How To Find Happiness Blog

Our founding father Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The theologian and mathematician Blaise Pascal has observed that, ” all men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end.”

What is this happiness? How does one achieve it? The Oxford Dictionary defines happiness as ” pleasure, delight, enjoyment, joy, gladness, high spirits.”

What produces these sensations?

Society has attempted to answer this, or at least to side-step it, through activity. Pascal says ” Men are entrusted from infancy with the care of their honor, their property, their friends . . . They are overwhelmed with business, with the study of languages, and with physical exercise; and they are made to understand that they cannot be happy unless their health, their honor, their fortune . . . be in good condition, and that a single thing wanting will make them unhappy. Thus they are given cares and business which make them bustle about from break of day. — It is, you will exclaim, a strange way to make them happy!” The distractions he refers to can often fill our lives to the point that we forget who and what we are and what we are about. I urge everyone here to take a moment and think about what distracts you. Is it business? Is it appearance? Is it achieving more?

Adolescence is generally considered a fairly trying time of life. It lands between childhood and adulthood; resulting in a person unsure of their age and identity. Vigorous attempts to resolve these feelings often result in distraction in looking for happiness. Happiness and the search for it motivates our actions; at times causing us to engage in bizarre behavior. Happiness is often equated with success; if one is successful, one must be happy. The pressure in high school to excel in many areas stems from the idea that this will create happiness, directly or indirectly; immediately or in the future.

One of the benefits of adolescence is the opportunity to experience new activities; however, these can be overwhelming, especially if the motivation behind participation is lost in the bustle of achievement.

We have reached a turning point in our lives, and now we are supposed to strike boldly out on the exhilarating and life-affirming path to success. There are certain things we must do to find this success, and if this success is not found, happiness will not be achieved.

But I wonder: how much of happiness is really related to popularity or what you have accomplished on the field, on an instrument, in the classroom, or what you will do in college and the workforce? Is achieving happiness so clear-cut that all one needs to do is to keep busy with success at various employments? I used to consider success in certain activities to be important; excelling was something I tried to achieve. Granted, doing your best in something is a positive attitude to maintain, but this mentality with the wrong incentive is not so positive. Doing your best at everything to churn out a list of achievements will not beget happiness. At the end of the day success and happiness are not dependent on what is achieved.

What is really important? What is success? Is it having the most expensive car or being content without it? Is it winning every athletic trophy possible or enjoying the sport and learning from it? Is it going to an impressive college, studying hard, and maintaining an illustrious career the rest of your life or forming relationships and serving others? Life is not about a list of successes. It’s about experiences and relationships and learning.

People who are engaged in life and find value in their existence are able to realize contentment, and so doing, happiness. Serving others, pleasures found in the simple things like loud laughter or a warm and comfortable sweatshirt, and loving God are all occasions of happiness. Stop for a moment and think about when you are happy. Is it in playing music? In prayer? In squirting whipped cream directly into your mouth? I remember when I was younger playing a game called ‘Deserted Island’ with my brother and sister and grandmother. We were hiding on an island from the bad guys. To survive, we made ovens out of bricks and cooked fish on them. We slept in trees and sometimes climbed to the tops to watch for the bad guys’ ship approaching to find us. If this happened, we hid in the barn where apparently they never thought to look. This game, though possibly silly as I think about it now, was always a happy moment.

To reiterate what Pascal has wisely observed, ” All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end… The will never takes the least step without this object . . . And yet after such a great number of years, no one without faith has reached the point to which all continually look.” Ladies and gentlemen, fellow graduates, I beseech all of you to look: ” seek, and ye shall find.”

(info from http://rockland.villagesoup.com/Education/story.cfm?storyID=56389)

Think about what’s right with life. Think about the good and valuable things that you sometimes forget to even notice.

Think about the positive possibilities that are real and present in this very moment. Think about all the worthwhile things you can do with this day that is yours right now.

Think of how you can take action and cause good things to happen. Think of how you can set an ambitious goal and work with persistence to reach it.

Think of all the good people who quietly and reliably work to make this world a better place. Think of how great you feel when you give of yourself to others.

Think of the opportunities you have to live a life that is filled with richness. Think of how fortunate you are to be able to experience and appreciate the beauty in this world.

Think about what’s right, what’s good, what’s valuable and fulfilling. For the more you focus your thoughts on the good things, the more abundant they will become.

