Don’t Give Up! 5 Tips to Help You When Life Feels Hard

Don’t Give Up! 5 Tips to Help You When Life Feels Hard

Don’t Give Up! 5 Tips to Help You When Life Feels Hard

Life can be hard. Being alive right now is no easy task and it can feel utterly overwhelming at times. I get it – why many people choose to settle for the mundane, repetitive, just-getting-by, half-happy life. For many, that may be easier than stretching beyond comfort zones when you know lessons will still come.
Especially in these times which are radically changing, and we are experiencing extreme highs and lows, you may wonder why you are here, what is your purpose in life, and how to get through to the next day.

As creator of The Happy Channel and author of The Love Channel: Finding Your Way to Happiness, I still don’t have all the answers, yet there are little things I practice that help me get through rough times. Because I have icky moments too. We all have them. No one is immune to learning lessons or being uncomfortable. So here’s 5 things I like to do to stay sane when going through a rough patch.

  1. Speak with an advisor. You do not walk this path alone, because you are not alone. Aside from our Angels and Guides watching over us, we live in a world with billions of people. For a reason. I speak with a Spiritual Advisor as often as needed because receiving help is nice. Also, having another perspective can widen the tunnel vision beyond what you initially thought possible.
  2. Be grateful for things, big and small. I may not have a home that feels like a sanctuary yet, and I’m still grateful to have a home. When I can’t sleep, I’m grateful I have a bed. When I have big milestone moments – and dreams I’ve had for years come true, I am grateful. When it’s sunny out, I am grateful. Waking up let’s me know I have another opportunity – to heal, to have fun, to rest, whatever I want. The key is I’m alive, so I’m grateful for that.
  3. Clean. Cleaning your home will clear energy. When I clean, not only does it smell nice, it enables me to enjoy more areas that I may initially choose not to occupy because of the mess. And chances are, once you clean one area of your life, other areas will be easier to tackle and you may feel happier.
  4. Watch uplifting movies. Vegging out and watching a funny or light-hearted movie will: 1) Pass the time, and 2) Put your attention elsewhere. Sometimes when I’m traveling and feel sad, I’ll rent a movie so that I’m not focusing on my sadness, and it helps. Sometimes I’ll go into a “movie trance” and when it’s over I feel like I escaped for a little while. It’s a good break.
  5. Go for a walk. Walking in nature can clear so much energy and when I walk the beach, it is definitely a form of meditation. So instead of sitting in one place with my eyes closed, “trying” to find peace and clarity, a walk gets me out into fresh air and usually gives me the peace of mind I crave. At the very least I get to commune with the world around me and connect with the animals.

You are not alone. I repeat this often in my teachings because there are SO many people here to help you. Pray for assistance if you need it. Your happiness is deserved and life is meant to be enjoyed. Don’t give up!

‘Til next time, thanks for reading and keep on truckin’!

Why Kissing a Boo-Boo Makes It All Better

Why Kissing a Boo-Boo Makes It All Better

Why Kissing a Boo-Boo Makes It All Better

When you were little, did your mom, dad, grandmother or other fantastic human being, kiss your boo-boo when you got hurt? Did you feel better after? Like it was truly going to be okay?

There’s a reason why your boo-boo heals quicker when it’s kissed with love – love heals everything!

Your body responds to the vibration of love. And if you treat your body like it IS a temple – what happens when it needs to be repaired? Do you repair it? How do you repair it? By getting angry at it or do you handle with care?

When you handle yourself with care, you will feel A-O-K. Even if you’re not little anymore, that doesn’t mean the kid in you doesn’t need TLC time. Your body will thank you if you kiss your own boo-boo! It’s not weird, I do it all the time! If I bang my knee on the corner of the table, I will kiss my fingers and put them on my knee. If I hurt my hand, I kiss the area that feels pain. I also let my body know it’s going to be okay, and I instantly feel better!

