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Navigating Your New Normal

I wish we could chalk this year up to a Stephen King novel we could all slam the book on, but sadly the COVID-19 pandemic is not fiction and very real. It’s safe to say we are in unchartered territory and never dreamed we would ever experience in our lifetime what has become this surreal “new normal.” While the world spirals out of our control as we watch helplessly self-quarantined on our couches, the uncertainty is daunting. One thing that is for certain is it is vitally important for us to maintain our mental and physical well-being during the coronavirus climate. As I sit here at home self-isolated during the 15-day plan to stay at home, I have an overwhelming need to share something good and spread light into the darkness. It is important for us to practice gratitude during this time and embrace what we do have. While most of the outside world is canceled right now, these activities are not: Going outdoors (as long as we are six feet apart), listening to music, quality family time, reading a book, singing out loud, speaking with friends, laughing and sharing hope with others. We are all in this together, even if it’s virtually. Hopefully, we can close the distance emotionally with a sense of community since we can’t be together physically. I curated a “Stay Home Things to Do List” to allow you some well-deserved “Me Time.” Take a break from binge-watching CNN 24-7 to be healthy and strong both mentally and physically for the coming days. Don’t Forget Fitness Exercise is vital for reducing stress and maintaining your physical and mental health. Since the gyms are closed for the foreseeable future, online fitness courses are available for constant streaming. An acronym for “Our Body Electric,” Obe Fitness offers an incredible array of live and on-demand fitness classes for home. The platform boasts a daily schedule of 14 live classes and more than 4,000 on-demand classes available for replay. Classes include kickboxing, yoga, cardio dance, pilates, meditation and much more. All Obe instructors are upbeat and motivating and so is the brightly designed studio space where all the classes are held (and filmed). Offering a seven-day free trial, this fun immersive fitness experience is well worth the $27 per month price tag (less than a dollar a day). So get on your mat and check it out! A DIY Spa Day The term “self-care” has been thrown around quite a lot in the past, but now it’s taking on a whole new meaning. It’s safe to say you’re not venturing out for a manicure these days, and let’s face it…you might not be in the mood with your new role as “beauty squad party of one.” To maintain the all-important “look good, feel good” mentality, my suggestion is to create a designated “Staycation Spa Day” to keep up with your beauty routine in a Day Spa environment and make it fun. If you’re lucky enough to have a steam in your shower, now is the time to use it. Even if you don’t, you can create your own “steam therapy” in an enclosed shower. Put the “ahh-in-spa” by adding a few drops of eucalyptus or lavender aromatherapy oil and relax and allow yourself to detox and unwind. Moist hot steam has so many incredible health benefits, such as helping circulation, reducing stress, lowering blood pressure by releasing a hormone called aldosterone and even acts as an immune booster. The key is to limit your steam sessions to 10 minutes a day to not get dehydrated. You can alternate a hot steam session with a cold plunge interval by running ice water in a nearby bathtub and soaking for 3-5 minutes for more immune-boosting benefits, however, my friends at the Wim Hof Method state this is not recommended if you are feeling sick. