Hello and welcome (back) to my blog, dear friends!
Today im back with the light version of the calendar I posted here. That one focussed on using our character strengths – intentionally – in order to obtain a certain result – i.e. more courage in our actions.
Today im here with a light version, that does not ask us to make any real effort. Just to be mindful when we go about our lives. And if this is new to you, starting small is the key here. And the calendar contains many good examples to get you started: notice 3 things you find beautiful in the outside world, or get outside and notice how the weather feels on your face, or appreciate your body. It’s so easy we almost can’t believe it. It’s the rhythm of our lives that is difficult to slow down – but only apparently. Because, fortunately, it’s only up to us to slow things down. And once we start doing this, the changes start appearing, one of the changes being that we will start appreciating life so much more! Just try for yourself and see how it feels! I promise you that you will like it and feel better.
As you might know already from my previous blogposts, these calendars suggest a daily activity we can all implement, in order to make ourselves feel better, every day. You can use it as a screensaver, or can print it and post it on your fridge, or even at work:
Here are some concrete examples on how to be mindful in your day-to-day life:
- Notice 3 things you find beautiful in the outside world – the clouds moving fast on the sky, a blooming tree, a laughter, a birdsong. When you notice something beautiful, take 3 slow, conscious breaths and allow the experience to settle into yourself. This can help you fully appreciate and savour the beauty in front of you
- Take time to appreciate your body – try to think of all the things the body is doing for you and the reasons why you appreciate it
- Choose to be kind to yourself – science says that we are more critic to ourselves than to the others. And this is why, being kind to yourself can be one of the hardest things to do. So take small steps and aim to be just 1% kinder to yourself each day. And remember that many of us struggle with being kind to ourselves, we are together in this and you are not alone
- Eat mindfully – Appreciate the taste, texture and smell of your food. We normally rush through meals or eat on the go, and so we don’t get to pay attention to what we’re eating. But when we take the time to eat mindfully and consciously, we can fully appreciate the taste and texture of our food, and find greater enjoyment and satisfaction in our meals. This is very important, especially because this helps us eat slower and therefore give our brain the time to realise that we had enough. Which means that we eat only as much as we actually need to.
This calendar comes from Action for Happiness, “a movement of people taking action to create a happier and kinder world, together”. Their vision is “a happier world, where everyone can thrive” and they make it their mission “to help people create a happier world, with a culture that prioritises happiness and kindness”. And their patron is the Dalai Lama. Need I say more?
Hoping you found this useful and exciting, im looking forward to meeting you, so we can discover together how you can get rid of your limiting beliefs, how you can form positive habits and stick to your goals. All for a life lived from a position of strength and with enthusiasm.
Remember, 2024 will be (y)our BEST year yet ;)!
Until next time, stay positive and take care of yourselves!
Positive-Mind-4-Life 