A Boomer's Footprint

Category: Self

our Self – who we truly are, our spiritual side,
our essence.

Have you discovered your true purpose for your life?
What are you most passionate about? Are you learning
new things, growing, stretching your limits?

Are you proud of who you are? Are you making a difference?

  • Thoughts and our beliefs

    As we identify our goals and dreams, and we create our action plan, we must align our beliefs system to achieve success.

    “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become words, your words become actions, your actions become habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”
    -Ghandi

    Our beliefs formulate how we think about ourselves and our lives. What we believe, we bring into our lives. We are what we believe and think.

    A belief is a thought that we make real or accept as fact. We must believe we deserve to have our dreams come true.

    We may be stuck with beliefs we developed at an early age, even ones  that are no longer  true for us. The wrong beliefs can limit our ability to reach for our biggest dreams.

    For instance, if you believe that are intelligent, you may believe you deserve a good job or career. If you believe you are not smart,
    you may believe that you can never advance in your chosen profession.

    Our beliefs are thoughts we keep thinking until they become our reality.

    So the next time you have a negative thought beginning with — I can’t, I shouldn’t, I couldn’t, I won’t, I wouldn’t, etc. — stop and replace the thought with a positive statement….

    Remember, “If we think we can, we can, if we think we can’t we can’t.”

  • Our self beliefs

    The topic for these next five blogs post is self-belief.

    We will look at our belief systems:
    -how they were created and developed over time
    – which beliefs are true, which beliefs are false
    – how are beliefs drive our thoughts
    – how they are connected with our feelings
    – how our beliefs direct our actions.

    According to the merriam–webster dictionary: A belief is a state of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in a person or thing.

    With a self belief the trust or confidence is placed within us.

    We must trust that our skills, abilities, knowledge, and confidence will enable us to decide on and live a lifestyle filled with joy and meaning.

    Wikipedia states: Belief is a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.

    Our beliefs system began developing as children. First, through our family structure, we had expectations and behaviors we were taught and were are expected to follow.

    So before we could even walk or talk our belief system was forming. Did we hear laughter, singing, praise, cooing, soft, sweet words or anger, disapproval and yelling at home?

    “We tend to internalize the beliefs of the people around us during childhood.”
    -Wikipedia

    We continued to develop our beliefs through the acceptance of what we observed and were told by experts, authorities, role models, movies, television, entertainers and athletes, parents, teachers, religious leaders and even politicians and of course, our education, our own life experiences.

    So we can see that our beliefs develop over a very long time period and can change as new information becomes available.  What we believed as children, young adults, parents, workers, partners may not be true for us any longer.

    This month, let’s take time to observe our beliefs. Are they based on our truth? Are they empowering to us live the life of our dreams?

  • Share your Joy

    Good job.  We are increasing our joy and happiness experiences.

    While the suggestion last week was to include 15 minutes of conscious, active FUN every day, even if you only succeeded two or three times – you just doubled or tripled your amount of FUN.

    As a reminder by conscious, I mean when doing you fun activity, you are mindful of your experience and your purpose to have FUN.

    Say to yourself – “This is fun.” (or a quote of your choosing.)

    The more fun we have, the better we  feel, the more energized we  become, the more inspired, the more active, the more satisfied.
    We can create a higher quality of life – the life we want and dream about. Because if our dreams do not bring us joy, happiness and FUN, it’s time to rethink them.

    What if this weekend you threw caution to the wind and took an entire morning or afternoon for FUN.  Skip the laundry, house cleaning, boring planned activity and do what you want to do – just for FUN.

    What is on your someday list?
    – an art project
    – see the wildflowers – hike
    – dance class
    – golf, tennis, badminton game
    – knit a scarf
    – take a yoga class
    – cook a gourmet meal
    – clean out the closet (I’m not kidding – there is a great relief
    – from tackling a project – enjoy the memories attached to
    – your things and then let them go!)
    – see a double bill at the movies
    – go wine or beer tasting
    – play a game
    – sit out in the sun with a good book…

    And to make it even better, take along a friend.

    Share you joy, set an example, lead the way. Go ahead – have some FUN.

  • 15 Minutes of Fun a Day

    We have spent this month experiencing more joy and happiness in our lives.

    This week’s exercise is about enjoying 15 minutes of FUN every day. A technique I learned from Shawn Achor, a Harvard positive psychology expert. (Look on youtube for Shawn’s videos.)

    The 15 minutes of fun has to be active. We have to be mindful about it – meaning to really enjoy what we are doing.  We can say to ourselves, I will have fun for the next 15 minutes. We simply can change the way we are thinking about our fun activity.

    The challenge is to consciously include time in your life every day to play, laugh, create, enjoy, spend time doing what you enjoy, to have fun.

    Sounds simple enough but it is surprising how hard it may be to purposely have fun.

