If you often feel you have somehow missed out on the happiness gene, you may want to try some of the below techniques to enhance your over all wellbeing. We are meant to be happy at our core-we were born that way, but somewhere along the line we got in our own way or had negative experiences and started interpreting life in ways that lead to us feeling less than happy.Move up the emotional scale.
Perhaps you have suffered great trauma in your life, and that has left what feels like a permanent dint in your emotional world where you feel happiness is not possible. Regardless of where you are coming from, these 3 effective practices for more happiness below can help move you from where you are now on an emotional scale to somewhere that will feel better to you. The key is knowing where you are starting from in terms of your level of over all joy for life, and noticing when that set point shifts.
The following three practices will help you start your day in a positive way which allows for your emotions to be in a higher positive state. The idea is you practice them in the morning so you can start your day from the best place possible and you will feel more resilient to deal with what comes your way during the day.
Meditation.
Meditation has gotten so much attention over the last few years and many studies have confirmed the benefits of meditation on a physical and emotional level. The problem is, there are so many different types of meditations that it is easy to get confused as to where you should start.
Here is a starting point: Sit for 15 minutes where you just focus on your breath. Let your breath be natural and easy and just observe it going in and out of your body. When ever your mind wonders, just bring your attention back to your breath and let the thoughts float by like clouds.
Don’t underestimate the simplicity of this practice.
You may not feel as if you are achieving much with this practice, but when practiced over time, in as little as a week your body chemistry will have changed because of this practice. IN fact, on the very first practice you will have altered your body chemistry. Your immune system will have been enhanced and your stress levels will have come down so you can make better decisions for yourself and make them more easily.
If you would like to go more deeply into understanding meditation and learn some practices, check out this free mini course online where you will get to experience meditation using sound technology to enhance your experience. Check it out here.
Practice Energy Medicine.
Our body has an electrical field around it and throughout it, and energy medicine helps that electricity to flow in unhindered ways. Our modern life combined with stress and electro magnetic fields tend to disrupt our bodies natural energy field which has an effect of less coherent thinking and emotions that can run out of control leading to less than great life choices. Energy medicine is an emerging practice within the alternative circles of mind body health and has more and more studies to back it up scientifically.
Learn a technique that takes 5 minutes a day.
You can learn some techniques that will only take you five minutes a day to perform and will leave your body feeling energised and your mind more coherent to meet the challenges of the day. Practices involve certain movement patterns with breathing, tapping on meridian points and massaging pressure points on your body. One daily practice that is very effective is known as The Daily Energy Routine, which has been created by Donna Eden-one of the worlds leading energy medicine practitioners. You can try this routine below to get an immediate sense of renewal in your body and mind:If you would like to learn more about energy medicine, check out a free online class on the subject with Donna Eden and her husband David Feinstein here.
Earthing.
The earth has an electrical field around it and our body benefits by having direct contact with our bare feet on it. We have lost our natural connection with the earth in the modern world. It is rare that we actually put our bare feet down on the earth to absorb the earths electrons which has been scientifically proven to reduce pain and inflammation in our body and generally make us feel better. Through the use of our shoes and high rise living and spending long hours indoors in work settings, we often miss an opportunity to simply be on the earth. This leads to feeling less grounded, more scattered and stressed with compromised immune systems.
Sethu
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Interesting Article, Liz. I’ll definitely do the practices suggested here.
Due to my work load, I often times feel tensed and stressed. I liked what you’ve said about earthing. I think you’re right as I feel a lot better when I’m farming. That nature’s vibe is so awesome. I think I should balance my online business and farming from now on.
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Liz
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That sounds like a good plan Sethu! Having an online business can certainly leave you feeling off centre if you don’t do something to counter balance sitting in front of the computer. 😉
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Daniella
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Hi, Liz,
What a great article, I really liked it!
I always wanted to practice meditation, and to be honest, I’ve tried it, but then I’ve found it very hard for me concentrate. My thoughts were running through my mind, and this was one of the reasons why I stopped meditating. But then I’ve heard that there is no such a thing, eliminate thoughts when doing meditation. A very good friend of mine said to me that thoughts will always flow through the mind, and I just need to breathe deeply and let them go, which makes sense:)
I won’t give up on the meditation because I know that it is so beneficial for the mental and for the health!
Thank you for these useful tips!
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Liz
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HI Daniella, yes it is true-you can’ really stop thoughts going through your mind, but you can refocus your mind on your breath every time a thought comes in. And with practice, your concentration gets better and better!
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Josh Ellery
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From personal experience, these are all things that work and I am a fan of meditation. I would recommend it to every single person on the planet if they were ready to start doing it. Out of all of the options you have provided, which ones would say is the best for increasing happiness?
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Liz
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Hey Josh, yes I would recommend meditation to everyone too-but you are right in saying ‘when they are ready do start doing it.’ Sometimes pain is the motivator we need to make a change. In terms of what I would recommend right now? I’d say energy medicine as energy medicine can combine meditation but it also looks at how you can shift emotional and physical aspects of your body and mind in a way that takes less time than simply meditating.
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