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Oh my goodness…I am so glad to be writing to you all! Creating happiness is one of my favorite topics & I can’t wait to give you the first step to create your own happiness!
I am thrilled that you have stopped by for whatever reason that you have! Whether it is to start making positive changes in your lives, being able to find happiness, to have HOPE, whatever the reason….I am so glad you’re here! 😉
I have rewritten this post so many times, which is so funny to me, but each time I have written it I seem to be getting clearer on the message that I am trying to convey to you all! It is so important to me because I want to be able to give you the right tools that you will need to help you find what you’re looking for! I know that these tools that I will share have helped me so dramatically in my past.
Quick question for you all first…. 🙂
Have any of you ever been in such a place in life that you went through the motions in life but weren’t really feeling what life was really all about?
Waking up going to the same job each & every day, going through the same schedule dreading each & every moment? Do you have days that your lacking emotion…not sure if you were happy or sad? At the end of the day you were wondering what the heck happened with your day? Or are complaining about everything that is going on in your life? Complaining about the people around you, your home, your finances, your weight, etc.? Or have you suffered a tragedy or loss that left you wondering how to even take your next breath?
Unfortunately, I have been in all of these positions before, several times, & I know that if you’re looking to change your life then you must be or have been there at some point too!
I, like so many others, was just trying to survive my crazy life! My family, children, & I had been through a lot of grieving & sadness & it had definitely taken it’s toll on all of us.
Most of the time I was a pretty positive person & enjoyed life, but after suffering several tragedies in a row 10 years ago, I had changed. I remember thinking “Why me, why us? How are we going to get through these situations? How much more can we take…?” I remember waking each morning wondering how I was going to have the energy to make it through each day, I was complaining about just about everything at that time, I felt that I had no emotions left. I couldn’t really feel great about any situation that was coming my way.
Don’t get me wrong, I was always thankful for my children, husband, parents, brothers, family, & my health. I always found so much love & joy in them. I knew all too well that life could be taken away at any moment so I tried to savor every moment with the. But even with knowing that trying to keep my emotions & head above water was tough! The rest of my life was just not coming together very well at all! It seemed that things were constantly going wrong, there was so much drama, too much negativity, & not enough joy or happiness!
In order to keep my family healthy & happy, I needed to make some type of change & quickly. I had 3 young boys at that time to take care of…..AND I had just found out that I was pregnant with my 4th little miracle baby! I knew I needed to find some strength from somewhere…..
So, I found myself on that crazy path of self exploration. I was so incredibly desperate for a change that I submerged myself into reading, studying, exploring, trying to find anything to give me hope! Something to recreate my happiness! I read just about everything in sight & am so grateful that I did!
Each & every day that I read new articles, books, etc., I started discovering so many amazing tools & I began to implement them into my daily life, which started the entire process of change within me!
One of the many & maybe most amazing gifts from this experience was the discovery of gratitude!This simple but extraordinary word quickly taught me so many things about life & I will explain why….
I will never forget reading that first book about Gratitude…It was so incredibly enlightening! Each & every page that passed, I started having this overwhelming feeling of guilt as I was realizing how “stuck & unappreciative” I had become.
I was so callused from the pain & hurt we had experienced in our lives, that I literally wasn’t looking around at any of the good & beauty in my life. I was only seeing, feeling, & finding things that caused more stress, & more grief.
For the first time, I realized I was the one causing my own pain & unhappiness.
That was definitely a defining moment for me, but also very freeing at the same time. I was learning that I was the one in control of my own happiness & all things that were coming into my life!
It truly lead me on an eye-opening journey which helped me to find the beauty in every little thing in life & in turn, it started the healing process within me.
This is exactly what I want for you!
We have heard this term “gratitude” so many times…especially during Thanksgiving, right? But have you ever taken a moment to really think about what it means? Have you ever learned what it really means to experience or practice gratitude?
The definition of gratitude is so simple but so complex in the same time, it is:
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
“he was overwhelmed with gratitude for their help”
Simple, right? We should always be thankful for all of the things that we have…but are we? Are we taking time in our normal day to appreciate, be thankful, or in other terms have gratitude for the simple things in our lives?
For starters, let’s see how you are thinking right now & I want you to be really honest with yourself… 🙂
What are you grateful for on a daily basis?
Do you ever think about all of the things we could/should be thankful for during your normal daily routine?
Are you ever grateful when you drink a glass of water or eat throughout the day?
Are you ever grateful for sleep or are you always complaining that you don’t get enough?
Are you grateful for the money in your account or complaining that their may not be enough?
