There are days we wake up bright eyed and bursting with energy while other times we pray for a day of sheet therapy. Here are five practices for adding a little more love to your life and they might make you more lovable, too.
1. Cultivate Gratitude. Thanks to human nature, it’s easy to notice what’s wrong, or to worry we will never get what we think we deserve. Instead, focus on what’s right in your world, and be thankful for what you do have. Create a Gratitude List: write down the 5 most important things in your life. Faithfully carry this list, and if you have a moment, nab the card and read it for an instant reset.
2. Be Kind. Be nice to yourself and others. Say “please” and “thank you,” even to family. Be patient with people who appear rushed or pressured. If you start feeling stressed, pause. Take a deep relaxing breath and smile with your exhale. Do one good deed every day. Smooth out life by keeping the “kind” in humankind.
3. If You Make a Change, Start Small. Resist high self-expectations by simplifying the process of habit-building. Don’t go for miracle makeovers, focus on one behavior at a time and persist patiently until its embedded. Let time work for you, not against you.
4. Fake it Till You Make It. You’ve heard this before, and it’s true. Want to be happier? Act happy! Assume the upright posture of a positive person; smile more, laugh more, be upbeat. Your brain interprets what you think, say or do as the truth so if you act “as if” that’s what you will ultimately become.
5. Practice Self-Kindness. Flight briefings tell us to put on our own oxygen masks before helping others. Internalize this rule. Care for yourself in healthy ways during tough times, give yourself a break when things suck. These five practices make life more rosy and easier to love—which will you choose to work on first and when?
© Leslie Charles, Speaker, Author, Funeral-life Celebrant. leslie@lesliecharles.com
