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Dr. Corinne: Do You Feel Like Happiness is Elusive? Take This Challenge for a More Positive Outlook That Can Spark Better Health
Don't worry….Be Happy!! Who wants to experience a Happiness Challenge!
Are you ready?
Fear.
Fear can undoubtedly get in the way of happiness. Fear of the unknown, of failure, or what people think about us are common barriers to happiness. In fact, fear can be downright crippling!
Fear of change, in particular, can cause people to stay in a soul-sucking career or stick with an unhappy relationship. The unknown is scary, but what if happiness is on the other side of your fear?
Today's challenge is to identify the lines of your comfort zone and take one tiny step out of it. Think of something you fear and challenge yourself to face it. Give it your best shot.
You can do this!
Having healthy and positive self-esteem is crucial to many aspects of life, including happiness. Self-esteem isn't constant. It comes and goes like the ebb and flow of the tide. It's normal to internalize negative feelings, but it's important to catch them before they lead you down the path of feeling unworthy.
The antidote to poor self-esteem? Is self-compassion. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of someone with true compassion. Not only did Jesus have compassion and heal people from physical suffering, he also showed the greatest compassion for mankind when He died on the cross for our sins. Psalm 145:9, "The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made." Show some compassion to yourself today. Sometimes loving our self is hard just like forgiving our self. Trust in this process to help you feel happiness again.
We all love external rewards, however, when our happiness is dependent upon them, we're constantly chasing the next one. Happiness is an inside job. The best things in life are created and cultivated—good, solid relationships especially with our God, positive experiences, and loving memories.
Happiness doesn't wait. If you're stuck in the mindset that you'll 'be happy when ____', then you're risking postponing your happiness indefinitely. This way of thinking is a form of self-sabotage. When it comes to happiness, timing doesn't matter. The time for happiness is NOW.
Are you guilty of postponing your happiness?
Our thoughts form our emotions, not the other way around. It's a common misconception that we can't control our thoughts, but this is simply untrue. Negative thoughts seem automatic because they've become ingrained in our thought process, and that voice in our mind can be very harsh. You probably say things to yourself that you wouldn't say to others or even allow someone else to say to a loved one. So why do you accept these thoughts as truth? Your mind is a liar, your heart (where Jesus lives) speaks the truth!!
Probably you accept them because no one ever told you to question these thoughts. That's exactly what I want you to do. Throughout the day, try to notice when you have a negative thought, acknowledge it, then question it. Ask yourself why you might be thinking this way, or simply remind yourself that your negative thoughts are not true. This will become easier over time. The more you have to justify the negative thoughts, the sooner you'll realize how easy it is to brush them off.
Whether we realize it or not, we're constantly faced with situations where we may be tempted to compare ourselves to others. This can never turn out well. When scrolling through social media, for example, we're viewing an edited reality. We're not seeing a clear picture of someone's life, more like the highlight reel.
If you feel the need to make a comparison, compare your today-self to your yesterday self. Is there anything you can do to improve your current self?
Are you guilty of making unfair comparisons? Another challenge is to post one positive thing about yourself that cannot compare to anyone else.
Are you stuck in the cycle of reliving your glory days?
You should know each time we 'remember' something our brain slightly alters that memory. Reliving a time in the past may be painting an unrealistic picture. Think fondly of your past but focus more on what would make you just as happy in the present.
Research has shown that being thankful has many positive effects such as improved health, better immune systems, feelings of connection, and higher levels of collaboration.
Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine is a great way to ensure happiness. Focusing on our shortcomings, rather than our blessings means losing sight of the fact that most things in our lives are pretty good.
Start a gratitude journal today. Each day, write down three things you're grateful for.
Sleep is not only crucial to overall health but necessary for happiness as well. Are you getting enough? The average adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. When you miss a good night's rest, it's gone forever. There's no recouping missed sleep, which is why it's crucial to get a full night every night. If your nighttime routine hinders getting to bed on time, create a more calming atmosphere. Commit to better sleep for your happiness and also for the people around you.
Try adding these relaxing techniques to your routine:
• Take a warm bath
• Read a book before sleep
• Keep your room cool and dark at night
• Do a few calming stretches or do some deep breathing
• Gratitude Journal
• Put away your phone and turn off all screens one hour before you plan to go to sleep
We have the unique ability to assign meaning to everything, which means that when something we perceive as negative happens, we can find positive elements in it as well. Even if the only positive is figuring out that you learned a valuable lesson, that still creates a positive takeaway.
While living in the present is essential to happiness, it's also nice to have something to look forward to. Having something to look forward to doesn't have to be extravagant. It can be something as simple as dinner with a friend or family member, the arrival of a book you just ordered on Amazon or the exploration of a new hobby. The options are limitless!
Get out your calendar and make a list of things you can look forward to. When you need a boost, take a look at your list as a reminder.
What's on your list?
Last but not least is giving back: The recipient benefits and you feel better knowing you've positively impacted someone's life. Consider donating to a cause you're passionate about, volunteer at the local soup kitchen, or give up your seat on the bus. There's no right or wrong way to show kindness. It can be as simple as complimenting a stranger or holding the door open for people behind you.
Take a moment each day to go out of your way for someone else.
Finding happiness in your day can be as simple as smiling!
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There is no "Destination Happy."
We all experience joyful moments and blissful memories, but life is about the journey and enjoying the steps along the way. Your final challenge is to let go of your limited view of happiness and accept that life is full of ebbs and flows where some days range from great to just okay.
Cultivating happiness is as much about handling adversity as it is about embracing the beauty in everyday moments.
I am grateful to each one of you!!
It is important to discover what you need to let go of and let God show you how to live a life of optimal health and happiness.
I am deeply passionate about helping people become the very best versions of themselves so that they can live out God's purpose for their life. I hope my column speaks to you and you can wake up each morning with a purpose. What I do every day is a calling, and I give God the glory for allowing his gifts to work through me. I do believe in miracles, because I get to see them every day! Join my www.nomoremedsmovement.com and receive my FREE wellness book today!! Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here
Keep Breathing,
Dr. Corinne Weaver
Dr. Corinne Weaver is a compassionate upper cervical chiropractor, educator, motivational speaker, mother of three, and internationally bestselling author. In 2004, she founded the Upper Cervical Wellness Center in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Over the last 13 years, she has helped thousands of clients restore their brain to-body function. When she was 10 years old, she lost her own health as the result of a bike accident that led to having asthma and allergy issues that she thought she would always have to endure. Then, after her first upper cervical adjustment at age 21, her health began to improve thanks to upper cervical care and natural herbal remedies. This enabled her to create a drug-free wellness lifestyle for herself and her family, and she also enthusiastically discovered her calling to help children heal naturally.
Dr. Weaver was named one of Charlotte Magazine's "Top Doctors" in 2016 and is now a number-one internationally bestselling author to two books: Learning How to Breathe and No More Meds.
Upper Cervical Wellness Center is known for finding the root cause of health concerns through lifestyle changes, diagnostic testing, nutraceutical supplementation, and correction of subluxation (as opposed to just medicating the symptoms). The practice offers cutting-edge technological care at its state-of-the-art facility, including laser-aligned upper cervical X-rays, bioimpedance analysis (measures body composition), digital thermography (locates thermal abnormalities characterized by skin inflammation), and complete nutritional blood analysis, which is focused on disease prevention.
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