Today I will…
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30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself
This is too good…I had to share!!! Enjoy!
WRITTEN BY MARC CHERNOFF
1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there.
4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.
5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.
9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.
10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too.
11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.
16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.
19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.
20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.
22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result.
25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to ischoosing a lifetime of mere existence.
27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on.
30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.
WWW.MARCANDANGEL.COM
KINDNESS IS A GIFT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO GIVE
I want to tell you about something I've been doing lately that has been feeling sooo good. I've been doing random acts of kindness to strangers, friends, family, acquaintances...anyone I feel inspired to do. And with no strings attached. That's important! I don't' expect anything in return. Not even a thank you. Now that's doesn't mean I don't get them, but I'm doing this without any expectation. It's been so much fun and interesting to see how this energy comes back to me too. I'm not even kidding about this. Interesting events and things have been happening to me. Like over the top things. I attribute them to this beautiful energy that is around me now. They say that whatever you want more of, just do it and it will come back.. Well sure enough, I've had more kindness come back to me than ever before. My daughter does them a lot with me. She gets such a kick out of it too. It's fun thinking of things to do and the people to do them on. The reactions are great, but sometimes we do them anonymously. Most of the time people are surprised and full of smiles. It's just so nice to see. And some people told me they now feel inspired to do the same. How cool is that? So now more kindness is being done. This is the kind of world I want to live in. There is actually a little science behind this. I am going to include this video below so you can see what I mean. Check it out. It's called The Science of Kindness and only 2 minutes long. Don't underestimate how this could change someone's world including yours!
Grace’s Nighttime Meditation
My amazing 7 year old daughter, Grace, was very inspired to create this meditation after reading I Am Peace by Susan Verde. She guided me into a very beautiful peaceful sleep. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!
5 Rituals That Predict Success
Wow...this is gold! Imagine where you would be if you started this years ago. Lear more in Robin Sharma's FREE masterclass 👉https://go.mindvalley.com/hero
Parenting Advice for Every Parent
Parenting advice is never easy to give but let's help our kids and the entire next generation learn how to become better parents. If this video helps one child grow up in a healthier way I've succeeded.
WATCH THIS AND GET READY TO PURGE YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE!
Tidy guru Marie Kondo comes to the rescue by helping people tackle the clutter that's holding them back. It all comes down to one question: does it spark joy? Tidying Up with Marie Kondo launches globally on Netflix January 1st, 2019.
My daughter and I watched this and immediately were inspired to KonMarie our house. We’ve started the process. I like her methods because they work! I especially love how she honors each house and does an introduction ritual. I was so touched when I saw her do this; so much so, that my daughter and I also took a moment to do it and thank our house.
Spark Joy
Here is Grace feeling the joy that her favorite outfits sparks in her!
Join me and attend Deepak's Free 4 Week Workshop!
Have you noticed how in today’s society we seem to just be surviving and thriving? Our schedules are overloaded, we’re relying on quick-fix solutions of fast-food, we aren’t getting enough time to nurture our mind and bodies.
That’s why Deepak is going to be sharing with you his free brand-new online workshop "Healing the Whole Self." This free online workshop will help you learn how to heal your entire mind, body, spirit, and emotions so that you can return to your natural state of well-being and happiness.
Held over 4 weeks, each week will focus on an aspect of the “whole-self approach”:
Week 1 - Body
Week 2 - Mind
Week 3 - Emotions
Week 4 - Spirit
You will have access to weekly videos, guided meditations, audio webinars, helpful downloads, a private Facebook group, and more! Starts on January 14th - for free.
I Have A Bad Child By Teal Swan
This is soooo good…
Parenting advice and tips for a difficult, bad and out of control child, what do I do? Many parents have children that are adhd, have behavioral issues such as not listening or are out of control. A life hack for this is to know that however the child is making you feel is often how they feel.
"Alexa, Open Oprah Magazine"
One of my favorite rituals in my morning practice is asking Alexa to open Oprah Magazine. The Oprah Magazine skill is Oprah’s reading of her bestselling book “What I Know for Sure”, a collection of intimate pieces from her monthly magazine column. They are about 2 to 3 minutes long. They are full of wisdom and soooo good. I always feel so inspired and find myself nodding my head often as I listen. Oprah is one smart cookie! So make sure to check in every day. Just say, “Alexa, Ask Oprah Magazine for my O to Go”—you won’t regret it. Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Let this day gently remind us all to be fully present in the moment; remind us to walk lightly on this earth and to consider our purpose for being here; remind us to be positive in body, speech & mind, remind us to be mindful of negative acts, and to transform them with insight, wisdom, & loving-kindness, and remind us we have so much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving!
One of my favorite subscriptions that keep me inspired are Monday Mantras by Anne Ribley. She aims to inspire transformation for those seeking to live an empowered life. I love them. You can subscribe to get them automatically or just go to her website and click on them. She gives a quick 5 minute audio for each one. It's a great way to start the week!
