Nature

There is nothing more peaceful than sitting under a big tree gazing up at its branches, or walking on the beach watching the waves rolling in. It is easy to live in the moment when you're surrounded by natural beauty because there are so many wonderful things to look at, listen to, touch and smell. You'll find that by taking this time, appreciating the peace and living in the moment, your whole being will feel revitalised. You'll probably wonder Why you don't do it more often.

More on this theme

This being the fist I click on

Laughter

Laughing is one of the best ways to make yourself feel good. On a physical level, laughing releases endorphins that give us a sense of happiness. On a mental level, laughter occurs when we think about something positive or remember happy times. Laughing can increase our energy levels and thereby increase the positive energy that radiates from us to others. If nothing funny happens to you today, spend some time recalling something that made you laugh and enjoy that moment all over again.

For a few laughs - click here

Happiness

Rather than focusing on what makes you happy, think about what happiness is. Most of us imagine that happiness will come when we achieve certain goals. But happiness isn't reliant on external factors - it is totally within us. We create our own happiness every moment by our attitude towards ourselves and the world around us. If you expect true happiness to arrive only when you achieve your goals, you may be disappointed as it may always elude you. However, if you realise that you can create happiness, it has the potential to be with you always.

Compassion

It's very easy to fall into the trap of reacting to other people's behaviour. If someone is rude to us, or if an impatient driver cuts us off in the street, we become annoyed. Instead of feeling annoyed, try to feel compassion by putting yourself in their shoes. Imagine how bad you'd feel to be rude to another person, or how stressed you would feel to be in such a hurry. By taking the focus away from yourself, you realise that other people potentially have problems worse than your own, so be thankful for what you have.

For the Dalai Lama's thoughts on compassion, click here

Forgiveness

Being able to forgive is an essential life skill. The only person who suffers when you hold a grudge is you because you are the one harbouring the negative thoughts and feelings. The act of forgiving allows you to free your mind of all the negative thoughts around that circumstance. The person you find hardest to forgive is the person you most need to forgive. Just make the decision to forgive and it will be taken care of.

For more on forgiveness, click here

Problems

Sometimes we make our problems bigger than they really are by spending a lot of time thinking about them. For example, there may be a difficult person in your life who you have to see occasionally, and who you regard as a major problem because you spend so much time wishing they'd change. A far healthier way to deal with this person is to think about them on the occasions you see them and forget about them the rest of the time.

Calm

Say to yourself, 'Whatever today brings, I'm going to handle it in a calm and considered way'. Taking time to consider your reactions means you are more likely to be effective in your responses and more able to appreciate the moment. We tend to 'see' more when we are less emotional in our reactions, with the result that we gain more from each moment.

Learning

From now on, whenever you find yourself in an unpleasant or uncomfortable situation, ask yourself, 'What am I meant to learn from this?' or 'What is this teaching me about myself?' If you focus on this rather than getting caught up in the unpleasantness of the situation, you will not only learn something, but you will leave the negative emotions behind. You may even be grateful for the learning experience.

Choice

Dwelling on the past is futile because you can't change what has already happened. We can't even change what happened five minutes ago! Rather than feeling dissatisfied with where you are now, recognise that the future will be whatever you choose to make it. Your future is not constrained by your past, unless you allow it to be.

Knowing

Each of us knows what's right for us. Others can give their opinion, but only we can know for sure. If we are filled with desperation, emotion or fear, the quiet part of us that does know will not be heard. The best way to uncover what is right for you is to spend some quiet time focusing on controlling your thoughts and calming your emotions so you can hear that quiet inner voice that is your intuition.

Struggle

Life is not meant to be a constant struggle. If you are always struggling and running into 'roadblocks' or you're finding it very difficult to achieve your goals, then the things you're striving for might not be meant for you. In this case, re-evaluate your situation and either change your goals or change the way you approach them. We all face hurdles in order to learn and grow, but life shouldn't be full of hurdles.

Anticipation

Too often we find ourselves spending time worrying about things that might happen. This is pointless for many reasons. Firstly, it takes our attention away from the present moment. Secondly, our future will either be in our control or beyond our control. Either way, we don't need to worry. Thirdly, worrying creates negative energy that harms us on every level. Finally, the reality is that most of what we worry about doesn't happen, and if something does, we deal with it just fine. So stop worrying today!

For more about focusing on the present moment, try clicking here :)

Wishing

One of the most damaging thoughts we can have is wishing that things were different. Why deny yourself happiness right now by thinking, 'I'll be happy when ...'? If you think like that, happiness will elude you because you'll always find something else to wish for in the future. Your happiness will never come. Today tell yourself that life is fine the way it is, and the only thing that affects it is your perception.

The ultimate feeling we can experience is to give and receive unconditional love. Unconditional love means loving someone or something no matter what they do, for example, loving your partner even thought they've just said something hurtful, or loving your cat or dog even after they've destroyed your favourite plant. Today examine your ideas about love and see whether you are creating conditions for yourself and others such as 'I'll be loved if I lose weight' or 'I'll love him if he remembers my birthday' and start practising unconditional love. Take the time to notice the effect it has on you and those around you.

A few sites about unconditional love

Will probly add more excerpts as I get into the book in coming daze :)

Note: You can read these excerpts on a computer screen but I highly recommend you buy the book - it is much nicer sitting in a comfy chair witha copy in your hot little hands. Judging by my reading so far it is well worth purchasing :)

Some links -

General search 4 the boook

Tried 2 see if it was at Amazon with some reviews but doesn't look that way ... oh well ...

A little later found it at Amazon - but no reviews which is rare :)

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