Happy Habits 3

Here is a cumulative review of some habits that will help us reset our homepage (What Does Your Homepage Look Like? 2/8/10) and stay in our happy place. Some of the suggestions are relevant to more than one step.

This list is intended to be a reference, not an overwhelming to do list. Maybe something will pique your interest and you might want to focus on that for awhile. Maybe not. It’s all okay.

If you want to read more about any of these ideas, I have included a representative post title and date in parentheses, or you can click on the step number in the labels at the end of this post to see all posts relating to that step.

Step 1. Give yourself permission to be happy.

When you become aware that you are resisting happiness, remind yourself, “Fun is good.” (Fun is Good! 2/10/10)

When you have a choice to make, choose in alignment with your passions. (Choose Happiness 2/19/10)

Step 2. Decide if you want to be right or happy.

When you find yourself getting drawn into an argument or tempted to correct someone, ask yourself if the argument or the correction is worth the emotional price you might pay to be right. (I’m Right–So What! 3/28/10)

Step 3. Give up the delusion of control.

When you sense your anxiety rising because things are not turning out the way you planned, take a deep breath and say to yourself, “The life-span of the butterfly is precisely the right length.” (Man Plans God Laughs 2/14/10)

When life presents you with a game change, try to open rather than close your heart and see what happens. (Game Change 3/1/10)

Remind yourself that “Everything will be all right.” Because it will be. (Zen Girl 3/26/10)

Step 4. Feel your feelings.

Try to accept your feelings. All of them. Just acknowledge them and say, “This, too. This, too.” (Inviting the Demons to Tea 2/19/10)

Cradle your feelings. Think of your feelings as a child needing acceptance and comfort. (Cradling Our Feelings 4/2/10)

Step 5. Make haste to be kind.

As you go through your day, notice people. Remind yourself that the person you are noticing might be Jesus. (That Man Might Be Jesus! 2/12/10)

Play the kindness game, alone or with others. See how many nice things can you do for other people as you go through your day. (The Kindness Game 3/16/10)

Step 6. Judge not.

Before you jump to judgment about a situation, remind yourself, “Who knows if it is good or bad?” (Who Knows if it is Good or Bad? 2/26/10)

Remember that every time you separate yourself from another person by seeing them as “other,” you separate yourself from God. Look deeper until you find your common ground. (Zero Degrees of Separation 3/4/10)

Step 7. Practice compassion.

When you get “hooked,” practice compassion on yourself. (Oops, I Did It Again! 3/13/10)

Remember that you might be the only Bible someone ever reads. (What are You Writing in Your Book? 3/31/10)

Step 8. Forgive everyone.

When your heart feels hard, contemplate Amish forgiveness. (From the Ashes 2/23/10)

If you are unable to forgive someone, bless that person every time you think of her. You might say, “God bless [name] and please help me mean it." Repeat until you do! (God Bless That Ol’ @#&! 2/25/10)

Step 9. Develop an attitude of gratitude.

When something rubs you the wrong way, say, “I’m grateful for that!” Keep thinking of things to be grateful for until you really are grateful. (I’m Grateful for That! 2/17/10)

Try to break the habit of complaining by substituting a positive thought or comment. (I Had a Great Week, Thank You! 3/6/10)

Step 10. Be Here Now.

Attend. (Word of the Year 2/4/10)

Pause (use a stop sign as a reminder!) and take a breath. Check in with your senses. (You Are Here 3/27/10)