- Ralph Marston

When young people decide to get married, there, somewhere in the back of their mind remains a big question as to how to bring up the children. The question becomes more challenging when both, the husband and wife happen to be working. When the children enter the scene the working parents find themselves facing a dilemma; how to balance the home and the family and do well at both? It so happens that the problems faced by the working couples often seem to bring them to confrontations that they have never imagined. They remember the saying, “I slept and dreamt that life was a beauty and woke up and found that life was a duty.” Duty, duty and duty. Juggling home, office and parenting really drains the life out. And such times the working couples can find themselves arguing and blaming each other each and every problem that crops up from nowhere.

Dr. Neetu has two young children who attend elementary school. Everyday she drops the children at the school and her husband, a university teacher picks up them up after school. However, there are times when there are some emergency calls for Dr. Neetu and she does not have the time to drop the children. Her husband on the other hand sleeps late at night and really gets mad when he is called early in the morning to take the children to the school.

When working parents juggle between home and office they are stressed out to a point when even the smallest problems seem to flare up arguments. However arguing, nagging and bickering only breaks the peace of the family. While working couples try to balance their office and family it might be worthwhile to remember some hints.

1. Curve out couple time: Wearing out the sole of your shoes with running between home, office and the children’s school? When was the last time that you had a quiet dinner together? Have you noticed that things- to- do- together has hit the bottom list? Its time to curve out a time for just for the two of you. Leave the children with their granny and dine out. Or after the children are in their beds have a candle-light dinner that lasts late into the night on the weekends. At such times keep your talks about family issues as little as possible.

2. Stop blaming each other: Put an end to blaming each other for things that go wrong. Take responsibility together to sort out a dilemma. Never forget, even for a second that the family is not ‘his’ or ‘hers’, but its yours. Together you have started it and together you are to run it. We all make mistakes and one should not be made to feel guilty when a mistake is made.

3. Think over the other’s points: When in disagreement over some subject think over the other’s view. Reflect over what the other is trying to say. Think over merits and demerits of your own views. If mistaken learn to let go and what your spouse has to say.

4. Respect the other person: Showing respect for the other person can never be too much. When we show respect for the other person we only add to the shared love. There are times when you may not be in complete agreement and yet learn to remain silent and accept the other’s decision. You could avoid many heated arguments over this momentary silence over your own opinions.

5. Focus on important issues: Running a family and doing a job and at the same time being the ideal parents is no easy task. When making an important decision try to see what is more important to your family and its happiness. There may be times when sacrifices must be made for the sake of the family. It’s worthwhile. If going out with children on the weekend means letting go of the extra income (over time) you had targeted earlier, let go of it.

6. Pick your moment: Pick your moment to find happiness. The summer that is looming ahead may be the ideal summer for you to go out on a break. Next summer your eldest son may be too busy with high school finals. And take this summer to take the family to a vacation.

While on the vacation do not forget to find those special moments for your significant other. Use the time out together something worthwhile to remember.

Find a common ground; While riding on the wheel of life find common grounds on which you can anchor your boat. The rough seas of life cannot be weathered if you are set on different directions.

Working couples need to adjust to a lot of things. Starting from job selection, where to live, how many children to take, they need to decide together on the everyday things as to what tea to drink. Find a common ground on which both can agree and set your picture.

As the poet Khalil Gibran says, “Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music, “The family is the music of a couple; they must play it together”. Being a working couple can be taken like an addition of a note to the music, its up to them to play it well.

(info from http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/jun/03/03062005wo.htm)

Okay, I am sure that you clicked on this title out of curiosity. Wow a butterfly; what would a butterfly have to do with self help content? And you are right. Not a thing! But it is the phrase that my daughter used when she saw a butterfly while playing outside. She said it with so much excitement that I could not help but feel excited for her too.

Now, I know it sounds kind of cute. But, what I am trying to communicate is that children seem so happy because they are overall excited. They get excited with a toy, an animal, a game, a hug, a friend etc. They are happy to just wake up another day; they have so much to look forward to (anything).

As adults we can also appreciate the beauty of a butterfly but, I am not quite sure we would get so excited. We have seen butterflies more times than them but, most importantly life in general gets on our way not allowing us to have enough time to contemplate. Those who even dare to dream out loud are often discouraged by peers. Why? We have all bought in to this notion that life is hard. Which is partly true but, everything is not terrible. Sometimes we overlook the good things.

So what should you do about it? Follow your dreams, be open to new experiences, make new friends, stand up for your beliefs, have hobbies etc. If you follow these simple tips you will soon have some excitement and happiness in your life.

Spice it up a little,

Kenia Morales

About the Author

Kenia Morales is the publisher of online magazine http://kpatra.com “For Every Aspect of Today’s Woman. Visit her site to find a variety of women related issues and topics” click here http://www.kpatra.com/keniascolumn.htm to find Kenia’s little piece of heaven her inspirational column

Making the most of your time is a priority if you want success in life.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” - Michael Altshuler

Time is life’s most valuable asset and everyone is allotted the same 24-hour day. How is it that some people can accomplish two or three times more in a single day than others? The answer is simple; they’ve mastered time management skills.

Have you ever noticed how much you can get done in a few hours when you really have to? Let’s use the day before your vacation as an example. You make a list of chores that must be done before you can leave for the airport:

-Take the dog to the kennel
-Go to the bank
-Pick up the dry cleaning
-Gas up the car
-Clean the litter box
-Water the plants
-Take out the trash
-Run and empty the dishwasher
-Mow the yard
-Cancel the newspaper
-Cancel milk delivery

You have only 3 hours to complete all these tasks, yet when finished, you had time left over. How did this happen? You were organized and motivated. This is the essence of time management.

Learning to use your time productively can reduce much of the stress and frustration in your life, leaving you feeling more content. Not only that; but you’ll have more time to spend doing the things you enjoy most.

Think-Plan-Organize-Execute-Reevaluate. Time management simply put, is working smarter. The first step in developing an effective time management plan is to determine where you need to spend time and where you do not. Below are just a few basic principles to get started:

1.Determine what time of day you are most productive. Are you more productive in the morning or in the afternoon? Schedule your most important daily tasks during this period. Save your more mundane chores like attending meetings, answering emails and phone calls for later.

2.Use technology to your advantage. Don’t return phone calls if sending emails can accomplish the same thing. Return phone calls during the noon hour and leave voice messages. This saves you many minutes of idle chitchat.

3.Get a clear picture. Don’t begin a new project until you have all of the details and you completely understand the projects goals and requirements. Get all your questions answered before you begin as there’s no sense in doing it twice.

4.Develop good decision making skills. Understand the consequences of each decision you make; will it produce the desired results?

5.Create an action plan. If you neglect to take time for planning, you are setting yourself up for failure. Spend time analyzing every project. Create a “To Do” list and outline each task required to reach your desired goal. Be sure to break down larger tasks into smaller ones. Specify due dates, and priorities. Cross off each task as it’s completed, this will help you keep organized and prevent you from forgetting anything. Take a look at your plan, are there ways to simplify it further? Keep your list updated.

6.Get organized. Don’t begin a project until you’ve assembled all the necessary resources and tools you’ll need. Use your day planner to remind yourself of upcoming tasks. At the end of the day write down where you left off and make a list of priorities for tomorrow.

7.Set priorities. Know the difference between important tasks and urgent ones. Urgent tasks have short-term consequences while important tasks are those with long-term, goal-related outcomes. Work toward reducing the urgent tasks so you’ll have plenty of time for more important priorities. This will help prevent urgent items from becoming emergencies.

8.Learn your software. Learning how to get the most from your computer and its software will also help make your work easier and less time consuming. Spending time learning how to improve your work is more productive than wasting time doing it the same old way. Take advantage of computer software tutorials to become more proficient in your work.

9.Be flexible. Plan time for interruptions and distractions. Make yourself available to respond to surprises and new opportunities.

10.Avoid procrastination. Procrastination is the tendency to avoid, for as long as possible, completing an action or task that needs to be done, usually by focusing on some other distraction. Getting it over with right away will keep time from being wasted.

11.Stay focused. Avoid jumping from one uncompleted task to another. Try to finish one job before moving on to the next.

12.Delegate. What tasks can be delegated to others?

13.Follow a routine. Make your new routine a habit. Every new habit you develop is an important step toward taking control of your time.

14.Reward yourself. Balance your work with pleasure and reward yourself for completing your goals, even the small ones.

