Friday, October 19, 2012

5 Ways To Inspire Yourself Into Happy, Healthy Action

5 Ways to Inspire Yourself Into Happy, Healthy Action

1. Isolate and unplug.  That's right, RELAX! Alone. Without the television on, without being glued to the internet, tapping on your iphone, or sucked into a book. Give yourself the gift of silence and peace. Disconnect from the constant flood of other people's input, opinions and advice long enough to hear your own voice.

2. Meditate, journal or pray. This takes "peace and quiet" one step further. Chances are, your inner wisdom (or higher self or whatever you want to call it) is waiting for you to connect to it, and is loaded with encouragement, support, fresh ideas, etc. I'm always amazed at the ideas and energy I receive when I consciously tune in to spiritual guidance.

3. Surround yourself with healthy, active, positive people. It's been said we should choose our friends wisely - because the people we spend the most time with are the greatest influences on our thoughts, perceptions and behavior. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be influenced by energetic, radiant, optimistic attitudes than depressed, grumbling, "woe-is-me" thinking.

4. Practice positive self talk. This might sound cheesy, but it's so important. The way you talk to yourself directly influences the way you feel. The way you feel directly influences the way you behave. Make sure that your self talk is encouraging, uplifting, and positive. Stop berating yourself when you make an unhealthy choice out of habit. Instead, compliment yourself when you notice it wasn't what you really wanted to do. Awareness is the foundation that change is built upon.

5. Give yourself permission to be who you are, to grow and change and to realize your full potential. A lot of us have grown up with specific ideas about who we are and are not. These ideas are reinforced by our parents, our siblings, our interactions with others. Knowing your roles in life is important. But it is equally important to recognize that you don't have to be limited and defined by these roles. You can choose, in each new moment, how you want your life to unfold. By giving yourself permission to step beyond your comfort zone (or those of others) you open the door to endless possibilities.

1 comment:

  1. Love this post Melissa - I may have to hang it on my bathroom mirror.
    I'm pretty sure Amelia would love to be living at your house and eating all those fresh fruits and veggies every day. The produce is already getting icky here and it's not even November. I didn't have the heart to show her the tomato mushroom sauce as they are two of her faves and I know she'd want her none cooking mama to make it;)

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