    Some changes in your life require creating a new habit or breaking an old one. Some say it takes 28 days to create a habit, but my
    experience showed me that it takes much more – twice or three time the number of days.

    This week is a perfect opportunity to create a new habit. A habit which will bring you joy and happiness for many years to come.
    The practice of including focused joy in life.

    Consciously committing to a 15 minute fun activity can even help you start to become healthier.

    How is that possible you ask?  If we exercise we start feeling better, if we start feeling better we will want to eat healthier. When we change our eating habits, we will become healthier.

    When you use the fun 15 exercise, your brain says I’ve been successful in one domain, I bet I can be successful in another domain. I can try out another positive fun 15 minute habit.

    To get started create a list of things that bring you joy, make you laugh, you simply enjoy doing.

    Some possibilities: exercising for FUN…

    Working out for life
    Working out for life

    – take walk in a park
    – cook a new recipe or old favorite
    – pull out the sewing machine and create something
    – hit the golf links

    Golf outing
    Golf outing

    – sign up for a laugh a day type web site
    – see a movie
    – tart a hobby
    – laugh out loud

    Right now go to a your day timer, cell phone, appointment book:
    – schedule the fun time in your calendar
    – write down the activity you will enjoy

  • What is JOY?

     What is Joy?

    Joy is an experience that exists in our heart and soul. It can be that warm and fuzzy feeling we have all over.

    Joy is our natural state. Babies are naturally joyful. They don’t know any better.

    Joy can be an energy of love, is one of the highest vibrations on this planet. According to the universal Law of Attraction, as we think and feel we vibrate. And as we vibrate, we attract. When we vibrate with joy and love, we attract what is for our greater good.

    Sages tell us that joy is realized when the personality and soul are in harmony. Look for experiences that go beyond conditional happiness to the blissful state of joy and love. As you resonate with joy, love and happiness you automatically draw to you a more meaningful, healthy, loving life.

    Why choose joy? 

    The experience of joy can:
    – strengthen the immune system
    – regenerate our whole physical system
    – burn away the impurities in our emotional system
    – disperse worries, anxieties, grief, greed, irritation,
    – and other negative emotions
    – sharpen our intellect and strengthen memory
    – clarify and balance our mind
    – expand our consciousness and understanding
    – open us to receive higher impressions, inspirations,
    – and transforming energies

    Why bring more joy into our lives? 

    We are so weighed down with our lives. We can be over-committed, over-stimulated, stressed, out of time, frustrated, annoyed,
    afraid and so many other emotions and feelings in a single day.  Because of the daily grind, we have forgotten a couple of things.
    First, how important it is to take time for ourselves everyday, how to laugh and how to play.

    (According to “Higher Awareness.com” )

    How to be joyful?

    To begin to live with a joyous spirit:

    – be in the moment
    – take time for self
    – work on self
    – meditate
    – be grateful
    – appreciate the good
    – let go of the bad
    – be mindful
    – stop and smell the roses

  • Be Happy.

    What is happiness?

    Happiness is not just a luxury to be pursued once we have time, we are retired, we have finally caught up our to-do list.
    Living with more happiness improves the quality of individual lives and can have a positive impact of those around us.

    Discovering in the study of positive psychology have found significant links between meaningful activities and happiness.

    When you determine what is meaningful to you, you can focus all of your talents and skills for greater achievements and joy.

    When you identify what you love to do, you can bring more happiness in your day to day life. Whatever the type of work is,
    when you love it, you don’t even think of it as work.

    Benefits of becoming Happy:

    Happiness is motivating. It is part of a circle. When you love what you do, you feel happy, when you feel happy you are more motivated to be more productive, dedicated, creative and efficient.

    Happiness improves physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.

    Laughing may be as good for you as exercises:
    – It lowers stress hormones and cholesterol
    – It enhances the immune system
    – It releases hormones and other chemicals that make you feel good.

    Actions to bring happiness into your life:

    – Live every moment as if it is your last
    –  Dance as if no one is watching
    – Share a laugh with friends
    – Make dinner from scratch
    – Play music or make your own
    – Give somebody a massage
    – Go for a walk in the wild
    – Write a story about a personal experience or hero
    – Read a book to a senior
    – Give a friend with a child a break – cook dinner, take the kids
    – Tutor a child
    – Do something fun
    – Gaze at stars
    – Make love
    – Imagine tomorrow and make it so
    – Gaze at the stars, moon, ocean
    – Visit a museum
    – Go on a mini road trip
    – Live in the moment
    – Be creative
    – Laugh loud and often
    – Learn something on your interest list
    – Spend time with positive people
    – Avoid negative energy (people, places & things)
    – Make a positive change
    – Don’t dwell on the past
    – Don’t worry about the future.

    Take a chance choose, happy.

  • Joy and Happiness

    I believe there is a fine difference between experiencing joy and happiness.Happiness comes from outside, an external sources.
    It may engage thinking, using our brains.  An external force or event creates the emotion of happiness for us.

