Friday, May 31, 2019

Providing Choices and Getting Results

"I'm a big believer that your life is basically a sum of all the choices you make. The better your choices, the better opportunity to lead a happy life."
~ Karen Salmansohn

While it may seem like we want to make choices, too many options can be overwhelming, so what do you do?

Break down choices into categories with only 2 or 3 possibilities.

When you say to someone "Do you want to go to lunch? When is good? Where do you want to go?" It may seem simple, and yet it is a lot to process.

Instead, ask "Do you want to have lunch together today?" Get a response. If no, ask "Would you like to eat together Monday, Wednesday, or the following week?" If it's a yes, ask "Would you prefer Moe's or Season's 52?", followed by "Is 11:30 AM, 11:30 AM, or Noon best for you?"

When you ask a series of questions with limited choices, you move through to selection and on with your experience rather than dumping everything together where someone is drowning in "Decision-making Soup"!


Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Experiencing Joy in Life!

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are."
~ Marianne Williamson
American Author.


Having a joy-filled life is something different than happiness. Both have terrific value. 

Happiness is a state of being. A happy person is, at the core, appreciative and engaged, present and aware, simply glad to get to live life.

Happy people tend to have more joy-experiencing moments or times in their life. And, even if you are not an innately happy person, you can experience joy, not just feel a happy moment, in your life, too!

Joy is a state of experience. Joy is a feeling. Joy is letting go while letting everything rush over you (small or large). Joy is a smile, an overhearing something kind or complimentary. Joy isn't questioning or doubting. Joy isn't always that laugh-out-loud roar.

Whether you feel happy or not at your core, you can increase your life appreciation when you aim to experience, not force or create, joy. What is mean by that is to encourage you to:

1st - Be. Be in yourself and where you are.
2nd - Ask yourself "What is good about this right now?" and listen to your answers.
3rd - Embrace the good. Let that goodness be about that time and for you.
4th - Appreciate what is happening - how your mind is calm, your body is free, and your heart is full.

Joy-filled lives are lives filled with the desire to feel good, not because of, or in spite of someone else, rather the desire to allow oneself to have a heightened state of engagement with situations, people, and opportunities. 

So, yes, a thrilling ride may bring joy, and yet, a walk in quiet can as well. When you allow yourself to welcome joy, you will be able to experience it, and then, from that state and feeling, you just may learn that you spread it or shared it with others through the way you carried that mindset forward!