39: A way to Be Happier Today

Sometimes when I do yoga I go into judging mind. The part of me that is analysing is this good or is this bad? Good, I like it, Bad I don’t like it.Sometimes I can go through a whole practice taking what is dished out and my mind is going good, bad, good, bad, good, good, bad.

When we are in a yoga class or any where else in life we do the same. If something is not what we wanted or like we judge it bad. This food is bad, this pose is held too long, this job is bad, this situation is no good. As soon as we judge it as bad then we act accordingly. We may complain about our situation, gossip, moan, try to get out or avoid the possibility of it happening again or cause any amount of undue suffering.

If we want to be a little happier today the best thing is not to judge something as anything. When an action, event, deed, food, or word comes our way we just see it as that. An action, deed, food or word and nothing else. We should not try to put any meaning onto the occurance or categorsie it as either bad or good. Just see it happen. If it is not to our liking we can then say to ourselves, well this is not quite what I ordered but I will just have to get on and do the best I can from this situation.

This will build resilience.

Resilience will make you calmer and happier.

Practice for today: Try to watch your judging mind today. How often do you want to say, ‘I like/don’ like it’. How can you turn that around and have no opinion and just accept it as part of what is happening today.

 

160: Some thoughts on Being Happy

We all want to be happy we really do, but life seems to get in the way and sometimes we forget what we need to do to keep life even. Happiness is a state but also a process, to find it in our lives we all know that getting something or eating something isn’t going to help that much. What is more useful is some awareness and some practice;

Here are my tips of bringing a bit of happy into the day.

One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself.

Be yourself. I have a sign on my computer, be Gabrielle. This is especially important for when I teach yoga. People don’t come to be  with a carbon copy of someone else. They come because they want to do yoga and be with me who is being myself. Authenticity and confidence is a way in which we connect with all parts of ourselves, both the good and the ugly.

Act the way you want to feel. If you want to feel down act it. If you want to feel a bit up, then try that. What you say and what you think are reflected in your actions. Your attitude and how you align yourself with your day is also reflected in your actions. The converse is also true.

Do what feels right. Deep down, we all know what is right for us and for others.

Cut people some slack, their actions reflect a situation they are in.

Cultivate generosity of spirit.

Bring people together.

Practice for today: Choose a way that you think might help your spirit feel light and happy today. If you give permission for yourself to be happy, you give it to others as well.