Connecting with yourself is important. It’s an ambiguous phrase: ‘to connect with oneself.’ Whether it be your faith, your breath, or your consciousness, it’s important to have a strong sense of self to combat any illnesses, whether physical or mental. Inspired by Atul Gawande’s ‘The Checklist Manifesto,’ a simple yet incredibly effective clinical checklist, I wrote this article with means of helping improve human life at the very fundamental and basic level. Here are 7 amazing ways to find happiness in your personal life.
Breathe
Begin to bring your attention inward. Your breath is the leading force in this world and the last thing to leave your body when you die. The continuous cycle of breath is essential to good health and steady life. Controlling the breath in stressful or uncomfortable situations helps reduce anxiety and ease the mind, while conscious awareness of the breath can bring gratitude and peace of mind. A good 10 breaths a day can keep the doctor away.
Eat
Fluctuations in weight is a good indicator of stress levels. Stress-eating is an all too common affliction of the mind and body. Preventing mindless habitual eating and making conscious choices to eat better and only when hungry can have tremendous benefits to the body. Judging and hating your body is also the other side of that coin that asks for love and acceptance – it’s important to consider both.
Sleep
Taking care of yourself isn’t easy, but it’s also no excuse. Being responsible is the first step and educating yourself to make those choices is the second. Lack of sleep can have devastating effects on the body so it’s important to catch up on those Z’s. If you have a busy day ahead and you’re constantly in the habit of being exhausted, practice the power of no, whether to yourself or others and choose to close your eyes early.
Listen to your body
Make time for yourself. It’s easy to become a robot at work cranking out the best of your intellect, but not your soul. Connecting with yourself is important to manifest your best being on this earth. Breathe and take time to hone your relationship with your body. Whether it’s getting a massage or perhaps taking a walk, take time to love yourself.
Smile
This is a piece of advice I received from one of my yoga students. She was a 70-year old woman who used to work for the United Nations and run marathons in her spare time. When I told her, I had a half-marathon the upcoming month, she advised me to simply ‘prepare and enjoy.’ However, her best piece of advice through our conversation was to smile. Smiling in the face of adversity is one of the biggest strengths you can offer.
Find the root of the escape thought
I coined the term ‘escape thought’ sometime after I graduated from university to mean any type of thought that allows you to escape your current reality. Addiction is often not the problem. You can get addicted to anything whether it be caffeine, drugs, sugar, exercise or even sleep. Addiction to negative actions that they become a bad habit is also an example of an escape. However, these thoughts or actions are not the roots of the problem. It’s often an underlying feature such as unhappiness or sadness in another part of your life that is revealing itself through these thoughts and actions.
Do something about it
Finding balance isn’t easy. But locating the root of the escape is half the battle. Making a clear plan to action is the key to your happiness. The funny thing is, that key is always in your pocket. Whether it’s sitting down with yourself or a friend to combat escape roots and get to the core of the struggle, know that what you are doing is significant. It’s courageous and no one can do it but you so take control today.
About Guest Blogger
Christin Lee is a yoga instructor, entrepreneur, and lifestyle blogger living in NYC. She currently writes for InsiderEnvy with an emphasis and focuses on fitness, health, and universal human rights.