So, next time you get a boo-boo, kiss it, and make it all better!

‘Til next time, thanks for reading and here’s to a body loved by you!

Working Overtime

Working Overtime

Working Overtime

In my last post, ‘Why You Need a Vacation from Your Vacation‘ I talked about the need for balance and rest in your life.

I recently had to bring my car in for service and while I had a loaner for a few days, I realized that the service guys work 6 days a week! Actually, most people in the dealership and service center work 6 days a week. I found that to be an extraordinary commitment to the company.

I asked a Manager if he loved his job and he said, “Love, that’s not a word I like to throw around casually. I love my dog…and like my job.” He went on to say it’s what’s he’s been doing for many years, since college, it’s what he knows and is compensated fairly.

But I wonder, how does someone find balance with only 1 day off a week? Even if all employees receive very fair compensation, how and when would they be able to enjoy that income?

Many Entrepreneurs tend to work overtime in the beginning, to establish their business(es). I often work 5-7 days a week, but I am able to set my own schedule. And, there’s an added benefit to working for yourself, in that, you are working for yourself! All those hours put in, are to directly benefit your business, which ultimately benefits YOU. There’s also an added sense of pride, joy and freedom when completing a task. Even though starting your own business means you’ll often take a pay cut to begin, your energy and effort will be your own, driven by your dreams and inspiration. (Not your boss’s needs.)

So, I ask you, do you love what you do? Would you do it for free? If the answer is no, why not?

A morbid thought, but one to think about, if you knew you were going to die within the year, would you do anything different? Would you quit your job and take a long awaited and needed vacation? Would you spend more time with your family? Would you move to another city?

At the end of your days, will your boss be by your bedside thanking you for your contribution? Would you even want your boss there? A career need not define your life. Actually, it’s quite the opposite! Your life and the enjoyment of it; experiencing love, family, friends, adventure, and many lessons learned, can help define your life’s path. Let your skills and natural abilities guide and lead you on a path that will fulfill you. And if there’s something you’ve always wanted to learn, go take a class and let that YEARNING guide you too.

You CAN love your job. You CAN love going to work and contributing your skills and being of service. You CAN love working 6 days a week! It’s all possible. The questions I ask are, do you truly love where you work? Do you truly feel you have enough time for yourself? Do you truly know what you need to be happy? Start there.

Please, remember, you chose to be here. To LIVE, to LOVE, and have experiences. To work, yes, and to ENJOY! And, eventually your work won’t feel like ‘work’ because you will love it! If you’re not enjoying life, more often than not, please know you have the ability to change that. Choose to love your life! You deserve it!

 

‘Til next time, thanks for reading and choose to love yourself, to love your life! 🙂

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Why You Need a Vacation From Your Vacation

Why You Need a Vacation From Your Vacation

Why You Need a Vacation From Your Vacation

How often have you come back from a vacation exhausted, only to be waking up early the next morning to go back to work? Do you ever feel like it would be great to have a few days to relax and unpack before getting back to the grind?

With the drive to do more, be more and work as hard as you can to make it, many people are taking less and less time for themselves, often opting to forego their vacation time, and put in longer hours. Well, not only does this rob you of downtime you desperately need, your health will likely suffer.

No one can sustain themselves by always going, going, going, and not take a break. Americans are taking less time off, and even when they have a week to go play, a week is barely enough time to recover from burnout.

How many days do you get off per year including sick days? Have you ever not taken your time off or rolled your days over into the next year? Have you ever felt resentful towards people who do take time off? Have you experienced any irritability from not getting enough “you time?”
There is a way to alleviate this.

