This month, as winter gives way to spring, consider getting out of your four walls and into the outdoors. You do not need to spend hours outside to enjoy the benefits of the exercise. For an added boost to your well-being, consider connecting with nature and embodying the feelings. Notice, name, and savor the experience … Read more

When I was a teenager, and attending youth group at church, one of the leaders said, “You have to love yourself before you will be loved.” I remember scoffing (not out loud, of course). I thought that was psychobabble, what people always say when they think they are better than anyone else. Quite often, people … Read more

As we begin our New Year, let’s complete our discussion about the Happy for No Reason Inner Home for Happiness. The Pillar of the Garden Our inner home for happiness would not be complete without our Pillar of the Garden. The overarching premise of this pillar is to cultivate nourishing relationships. Habits The habits associated … Read more

So far, we have explored our “inner Home for Happiness,” its foundation, and its four walls or pillars. Now let’s add the roof. As we complete our home we are counseled to “live a life inspired by purpose.” Habits associated with leaning into our purpose include “find your passion,” “follow the inspiration of the moment,” … Read more

Today our lesson is about the next pillar of our Inner Home for Happiness, “the pillar of the soul.” We are invited to plug into spirit. The three habits associated with “the pillar of the soul” are invite connection with your higher power, listen to your inner voice, and trust life’s unfolding. What do you … Read more

Mindfully Care for Your Body to be Healthy, Happy, and Whole We have been talking about our “Inner Home for Happiness” and how we can use this metaphor to guide us to mindfully address the various parts of us that need care. The third wall, or pillar, of our “Inner Home for Happiness” is “The … Read more

Practice Forgiveness Let’s talk about the second wall of our “Inner Home for Happiness,” “The Pillar of the Heart.” The guideline for this pillar is “lead with love.” The first habit I want to talk about is practicing forgiveness. Forgiveness is an emotion-focused coping strategy that can reduce health risks and promote healthy resilience. Forgiveness … Read more

In my last post you read about the first construct of your “Inner Home for Happiness,” the foundation. Today, we move to the first wall or pillar of the house, “the mind.” Would it surprise you to know that you don’t have to believe everything you think? This is the over-arching premise of “the pillar … Read more

In my last post you learned some basics about mindfulness. Today I want to tie this into embracing happiness. In Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out, Marci Shimoff and Carol Cline talk about our “Inner Home for Happiness.” They use the metaphor of a house to illustrate that … Read more

Do you freeze up or shut down when confronted by conflict? Do you wish you had more control over your reactions? Is life so stressful at times that you just don’t know what to do? Cultivating a mindful approach will enable you to choose your responses rather than reacting. It will help you to think … Read more