Happiness is a Choice

Are you living in a "what if" world?
Do you put things off until "if only"...?
Do you envy other people based on their social media posts?

Your world is what you make of it. I know that sounds trite. "I can't help that I ... [was in a bad accident / was abused as a child / have a disease / never met my father]" You cannot help your past. 

That's true, but you can change your future.

You can make the most of your present.

First, don't compare yourself to others. People typically post the good on their social media. My husband is HUGE on all of his social media outlets, and never posts anything bad (except about the pollution here, maybe). He posts jokes, shares pictures of beautiful or exotic places we visit, and praises his students or even his own self. People envy him. Why? Life's too short to waste on envy.

Use another person's positive experience to motivate you, if anything, but don't pin yourself to it.

"If only I had a better job, we could... "
"If only we lived somewhere else, we could ..."

Really? How about getting out into your community, into the geographic area, to explore. Find what's there, try the cool stuff, avoid that which doesn't interest you, and do something!

EVERYWHERE is interesting. Decide to make your own happiness. What turns you on?

(If you're visiting from A to Z, please include the name of your blog as it is on the Master List so I can return the favor!)

Feel Good!

I wanted to call this "Find What Feels Good" - a phrase used a lot by Adriene Mishler of Yoga With Adriene, but I don't want to plagiarize her. 

If you have wanted to try yoga, but are intimidated to go to a class, check out her youtube channel (linked above). She is great at showing options and alternatives, and she goes slowly through everything, plus, she's just fun!

Adriene uses "find what feels good" in her online classes to encourage you not to just try to conform to the yoga pose, but to make it your own, and do what you need for where you are physically or mentally that day. Sometimes you're just not going to be able to do the full stretch, so modify it, and find what feels good!


 But I digress...


I love that advice for life in general. Not to advocate a hedonistic pursuit of always doing whatever you want, but within the confines of what you MUST do, to live your life, be a responsible adult, etc., find what feels good.

You have to go to work, but even if you love your work, can you make it "feel good"?

• I used an exercise ball as a chair a few hours each day.
• I ate outside when it was nice.
• I took a walk every day during lunch.
  I put up my funny "office decor" that made me happy.

You have a long commute?

• Put games or book-apps on your phone.
• If you drive, subscribe to a podcast or play audio books.
• Make the decision to find something/someone on the trip that makes you smile.
• Make the decision to be someone who makes others smile! (I have caught people staring into my car as I belt out a tune with the radio. Yay!)

  
Find what feels good! 
What do you do to make a mundane or difficult task feel better?

(If you're visiting from A to Z, please include the name of your blog as it is on the Master List so I can return the favor!)