15.Reevaluate: After completing a project, revisit your “To Do” list. Were there any unnecessary steps? Is there a way the task could be accomplished with less effort next time?
Wasted time is lost opportunity. Lost opportunity equals diminished productivity. Lost productivity means less time to spend doing the things you want to do. Your life is a progression of choices. You have control over the choices you make, not the flow of time.
Time management is one source for a happier more productive life, and studies have shown that happy people feel less rushed because they are in control of their time. Once you’ve mastered these skills, you’ll find yourself able to maintain a healthier balance between your work, and your family.

Copyright 2005, Video Professor Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Mary Carroll is a customer advocate for Video Professor http://www.videoprofessor.com/, the leader in self-paced software learning tutorials, helping our customers to better understand Video Professor and how our tutorials can provide tools to learn various software programs to your desired level.

Procrastination is when ever we postpone a task or duty intentionally without a valuable explanation. It is a natural tendency in people. Let’s face it, sometimes we are tired or a specific task is unpleasant to perform and we respond by putting it off until later. If it happens only once or on something of not much importance it is okay. But, what happens when a student keeps putting off the school work. At the last minute he may want to make up for the lost time but fails the class. So, can you see how procrastination can get in the way of your success and objectives? Therefore, it is crucial for people to learn how to avoid this negative tendency and manage it effectively. Below I have added some tips that can convert anyone in to a procrastinator no more!

• On a daily basis make a “to do list”. Check each completed item as you go.
• Prioritize, do first what is most important. This way if you do not have a chance to do the other ones (for any reason) at least, you have completed the most important duties.
• When there are tasks that you rather avoid classify them between the most tedious and the lighter ones. Do the ones that you find less amusing first. Once you are done with the ones you dislike your day will flow extra smoothly.
• Motivate yourself by keeping in mind why you need to complete this task, of what problem you would get rid off? Or what will be accomplished?
• Find out what will motivate you to complete a certain task. For example some people rather complete a project with a group.
• Manage your time effectively, like that you can schedule relax or fun time also. Extracurricular activities will not get on the way of your duties.
• Set effective goals, do not only define your goal but, also add a time frame in which you would like to accomplish it.
  Take one step at a time. For example: I do not have enough time to clean the entire house but, I will fix a room or two today and continue tomorrow.
• Always keep in mind a special procrastination quote. Here is one I particularly like:
  “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” By Napoleon Hill

About the Author

Kenia Morales is the publisher of online magazine http://kpatra.com “For Every Aspect of Today’s Woman. Visit her site to find a variety of women related issues and topics” click here http://www.kpatra.com/keniascolumn.htm to find Kenia’s little piece of heaven her inspirational column

I Can Do That!

My daughter, Emily, at the learned age of 8 taught me a lesson that has never left me.

The church we were attending at the time was planning a huge Christmas play. They were pulling out all the stops and were abuzz with excitement. Mary, the pastor’s wife/casting director was in hot pursuit of the lead role: A young girl with many, many lines. In fact the character appeared in every scene and spoke in all but one.

It was my understanding that she wanted a teenager, but girls weren’t exactly lining up in front of her.
A. Practices would take place each Friday and Saturday night for a month.
B. Forget a line + suffer humiliation = life’s over.

Then one Sunday evening, Mary headed toward me smiling like a cat with salmon on its breath. My first thought was, “Has she gotten that desperate?” I started filing through my mental files for the folder marked EXCUSES, but realized soon enough I didn’t need excuses because she didn’t need a 28 year old teenager.

She: “Sweet Emily has saved the day!”
Me: “My sweet Emily?”
She: “Of course. She wants the role. She’s so excited. I showed her the script, and how many pages there are to memorize. She said she could do it.”

Me: “Then she’ll do it.”

My freckle faced, beautiful little girl who had never done anything remotely like this had just signed on for something realistically over her head. Realistically. But 8 year olds don’t think realistically. They’d never stoop to that.

When I first asked her about it and offered to loan her my EXCUSES folder, she told me what she had apparently told Mary, “Oh, I can do that.” She even seemed incredulous that we adults hadn’t thought of this before - the obvious solution.

We spent the month at weekend practices and kitchen table readings. I was even more amazed than usual with this little girl! She not only was nailing her lines at practice, she was feeding lines to older kids AND adults. When the performance rolled around Em was, OF COURSE, magnificent. She didn’t blow one line, and in fact covered like a seasoned pro for an adult who had forgotten his line. I’ve never seen such utter relief on one man’s face!

