Feel the earth. 
 
Letting your bare feet touch the earth has tremendous beneficial effects on the mind and body. It can increase immunity, reduce stress and inflammation, lower blood pressure, promote better sleep. And…..improve your mood! 
 
The next time you can - take off your shoes and let your feet feel the earth beneath them. Enjoy!!!!!

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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The people that are the most attractive and beautiful are the ones who are the most comfortable and accepting of themselves. 

It’s an energy that you can almost feel. Their beauty shines from within. They aren’t judgmental or critical of others or themselves. 

It is most important to be connected to your true self. To love and accept your strengths, imperfections and ALL of you! 

This week practice walking by the mirror and say something positive to your beautiful self!

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” ~ Muhammad Ali
 
Stop worrying about yourself. Do something for someone else. Help someone succeed. Many studies have shown that the more people volunteered to help others, the happier and healthier they were. Yes, even healthier… 
 
Find a way to do something for someone else every day. If you really want to add more joy to your life, give even more of yourself in a volunteer position.  
 
There are so many ways of being of service… Maybe you’ve got a special talent, or you could mentor students at your local community college or local university. Perhaps you could volunteer for a troubled youth program. For others, maybe it’s being involved in something within their religious community. How about joining the local organic farm doing some work there? It’s about volunteering in a way that honors you.
 
Make a list of the ways you could possibly help others. Then find a way to do it. Pay your rent- the universe will reward you!

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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Your thoughts can make you feel stuck. 

Sometimes we create our own constructs of the way things “should” be done.  

For example: we often believe that traveling is always stressful or that our clothes must be perfectly pressed or even that we are “supposed” to be in a relationship.  

We put so much pressure on ourselves by many beliefs that we have adopted for various reasons. 

YOU choose. Traveling doesn’t have to be stressful, your clothes don’t have to be perfect, and maybe you need a relationship with yourself. 

This week just notice your thoughts. Are they holding you back from feeling inner peace and joy?  You CAN choose!!!! 

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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Enjoy what you have! 
 
We often feel that if we have something we love (as much as you can love a material, inanimate object) - for example a pair of socks, a candle, a t-shirt…, that we need to get more.  
 
Well, sometimes that’s true, but oftentimes it can come from a feeling of “lack”.  
 
This week, just notice when your mind goes to “I need more this or I need more that”, then evaluate if you really do.  Maybe you have enough!!!! 
 
To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.
 
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Your life is made up of the sum of all of your choices, as well as circumstances beyond your control. 
 
When you look at any adversity or challenge that you may have experienced or, will experience- and you consider it to be happening “for you“ as opposed to “to you”, you can see it as something that you can learn from.
 
Difficult times can distract us, or difficult times can develop us. We have the power to choose.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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Sometimes people say: "I feel burned out,” and maybe they are stressed and exhausted, or maybe they aren’t doing enough of the things they love.
 
Sometimes we feel burned out, not because we’re doing too much, but because we’re doing too little of the things that we love. If we could figure out what we love to do and do it more, we would feel more engaged and have a greater sense of purpose in our lives.

Think of 1-2 things that you love to do (cook/bake, plant, dance, read, write, play a sport or an instrument) and make room in your schedule (as if your happiness depends on it) and DO IT! 
 
To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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MELISSA Garson

The Happiness Guru

How many years in a row have you had the same New Year’s resolution? How many times have you promised yourself you will read one more book, take a course or learn a new activity. Routine and life get in the way of accomplishing new things. In our interview with Melissa Garson we learned she wrote the book The Recipe for Real Happiness – Four Simple Ingredients to help people start the positive change they seek in their lives through easy daily techniques.

Melissa calls herself a lifetime learner. She has a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, a certification in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction from the Jefferson Myrna-Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and a Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Certification from the McLean Meditation Institute in Arizona. Melissa created an interactive “Happiness Workshop” where she teaches the tools and techniques to calm your mind, manage anxiety and help students feel more confident and be more motivated.

See our interview to learn about the principles of Positive Psychology and her tips to start Mindfulness training. Learn about the four simple ingredients she talks about in her book and the practices that you can start applying to your daily routine. Go to her website melissagarson.com and sign up for her free motivational monday emails.

Click the link below to watch the interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVt1HHFloqI

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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Gratitude is a real “buzzword” these days. It almost feels overused. For me, keeping a gratitude journal has not only increased my feelings of joy and appreciation daily, but it has also changed my perception of the negative incidents in my life. 

 

The most recent was a vasovagal syncope episode in which I fainted (and needed 5 staples in my head). In the moment it was very scary- however, it all turned out fine. I focused on the fact that I had a very dear friend staying over, and of course, that I didn’t damage my brain or break any bones.

 

Gratitude can also boost your mental and physical health. People who are grateful feel less pain, less stress, sleep better, have stronger immune systems, experience healthier relationships, and do better academically and professionally.  

 

This week get a journal and keep it by your bedside as a reminder. Each night before bed, write 3 things from the day that you are grateful for. It could be a delicious strawberry you ate, that hard to find parking spot you found, or you had a great conversation with someone. It’s more about making gratitude a daily habit. It will change your life!!!!!!!!!

 
To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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Memorial Day is the designated day that we commemorate the soldiers that have died fighting for our country. These brave people gave their lives so that we could have our freedom.
 
Let’s just take a moment today to feel grateful for their courage and to appreciate the freedom that we, who live in the United States, get to experience!
 
To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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Simple tasks can be very enlightening, but we often feel burdened by the laundry, the bills, the dishes, watering the plants, etc. We have so many other things to do. Things that bring us way more enjoyment. 
 
However, these simple things not only need to be done, but they also keep us grounded in reality. If we approach these “mundane” tasks in an appreciative way- knowing that they restore and maintain order around us, they can even become enjoyable. 
 
This week consider the annoying but necessary tasks as an opportunity to appreciate the value of what they do for you!!!!!!

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

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I recently read an article written by an emergency room pediatrician. He shared a few “happiness hacks” that we can learn from children between the ages of 1 and 5.

1. Positive Self Talk Young children speak positively to themselves out loud. We can too!

2. Take Any Opportunity to Move Young children are active for almost 5 hrs a day. We can add at least 10 minutes a day of brief bursts of activity (a quick walk around the block, schedule a meeting while walking, park a little farther away from the store).

3. Ask Questions Young children aren’t afraid to ask questions. Adults often hold back questions because they are worried about what other people think. Asking questions not only helps us learn, but it is also an important way to build relationships. 

4. Have a Sleep Schedule Young children thrive on having a routine. Following a schedule with consistent sleep and waking times helps adults, as well. Naps also have a lot of benefits.

5. Look For Opportunities to Laugh Young children laugh approximately 6 times as much as adults. Seek ways to bring more playfulness and humor into your day. Research shows that we laugh more when we are with friends, so make time for them! 

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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