Friday, August 31, 2018
Sunday, August 5, 2018
10 Habits of the Happiest
Blog by Tracy Butz, Think Impact Solutions
Forget complicated theories. Feeling happier tomorrow, than
you are today, just might be as easy as practicing these 10 simple, yet
powerful, patterns of behavior:
- Treat kindness like
confetti. Toss it around for everyone to enjoy, and as if it were free. Oh
ya, kindness is free. It’s not only free, but available to everyone to both
give and receive. You don’t have to be tall, young, thin, rich or beautiful to share
it. You only need to express it by throwing it up in the air so that anyone who
is ready and willing to feel it, does. When you demonstrate kindness to others,
perhaps by offering a nice compliment or opening the door for another person,
the chances of that individual sprinkling some kindness toward someone else dramatically
increases.
- Start every day with a smile. While smiling is often viewed as a reaction to a positive feeling, it can also be used to initiate joy. Consider a positive memory, perhaps looking at a fun photograph. It’s pretty difficult to remain angry, frustrated or disappointed when a smile is suddenly felt. A good rule to start every day with is to look in the mirror and smile. You gotta brush your teeth anyway, so just consider yourself not fully dressed and ready to go until you’ve put on a smile.
- Quiet “The Chatter.” Instead of listening to self-deprecating statements we tell ourselves or the negative chants repeated in our minds, quiet the vindictive voices with motivating mantras like, “I know I can do this,” or “I am an excellent communicator and ready for this challenge.” Instead of being your own worst enemy, choose to be your very best friend.
- Stop to smell the flowers…literally. Enjoying simple moments, like smelling fragrant flowers or listening to chirping birds, can bring a sense of calm and happiness that grounds you. “Stopping to smell the flowers” is also a reminder to slow down and enjoy the beauty of life. Live in the present with a deeper sense of love, gratitude and appreciation for all the incredible blessings life offers.
- Listen to music and sing along. Just like melancholy songs supplement a sad mood, cheerful and upbeat tunes compliment or trigger a happy mood. And according to the University of Manchester researchers, a tiny organ in the inner ear—called the sacculus—is connected to a part of your brain that registers pleasure. And when you sing, the sacculus registers frequency notes, giving you a warm and nostalgic feeling. So go ahead and belt out the words to your favorite beat.
- Frolic with a furry friend. In addition to companionship, pets can provide numerous other health benefits—both psychological and physical—like reducing stress, promotes social interaction, and encourages physical activity, to name a few. There are few things as consistent as coming home from work and being greeted by an excited dog, ready to engage you and demonstrate their affection.
- Infuse vitamin D. The human body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun's rays, and research suggests that those who are deficient in the vitamin are more likely to be depressed, anxious, and tired. When possible, soak up the sunshine—with caution, of course—to lighten your mood naturally. On days when the rays don’t cooperate, a surprising source of vitamin D can also be found in mushrooms. So throw some mushrooms into your breakfast omelet or lunchtime salad and enjoy a quick vitamin D boost of serotonin in your brain, magically enhancing your mood. And for non-mushroom lovers, there is still yet another solution: chocolate! Chocolate contains tryptophan, which also boosts the production of serotonin in the brain, leading to more delighted dispositions.
- Eagerly exercise. Instead of declaring, “I’m too tired to exercise,” boost your energy and brighten your outlook with a short walk, meditation, rhythmic breathing, yoga, or relaxation techniques. Quell anxiety, promote serenity, and lift your mood—while also tightening your tush.
- Get more zzzzz’s. It’s been said that you only really need six hours of sleep a night to feel rested and ready-to-go the next day. However, I know I need nine or ten hours to be at my best. In fact, I have found that I am a more patient, friendlier, and less sensitive to negative emotions when I get the shuteye my body demands. Stay tuned into what your unique sleep requirements are, rather than those of others, and concede to those needs freely.
- Spend time with people who matter. Disconnect from the rat-race of life and instead, reach out and connect with a trusted friend or family member. Meaningful and positive relationships offer support, love and guidance, which enriches our lives and provides a greater sense of purpose. Direct time and attention to those who mean the most to you and reap the benefits those real and lasting relationships offer.
There is only one person that can make you feel happy. You.
Take charge of how you feel today.
Choose happiness by engaging in these 10 simple habits. Here’s to a happier you!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
When Life Throws You a Curve Ball
Tough stuff happens to all of us. What do you do when life
throws you a curve ball? I do my best to dive hard and shout, “Got it!” And
when that doesn’t work, I heed my own advice with these five strategies:
- Accept the new situation or challenge. When a challenging situation is viewed as the possibility to learn something new, you tend to resist it less and embrace it more.
- Swerve from your routine. Understanding that changes will happen, allows us to establish new ways of doing or looking at something. You may even discover a hidden talent you didn’t know you had.
