We are now going into week three of Niyc Pidgeon's "Now is Your Chance, a 30-Day Guide to Living Your Happiest Life Using Positive Psychology." Again these are my notes from her book, my thoughts, but if you want to get the full effect I say buy and listen to or read the book.
Day 15 - Abracadabra
Did you know the thoughts you think and the words you speak have the power to bring new life into your reality?
Be it good or bad - the words we speak have power.
Abracadabra - literally means - I create as I speak! (who knew?)
How can you create a life of joy if you are telling yourself and others that you are tired, fat and someone is driving you crazy? When you focus on what is wrong, how do you find the space for what is right?
Start to imagine your life as a series of possibilities - where you have a choice on which reality you choose.
#nowisyourchance - SPEAK HAPPY
Reflect on a conversation you had recently and determine your level of positivity.
Answer the following questions:
What words did you use?
What meaning do these words have?
How might I say things differently next time?
With these answers in mind, be intentional with the conversations you have, find ways to be more positive.
Choose your words.
Careful with the words you say because you never know how someone may interpret them.
At the same time when you are speaking words of encouragement you may help someone when they need it most.
Something that means nothing to you may stand out for someone else, in a good way or bad. Words create feelings and meaning and can last a lifetime. Do you want to be remembered as being positive? Or the one who was always bitching and gossiping?
#nowisyourchance - TRIGGERS
Be mindful of the triggers that lead you into a negative state
When you are working on the goals you want for yourself - saying it out loud can help you make it so. Reinforce the positive and speak what you desire to create. Is vital to help you slip into a positive space, instead of negative.
Quiet the negative - stop complaining!
#nowisyourchance - SAVE the BLAME - DON’T COMPLAIN
Challenge yourself to one day of no complaining.
You will quickly become aware of how much you were complaining.
Pretty sure I am going to start saying abracadabra when I have negative thoughts creep in my head! Look, it’s hard to complain and have negative thoughts… The world around us makes it harder. I stopped watching the news a few years ago. I don’t have the time to really pay attention to things outside of my control. But guess what, I still know what is going on… because someone always tells me.
Day 16 - MORE THAN JUST SKIN DEEP
What are you wearing to dinner?
A smile.
What is in a smile?
It’s great for your well-being
One smile releases the same amount of endorphins as 2,000 bars of chocolate!
Duchenne Smile - the most genuine smile - it can be identified when eyes crinkle at the corners. It is thought that when this smile happens, you are experiencing an authentic moment of joy!
Even a fake smile has benefits!
Happiness comes from being happy in your own skin, being self-aware and know who you are. Stop comparison - start seeing inspiration and motivation.
#nowisyourchance - SELF LOVE MANTRA
When you notice you are being self-critical, pause and smile and repeat: As I accept myself and love myself, I allow my own happiness to grow.
Remember to look for the good in you and the good in others!
A smile costs nothing, and can make someone’s day.
#nowisyourchance - AWESOME THINGS ABOUT ME
Use the following questions to celebrate who you are.
Which three positive words can you use to describe you?
What do you love about your body?
What do you love about your personality?
What do you love about your mind or abilities?
Then ask these questions from someone else to hear all the good things about you from their point of view.
Going forward when someone asks me what I am wearing I am going to say a smile! How great is that? My friends, we need to be kinder to ourselves. We need to do these practices to show just how awesome we are!
Day 17 - WHY
MEANING
P - Purpose
U - Understanding
R - Responsible Action
E - Enjoyment or Evaluation
How to create the best version of you?
One of the key components of living a happy and thriving life is to find meaning and purpose.
When you connect with your WHY you find your power!
In life we should not focus on the obstacles that are around us, but on the opportunities instead.
What is your why?
Are you coasting through life?
What is important to you? What brings you joy?
A cause or issue? Family? Others?
What makes you come alive?
#nowisyourchance - UNDERSTANDING YOUR WHY
Think about the answers to the following questions to determine your why.
What brings you joy and makes you feel alive?
What things motivate you into action?
Who is important to you?
What problem do you hate to see in the world?
What value do you create or desire to create for others?
What is your unique strength, ability or brilliance?
What’s your mission and big why?
#nowisyourchance - SUPPORT YOUR GOALS
Set a goal for 12 months in the future and work backwards to where you would like to be on this journey towards this goal in 3, 6 and 9 months time.
My 12 month goal is________
My 9 month goal is _______
My 6 month goal is _______
My 3 month goal is _______
Now consider what you need to do and who you need to be on a monthly, weekly and daily basis in order to achieve these goals.
The things I need to do each month _____ each week _____ each day _____
Who I need to be is____
How I will remind myself of my big reason why is ___
It took me many years but I finally know what my purpose is in this world. It’s to make an impact in the lives of others… with fitness, NUTRITION and overall health. I believe you cannot change your life until your mindset is right. I believe you have to set goals and do the things daily to get there! What is your purpose? I believe we can achieve anything we set our minds to achieve!
Day 18 - SEE THE GOOD in EVERYTHING
During hard times allow your emotions to flow, while understanding there is a silver lining and hope at the end of the tunnel.
Up to this point you have SURVIVED 100% of your days!
