What to Do When Things Aren't "Right"

Hi Everyone!

It's been an interesting past couple of weeks. Most of this "interesting-ness" has prevented me, in one way or another, from getting to my blogging. While I'm not going to go into all of the issues of the past couple weeks, I will say that they have mainly affected my attitude and willingness to sit still to actually accomplish anything. Good thing for me it has been Spring Break and I have not been "required" to get anything done. 

Finally, I have managed to drag myself to the keyboard, given myself an attitude "adjustment" and said it's time to make some progress. Hmmm. Where do I start? I decided to start from the inside out. So this blog was born :)

I know all of us have plenty of "outside" things to do. I have a bathroom that needs work. You may have dusting (I do), cleaning a closet, mending, laundry etc... These I consider "outside" tasks. "Inside" tasks are things that need to be worked on inside the body...health issues, mental issues, emotional issues... I know we ALL have those issues as well. That's where I am starting.

Let me say that I am certainly no psychologist or therapist. I would be terrible at those jobs!!!!! However, I DO read a lot. (Yes, every book in my bookcases I have read). I read about all these "tricks" and little things to feel better and behave better ...to have a better view of the world and make living easier...YaddaYaddda Yadda!! A lot of these suggestions and tips are kinda stupid. A lot are just impossible. A lot are unreasonable and certainly NOT doable. However, a few, a very few, are actually usable AND relevant. I always look for the tips and suggestions that have not been seen a thousand times and have not been forced on you by the media. I look for things you can actually USE.  

Here is what I found...I like these and they are in no particular order in terms of ranking of "like-ness"...

(1) Hit the RESET button. We all have the power within us to completely change the direction of our thoughts. This is hard when everything seems to be going against us. But try. Try hard. We all think negative thoughts. But what if everytime we had a negative thought, we finish the thought then make a deal with ourselves to think TWO positive thoughts every time we think a negative one. Baby steps everyone :)

(2) Start thinking about things you CAN control. Then control them. You can control every thought and feeling that is in your body. Think about how. Focus on things you can control. Focusing on what you can control promotes positivity. Which in turn promotes healthiness.

(3) Remember that you created the rules. YOU are the one that sets your own bar and you are the one that determines the height. So what if you have to lower that bar every now and then! If it means getting through a tough spot, then do it! Just be careful...if you lower it too many times it may not go back up.

(4) Are you a perfectionist? Work on aiming for AWESOME not Flawless. 

(5) Validate your feelings. Bad feelings? Accept the fact that you have them. Acknowledge them. Even acknowledge that they may not go away today. But commit to chip away at them until they do go away. Because they will.

(6) Measure yourself by your best moments. Focus on those. Focus on the funny moments in your life. Laughter really is a very good medicine.

(7) Give yourself permission to be EVERYTHING...sad, mad, happy, bad, ugly, pretty, funny ... anything and everything. Be the "dark" and the "light"... you cannot have the dark without the light and vice versa. You can be it all. Because you are able to control it all.

Lastly, I was reading an article on tinybuddha.com about the powerful lessons learned from studying with a monk. What I took away from this article was about your inner strength. All the answers you need are inside you and your wisdom will come from "doing". Staying compassionate and patient with your world, outside AND inside, helps you...on the outside, but most importantly on the inside as well.

It's always tough when you just aren't motivated to do anything. It's tough when you try your hardest, yet the "Good" meter doesn't budge. I am working with a student who is singing a song called Get it Right. A sample of the lyrics are below.

"What can you do when your good isn't good enough? When all that you touch tumbles down? Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things. I just want to fix it somehow. How many times ... will it take for me to get it right?"

I know this has summed up MY week. It's not the end of the world. But it IS the end of the stressing about situations that cannot be fixed RIGHT NOW. 

Think about it... If these situations that have gotten you to this point are important to you and worth all the stress, then figure out a way to resolve them. Take the steps to "get it right". If they're just not worth it anymore, then set them aside and move forward. Because that's all you can do.

Actually the best you can do is keep trying until you get it right. Keep trying until you get it right for YOU. 

Thanks for reading everyone!!!! Please Stay Healthy, Eat Well and Be Happy!!!

Positive Places to go on the Internet

Hi Everyone!

I hope your week has been fantastic!!! Mine is wrapping up nicely, thank you very much!!! 

Since beginning my happiness/positive thinking blog I have followed quite a few awesome sites for inspiration, laughs and just general "feel gooding". I thought I would take this opportunity to list them for you and a short definition of what they are about. Hopefully, you guys will check them out and like them as much as I do. Some will appeal and some will not, however, I have to say each of these sites has something to it that makes me feel good.

www.happiness-project.com  This site was created by Gretchen Rubin, who has written a great book called The Happiness Project as well as a follow-up called Happier at Home. Both books AND the site are really cool. She has been trying to incorporate happiness into her daily life. Check her out.

www.positivityblog.com... Exactly what it says!!!

www.positivelypresent.com... You can sign up for their email that gives you the "best" of the net in terms of positivity and good thinking. They also have a very cool music playlist bonus at the bottom that they think will help in your every day life. Lots of fun...

www.lifesecretsonline.com... Like it states at the top of the site...your key to happiness, health and financial freedom. Check it out.

www.thinksimplenow.com...Again, exactly what the sites sounds like. Sometimes it's a bit "thick", however the majority of this site is awesome.

www.ChrisGuillebeau.com... This guy is great! He wrote a book called The Art of Non Conformity, which talks about being yourself and not worrying about staying in the status quo. He has also traveled to every country in the world!! His e-mailed newsletter has been pretty cool as he writes about his travels and what happens. I look forward to his newsletter in my box every week!

www.matadornetwork.com... This is a fantastic site where people who travel should always be checking out! The e-mail newsletter is always entertaining and relevant. Great writing and lots of tips, stories and interesting topics! Take a look.

www.thepioneerwoman.com... Ree Drummond has created a fantastic site that talks about her life on a cattle ranch. She went from living in California, being a vegetarian and wearing business suits and heels to being a mother of four and a wife to a cattle rancher. Living on a ranch "in the middle of nowhere!". She is an awesome photographer and blogger. Ree has written two cookbooks (I have both!) and her website is one of the most entertaining sites I've seen. Between the gorgeous pictures of the ranch, her basset hounds, kids, husband (The Marlboro Man) and the food she cooks , you could spend all day on her site! I highly recommend checking this out!

Alrighty!!!! That's it for this time. Please feel free to let me know what you think of these sites and certainly, if you have any to add I would love to hear about them!!!!

As usual, thanks for reading. Stay Healthy, Eat Well and Be Happy!!!