Monthly Archives: July 2013

What’s on your ‘to-do’ list today?

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Here’s the deal, we have a ton of stuff that is expected of us each and every day.  Some times it comes from our own internal ‘to-do’ lists and often it’s a mixture of responsibilities that come from work, family, and this thing we call life.  As I was working through my own tedious tasks today I couldn’t help but notice that none of my important items had to do with me, my well-being, or pretty much anything that made me feel light inside.  So I paused for a minute, jotted down a few things that I could (and would) do before my head hit the pillow tonight.

I list 21 items below but the idea is not to do them ALL today or maybe even all this week, but it’s a great start.  I simply wanted to write them down so I could work through a little every day.  It’s not an exhaustive list and I encourage you to add or adapt your own actions, but hopefully it will give you a nudge (if you need it) of inspiration to pause and pay special attention to your best resource, YOU!

Pick 1 or 2 or however many you think you can realistically do today and feel free to repeat the same list for tomorrow.  I truly hope and believe that any one of these actions would improve your overall sense of well-being, feeling of peace, or even relief (even for a just a moment).  I do offer a bit of explanation with a few of the items, but mostly that is for comical benefit.  I tend to use humor as a primary coping mechanism (hence, all the smiley faces all the time)!

  1. Smile. 🙂  See…it’s already working!
  2. Forgive yourself for something (could be for getting frustrated easily or maybe it’s just easing up some of that negative talk within your own head…)
  3. Hug yourself (or someone else). If you need instructions on hugging yourself:  take your left arm and place it on your right shoulder.  Then take your right arm, place it on your left shoulder.  Now squeeze.  I know, sounds silly, but works every time!
  4. Trust yourself.  If this seems too daunting, then start by asking yourself what it means to ‘trust yourself’.
  5. Write out a gratitude note.
  6. Replace a complaint with a positive statement.  Note:  the more you practice this one, the more you notice those around you who could use the practice!
  7. Slow down (yes, this is vague…it is supposed to be as only you know what that means for yourself.  Take it as literal as you like 🙂
  8. Hold the door open for the person behind you or perform any other random act of kindness.
  9. Say good morning (to everyone)!
  10. Tell someone you love them (this could be yourself as well….if you choose self, I recommend saying it in front of a mirror.  It has more impact when you see yourself saying it).
  11. Choose to be happy today (the whole day).
  12. Sit quietly for 5 minutes.  No talking, just listening.  Can be done with eyes open or closed, your choice.
  13. Embrace change.  Again, figure out what that means for you to ’embrace change’.
  14. Let go of something that no longer serves you.
  15. State a dream of yours out loud (doesn’t matter if anyone else hears it).
  16. Write out a definition of ‘love’ without using a dictionary.  Describe what it feels like, looks like, and how you know it exists.
  17. Practice patience.
  18. Stretch your body (arms, legs, whatever makes sense for you).
  19. Listen to your body (instead of a clock) to tell you when you are hungry and tired.
  20. Take 5 deep breaths.
  21. Smile.  Listed twice because it’s just that awesome!

Will these things change your life?  Probably not.  Will they lighten your heart? I surely hope so.  Be intentional today and move yourself and your well-being to the number one item on any of your ‘to-do’ lists!

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Are you feeling LUCKY today?

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Are you feeling LUCKY today?  I’m not talking about luck in the sense of go out and buy yourself a lottery ticket.  I’m talking about 4 fundamental concepts:  Love, Understanding, Compassion, and Kindness for Yourself.  Sure, it’s a quirky play on words but the idea is that we all can remember the word lucky and apply it to our emotions and well-being each day.

Here is how this works.  You, (me), or anyone having a tough day, feeling a little down, or simply just uninspired can think about LUCKY and what it means and how we are practicing it.  After all, I can imagine that if someone asks you if you feel lucky every day you may quickly respond no.  However, I believe that the more we practice LUCK the more we experience it as a natural state versus random and fleeting moments of coincidence.

The beautiful part about LUCK is that each of the actions support the other.  When we are feeling loving towards ourselves, we are more likely to feel compassion and kindness which leads to a deeper understanding.  If we begin thinking about how kind we are to self, then we instinctively draw upon love and compassion.  See, it’s almost fool-proof! I know, I know, it’s always easier said than done.  But that’s why we call it practice!

For today, and everyday, the challenge is simple:  ask yourself if you are feeling LUCKY and if the answer is no…then realize that you hold the key to change your own LUCK. Figure out a way to feel LUCK within yourself.  An easy trick is to think about what you would say to a close friend if you heard them citing the thoughts inside your head.  I mean, we all stick up for our friends when they mess up, make poor choices, or simply just feel blah. So use your best advice and embrace it within your own heart.

LUCK is not about making difficult experiences disappear or hurtful interactions to suddenly feel great or dismissing poor choices that have serious outcomes. It’s about using your best resource within yourself to get through whatever is happening with strength, hope, and love which ultimately allows you to navigate this crazy thing we call life.

Be intentional about how you treat yourself and ultimately your intentions will attract and support LUCK around you.  Just remember, none of us need a four-leaf clover or charm to feel fortunate, experience joy, practice gratitude, or find peace.  We have everything we need within us, we only have to choose to access it.  Have an awesome day and get your LUCK on!

An exercise worth trying during any season

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As the summer rolls on and time seems to pass at a quicker pace than I like to admit, I realize how important it is for me to remain as present as possible and cherish these days.  We talk about ‘being present’ all the time but I think this concept is as unique for each person as their own experiences.

For me, ‘being present’ is about recognizing an experience, acknowledging my energy, and appreciating my emotional response without getting caught up in interpreting the event or worry about what is going to happen next.  I know this sounds pretty direct but the truth is that it’s not always easy.  However, one of my favorite ways to embrace any moment (even the frustrating ones) is to smile and take a deep breath.

Try it out.  Pause, put a smile on your face, then take a deep breath in.  As you try this, you will become more aware of your body, your emotion, and tension that may be present. If you continue to smile and breathe for a few minutes you will notice that if tension is present, it starts to ease a bit and if you are feeling good to begin with, the smile only enhances your experience to its full capacity.

If you want to see the true magic of this simple exercise, try it during a challenging moment.  For instance; when someone has just said something offensive or hurtful or when something doesn’t go the way you would like.  The beautiful thing about smiling is that even if you don’t ‘mean’ the smile or you feel like you are forcing it, your body and mind respond just as if it is genuine.

So practice this exercise out this summer and remember that being present isn’t just about embracing amazing and beautiful moments; it’s about taking an active part in our own realities and remembering that we are wonderfully complex and thoughtful beings that are full of love, hope, and compassion.

Being present doesn’t have to take a lot of energy or even a lot of thought.  It just takes a moment to be totally real with ourselves and open to an experience.  The more we engage in this exercise, the better our hearts and minds will be to practice love and compassion for ourselves and for those around us.

Even though smiling may not be an exercise that helps you tone up your physical self;  it targets the most important part of our bodies….our heart and souls.   So go get your smile on and be present.  🙂