Are you generally happy with your days schedules or do you just go through your days looking at all of the stuff you have to accomplish, how tired you are, how there just isn’t enough time, money, love, etc.?
It is so easy getting in that space isn’t it? The space of just “being”.
If you are truly just “being“or just “surviving” life, this may be your entire problem of why you can’t find true happiness, love, excitement, why you see yourself as a victim in life, unlucky, unsuccessful, unable to feel joy, hope, love, etc…
If you are sick of feeling complacent, like I was, & you can relate to the feelings that you have been reading on this page….whether is is just the feeling unappreciated as a “stay at home mom” or you’re in a corporate position where you struggle to get noticed, to suffering from a loss, separation, whatever YOUR struggle is…. then you are at the right place!
AND…I am so excited to tell you it isn’t hard to make that change in your lives to start redirecting your own feelings, start really feeling, loving, & truly being happy, having hope again & it all starts HERE & NOW! 🙂
My life is 100% different now because of these steps that I have put to use over the last several years…so it is your turn to change so here we go….
We are going to start with the very, very basics….because we have to start somewhere and the beginning is the perfect place to create the foundation to build upon, right?
So let’s do this together, each & every day, are you ready to start? Just remember we got this!
Ready for step one?
Here it is…very simple….
Step 1 to Creating Happiness:
1. Be AWARE of your THOUGHTS!
I know that sounds so easy, but it is really challenging & takes a lot of work! Actually, this is a never-ending task but it truly is a game changer & the very first step in changing your life! I want you to take this first couple of days to really be aware of your thoughts & feelings. It is SO IMPORTANT because all other steps will be building from this platform, I promise! 🙂
Every morning & throughout your day pay close attention to:
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you awake in the morning?
How do you feel?
Are you tired? Do you jump out of bed or dread it?
As you get ready for your day….what are your thoughts? Good/bad?
As your driving to work, school, or wherever you may go throughout the day, be aware of your thoughts. Is there traffic, does that make you angry? Does the thought of going to work make you feel unhappy, unmotivated? When you open the door to your workplace, how do you feel inside?> Happy, excited? Maybe sad, frustrated?
Are you stressed, tired, anxious? Or happy, excited?
When you’re talking to others, how are your conversations? Are you excited and positive or more nagging, complaining, talking about others in a positive way,or judging them?
What about your conversations with your friends, & family? What do you talk about? How is your mood?
What do you do in your spare time? What do you read? What do you watch on TV?
Do you have hobbies? How do they make you feel?
How do you feel before bedtime? What are your thoughts?
Make sure to measure if your thoughts throughout the day are primarily more positive or are they more negative?
I know this seems so easy…..but our minds never stop & we have 50,000 to 70,000 throughout each day! Crazy, right? So just trying to be aware of our a tiny portion of our thoughts can really make an amazing difference in our thought patterns!
If you want to make this change you HAVE to be aware of your thoughts because without really mastering this step you cannot find the source that we will need to change in our future steps! This is something I am continually mastering & I am amazed at how fast your thoughts can drift…. I find it fascinating & I LOVE working on this to continue to train my brain to go to the right thoughts! 🙂
My friends all know that I am a “work in progress” kind of girl & I love them for that!
Step 2: Take Notes!
It is very important at the end of each day, or even better, throughout the day write down how your feeling! It could be as simple as saying: Morning-angry, afternoon-tired, evening-good….or…you could elaborate more on your feelings or experiences. The more information you write down the better!!! This will be a tremendous help for the next step that I will be giving you in a few days!
Most of us go through the days unaware of what are emotions or thoughts are….but when you become aware your able to see which thoughts that might be holding us back from happiness, love, etc… it is a giant puzzle that we will put all together in the end…I promise! 🙂
Do this for 7 days to create a routine of being aware of your thoughts!
I promise that it will work if you! Trust me, you have to take this chance on yourself, your worth it, & everyone no matter what they are going through, can find happiness within themselves. You just have to believe it & start the process! The first step is always the hardest!
I know you can do it, your worth it, & remember EVERYONE deserves to live an extraordinary life & now is the time to make become aware of your thoughts so we can move closer to creating that life for you!
Be sure to sign up here to join in our fun & start changing your life! I am excited to start this journey with you all! By signing up, you’ll receive weekly tips & inspiration, FREE downloads, & you’ll be gaining a whole new community of amazing people! here at The Giggling Life!
Thanks so stopping by! Much love to you all!
We got this guys! It is time to change our thoughts!!!
Thanks so stopping by! Much love to you all!
XOXO,
Kristi