I was tasked to write an article and share stories about good things happening, so we could all feel just a bit better. You know, cute pet stories or things in nature that make us ooh and ahh. After all, it’s spring, and the blossoms are forming on the trees, and the whispering wind bespeaks of warmer weather, especially for our up-north friends. This is truly inspiring – nature in all her beauty. So take a moment and think of a cute kitty cat playing with a ball of yarn, or of the exhilaration of a dip in the ocean. This will likely give you that feel good feeling that I was assigned to deliver.
I though, am inclined to offer something else, something more sustaining: a formula for YOU to feel good in and of yourself. I am a believer that if you carry your own increased wattage around, you will be the light our world desperately needs right now. So please, whatever it is that makes you feel GOOD, cultivate that and bring it outside with you. Then, intentionally, engage others and expend your goodness, and help us all help our world to see the best in humanity, and bring good things to life.
It is this writer’s belief that when we bring our best self to the fore, we WILL be the change we wish to see in the world. Cliches aside, if not now, when?
5 Tips to Be Your Best Self
Everything we need in life is already inside us, and sometimes all we need is a moment to remember that. Here are five tips to help you reconnect to your true self and feel good from the inside out.
1. Make Room for Yourself
Each week, take a day to stay in place. Call it your Sabbath, if you will, and choose nurturing rituals or practices that support your inner strength. Meditate on something beautiful, draw, dance, listen to inspiring music, go out into nature… the goal is to get in touch with your essence, and revel in your ability to create a wealth of goodness from within.
2. Connect and Nurture Your Inner Child
Right now, we are hearing more and more about trauma, PTSD, and healing old wounds. The events of the past two years have brought up fears that have surfaced from the past. This is the perfect time to care for yourself with kind words and physical care. Be aware of overeating, drinking, shopping, working, and excessive behaviors. Moderation is the key. Pay attention to the reactive parts of yourself that may be needing a confident adult voice, yours, to say, ”We will be okay.”
3. Tap into the Bigger Picture
My teacher, Tony Fisichella, who now lives in heaven, believed deeply that everything is happening for a reason. We may not know the bigger picture, so this is where trust comes in. My go to saying now is, “The Universe has my back.” It helps me feel stronger and supported. No one wants to go through this game of life alone, so tap into the well of wisdom that has sustained men and women for millennia. Surrender to what is, and hold space for the universe to take care of you, because you are worth it.
4. Choose to Stay Flexible
With so much happening in the world, life seems to change from moment to moment. Flexibility will allow you to go with the flow. Be cognizant of this wonderful saying by Brian L. Seaward: “Stand like mountain, flow like water.” Develop your core strength and beliefs and values and practices. Follow those inner edicts that inspire and motivate you, while also being flexible to the changes that cannot be controlled. By choosing to stay flexible, you may find you can meet life with more ease, joy and enthusiasm.
5. Go with Gratitude
There’s a saying, “What you focus on expands.” It speaks to how we so often put attention on the negative. Instead, state a positive intention, and follow up with gratitude by affirming that gratitude is an immediate elixir for negative thinking. When you fix your thinking, you free yourself from anxiety, worry and fear. Gratitude is a great catalyst for healing and returning to a mental state of well-being.
Once you restore your inner peace with gratitude, extend that feel good feeling to your family, friends, neighbors, country, and the nations of the world. FOCUS your thoughts and wishes for healing, and for the most positive outcome possible. Do this over and over and over again, so your best self can help make the best world possible.
Lao Tzu said that if you give a hungry man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. Isn’t it time to go fishing for good news? And here’s the good news: it lives within you. Access granted all the time! Just know where to look for it, and then you will shine.
Written with love, Liz