Cute Puppy Love

BEING ENVIOUS OF WHAT OTHERS HAVE

Being happy happens when we appreciate what we have. Being envious of what other people have is a sign we aren’t happy with what we have and are not living from a place of gratitude.

When we set our sights on having a life that someone else is living, our goal isn’t really to improve our life, it’s to negate the other person’s achievements. To be happy we should be living in support of others and their accomplishments, not trying to diminish them.

GETTING CAUGHT UP IN OTHER PEOPLE’S DRAMA

Many times we find ourselves getting involved in a situation under the pretense of wanting to help. We want to fix things when often times it’s not our place to do the fixing.

It’s almost as if we are addicted to the chaos, the victimizing, the “woe is me” syndrome and when life is going good, we go out looking for drama. We are looking for a “cause.” Learn to be comfortable in the quiet, uneventful times of our lives and leave other people’s drama to them.

CONSTANTLY FINDING AN EXCUSE

When your happiness is tied to an external circumstance it becomes an excuse. A job, lack of money or a bad relationship is never the cause of unhappiness. It is simply the excuse we give ourselves.

Happiness doesn’t come from something we do or achieve. It happens when we are truly grateful for our life, knowing where we are today is just one step on the path to where we’re headed.

FORGETTING TO MAKE TIME FOR EXERCISE

There is a variety of reasons why exercise should be part of our daily routine. There is also a variety of reasons why it isn’t; there isn’t enough time, we’re too tired or we don’t have the willpower to make it happen.

Besides the benefits of exercise on our overall health, exercise releases endorphins in our body and endorphins make us feel good. A happier outlook on life is just an exercise session away, literally.

COMPLAINING WITHOUT ACTION

There’s venting and then there’s complaining and the difference is in the action we take. There will always be challenges that frustrate us, but constant complaining serves no purpose except to keep us in a negative space.

Turn complaints into a venting session by ending with the action necessary to move forward. It’s the action that moves us back to the center. Even if that action is to realize there is nothing we can do and agreeing to let it go.

BEING CONSUMED BY WORRY AND STRESS

Most of what we worry about never comes to fruition and yet we continue to worry anyway. A calm mind can be unsettling to someone who thrives on action and activity.

Allowing ourselves to be consumed by worry and stress often gives us the sense that we are active and involved when the reality is we are just creating more friction that moves us further away from happiness.

When worry and stress are consuming, start by taking some sort of action. Just doing something can fulfill your need for activity in a positive way and will begin to allow you to let go of the worry.

SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ALONE

Meaningful relationships make us happier which requires us to spend time fostering the relationships that matter to us. Spending time alone is necessary for us to stay true to our authentic self, but spending too much time alone takes away from creating connections that will help us grow and evolve. It’s important to take the time we need to recharge and equally important to get out in the community and be social.

SEARCHING FOR YOUR PASSION

Thinking happiness will come when we find our passion is a mistake. Happy people haven’t found their passion, they bring passion to everything they do.

Passion comes from an appreciation of life and the world around us and it’s an attitude that we bring into our work, our homes, and our relationships.

It doesn’t necessarily reflect our love or dislike for a certain thing. It’s actually the reflection of love and appreciation for ourselves on this day and in this moment.

1. COMPLIMENT YOURSELF.

The love you send into the world has to come from somewhere, right?  It comes from within you, and you’ve GOT to practice the self-love you deserve.  This is especially important when you’re giving your love to others.  One great way to give yourself love is through a practice called “mirror work” taught in depth by Louise Hay.  Walk right up to the mirror, and compliment yourself – it’s as simple as that.  It could be anything from “Your hair looks great today” to “I love the authentic, beautiful, unique person you are!”

2. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS.

You are your own unique piece of the Universe.  Our world is one big jigsaw puzzle full of pieces that fit together in many ways, but you are only one piece, and must play your unique part.  When you compare yourself to others, you are undervaluing who you truly are. Realize your true self-worth.  It may even help improve your net worth!

3. SMILE MORE OFTEN EVERY DAY.

Smiling is essential to happiness and improved self-esteem. Studies show that smiling more (even if forced) can genuinely decrease stress, and also has many other benefits.  Not only will your mood rise, you’ll do the same for others; remember, as we empower ourselves and smile more, we shine a light for others to follow. They will also give themselves permission to smile more.

Even if for no other reason than the fact that you are still here, smile!

4. BE GENTLE TO YOURSELF.

Be gentle with yourself – you can’t change where you are right now, you can only change your perspective on it to shift yourself into a different, and hopefully more positive place in the future.  Also remember to be kind to others – what you say to others you simply say to yourself.  Go into every situation with the mission of improving others’ day through kindness and compassion, and you’ll see that the energy is returned exponentially.

