...I lose 10 pounds
...I find the right relationship
...I make more money
But this future oriented 'I'll be happy when' thinking kept me from living my life 'right now'.
I discovered that if you're happy with 'what is' rather than what 'could be', then all that stuff that you normally try so hard to change about yourself just happens spontaneously and effortlessly. To put it another way, losing 10 pounds won't make you happy, but being happy just might make you lose 10 pounds!!
So, in that spirit, I've put together my top 10 tips to make 2008 your best year yet. A year of joy, fun and loving what is!
1. Go play outside! It is in nature that we come to know our true nature. Instead of rushing to your destination, take some time to enjoy the journey. Feel your feet on the earth, and tune into the rhythm of your breath and your body.
2. Find your theme song. Mine changes all the time but right now it's "Feelin' Groovy" by Simon and Garfunkle. How can you possibly be in a bad mood with that running through your head!? Makes me want to skip down the sidewalk!
3. Sit Still. Give yourself permission to slow down. You don't always have to be busy.
4. Pick one meal a week to eat mindfully (that means not while watching tv, working, reading the paper, in your car or while standing in your kitchen!) Before you start to eat, think about where your food came from, look at it, smell it, touch it, listen to it(!!). Use all your senses. By eating in this way you'll notice that you'll enjoy your food more and there's an added bonus- you won't eat as much!
5. Create a gratitude journal. Every night write 3 things from your day that you are grateful for. When you're having a bad day read it to remind yourself how much you have to be thankful for.
6. Get a new mantra. Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love says that everybody has a mantra (But not the kind that you normally think of when you hear the word - like "OM")Often it's something like "I'm too fat" or "I can't do that"... So GET A NEW MANTRA! How about "I can do anything I want", "I'm perfect just as I am", or really up the ante with "My butt looks great in these jeans"!!!!
7. Smile. Laugh out loud. Say hi to people on the street. Meet your neighbors! (okay...I'm starting to sound a little like Mr. Rogers now...)
8. Create a sacred space - somewhere in your home that is just for you. Fill it with things that inspire you- pictures, flowers, candles, inspirational books... It can become like your own personal retreat.
9. Listen to great music- whatever great music means to you. I have over 5000 songs on my iPod -everything from Neil Diamond, Coldplay, The Beatles and U2 to guided meditations and Sanskrit chants.. I've gotta say it makes for a pretty eclectic "shuffle"(!!)
10. Get rid of the clutter in your life. Clean out your desk, your car, your storage locker, your closets... This "stuff" only weighs you down physically, mentally and emotionally.
Tammy Vigue is President of Sit Still Integrated Wellness. A self-proclaimed "stresspert", she is an innovative speaker, personal life coach, registered yoga teacher and meditation instructor.
Sit Still designs meditation and stress management programs for individuals and corporations. http://www.sitstill.ca
0 comments:
Post a Comment