- Add some humor in your life. Whether you pay to see a comedian, view some funny videos on You Tube, read a witty book, or talk with an amusing friend. I find a dose of humor helps keep the tears at bay…and potentially, the doctor away.
- Kill it with kindness. Being kind to others, even when you feel down, helps others to demonstrate kindness to you too. And aren’t more genuine gestures of kindness something we all need?
- Seek a little adventure. Whether it is choosing to zipline, indoor skydive (like I just did with my boys last week when they visited!), or try something else—stepping out of your comfort zone puts your mind in a challenging and exciting place where you likely aren’t able to focus on the recent twist.
As I frequently remind audiences, every day is a great day
when I don’t have daisies growing over my head. So choose to make today the
best day ever!
What is Holding You Back?
Blog from Tracy Butz, Think Impact Solutions
Success means different things to each of us. Do you
consider yourself successful? Are there aspects in your life where you want to
be more successful? For many of us, the answer is, “yes.” But one question I
often ask my audiences or participants in a workshop is, “Do you know what is holding you back from being more successful?”
I encourage you to consider, what’s holding
you back from…
- Taking the next step in your career?
- Setting the next stretch goal in your personal life?
- Envisioning a brighter future for yourself?
Unfortunately, FEAR is a common answer I hear. The truth is…fear
kills dreams. Most people don’t live their dreams because of fear. FEAR is
described as – False Evidence of Appearing Real – it’s an illusion you create in your mind. It’s the product of the thoughts you create.
On the other hand, danger is very real, but not fear. Perhaps you struggle with
the fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of something
else, like not being selected for the promotion you desire, not achieving your
wellness goal this year, being unable to fix a relationship issue with a team
member, or maybe not being able to learn or do everything you are expected to do
in your job.
Courageously facing fears can be daunting. But as I was once
reminded, you can have courage or you can have comfort, but you can’t have
both. They are mutually exclusive.
Rather than letting your fears hinder your desire to succeed,
face your fear. Here are a few ways I have faced my own personal fears:
- Consider the worst outcome if your fear happens. (Often times, the “worst” isn’t that bad.)
- Expose yourself to the fear. (Avoiding fear makes it scarier. Face it to help overcome it.)
- Don’t expect perfection. (Look at mistakes as an opportunity to do it better next time.)
- Talk about your fear with someone you trust.
- Write down your fear on paper; this activity helps to rationalize it.
- Consider what aspects of your fear you do control. Consider ways to improve those areas.
- Don’t focus on pain; focus on success (explained below).
As noted in the last bullet point above, don’t focus on what’s
painful—which is the process of what it takes to make something happen (including potential failure). Because if
you focus on the pain, chances of achieving your goal decreases. Pain is
temporary—eventually it will subside. But if you quit—it will last forever.
Instead, focus on what you want; focus on what success looks like today. For
example, if you have a goal to lose 20 pounds, don’t focus on the 10th
or 20th pound; instead, focus on today’s plan to eat healthy and
incorporate some exercise into your day. Which one seems less daunting to you?
Understanding what is holding you back is the starting point
to making your dreams come true and to achieving the success you not only
desire…but deserve!
Three Habits to Foster Extraordinary Relationships
A Blog by Tracy Butz,
Think Impact Solutions
Have you ever had time elapse between a relationship with
either a friend or a colleague, and then when you re-connect, it’s as if you
picked up exactly where you left off? If so, I would say you both had the
privilege of sharing an extraordinary relationship.
Extraordinary relationships are built and enhanced through
ordinary, yet meaningful, actions. These numerous small acts of kindness,
respect and understanding are displayed both consciously and unconsciously. If
you want to raise the bar on your relationships, here are three habits to take
them to the next level:
- Give consistently, receive occasionally. Those who build great relationships don't think about what they want; instead, they start by thinking about what they can give. They approach building relationships as if it's all about the other person and not about them—and in the process—they build relationships with others who follow the same approach. In time, they make authentic connections and become genuine friends.
- Listen with the intent of understanding, not replying. Research shows that only about 10 percent of us listen effectively—often distracted by technology or our own thoughts. Resist the temptation of considering how to jump in to tell your own story, offer advice, or even make a judgment. Instead, choose to engage in actively listening to the other person’s words and body language—because when you do, relationships prosper and levels of trust grow deeper.
- Step in without being asked. It’s both common and easy to help when asked; but very few people offer help before they’ve been asked—even though most of the time that is when a little help will make the greatest impact. Those who build extraordinary relationships pay close attention so they can tell when others are struggling. This demonstration of an empathetic and caring heart enables others to truly appreciate the heartfelt support and assistance, and will also more often times accept the help being offered.
Make today the day you
choose to foster an extraordinary relationship you hold dear.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)