5 Tips to Help You In-Between Vacations

      1. Set boundaries! When you leave work, leave your work, and all conversations about it, at the office. Leave the building and be free! Turn off the “work” phone. If you work for yourself, set up blocks of time where you commit to taking a break. Many entrepreneurs must make their own schedule, as 9-5 doesn’t usually cut it, however, you can still work in increments of time, giving yourself opportunities to eat, sleep, exercise and play.[adev_gap size=”12px” class=”” id=””]
      2. Commit to exercising! Exercising sometimes feels like a drag. Like it’s something you have to do. And while it is to some degree, if you want to maintain your health in a particular way, time for exercising, is also more YOU time. Walking around the block, taking the stairs at work, going for a bike ride, going on a hike, all of these moments are to benefit you. You don’t need to make it hard. Walking, just walking can be great for your state of mind. Walk in a park, on the beach, down the street, around the lake, and even on a treadmill with great music in your ears, and it will break up lots of energy, and give you energy too![adev_gap size=”12px” class=”” id=””]
      3. Take your days off! Use them up. Go play! If you only have a few days (like a weekend), a road trip can be a great excursion. Go places you’ve had on your list to see! Or, if you just need a day of rest, do that! Sleep in! Ask someone to watch your kids and take a day for yourself! (And put your phone in another room so you are not distracted by social media, or emails coming in.)[adev_gap size=”12px” class=”” id=””]
      4. Ask for help! Seek guidance when needed. Maybe you need a different job that doesn’t drain you. I was watching Family Feud the other day and one of the questions was, “On a scale from 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the work you are doing in the world?” And 2 women answered, “5” and “3”. 10 was the number one answer. If you feel the same as these ladies, that’s a sign to leave your job and find something that inspires you. Talk with people in the industry you want to work. Ask for guidance. Love what you do, it will make a difference![adev_gap size=”12px” class=”” id=””]
      5. Leave time for rest! When you book your vacations, make sure you are leaving some time for rest. If you leave on the 8p flight after work, and fill your vacation with back-to-back activities, and then arrive home at 8p the day before you go back to work, you will surely still be burntout. If you’ve never done this before, the next time you book your vacation days, give yourself time on either end to relax. Also, while on vacation, wake up each morning and decide after you wake up, what you want to do. Give yourself the freedom to just BE. With nothing to do, nowhere to be, this newfound freedom might inspire you and also relax you, which is the point of you being on vacation!

This is your life. It’s happening now and you are either living for yourself, or you are living for someone else. Choose wisely and know that you are meant to ENJOY life. So, find work you love, take time for yourself, play and share all this goodness which you are with others!

‘Til next time, thanks for reading, and let’s go somewhere magical!

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Your Degree Doesn’t Matter to Me

Your Degree Doesn’t Matter to Me

Your Degree Doesn’t Matter to Me

Your degree doesn’t matter to me, especially if you’re an unkind person.

I read a great article titled, “I’m a Harvard Graduate and My Partner Is A High School Dropout.” Gina Florio, an Emory and Harvard graduate, talked about the educational pressures she experienced, while in school and in her romantic life. She says, “I spent two years struggling to make a toxic relationship work with a fellow Harvard grad boyfriend. He was exactly the kind of guy I felt like I should be with…” When she met Myles, a high school dropout, her perspective changed, and so did her life.

Degrees don’t separate us, it’s our belief that they do.

We live in a society that places importance on being better than your neighbor, aka competition. And if you are a competitive person, you will often find ways to belittle others, so you can feel better about yourself. This also applies to our education. Whether you have it or not. Whether you went to a “good” school or not. Whether you graduated or not. And when we meet people, socially, romantically or for work purposes, we often ask, “where did you go to school?”

Education is great to have, and, it can come to you in many different ways. Just getting out of your house can be an education. Traveling will teach you a lot. If you don’t like to fly, drive to the next city, next state, or take a train. There are adult classes offered all over the world, and online too. Take classes that are related to your interests. Does it matter what you learn? Yes, because if you love what you learn, you will teach it to others.

Next time you ask someone where they went to school, check in with yourself and be honest, why are you asking?
Your awareness of this simple little question, may have a big impact.

‘Til next time, thanks for reading and Happy Learning!