With a very sharp mind (she gets that from her dad), hard-headed determination (also from him) boldness (ditto) and a flair for the dramatic (what I brought to the gene party), the child was, and is, loaded with assetts.

But what left an impression on me was her can-do attitude. Not once did she complain or give voice to any doubts. She knew she had a lot of work in front of her and knew it wouldn’t be easy. But she knew something more important. She knew she could do it.

And she did.

When I’m confronted with difficult situations and am tempted to throw in the proverbial hat, I think back to the look on her face and the determination in her voice. I remember a very thick script covered in yellow highlighter, marking countless lines. I remember a tiny girl turning off cartoons and lying on the floor with a huge pile of work. I remember looking closely into her big blue eyes and not seeing a trace of doubt or nervousness.

Then again, why would she worry? As she said, “Oh, I can do that.”

About the Author

This article by Joi Sigers can be found at http://www.thementalfitnesscenter.com/, along with other motivational articles and information on self improvement, stress, shyness, relaxation, depression, and more.

Why should you learn how to have gratitude?

Yes, it might feel great to win the lottery. Money, houses, travel - these are wonderful, but not enough by themselves. You need the right frame of mind to fully enjoy life. You need the attitude of gratitude.

Be Grateful

Life is better when you feel blessed, when you can look around and say “Thank you, God.” Religious or not, when you see life as a wonderful gift, your experience is a richer one than any amount of money can provide. Imagine going through life like you’re a child, and every morning is Christmas.

It’s tempting to think gatitude comes from having what you want. You see yourself giving thanks if you had money, a loving family, and maybe a house on the beach. Still, you know there are ungrateful, unhappy people with these things, and poor people full of gratitude for what little they have. Where does this feeling come from?

Creating Gratitude

Gratitude arises from how you look at things. It is the natural feeling that comes from truly appreciating the people and things in your life. It is also something you can learn.

First, you have to stop and smell the roses. You can’t be thankful for something you don’t notice or enjoy. Roses really do smell great, by the way.

Then, you need to make this appreciative approach to roses and life a habit. There’s no need to ignore the ugliness in the world, but you have to habitually see the beautiful things.

Start writing down every positive thing that happens to you, and all the things you like. Do this until you start automatically seeing the good things in life. If you’ve ever bought a white car, and started seeing white cars all over, you know how awareness can alter your perception of reality. To see wonderful things all over, train yourself to look for them.

Wnen you are in the habit of “counting your blessings,” gratitude, and a much richer experience of life is the natural result.

About the Author

Steve Gillman writes on many self help topics including boosting brainpower, losing weight, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, learning gratitude, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. You’ll find more at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com

Our greatest growth in life comes from pushing through our present comfort zone. This process starts at birth. A baby feels safe, warm and secure in its mother’s womb. However, to stay there much longer than the gestation period would mean certain death for both the mother and child. Life began for all of us as we left the comfort and security of the womb and faced the strange and unfamiliar world outside. Our first breath is often a painful experience, a cry of protest at temporary discomfort. Yet without this experience, our life would be fleetingly short.

Each milestone of growth and accomplishment for a young child involves leaving an existing comfort zone. The first crawl, the first step, many new, first experiences all push from the familiar into the unknown. For the child the process of pushing through their area of comfort leads to increasing independence and the formation of their unique personality and character.

This foundational principle continues into adult life. In order to enrich our life, it is necessary to step out of our present comfort zone. Personal growth occurs when a person moves out of their area of comfort and into the unknown and challenge of a fresh experience. There is a stage of risk and discomfort before any significant growth in our life. For each of us there comes a point where we hold back and resist. It becomes easier to remain static and comfortable than to keep moving forward.

What holds us back?

Whenever we consider taking on a new project, or venture, or want to put ourselves out there, we feel fear. Fear is natural, and is to be expected. It is our body’s way of letting us know we are moving out of our comfort zone. Fear can alert us to possible threats and dangers. However unlike our cave men predecessors, many of the threats today are not life threatening. Fear can warn you and enable you to be more aware and cautious, but need not stop you progressing. If you want to move forward on the journey towards where you want to be, you will have to confront your fears. Unfortunately many people allow fear to stop them, and don’t achieve their goals and aspirations.

