If you can look at challenges and hardships as stepping stones or building blocks, then you will never feel like you are suffering through your circumstances. All challenges help us learn, create new opportunities, and remind us to appreciate the smooth times. Don’t hate your challenges, appreciate them! They are gifts of knowledge and will bring great wisdom if you will allow yourself to learn. Even if you don’t think you can muster a sense of appreciation for the challenge or struggle you are facing, at least adopt an attitude of faith that all things will work out…. eventually. They always do! So today, be grateful for your challenges, learn from your struggles, share your wisdom with others and Live Inspired Now!
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
So many people have fallen into the habit of mediocrity and forgotten that life exists beyond the television. They have forgotten to take part rather than just observe. People sit around eating junk food and watching other people live amazing lives on television and never pursue awesomeness for themselves. People create these unhealthy, sedentary, passionless daily routines without ever even realizing they are bad habits that need to be broken.
Staying positive, living inspired, and being happy are all healthy habits that anyone can achieve! People often ask how I stay so positive and happy, especially in a world so full of tragedy. I always say the same thing…. “yes, the world has bad things, but it also has amazing things that happen every single moment, and those are the things I choose to focus on!” I have not always been this way, but I decided long ago to start creating habits that were healthier and happier than what I had been doing.
Many years ago, I lived on nothing but diet soda and junk food, had fallen into the routine of watching other peoples lives on TV, I gained weight, was always tired, and my own marriage (with my “EX”) had fallen apart. I wanted more and decided to make it happen for myself! Now my life is happy, healthy, full of adventure and passion, and Thad and I have created a fairytale relationship!
Life does not provide magic wands, it is up to each one of us to create magic on our own! Here are some tips to do just that.
1 Determine what you want your life to look like. Actually write it out too! Write down all the things you want, the way you want to look, the job you want to have, the relationships you want to keep or get rid of, the way you want to feel, the adventures you want to take, and the things you want to provide for yourself or your family. Don’t leave anything out…. it is more likely to become real if you write it down. This gives your brain something tangible to hold yourself accountable to. Keep this in a prominent place so you see it daily.
2 Figure out what needs to stop. It is highly likely that you have picked up some bad habits that need to stop; make yourself very aware of them. A life of excellence is not spent on the couch for hours and hours each day watching television. Do you need to throw the TV out of a window? Maybe you need to get rid of all junk food in your house? Need to quit smoking, drinking, gossiping, or obsessing on medical conditions? Or maybe you need to stop calling the “EX” who treated you badly? Write the list of things that have to GO! Ask close family or friends what they think might need to go from your life if you think you are too entrenched to even recognize your own bad habits.
3 Make a plan. Create a real plan with actual steps; don’t settle for something vague. For example, don’t just say “I will lose some weight.” Make a real plan instead such as: 1. Throw out all junk food 2. Purchase all the healthy food you need 3. Put together convenient healthy snacks to grab when in a hurry 4. Create something else to do instead of eating. Some examples are: call a friend, focus on work, meet new people, etc… Be sure that your plan is in a prominent place for your to see. Habits are created by doing them daily, consistency is key!
4 Set yourself up for success. This is important to making your new habits stick! There are many ways to set yourself up to be successful. Surround yourself with others who have healthy habits. Limit (if not abolish) all contact with negative, unhappy, or unhealthy people. Post reminders everywhere (I like brightly colored post it notes) that will trigger the new healthier habits. Recite mantras… “Clear and consistent focus and action will get me to my goal!” or “I am healthy, happy, and a source of good in this world!” Put healthy and positive things into your mind every single day: self help books, uplifting poetry, fun or inspiring music, Ted.com talks, or anything that promotes the healthy habits you are trying to attain.
5 Don’t focus or obsess about set backs. We all have slips, don’t let it completely drag you down. If you have a day that you forget your mantras, or you let yourself wallow in self pity, recognize it as quickly as you can and then get back on the wagon! We all have bad days, don’t turn it into a bad week, month, year, or life. Allow yourself to be human and move on!
6 Forget the mediocrity of old and focus on the amazing new life! Once you realize how freakin’ awesome life is, don’t sit and focus on how much you missed out on. Focus on your amazing new life, your positive new attitude, and all the good you will do as a result. Don’t forget to focus on what you can give back too. Giving and helping others is one of the best ways to keep you on track with your healthy new habits and lifestyle.
Stop living a mediocre existence, watching other people do great things and wishing your life were different. Take action, create healthy habits that lead to a passion filled life that will have others looking at YOU and saying…. “Wow! Her life is amazing!” Excellence is nothing more than healthy habits, create excellence for your life and Live Inspired Now!
PS: Feel free to contact me if you need support… life and relationship coaching are a great tool to help you get where you want to be in life! I look forward to hearing from you!
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
The people you meet tend to mirror yourself. If you are meeting lots of angry people, or often getting cut off by angry people in the car, or maybe you’re consistently near someone angry and impatient in the check out line; you might want to start looking at your own attitude. You will find people similar to you and gravitate towards them, even without knowing it. Your personality is a mirror and you reflect what you feel inside onto other people and they put it right in front of your face. So, take a look at the people you most commonly deal with and ask yourself if you need to make some changes or are you comfortable with what you see? Get a deeper understanding of “self” by looking in the mirror reflected by others and Live Inspired Now!
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
My life seems to be rapidly changing. I know it has not been sudden, but it feels sudden. “Suddenly” I have no children in elementary school, they are now all 7th graders and above. As well, my “baby” Madison, left for basic training today. Yes, basic training, you heard me right! She is now in the Air Force; this is unbelievable since it was just yesterday that I brought her home from the hospital in her car seat. She slept in that car seat for 3 months because I was paranoid about her sleeping in the crib. In the car seat, she could be belted in and sleep right next to me so I could keep her safe.
I had postpartum depression after having Madison and for a while I wanted to kill myself. I literally would rock her in the rocking chair and my tears would fall onto her sleeping body. With each rock, forward and back, I would see myself jumping out of the window with Madison in my arms, killing us both. It was a scary time and Madison was the only one there for me. She didn’t know it, she was only weeks old, but it was her little face that got me through one of the toughest times in my life. I never told anyone what was going on with me back then, so I was isolated, but Madison was always there. She cried, she was fussy and demanding and it was her needs that kept me from focusing on how badly I was feeling. I sat with Madison for hours each day, talking, reading, and playing classical music. It is no wonder she said her first word “mama” at only 5 1/2 months and was walking by 9 months. I put all my energy into raising this amazing kid, and somehow, the postpartum depression eventually left me. It wasn’t until many years later that I realized what had been wrong with me.
Madison was (and still is) brilliant and now she has gone off to basic training. She willingly signed up to protect and serve our country. Though completely choked up and still in shock at how time flies, I could not be more proud.
This “soldier” is still my baby. Still the fearless little girl who once screamed “I LOVE YOU MOMMY” at the top of her lungs in the center of a quieted riding arena during a horse show. Still the crazy little girl who made her cousin cry when she scratched the eyes off of his painted pumpkin. Still the innocent and excited little birthday girl who couldn’t believe that “Barney the dinosaur” came to her party. Still my little girl who cried after her first broken heart. Still my sweet helper who always took care of her friends. Oh, I could go on forever with this but with tears in my eyes, I must remember that she is NOW a young woman, creating her own amazing life and I am deeply proud. I am proud that she is kind, loving, willing to take some risks, and that no matter how grown up she is, she is still my little girl.
Today, hug your babies, before you know it, they are off on their amazing lives! Focus on building good relationships with your kids now, instead of thinking about what they will do when they grow up. Enjoy life and Live Inspired Now!
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
