Posts Tagged ‘happiness’

Smiler’s Snippets are short punchy grabs I select from books which aim to enhance your health and happiness.

This is a snippet from Andrew Zuckerman’s fabulous book, ‘Wisdom’. Here I read a snippet from Graeme Nash’s page about keeping things in perspective. If you’d like a copy of the book just go to Smiler’s Amazon, just to the right and click on the book cover, that will take you straight through to Amazon.

If you feel you need a hand getting things in to perspective you can email me jo@urbansmiler.com or ring me on 0412 329 511. Click play now.

If you can’t see the clip click here

Smiler’s Snippets are short punchy grabs I select from books which aim to enhance health and happiness. 

Today’s snippet is called Being Happy and it’s from a book called Finding Your Strength in Difficult Times by David Viscott. (Available from Smiler’s Amazon on the right >>)
I have recommended, even ‘prescribed’ this book to so many people because it’s cuts straight to the core of life’s tough issues. It’s in no way fluffy or new agey, it doesn’t suggest you call upon angels or the power of the universe nor does it require you to go through any kind of re-birthing process – Viscott just tells it like it is and encourages you to be courageous and get on with it and I couldn’t agree more. Click play now.

Being Happy starts with self care (self care = self esteem), if you need help with this, I’m your girl.   

Here’s a list of virtues I believe cultivate the life of a ’Smiler’.
May you cultivate such a life yourself and may you always look as happy as the two friends above!
  

1. Exercise. Do something everyday to maintain physical strength, mental clarity and a positive spirit and notice how much more you smile!  

2. Eat Well. Enjoy a balanced diet, no restrictions. Everything in moderation is the best approach, life is too short to miss out on things that make you smile. 

3. Think Good Things. A Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) is essential to being a Smiler. Apply it to everything and everyone. Life is full of inconveniences and disappointments BUT it’s also full of opportunities and blessings. It’s all in your attitude …are you a Frowner or a Smiler? 

4. Discover P & M. Everything you do has a purpose, when you determine the purpose of a task it will automatically add meaning. For instance, the purpose of having a workout is to maintain your health which is what enables you to do, have and be all that you want which is what keeps you smiling. On a more mundane level, the purpose of domestic duties is to keep everything clean and in its place which means a more enjoyable and relaxing place for everyone living there. Harmony at home is a wonderful thing. 

5. Be a Realist: There are no quick fixes to health, wealth, weight losss or happiness. Don’t get sucked in – it’s almost a given that you’ll end up in worse condition than when you started – particularly mentally and emotionally. These things are all step by step, day by day projects which require equal measures of focus, persistence and PMA accompanied by a pocket full of smiles!  

6. Accountability. Looking for excuses and reasons as to why things aren’t as they ‘could/should’ be?  Look inside not out, that’s where the answers are. Do this and I promise you’ll smile more. 

7.  Health.  Your health – mental, physical and emotional - is your number 1 priority. Without it you’re no good to anyone or anything. Invest in it daily and you’ll smile more, inside and out. 

8. The 3 R’s  
Relationships. Manage them with love, tolerance and compassion. Everyone has flaws, you can either frown at them or smile at them. 
Relaxation:  Learn what it feels like to really relax. Sit quietly and just breath, it’s more enjyable than you think and more rewarding than you can imagine. It makes you smile on the inside.
Read:  Keep your mind active – read often and learn stuff. Your brain will smile more. 

9. Nurture yourself
Too many people make the mistake of relying on their partner, family and friends to meet all their needs. This is nor reasonable or wise. Firstly because it’s not their job and secondly because your self esteem needs you to do it; self reliance = self confidence = self esteem=self care etc…You need to learn how to meet your own needs, nurture your own dreams and to genereally make yourself smile, inside and out.  

10. Smile.  It seems that the older we get the more serious we become. Of course there are more responsibilities and life does get a bit more complicated as we get older but that should not stop us from smiling (see #4). Do things which make you smile and laugh, hang out with people who make you smile and laugh and when neither seems accessible take a moment to reflect on all the times you’ve had which made you smile or laugh your head off.   

Want to implement some of this stuff? That’s what I do – I cultivate Smilers! 
Email me anytime:  jo@urbansmiler.com 

To keep your mind smiling you need to keep exploring.
To keep your mind exploring you need to keep yourself physically well.
To keep yourself physically well you need a mind which highly values self care.
Self care = self esteem and and vice versa. This provides the self confidence required to ’explore’.  

Self Care for the Mind:
Read widely. Books (fiction & non), mags, journals, reports, comics, blogs. Read something everyday. 
Watch a variety of TV shows, docos, movies.
Talk to all sorts of wierd and wonderful people. Appreciate their differences.
Do a course, study something. Keep learning and providing your brain with new information to sort through. 
Take time out every week to reflect. Learn from your mistakes, be grateful for all you have and stay focused on what you’re working towards.
Take time out every week just to think. Explore your ideas and the ideas of others, it will enliven you.
Manage your worries by talking to your ’confidant’ – a stable friend/family member, counsellor, therapist. It’s often better to lean on an indepnadant mentor who is not involved in your life and therefore has no particular investment in any particular outcome.   
Be open to the diversity life offers and be mindful of the fact that it would be remarkably dull without it. 

