January 1st
"The truth is that there is never a really 'right time'...there comes a time when one simply hopes for the best, pinches one's nose, and jumps in the abyss. If this were not so, we would not have needed to create the words heroine, hero, or courage."
-Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves
Don't kid yourself.
It takes courage to make changes and decide you want a happier life.
It takes courage and determination to say, "I don't want to run around frantically anymore. This is not the way I choose to live."
Happy Action:
Stop putting off changes.
Decide to be the hero of your own life.
Decide you want to enjoy your life, starting right now, this very second.
January 2nd
Resolution time? Here's an idea: change your thinking before you try changing any of your habits.
Do your thoughts sound like this? "I am so fat! I have to lose weight! I have no discipline!"
Stop.
This kind of thinking will not help you change and it may even be setting you up to fail.
Happy Action:
Start sending different messages to your brain and you will get different results.
Here are some examples:
When you hear yourself say (either aloud or in your head), "I am fat," change it to, "I am going to have a healthy body."
Change, "I have no discipline!" to "I am capable of doing this."
It doesn't matter if you believe what you are saying right away.
Once you start changing your thoughts, your brain will work on making these statements come true.
January 3rd
When your brain hears negative thoughts, negative actions will follow.
Happy Action:
Change, "I do not have any time to exercise," to "I have plenty of time to exercise."
When you try to justify eating something unhealthy, stop and say, "My body deserves healthy food."
Instead of saying, "I hate exercise," say, "My body loves movement."
(From Happy on Purpose Daily Messages of Empowerment and Joy for Women revised and expanded edition)
Rachel said "I really needed the “perfect time” post. I just moved and have been feeling so guilty for leaving people. But I will (hopefully) always have people I care about and there will never be a time when this is easy. I just need to enjoy it! Thanks so much =)"