#nowisyourchance - SPOT THE POSITIVE
Look back at your past year, notice the opportunities that allowed you to find joy in an instant
Also look at when you stopped the positive flow and became fixated on what is going wrong
A place I focused on happiness was _____________
A place I blocked my own happiness was ______________
A place where I can start to see the good in everything is _________________
When you believe in the possibility of an outcome, you are more likely to work harder towards it.
Optimism = you freaking out less
Optimists are less stressed, more resilient and live longer.
But you need to also listen to your intuition.
It’s ok to say no… No is a complete sentence. If it feels wrong to you just say no.
It’s good to see good things.
Assume good things are going to happen.
Be it to you see it.
Keep it real.
It’s good to be optimistic even before you are ready to embrace it.
#nowisyourchance - BEST POSSIBLE SELF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTION
Connect to how you and your life will look in the future when everything has gone as well as it possibly could.
You can Google this “best possible self intervention” and lots of different things will show up. I plan to do this as well. Here’s the one I found and plan to do:
BEST POSSIBLE SELF Power of positive thinking www.winona.edu/resilience updated 11/15/16 Instructions: Think about your life in the future. Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could. You have worked hard and succeeded at accomplishing all of your life goals. Consider all of the relevant areas of your life, such as your career, academic work, relationships, hobbies, and/or health. Think of this as a realization of all of your life dreams. For the next 15 minutes, write continuously about what you imagined. Do this exercise for at least three days in a row. Each day, reflect on this desired future, and then discover ways to make it become a reality!
Day 19 - DREAM BIG DARLING
Visualization can help you create success!
Mental Imaginary takes us to the moment where we fulfill our deepest desires.
Get crystal clear on what you truly desire!
#nowisyourchance - CREATING YOUR VISION
Create your vision:
Set your intention - get clear on your vision.
Answer these questions:
When you think about the future, what do you see?
What is your dream, goal, big vision - set your sights high!!!
Allow whatever it is to come out - write it down - close your eyes - connect with your vision
Don’t worry about how… just let it out…
Add in Emotion - check in- is this what you truly desire?
Feel the emotions as the vision is manifest. Think of it as happening now or already happened in the past.
Take action - no stressing out! Just keep moving in the right direction.
Keep your mindset positive and open to be aware of opportunities that will help you
Think about what you need to do now to allow your vision to become real
Attraction - Be thankful for what you already have.
Feel abundance now… find gratitude
Experience - will start to notice vision manifesting into your reality
Release your intentions to the universe
Hold the vision and trust the process
Bring vision into reality
As you get clear and connected you will allow for the creation of meaning and purpose in your life.
Check-in with where you are…
If things are going well, maybe you need bigger and bolder goals.
Connect, Reflect, Refine and Realign
Holding a long term vision allows you to expand into that space.
#nowisyourchance - VISION MAPPER
Intention (get clear on your vision) , Emotion (3 Emotions to connect with), Action (who do you need to be), Attraction (what are you grateful for), Experience (where can you notice your vision is manifesting)
I have been using vision for years without knowing it. Just simple things really, but why can it not work for our bigger dreams. I created a digital vision board for me this year and printed two copies out. One I see first thing in the morning - the other is in my living room where I spend most of my time when I am at home and awake. Really get in touch with your vision. Close your eyes - go through all your senses - what do you hear, see, smell. What are you touching? Drinking or eating? How do you feel? Who is with you?
Day 20 - GO TOWARDS YOUR JOY
Nature - go for a walk with the intention of noticing the things around you that bring you joy can feel you up with happiness.
Being in nature makes us happy!
#nowisyourchance - DISCOVER MOMENTS OF JOY
Today create a joyful experience - leave the excuses behind
What are you putting off that would bring you joy?
Go towards you joy today!
Niyc Pidgeon - Eye spy in Grey Time
Say “I spy with my happy eye” and look for all the things around you that might bring you joy.
#nowisyourchance - CREATE MORE JOY
Recall a time when you felt really happy and joyful and close your eyes and think about this time.
Or think about a time in the future when you feel like you will feel joy and bring that joy into the present.
I do find joy in the everyday. My morning walks are so precious to me… squirrels are so funny! I notice the clouds and trees, if it is windy or not. All of these things bring little bits of joy into my heart.
Day 21 - LET IT SHINE
Conscious Collaboration
Alone we have power
But together we can create a force.
Relationships can be the most fulling elements of life - and our greatest teachers.
We can find great comfort in connection.
Niyc Notes:
Start to notice how your relationships make you feel.
Where are you withholding?
Twenty second hugs are good!
#nowisyourchance - REACH OUT
Reconnect with someone you have not spent time with lately
#nowisyourchance - UPGRADE YOUR RESPONSES
Become conscious to how you are answering to others… pause and really listen to the person before answering with an active constructive response.
For example - your spouse/friend got a promotion at work -
Active Constructive - That’s great you have earned it! So proud of you. Followed by questions that show interest.
Passive Constructive - Great job! What’s for dinner?
Active Destructive - Wow! Does this mean you will be working later hours? I can’t believe they picked you. DEFLATING
Passive Destructive - Wow! Wait until I tell you what happened to me today! (self-centered) OR What’s for dinner (Ignoring event)
Our relationships are so important! But relationships do require to be nurtured. We alone are incredibly unique individuals, but when get together with others we become so much more!
Thanks for reading
xo Kimberly
#choices #2019goals #createnew #optimizedlife #health #visualization #lifestyle #trysomethingnew #changeyourlife #thrive #dreambig #happiness