Inner Voice

So many of the great teachers of today are reminding us that finding our passion, doing things that bring us joy is one of the best things we can do in this life--for ourselves and for the Universe.

Louise Hay teaches that we all deserve to feel good and that we have an inner wisdom that will guide us. Wayne Dyer tells us to be open to the inner voice. Doreen Virtue says to be open to the guidance of the angels. I could go on and on...Abraham teaches to reach for the better feeling thought, so he would definitely concur with this:

My dad always used to say, "If you take a step and it feels good, you must be headed in the right direction." What he wanted us to understand was that we needed to measure our progress against an inner compass, using our feelings, our comfort level, and our knowledge of ourselves as the ultimate guide.

I've spent most of my adult life trying to hear that inner voice above the noise around me...It says softly that happiness is as simple as having something to look forward to in the morning...It says, in a low murmur I sometimes have to strain to hear, that now is the time to have fun.

~Linda Weltner, No Place Like Home

Let me remember to listen to (and hear) that inner voice as it reminds me to follow my bliss. Now is the time to HAVE FUN, whatever that means for ME!

Taking Care of Oneself

I "met" someone today through her blog...she is talking about the importance of taking care of oneself...and she referenced my RefuseToDiet blog.

The idea of taking care of self is something I've been covering here. I really appreciate her take on things we can do (actions)--check out her blog!

Taking care of oneself includes our health, doing our affirmations, keeping our hearts centered on love and peace...and really deciding that we deserve good things and setting our intentions that we are open to receiving all the good there is in the universe!

Happiness and Social Networking

In yesterday's post I mentioned a study that talks about happiness being contagious and that our happiness is dependent upon the actions, behaviors and thoughts of others' as well as ourselves.

One of the points they were making was that social networks are a key component to a person's happiness. Social networks...hmmm...like having friends, perhaps? Does anyone really believe this is news?

For most of us, having a group of like-minded people with whom we can laugh, share ideas, be stimulated and challenged, and yes, even comiserate with is a very important element of being happy as an individual.

Social networking has a new meaning these days...there are lots of sites on the internet that are designed to help people bond with other, like-minded people. Blogging would be one example of course, but so are places like Twitter and Facebook.

So does networking online pass the contagion? Christakis wouldn't say for sure. I believe it does...not as powerful as flesh & blood communication or hearing someone's voice directed to you, but when you build a relationship with people that is positive and uplifting that can only be a good thing.

Is Happiness Contagious or is it the Law of Attraction?

Associated Press recently cited a British medical journal paper that concludes happiness is "contagious"...they sounded surprised to find that good cheer can be and is passed "even to total strangers"...

It may have been a British medical journal, but the study was done by American researchers. And no, they weren't following people in sunny California, but in Framingham, Mass. This report was part of a 20 year study on the heart.

Co-author of the study and professor at Harvard, Nicholas Christakis says, "Happiness is like a stampede"

Your happiness depends on your actions and according to the study the behaviors, thoughts and actions of people you don't even know. I agree--if you let it! You do have a choice about it, after all. You can live unconsciously and be happy because of other people...or you can create your life deliberately and be happy regardless of other people.

In other words, choose to be happy and you be the light, the contagion, if you will! Let others become happier because of your example. If you run across unhappy people, you can repell that energy!

That being said, it is a great idea to surround yourself with happy people. According to this study, each "happy friend" you have boosts your chances of being happy by 9%. Have grumpy friends drops your chances--fortunately not quite as much, by 7%.

Guess the song was right: Don't Worry, Be Happy!

It is About Joy

Joy is going mainstream!

I think that everyone who has been doing any work in personal development knows how important it is to feel joy in their lives. It doesn't matter what we do for a living, it really matters how we do it. I don't mean how well we do it, necessarily, although we all want to be good at what we do. Really it is more important the attitude with which we do. In other words, it is the "being" over the "doing."

I mentioned a column by Michael Roizen, M.D. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D. back on August 10. I kept that article because it had so many great points to it. They said that we can control our happiness (and isn't that good news to be happy about!) Another point they made was about getting together and treating yourself with friends and activities that feed your joy.

Even if you are not in the place where you want to be financially, it is important that you make "an investment in joy"--their words, not mine! They gave a couple examples, including going for a round of golf or spending time at the spa with a friend, and to not view that as a luxury. The friendship part is very important and the act of spending time doing something fun is also important.

True happiness is using your strengths to grow and meet your potential. And it's being grateful for what and who is around you.
--Dr. Roizen & Dr. Oz

One of the best exercises I ever learned was built on the second half of that definition. I write in a gratitude journal every night. I find it is a great way to reflect on my day and my life. I don't write a lot, but I note at least five things I am grateful for in my life.

I find it beneficial to write in complete sentences, I feel the emotion more that way. Feeling the gratitude is an important part of the process, rather than a rote exercise or another chore. I love the feeling I get as I think about the really great parts of my life and day. Sometimes I write about a bunch of really little things, like I saw a beautiful butterfly that brought a smile to my lips. Sometimes I will feel especially grateful for a physical task I was able to accomplish--being grateful for my strength and endurance. Other times I find myself grateful for the love I feel in my heart, or the love I feel coming to me from others. Some days I have been grateful that I have a comfortable bed and a roof over my head at night.

No matter what it is that I am grateful for, by writing it down at night I get to experience it for a second time that same day. And if I am feeling a bit down or like maybe I'm not in as good a place as I would like to be in my life, I can read in my gratitude journal and see the many, many things I have going for me in my life. Right now. As I am today.

Life is good!

Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen say You Can Control Happiness

Unless you've been living under a rock, you have heard of Dr. Mehmet Oz, a regular contributor to the Oprah show (for those of you who haven't heard of him, check out Oprah's webiste for more info.)

Our local paper, and probably yours too, has started carrying a weekly column by Dr. Oz and his business partner, Dr. Michael Roizen. In today's column they are discussing Happiness. The title, "Happiness can't wait, and you can control it" just about says it all!

Some of the notes in the column are common sense, including being sure to eat healthy foods and get exercise and enough sleep. And simply remembering that you don't know what is going on in someone else's brain is a big help. The example they use is the "jerk" who cuts you off in traffic...rather than letting it get to you, consider that there may be some extenuating circumstance that you don't know about that is causing them to appear to be a jerk--for example they are rushing to the hospital because the woman is in labor. The old "walk in someone else's shoes" mantra can help us to, if not remain calm, regain calm more quickly.

Be sure to check out the doctors' website in addition to the Oprah link above!