Self care for the body. 
Make exercise a part of your day. It’s essential NOT optional.
Do a variety of exercises which keep your body strong and flexible as well as ones which keep your heart and lungs healthy.
Eat well everyday. Eat appropriately portioned nutritional foods MOST of the time.
Sleep. Don’t underestimate the importance of sleeping well, it restores and rejuvenates your entire being.
Hydrate. Drinks lots of water everyday. 
Touch. Enjoy a big warm hug or have a massage. Your mind will benefit immensely from it.

Explore and smile.
It’s a wonderful life we have here, you gotta love it warts and all!

One of the best ways to cultivate happiness is to ‘think good things’ about yourself and your life. I’m a devoted practitioner of ‘daily reflection time’ and am proud to say that the end of every day I always identify ‘my top 3 smilers’ (3 things that made me smile that day) then at the end of every week I do a summary of them all. It takes no more than a couple of minutes but the boost it gives me lasts for ages. I either do it while I’m driving, when I’m in the shower or when I’m cosily tucked in to bed at night. I can’t recommend it enough.

Please don’t get the wrong impression of me, I’m not in ‘happiness la-la land’ – I have my share of challenges to face but I’m able to face them with courage and confidence knowing that there is also plenty of good in my life.

Here are my top 5 smilers for this week.

1. Snorkling with Bobby and our kids. (family time)
This was a hugely rewarding experience for me. After 6 years as a single parent it was wonderful to do something ‘as a family’ (albeit a blended one)

2. Feedback from my appearance on A Current Affair (professional acknowledgement)
I received so many phone calls, emails and messages from people who had either watched or heard about my Pantry make-over segment on A Current Affair last week. It was wonderful. Thanks to everyone who got in touch to congratulate, encourage and praise me for my first television appearance.

3. ‘Health Coaching’ enquiry from Urban Smiler  (business)
I’ve only had my ‘Health Coaching’ page up on this site for a couple of months and this week I received my very first enquiry from it. I’d love to receive more so please, spread the word!     

4. Dinner at the Point Leo Boat Club (social/community connection)
After a perfect day on the beach we (Bobby, kids, family & friends) wandered up to the club house and threw together a delicious BBQ dinner. Social and relaxing, it was an ideal end to the day. 

5. 2009 Reflection (self care)
I spent time in the bath this week just reflecting back on 2009 and I concluded that overall I had a a sensational year. I achieved most of the things I set out to achieve and I fell in love. What more?

What would your top 5 smilers be for this week?

One of the ways I stay happy is to take a moment at the end of each day to think about the things that made me smile, then at the end of each week, no matter how challenging it has been, I have plenty of goodness to draw on. Here is my list for this week:- 

1. Pippa made her debut on stage and nailed it! (a parenting reward)
My 6.5 year old was put on the spot at school assembly on Tuesday when the principal asked her to come up and remind all the students about wearing their hats at play time. She confidently strode up, took the microphone and announced the importance of hat wearing now that spring is here. Talk about PROUD! I could not have had a wider smile.

2. A Meeting With Dr Happy (work stimulation)
On Tuesday evening I met up with Dr Tim Sharp (a.k.a Dr Happy http://www.drhappy.com.au/) to talk bout the possibility of us collaborating together at some stage – ‘Urban Smiler’ and ‘Dr Happy’ – c’mon, imagine the possible outcomes! We also talked a lot about Positive Psychology, an area to which he is a world leader in and to which I want to become experienced in.  It was a very stimulating meeting with a super smart, super happy man.

3. The Festival of The Big 4-oh! (community involvement)
This month at my workout studio (www.urbanworkout.com.au) we’re celebrating ‘The Festival of The Big 4-oh!’ which is all about focussing on the positives of being over 40. We’ve been handing out balloons, chocolate cake and t-shirts to people all around our community and the response has been wonderful. Of course we hope our efforts will result in us gaining a few new members but to be honest that will just be a bonus because the reward is definitely in observing the smiles we’re generating. I’m 41 and I’m happy as a lark and can sense that things are only going to get better and better – life certainly does begin in your forties!  

4. Sore muscles and a good belly laugh (self care)
I’ve been cruising with my exercise routine over the past couple of months which is absolutely fine becasue I’ve still been consistent and I’m a true believer in ’something is always better than nothing’, however I decided I needed a change of pace this week and boy am I feeling it. I never knew getting out of bed could be so challenging, I felt so silly trying that it made me laugh which made my abdominals hurt so much which made me laugh more and then I couldn’t stop. It’s eased off today and I feel fantastic but I think I’ll just go back to ‘cruise mode’ for a couple of days so I can get out of bed without wincing. 

5. A kid free night (quality relationship time)
Tonight Pippa is staying with her aunt & uncle so Bobby and I can go out and play! Not that we’ll paint the town red and get home at dawn but we could if we wanted to and that’s what makes a kid free night so relaxing – there is NO time constraint or responsibility hanging over your head. It’s also great for Pip to hang out with her 3.5 year old cousin Max and to spend time apart from me – a healthy  break from our constant 1-on-1 life. Tomorrow morning I’ll pick her up, we’ll probably both be a bit tired from staying up late but we’ll also be refreshed from having a fun night with loved ones so smiles all round!

What made YOU smile this week?