Have you had enough negative input for one decade? Tired of hearing about squabbles in Washington, tensions in the Mideast, and the economics of fear? Here are seven guaranteed ways that you can choose happiness in 2014.
1. Take a 40 day FAST from the news. Don’t read newspapers, listen to news radio, or watch the news on TV. Tell those around you that you don’t even want to discuss it. Within 3 days, your spirits will be lifted. Trust me on this one.
2. Stop procrastinating about stupid little stuff. Make a quick list of the top 10 things that bug you in your life that will take less than an hour or so to fix. Then do it them. I once allowed my garage to look like something on a reality TV show for 9 months. It only took 3 hours to make it perfect. I was stoked.
3. Deal with the most toxic person in your life. Some one person is probably responsible for most of the grief you deal with. Set a boundary with them. If they can’t handle the boundary, limit or eliminate contact. Just thinking about this one made you feel better.
4. Set some small makable goals for the year. Vacation, savings, date nights, learn or improve a skill or talent, special projects with the kids, charitable giving, community service, make a difference.
5. Forgive someone who you are really ticked at. The problem could be a recent issue or a really old one. You don’t even need to tell them you forgave them. Just do it. 75% of emotional illness is due to failure to forgive. If you do this one, and none of the others, it will be the biggest gain for 2014.
6. Begin each day with a daily devotional or inspirational reading. Then exercise. Even 10 or 20 minutes. I’ve never met anyone who does this who doesn’t feel huge benefits.
7. Intend to be happy. Make a choice to be happy. Cherish each moment. Resist every temptation to be negative, or upset, or grasping, or intolerant. Take every opportunity to be loving, giving, and blessing others with your kindness.
Do you have some you'd like to add? Or, are there any above that you dispute or need more details about? Use the comment section.
Also, please note that there is a follow up post on how to keep your resolutions.
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1 comment:
Great advice.
I would add, tackle something that frustrates you -- for me it was a computer/system that was slow and constantly freezing up. So I switched from Windows to Apple, and I can already see the difference, even with the steep learning curve. The investment in time now will pay off later in less frustration.
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