    To experience happiness you can do something fun, see a funny movie, read a good book, hear an hysterical joke, be creative, laugh, learn something on your interest list.

     

    Completing the "red menace" jigsaw puzzle.
    Completing the “red menace” jigsaw puzzle.

    Some happiness comes from material things – the feeling when receiving an incredible gift, buying a new car or house, completing a project, finding the love of your life.

    We know when we feel happy.  We smile, we laugh, we generally just feel good.  I often think that I experience happiness
    in my head.  Not only because it involves my mouth when laughing but also because my thoughts are happy.

    Joy is a more personal step than happiness.  Joy comes from within. It connect to the heart. It is more a feeling, a state of being,
    a sense of satisfaction and well being.  You feel it in your mind, body and soul.

    To experience joy you can live more in the moment, live with a peaceful heart, feel gratitude, appreciate the good in life, let go of the bad, be mindful, stop and smell the roses.

    Russian River Peace
    Russian River Peace

    To attain happiness you do, to achieve joy you be.

    Joy is to experience happiness like you really mean it.

    This may seem like a fine distinction but joy is usually experienced on a deeper level. It can consume more of our senses.

    There is a place for both in our lives. They each provide us with a different result.  This month the focus is on bringing both more
    joy and happiness into our daily lives.

    To get started, each day in your journal record a joyful or happy experience.

  • Write down your dream.

    Last week our exercise was to write down our dream life. This exercise can be daunting for many reasons –

    We don’t believe we can achieve our dreams.
    We don’t believe we deserve success.
    We don’t believe we deserve happiness.
    We don’t believe we can change.

    We can each name many others obstacles real or imagined, which prohibit us from even writing down the biggest dream life we desire.

    But – any obstacles can be overcome with clarity, hard work, commitment and taking action.

    Continue to work on your dream life story this week.

    Write from your heart and not your head.

    Write your vision in as much detail as possible.

    If time or money were not an object –
    – What does your life look like?
    – What are you doing?
    – How do you spend your time?
    – What are your surroundings?
    – Who are you serving?
    – What footprint are you leaving behind?
    –  What is your legacy?
    – Where do you live, when do you begin, with whom do you share it?

    fall vineyard

    The dream should include sensations – sounds, smells, sight, touch, tastes, colors, especially dream about the emotions you will experience in your new chosen life!

    Join the mailing list to receive my “dream worksheet” to use as a guide in writing our your own life dream.

  • What is your Legacy?

    Ask yourself:

    – Who am I in the world?
    – What is my authentic self?
    – What are my valuable gifts?
    – What am I here to contribute?
    – What is my carbon footprint?
    – What is my true purpose?

    A successful life – a legacy is not measured by the size of a bank account, a  car, a house or even by friends and family… but by the amount of joy in our lives, by our dedication to helping others, by making a contribution in the world, by discovering and living our true purpose and by how we respond to the multitude of obstacles that surface on a regular basis.

    Our true purpose best uses our gifts, skills, and talents. It inspires us. It  touches our soul and fills our heart with joy.

    When we discover our true purpose then we can create a meaningful and lasting legacy.

    When we discover our true purpose we are blessed.

    We can discover your true purpose by:

    – Listening to our inner voice
    – Drown out outside voices
    – Listen to our intuition

    Let’s use these three ideas as we continue to write out our biggest dream life, let’s envision our life’s legacy.

  • Keeping a Journal

    Journaling is a powerful tool to help you achieve your dreams. You have the right to the best possible life you can lead! When you start journaling, you begin to take charge of your life, your plans and dreams.

    Journaling is simply the act of writing. When you write down thoughts, it makes them real.

    Our mind is so cluttered, full of thoughts and outside input. How can we believe that keeping our plans and dreams in that mix will actually make them happen?

    For example, we can walk into a room and immediately forget why we went there.

    So, let’s not trust our mind to be responsible to implement the vision and goals we have. A few benefits of journaling are to:

    -1- Map out a dream
    -2- Free your mind from replaying the same tape loops
    -3- Solve problems
    -4- Gain a different perspective on a issue
    -5- Use a third party perspective to analyze a problem
    -6- Separate statements which are emotional, rational, from reality
    -7- Keep track of  progress
    -8-  Self expression
    -9- Brainstorm
    -10- Tell stories
    -11- Reveal your fears and doubts
    -12- Acknowledge your success

    To get started with your journal –

    First, choose and decorate a journal, notebook, or tablet. Make it yours. Enter your name and date in it.

    This is my binder cover for worksheets.
    This is my binder cover for worksheets.

    Second, set up a comfortable writing space where your journal lives.

    Third, Commit to a time to write.

    Fourth, remember, there is no grade, no critiquing, no correcting necessary.

    Fifth, let your words and ideas flow freely in your book.

    And finally, use your journaling experience on your path to achieving your dreams.

    Next week, we will create our biggest dream.