Oh man, I am so sore today! Thad and I took a free introductory kickboxing class last night. It was AWESOME! I really loved it! Not only was it great exercise, but it felt really great to learn some self defense techniques too. Not that I have ever needed them, but it does feel very empowering to know that you can defend yourself should the need ever arise. I also felt very relaxed afterwards. I can’t tell you how much stress just melted right off while pummeling the bag. Oh… also, we got to pummel these sand bag people. It was hysterical! The sand bag man is on the floor, you straddle it and beat the crap out of it! Thad and I felt a little awkward at first but we soon got very into it! lol. I told Thad to take out his angst about the goats breaking into the chicken coop all day long, and then he was really beating that sand man up! It was so much fun. We had a great time together, burned many calories, and got to do something healthy and fun!
Clear YOUR mind of “can’t.” Empower yourself with some martial arts… there are many more besides kickboxing. You won’t believe how powerful it feels to learn to protect yourself and be responsible for your own fitness! Check out a martial arts studio in your area, most of them offer a free introductory class. Try it out, empower yourself, have fun, 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!
How many of you have ever know a Debbie Downer or a Sad Face Sally? You know who I mean, the Negative Nelly that always sees the bad in everything. No matter how good things are, they find a way to cast a dark shadow. Or maybe if you have NEVER met anyone like that… maybe it’s YOU? (Nahhhh, it’s definitely not you!)
The next time you cross paths with one of these people, try using a “state change” to influence their behavior. A state change is when you create a change in a persons state of mind, mood, or thoughts. We can also change our own state too. Maybe you feel a little down in the dumps and don’t know why? Maybe you are going through some real life challenges and need something that will perk you up?
There are 3 ways to change a persons state…. focus, language, and physiology.
Let’s start with physiology. Physiology is the way in which you use your body. Have you ever just sat down for a moment to relax and fell asleep, then woke up and said “I didn’t even know I was tired!” That is because your mind knows what to do given the way you use your body! So to change your state, use your body better. Sit or stand up straight, get off the couch, move and exercise, and be in a positive, alert position. If you want to change another person’s state, take them for a walk, get them up, and get them moving!
The next is focus. What we focus on is what we feel so if you are constantly thinking about bad things, then you feel bad. Change your own state or someone else’s with distraction. Never tell someone “just don’t think about it!” That doesn’t work and I can prove it. Right now… DO NOT think about a bright yellow, juicy, tart lemon. No, I said DON’T think about it. Naturally, you have to think about what you are not supposed to think about. A better method is distraction. LOOK, A SQUIRREL!! Just distract yourself with something else, like a squirrel, or getting involved in another project, or by focusing on what you are actually doing in the moment.
The last state change tool is language. Again, your brain listens to the words you use and creates your world around them. If you are constantly saying “I’m fat,” then your brain will believe it and when you look in the mirror, you will see a fat person, even if you are thin. Your brain is like a computer, it has to be correct. Just like a calculator will always make 2+2=4, your brain will always align your experiences up with your beliefs. So change your state by using POSITIVE language.
Say things like I CAN do things, I AM beautiful, I WILL succeed. Change another persons state the same way… with encouraging language… I BELIEVE in YOU, YOU ROCK, etc….
The best way to influence another person will always be by setting a great example. Use these simple techniques to change your state, influence those around you, 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!
Our family mission is built around generosity and helping others. We take steps to instill these values in our children too. Generosity is not something people are born with. In fact, we are born rather selfish. Babies come in to the world equipt to get their needs met, not to give back. This is a trait we must help them develop over the years. Here are 3 ways to teach kids to become generous adults:
1 Explain the concept: Some kids may have no idea that there are people who go without or people who need help. Make kids aware of reality without scaring them. Using age appropriate language, let them know that many people around the world live in poverty. Explain your reasons for helping: it makes you feel good to give back, it is nice to give toys to kids who don’t have any, or it makes you sad to see people who don’t have food and you want to help. Ask them to try and explain how they might feel if they had to go without. Ask them how they might want to help and why.
2 Get kids involved: When doing charity or donating to a cause, allow the kids to be a part of it. If donating money, ask them to donate some and you will match their donation. No matter the amount, even if they donate a few cents, praise them for doing so! If you volunteer, sign them up to work too! You can give them a few options to choose from, but let them know the entire family will be volunteering. Be sure to praise whatever they have done! (Some kids may be shy at first, even if they don’t fully embrace their role, praise them for being part!)
3 Let kids be creative givers: Allow the kids to come up with ideas on how they can help! They may want to make cards for kids in the hospital, or draw pictures for soldiers, collect pennies that they find to donate, or maybe they want to bring a little extra something in their lunchbox to give to a friend who doesn’t have much. There are so many ways that kids are creative, allow them to use their imagination and they will be far more invested in being generous.
Modeling generosity will always be the very best way to raise generous kids. It’s not the amount that you give; rather, the spirit of generosity that they will inherit. Be generous with your time and resources, allow the kids to play a role, 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!
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!
Failing one time doesn’t make you an expert at it. You have to keep trying if you want to get really good at failing! You may ask yourself, “why would you want to be good at failing?” Failure allows us to grow, to learn, and to find or create new opportunities. Here are 4 reasons why it is good to fail:
1 EXPERIENCE: Failing builds your experience and with experience, wisdom follows. The more you fail, the more you learn what to do (and what not to do). Wisdom and experience will get you farther in life than education alone. Experience helps us learn and grow as people. Find the lesson in every failure and enjoy the knowledge that comes with it.
One fails forward toward success. ~Charles F. Kettering
2 PERSEVERANCE: If you keep trying after a failure, then you are learning a valuable lesson in perseverance. It is extremely rare to try something for the first time and be instantly good at it. For example, the first time you try to play piano, you will not sound like Beethoven. However, if you persevere and stick with it, you will eventually become a talented musician and will enjoy the music you are playing. This is a valuable lesson to teach, especially to kids today who expect (and often get) everything instantly.
Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald
3 FAMOUS FAILURES: You will be in good company. Every millionaire and billionaire has failed; rather than quit, they let the failure motivate them to keep going until they achieved what they wanted. Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, JK Rowling, Steven Spielberg, Marilyn Monroe, Oprah Winfrey, Stephen King, Henry Ford, Vincent Van Gogh, and so many more are great examples of people who failed first, kept going, and eventually changed the world.
Failure is an event, never a person. ~William D. Brown
4 COURAGE: Like the people in #3, if you keep going after failure, you clearly have courage! In a society often paralyzed by fear, you will stand out and be noticed if you are courageous. Standing out often brings opportunities.
Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. ~Henry Ford
So, enjoy your failures and know they are stepping stones to greatness. Learn the lessons they teach, join the ranks of the great failures before you, 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!