5. FOCUS ON HOW FAR YOU’VE COME, NOT HOW FAR YOU HAVE TO GO.

There’s no known force in this world that can move an entire mountain without breaking it down into pieces first.  Nonetheless, it’s the pieces that you’ve moved that remind you how far you’ve come.  The finish line will always be there waiting for you to cross it, just take a deep breath and keep going.

6. REACH OUT AND GET SUPPORT.

Having positive relationships with open channels of communication is healthy and needed for positive progress. A strong network, whether it be through your local community, family, friends, online, etc., will hold you accountable to your own health & well being.  It will provide you with true and caring people  you can count on if life takes a negative shift.  (Don’t forget about the awesome Power of Positivity community that will shine for you every day! )

7. LOOK FOR SPECIAL THINGS THAT MAKE YOUR DAY.

Acknowledge the things that make your day. Whether that’s thanking someone verbally or thanking God. Allow gratitude for all of the positive in your life to fill your spirit and nourish your body with  energy and love.

8. EAT HEALTHY, ORGANIC. WHOLE FOODS.

Eating healthy foods has multiple benefits including better health, better moods, and a happier digestive system that will thank you for eating this way.  You’ll even be seeing more favorable numbers on the scale!  So get that special dinner outfit out of the closet and hang it on the wall for motivation – you’re on your way!

9. STAY ACTIVE EVERY DAY.

Much like the way the laws of inertia work, activity is required if you want to stay on top of your game. Physical, mental, and even spiritual activity all count – for flowing water is filled with vibrancy and life while stagnant water is the opposite.  You can exercise, do yoga, use apps for self-development, meditate, or even just read a few chapters of your favorite book to stay active.

10. DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND FOLLOW YOUR PASSION.

Life loves when we are passionate because we’re in our happiest and most creative state. Passion with the right action leads to creation that exceeds our expectations.  When we follow our passion and it truly feels right in our heart and mind we can always be assured we’re on the right path. It’s not always perfect or easy, but it is worth it.

1. THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF MANIPULATING OTHERS.

Have they been caught in a lie with you or someone else? Do they have a generally negative attitude? Have they spread rumors or gossiped about someone? Do they display predominantly individualistic types of behaviors?

These individuals also have an egotistical streak, thinking that they are smarter and craftier than anyone else.

Be aware of manipulative behavior by remaining vigilant in your dealings with others. Remain positive and confident while sending positivity and encouragement to these types of individuals. This could be the difference in changing their perspective along with their behavior.

2. THEY ARE MOVING FAST.

Manipulators try to get you hooked fast through sweet talk and a false sense of interest. That is how they build trust and form a bond. It enables them to use us emotionally once the real motive of the relationship becomes clear.

Among the simpler ways to find a hidden manipulator is to look for simple signs that show somebody only appears worried if something or someone will affect their desired outcome. Manipulators struggle with maintaining the “right kind” of associations because desired outcomes are everything to them, and they care about the way other people think in order to have control.

Take note of your friends’ feelings when you recommend something. Undercover manipulators could harshly react when they don’t agree with you or when criticized.

3. THEY’RE PLAYING ON YOUR EMOTIONS.

Emotionally, spiritually, physically; seduction is a manipulators tool. A manipulator likes to play on heightened emotions to engage you in behaviors that benefit them. They gather people that will serve their need to be in control, whether this is through a romantic relationship, a close friendship or a strategic partnership. They make being with them fun and exciting at first, and then they shift the focus of the relationship onto them and their needs.

4. THEY QUICKLY GROW IMPATIENT.

Impatience can be defined as (1) irritable behavior that results from delays or (2) a restless need for change and excitement. The display of impatient behavior is often tied into someone’s goals; specifically, anything that hinders or aggravates the person in active pursuit of these goals. These goals could range from getting ahead of you at the drive-thru to getting that promotion at work.

As with stubbornness, we all have the tendency to be impatient at times. However, there are some individuals that take impatience to the extreme. These individuals detest being held up at anytime, anywhere, for almost any reason, and will manipulate any situation in order to come out on top.

Impatience is a trait that develops from early negative experiences, misunderstanding the nature of self and others, and a persistent sense of insecurity. The early negative experiences often happen during childhood. In many cases, the child was often barred from having a normal social experience resulting in a sense of “missing out”.

When dealing with an impatient person, it is important to understand how they “tick.” For example, these individuals prefer to be in control. When they are not in firm control, they become angry, annoyed and frustrated. The best way to deal with the behavior is to be polite but direct. Do not beat around the bush with impatient people; this will get you nowhere.

