Once I moved to a home with a yard the time just felt right.
We’ve had a lot of adventures together and I’ve learned a lot from this little girl who seems to have taken over my life.
Here are a few of the top lessons:
Too often, we find ourselves thinking about life and the things within it as hard, difficult or something we feel forced to do. We dread what will come next and brace ourselves for the work that will be required of us to keep up with the musts, shoulds and have tos we decide to take on.
We wonder why life is so hard, heavy and scary, not realizing it doesn’t have to be.
Not if you approach it as play.
The holiday season can be pretty crazy with gifts to buy, food to make, and events to attend. Sometimes they can keep you so busy that you never quite get into the feeling of what the holidays should be. When that happens, try one of these ideas to bring some sanity into this time of year. Continue reading
Living a heartfelt life is one of the most peaceful and joyful ways to experience this world. It’s pretty much the opposite of what we see around us. Most people are too busy, too worried, and completely disconnected from their heart’s wisdom.
Once you start experiencing heartfelt moments you will crave them more and more. But, how is it possible to shape your entire life around them? It’s not as hard as you think and when you do it will feel like coming home to the life you were meant to live.
It often starts as a small voice and then builds into a yearning for a simpler life and the peace it brings. I believe it’s the voice of your soul calling you away from worldly distractions and back into your heart.
You can try to avoid the calling or postpone taking action, but you will never be able to turn it off fully. It will be there until you make changes that realign your life with your heart’s desire.
If you know me, you know I like to keep things simple and this may be one of the simplest posts I ever write.
After decades of learning, studying, supporting clients and working on myself, I think I’ve found the secret to living the life I want. It might be something you will want to try, too.
Now that many of us have been staying home for awhile due to Covid-19 we can find ourselves dealing with feelings of boredom, frustration or even depression. It can be challenging to stay positive when your world has been turned upside down.
Many of us are staying home in cooperation with various quarantines and lockdowns due to Covid 19. This creates an unusual pause in our lives that we can fill in many ways.
Most people get restless after a few days of rest and watching Netflix. It’s an odd feeling to have a forced staycation. But, there are several meaningful ways that you can spend your time. Here are a few I’m recommending to my clients:
My holidays have run the gamut from being so poor I could only afford a few thrift store toys for my son to being completely overwhelmed by preparing a holiday meal, attending parties, and finding the perfect gifts for friends, family, and co-workers.
What I’ve learned is that I do best when I keep my holidays simple and close to my heart. I may be crazy, but I think that might be true for most of us. Continue reading
I’m beginning to think that human beings are hard wired to focus on what is wrong. We have high expectations of ourselves, others, and the world in general and these expectations set us up to feel disappointed when they don’t come true.
Our minds are programmed to always look for what is wrong or what is missing and this keeps us grounded in the negative. When we think negative thoughts we feel bad and are not as effective as we could be.
There are a lot of disappointed and unhappy people out there. Are you one of them?
There is something stirring in the women around me. I hear it in my conversations with clients and friends. They describe feeling like they are on the edge of something new. Something that is calling to their hearts. Some know what it is and others are still waiting for the voice to become more clear.
One of the things I loved about my friend Sybil while she was on this earth was her joy in bringing people together for food and stimulating conversation. She loved to listen and bask in the warmth of being surrounded by interesting friends.
As she was losing her ability to speak, she started writing letters to us. I came across a few of them recently and they were full of amusing observations and appreciation for the people around her. I could almost here her chuckling between the lines. Continue reading
Even as we are out spending money on gifts for our loved ones, we are surrounded by people for whom the holidays are challenging. They may feel stressed, alone, depressed, or be having financial difficulties.
So, I encourage you to take the spirit of the season to a new level by giving in little random ways that can make all the difference for someone in need. Here are some ideas to get you started: Continue reading
On this eve of Thanksgiving my thoughts are on all that I have to be thankful for and my heart is full. This afternoon, I will be playing Secret Turkey by putting messages of hope, gratitude and joy in mailboxes and on car windshields of people I don’t know.
Practicing thankfulness and gratitude are a part of my life all year, not just on Thanksgiving. There are studies that show gratitude practices can relieve depression, foster a sense of well-being, and even rewire your brain for happiness. If I start to feel low, the first thing I think of is refreshing my gratitude practice because I know it helps. Continue reading