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Have you ever started a new exercise regimen to improve your health? Have you ever dedicated yourself to reaching a certain goal in your career? What about the dream of having a partner who is the perfect fit for you?
Most of us relate to having dreams, goals and hopes for our lives. After all, these aspirations are often what ignites the fire that drives us to get up and go after our deepest desires.
I believe big dreams create the magic of our lives and are meant to be approached with a curiosity and thirst to fully experience life, the bumps and all. By opening up to the idea that the journey is the magic, rather than reaching the actual dream itself, we open the floodgates to love our lives right now. When we give ourselves the gift of seeing and experiencing all that is amazing in our lives at this very moment, we no longer need to delay happiness until we meet some future goal.
These are some of the practices I have been enjoying to settle into loving my life, no matter where I'm at with reaching my dreams. Give them a try and see how they fit.
1) Self-Awareness
Adopt a self-awareness practice that works for you. When you step outside of yourself and take a good honest look at how you are showing up, over time you begin to take yourself a whole lot less seriously. There is a real lightness and sense of ease that comes from being able to laugh at yourself and see the humor in a situation. By regularly checking in with yourself, you may also start to notice the patterns in how you show up and where there may be room to shift and grow. Being self-reflective in a healthy way helps to strengthen your relationship with yourself. It also builds your self-confidence and resourcefulness in trusting yourself to make decisions and steps that are congruent with who you are at your core.
2) Give
Give what you can, whenever you can. It could be spreading kindness through your words, smiles, helpful acts or merely being present for others you share space with out in the world. When you live daily life with a generous attitude, it becomes easier to let go of beliefs and judgments that create an "us against them" mentality. Giving without strings attached or ulterior motives, not only brightens the receiver's day, it fills up your heart and moments before you with joy. It feels good to give from a genuine place and to shift from comparing or competing with others, to celebrating and supporting them. If there are times where you can extend your reach out to your local or global community, then do that too. The ripple effect you will create by leading with a generous spirit may very well become contagious.
3) Move
Our health and well-being are so connected to our feelings and overall attitude. When we feel good in our bodies, it becomes natural and easy to be happy with life. We all vary in our abilities and types of physical activities we enjoy. What may feel great for one person, may not for another. The key thing is to engage in activities you enjoy and movement that fits your lifestyle and needs. Do what works best for you to create a regular habit of moving your body to help you feel the very best you can.
4) Breathe
Deep, intentional breathing is one of the most powerful ways to calm ourselves and ease feelings of stress and anxiety. Often when we find ourselves in a stressful situation, we are more than likely holding our breath. In these situations, if possible, take a few deliberate deep breaths, holding each for the count of four and slowly exhaling. Mindful breathing helps create space to connect to our higher selves and refocus our minds away from destructive or overwhelming thought patterns. The more we practice focusing on our breath, whether that is through yoga, meditation or at certain scheduled times throughout the day, the more likely it will become a habit and natural place to go to transform stress. Breath may not solve the world's problems, but it certainly helps to soften the daily stress and tension that often accompanies full lives.
5) Gratitude
Gratitude is my No. 1 favorite way to get out of any funk and into the joy of life. When we focus on what we are thankful for, we relive all of the beautiful stories and reasons why our lives are worth loving right now, and that feels so good! There are countless reasons to be thankful. Getting to wake up each day to the miracle of being alive is just one of them. The air we breathe, the sights we see, the opportunities and possibilities before us. Your list of reasons to be grateful is as unique as you are and is yours by design. The more we engage in a gratitude practice, the more natural it becomes to see why our lives are worthy of loving right now at this very moment.
Don't delay your happiness for later, jump in and love the life you are in. You are worth it!
If you liked this post, you will love my new book Fall in Love with Your Life, One Week at a Time
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