5. YOU SEEM TO ALWAYS BE PORTRAYED AS “THE BAD GUY”.

While this might seem a little overboard, emotional manipulators have a habit of making you look like the bad guy, and twisting their words to fit any agenda. You might actually start to believe sometimes that you have done something wrong, when in reality, you have fallen victim to their terrible scheme.

To make sure you can actually show them what they said in prior conversations, jot down any details you think they might conveniently change later in order to justify their behavior. They may also try to convince you they never said a certain thing, but you can actually prove they did with your notes you take.

Get smart about protecting yourself from their wrath, and they may soon get discouraged from using you as their emotional toy.

1. REMEMBER THAT CRACKS ALLOW LIGHT TO COME IN.

If you didn’t become broken from time to time, there would be no place for the light to enter your soul. Basically, it takes awful, heart-wrenching experiences for us to see all the good in the world sometimes, and for us to go through a transformation of the soul. If we just had positive, uplifting experiences all the time, we would have no room to grow and no life experiences that would challenge us to become more resilient, powerful people.

You can’t expect life to grant you an easy ride; if it did, you would miss out on life-changing experiences that would break you open, tear you apart, and rebuild you into a better version of yourself. Many parts of ourselves open up when we feel broken, so remember this any time you feel exhausted and utterly shattered by life.

2. REMEMBER TO ACCEPT AND HONOR YOUR FEELINGS; DON’T FIGHT THEM.

Don’t feel bad for having negative or heavy emotions; if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be human. Certain experiences warrant a strong reaction from us, and sometimes that means crying, screaming, falling to our knees, and just accepting the waves of emotion that come over us. Keeping all of this balled up inside will only backfire in the end, so don’t ever keep your feelings hidden for fear of other people’s reactions. Fighting off your feelings will only delay the breakdown, and you’ll walk around feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders. You must walk bravely into the place within you that harbors these deep emotions, so you can begin to work through them and figure out what they want you to take from all you’ve been through.

3. KEEP REMEMBERING YOUR “WHY.”

During hardships, we often forget what we even want from life in the first place. We all came here to love with all of our hearts, and increase the vibration of this planet in unison. When you feel broken, you can easily overlook or forget your mission here on Earth, but going through hard times actually gives your purpose more depth. If you didn’t go through unpleasant experiences, you wouldn’t be able to relate to so many other people on this planet who go through hard times almost every day. Keep your “why” in mind, and reflect on how the negative situations you’ve encountered allow you to have a more well-rounded perspective and better serve your purpose on Earth.

4. REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS BEYOND YOUR BROKENNESS.

Just because you feel broken, does not mean the whole world shares your perspective. It does not mean the entire planet must go down in flames because of one bad day or experience you had, so remember to broaden your perspective next time you go through bad times. Think of the fact that you still get to breathe fresh air, see the clouds float by on a sunny day, feel the wind on your skin, smile at a stranger..think of all these beautiful little things you can still do even though you feel broken. Remember all of the good things happening on the planet despite your temporary slump, and the whole world won’t look like such a dark place anymore.

5. REMEMBER THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT ARE THERE FOR SUPPORT.

When you feel down and out about life, your friends and family will comfort you and be your rock when you need them. Don’t hesitate to ask them for help, because we all need some assistance when we go through a rough patch in life. If you feel like a burden on them, just remember all the times you were there for them; the people who care about you would gladly do the same for you.

6. REMEMBER TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY.

So often when we feel broken, we focus our attention entirely on our despair and forget about the things that bring us happiness. Go out and get some sunshine, plant some flowers, ride your bike, catch up with friends over coffee, or simply anything on this Earth that makes your heart light up with joy. Just because you feel broken, doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking minute of your life mulling over your feelings and wallowing in a sea of turmoil.

7. DON’T IDENTIFY SO MUCH WITH YOUR FEELINGS.

Remember that you don’t really own your feelings or thoughts; they just come and go as they please, and you just get to watch them make an appearance, even if you didn’t invite them in. Think about this: you consciously invite friends and family over to your house, but you don’t knock on the doors of your emotions and give them an invitation to your brain. It just doesn’t work that way, so remember that you don’t have to identify with your feelings. You are SO much more than your temporary emotions, so don’t let them control you.

8. REMEMBER THAT LIFE IS A SERIES OF UPS AND DOWNS, AND THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY.

Just like your emotions, this whole ride we have been thrown onto since birth only exists for a short while. We take it so seriously, yet overlook the fact that we don’t get to spend forever in this existence. Enjoy it while it lasts; yes, even the hardships and despair, because when you look back on your life, you will thank your brokenness just as much as your happiness for all it taught you on your own personal journey.