Three Ideas to Help your Wellbeing

Life often pulls us in so many directions. When you feel mired down from stress or overwhelm, here are three ideas that can help with your sense of wellbeing:

1) We can never underestimate the impact our kindness can have on a stranger. We can have no idea how we may be helping someone who is hurting with the simplest act of a genuine smile and eye contact. When we focus on extending our kindness to others it disrupts any unhealthy loops of negative thinking and gets you into good, yummy, wonderful feelings. No matter how busy we get, we can learn to take three seconds to give someone a warm genuine smile, or use a supportive tone of voice as we speak. With these simple practices, our lives can have more meaning.

2) If you have had a persistent painful issue that for years will not resolve, even with counseling, or support, and books, etc., start your day interrupting those negative feelings or thoughts by jumping and saying "STOP!" Then stand tall, put a huge smile on your face and go to a memory of when you were filled with joy or aliveness, or love. Replace the negative with a positive. Decide how you want to feel and be in charge. The pain may always linger in the background but you can make a choice to not let it run your life.

3) Our brains love silence. In this busy world, days and weeks can fly by without time for reflection. If you can, find some quiet time today and enjoy it. When we get quiet, we get to know ourselves in an important way. We can listen to our thoughts and connect to what we really hope for, decide on next steps, get clarity, and so much more.

May your day be filled with goodness.

Artwork by me: "The Place Where My Soul Rests" © Allison Massari For prints please click here.

For information about my keynote speaking please visit: www.AllisonMassari.com

Very exciting news! The documentary film is out. And available free for you.

Today I received very exciting news... It's been years in the making and at last the award-winning documentary film "Resolve" is out. (You will see me featured in it along with nine others as we share solutions for successfully overcoming adversity and post-traumatic stress - PTSD.) If you or a loved one is experiencing PTSD "this can be from the stress of war, shootings, catastrophic burns, loss of a child, paralyzing accidents, athletic injuries, emotional trauma or financial ruin" I am honored to share this film. It is produced and directed by Greg Strom and so  generously offered by him for free at this link:  Click here - Please share. This feature length film was hosted by the Head of Special Forces for the US Military in Afghanistan. You will also hear from Oz Sanchez (Gold medalist in the Beijing Paralympics), Lucia Rijker (World Champion kick boxer), and Shannon Hartnett (World Champion Athlete) along with other very special people. This film was edited exquisitely by Neil Sandilands. Thank you Greg Strom for creating something that can help so many people. You are amazing.

Three of My Secrets for Happiness

1) Embrace the idea that joy and pain exist side-by-side. Even if our lives are going well, there may be a loved one who is sick, or we may have pain from a difficult relationship, or regret from our past. First, our pain needs our love. Then...alongside that...try this... Imagine that you have a mountain of your pain in one hand - and your joy is in the other hand. Focus on the joy, even if it is the smallest thing. Then build your joy - grow it and nourish it - so much, that eventually your joy towers over your pain.

2) We have to be warriors for love.  I learned something beautiful about love from the martial art Aikido. Traditional Aikido teaches that when attacked, you do not attack back. Instead you redirect the force from your opponent to neutralize the charge and to restore their dignity. The intention is to create peace, to protect everyone from injury, including the attacker.

3) Tenacity, determination, courage, feistiness. Never give up. It's the synergy of these two qualities - love and guts - that creates total aliveness.

© 2011 Allison Massari

"Happiness" - Hand-colored monotype by Allison Massari. To see more of her artwork click here.

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