Hitting My Pause Button
There are times when I can do what feels like a million tasks in one day and feel energized the entire time. Then there are times when I feel like I am just getting by and making it day by day, meeting the minimums of life. Sometimes I have low energy and I feel like I have too many tasks in front of me. It’s in those moments that I just have to take it step by step and face the one task in front of me and that might be unpack the car or make dinner for my daughter. Or live with a messy house for one more day or eating cereal for dinner when it’s just me. Knowing that everything will be attended to in just the right time because right now I just have to honor my energy level and what I can do right now. I don’t have to be great; I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to face my current reality and it’s all ok. I have to remind myself of this sometimes and that I’m doing just alright by myself as a single mom. Yeah sometimes it’s hard when it’s just me. But what needs to get done will get done. It’s important for me to show my daughter that as with everything in life there is a balance. I can relax when I need to and I can get things done when I need to. I don’t want her to see me just doing and doing all the time but also just being. Deepak says that energy is neutral and that your state of being will determine your energy level. I can totally see that. I’ve always believed in listening to your body and answering what it needs at that moment. So right now I’m beat. I’m super tired and feel like I could sleep for days. So today I’m going to get the minimum done, get some rest and hit my internal reset button. Tomorrow is another day and what will be will be. I’m grateful for that!
THE WHOLE BRAIN
I was listening to this pioneering, practical book for parents. Thank you Susie for recommending this to me!!! Neuroscientist Daniel J. Siegel and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson explain the new science of how a child's brain is wired and how it matures. But here’s the thing, I feel like it helped me understand my own brain, then and now. I personally would recommend this book to all human beings! Not just parents. It can change your life. The reason I say this is when you know why you do what you do, you can then begin to change things that you don’t want to do anymore.
Now the reason I started listening to this book was because I felt like I needed to understand where my daughter is here and now so I can meet her. I see frustrated parents time over time because they are expecting their children to act differently than where they really are. Even my own sisters expect my daughter who is 6 to act as if she is 10. I think it’s just human nature to not meet people where they are from lack of information and awareness.
This book offers twelve revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind. It is an excellent resource to help parents understand how a child’s brain develops and functions, and how they can help their child learn how to handle and respond to different experiences and challenges.
The message of this book is that families — both children and parents alike — aren’t stuck in their current circumstances. Parents have the ability to change these circumstances by changing the way they respond and relate, and as they do this they can literally help to change their child’s brain (and their own) in the process.
The link below will take you to the free audio book. Enjoy!
THE ROCKS MATTER THE MOST
Are your choices aligned with your values?
GET REAL: Answers to questions you've always wanted to ask Dr Shefali
Dr. Shefali is a NYT bestselling author of The Conscious Parent and The Awakened Family. She is also a clinical psychologist, an international speaker and a wisdom teacher, integrating Eastern philosophy with Western psychology. Learn more about her at: www.drshefali.com
A SPA TO RENEW YOUR SOUL
One of the lessons I had to learn in this lifetime was self-love. I lacked it! And what a journey it has been to learn it! Part of self-love is giving time to yourself and to do things you love. To nurture yourself. To give yourself down time. To put yourself first. To understand that you are worthy of good things. I have discovered something that screams self-love and that is Korean Bath Houses. Well let me tell you, I am so utterly grateful for them. I now understand why bath houses are so popular in some cultures. Because they truly renew mind, body and spirit. They teach you how to relax. That is something that our culture doesn’t do very well if you ask me.
I recently attended a new one that I was so impressed with that I had to blog about it. It’s Island Spa and Sauna in Edison, NJ. I was there with my friend for 9 hours in one day! You are probably wondering how one person can be there for so long. There is so much to explore! Here’s why. It’s a beautiful 30,000 square foot spa that has 5 coed dry saunas that look like beautiful igloos made with earthly materials (crystal, charcoal, salt, forest, clay), steam rooms, 4 soaking tubs, an ice room, a sleeping/meditation room, free yoga on Sundays, lounge area with free wifi, social pods, a juice bar, and a café that was absolutely delicious. I had the vegetable ramen soup and vegetable fried dumplings and all of it was delicious. I had a green juice in the morning and then a green smoothie later in the day…delicious of course. The bath houses are separated by gender. You are given a uniform to wear in the common areas. You are naked in the bath tub areas. I was not used being naked in front of so many other women since I never grew up with the bathhouse concept. So I was a little hesitant at first, but now I realize that it’s not a big deal. It’s actually quite freeing. It teaches you that there is no shame in our bodies and that they deserve respect and honor. So for me it’s not even a thought now.
Ok now it’s time to talk about my service that I had done. I did a body scrub; the signature body glow to be exact. But they are not like any body scrub. Body scrubs are very common in Korean bathhouses using a mitt with milk and water to moisturize the skin while promoting circulation. I literally felt like I as shedding the old Johanna. Which feels incredible on a spiritual and physical level. You are scrubbed like never before. They don’t miss one inch of you. They also gave me a facial, washed my hair and then an aromatherapy massage. It was incredible. When I got off the table even my posture was better!
What else should you know? I brought a book to read and a journal for my downtime. I also took time to meditate while having a pomegranate hydrating sheet mask on. There are tons of loungers, couches and little quiet areas. My friend even took a nap in the sleeping room! The daily admission is reasonable for all that you have access to. For me it is a spiritual experience. I come out feeling like a new being on all levels. It’s truly a stress free haven for the mind, body and soul. See you there!