Fear does not feel comfortable, and many people want to avoid it at all costs. Everyone experiences fear. People who want to be successful feel the fear and do it anyway! Fear is part of the package. Yes, there is always a risk of failure, but that needs to balanced with the old adage “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained”. A child’s risk of falling when taking those first faltering steps is high. Yet, what a transformation to a child’s life once they have mastered the skill of walking! Limitless possibilities are opened up in the child’s life. The falls and tumbles are soon forgotten overshadowed by the new adventures and experiences.
Pushing through to leave your comfort zone is hard work. Nature demonstrates that graphically for us. The chick pecking it’s way out of the shell, the butterfly struggling from it’s cocoon, illustrate how that struggle is necessary in order to bring life, growth and success.
The good news is that once we have faced our fears and done it anyway, we have moved forward to a new place. Every time we push through and live out of our comfort zone we will never be the same. Growth happens!

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. US Supreme Court Justice, once said
“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”

I believe this is true of not only our mind, but also of who we are as unique people. Life moves into a new dimension through each experience we go through in life.
However there is also the possibility that once we have pushed through our comfort zone into a new place of growth, we rest too long there, and create a different comfort zone!
Let’s keep pushing through and moving forward towards growing our uniqueness and living our life fully.

About the Author

Barbara White, of Beyond Better Development,speaks and writes with passion to inspire and empower people in their journey of personal growth towards the excellence in life that they aspire to. This article was written for her newsletter Growing Beyond Better. If you would like to receive Growing Beyond Better regularly, you can subscribe for this free newsletter at Barbara’s website
http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com

Here are 7 simple and surprising keys to happiness. Enjoy (and apply)!

Have you ever had one of those days where you just wish you were in a better mood? Perhaps you tried to shift your state of mind to something better but struggled to achieve it.

Sometimes we get stuck in our own ’stinking thinking’ and forget how easy it is to feel happier, so here are seven simple ways to lift your mood that many people have found useful and some of them may surprise you!

1. Go for a walk.

Most folk know that going for a short daily walk is one of the best forms of exercise. If you can, go into a natural environment with flowers, trees and birds. What will you notice first? The different shades of greenery, the fresh smell of country air, the bird sounds, or the sunlight shining through the tree foliage.

2. Listen to some quality music.

Music creates magical effects. It can shift the listeners state within moments. Why not dig out that album you haven’t listened to in ages or why not tune in your radio to something you’ve never listened to before.

3. Think of others less fortunate.

The fact that you are reading this article suggests that you are probably much better off than many, many people on this planet! What if you were to imagine being in space looking down on the amazing beautiful earth, noticing all the oceans and lands with the clouds above… And then thinking about the fact that there are many human beings that are starving, homeless and in lots of pain… Allow your compassion for them to grow.

4. Read something radical!

How many different types of magazines can you get these days?! Have you ever waltzed into a big newsagents and just browsed through the magazine racks? It’s incredible. Why not buy a magazine you wouldn’t normally buy. You never know you may discover something wonderful!

5. Laughing at laughter.

Have you ever had the experience when you just laugh for no good reason? Isn’t it great! Laughter is one of the best ways to lift your spirits. Can’t think of anything funny? Try grinning at yourself insanely in the mirror and notice how difficult it becomes to control your giggle muscles!

6. Simple breathing meditation.

A great exercise that you can do anywhere is a simple breathing meditation. No need to dress in orange robes. Simply find yourself in a comfortable sitting position with your back straight. Now close your eyes and become aware of the flow of air into and out of your nostrils. That’s it! Do this for 10/15 minutes and you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised how you feel afterward.

7. Doodling just for fun!

Remember when you were young and you used to doodle with crayons for hours. Kids love drawing silly little pictures, why not adults? So get some pens, pencils, crayons or whatever you have and just draw - doodle away until your state of mind shifts.

You might agree that these are all pretty simple and that’s what’s so good about them. Making changes, mundane or profoundly life-changing, are easily and quickly achieved by putting into action simple ideas, methods, tools and techniques.

About the Author

Colin G Smith is a licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro- Linguistic Programming (NLP) and author of ‘The NLP ToolBox’, a personal development book that enables the reader to master any area of their life with amazing speed. Complete information on Colin G Smith’s books are available at his website, including a FREE personal development eBook.
http://www.NLPToolBox.com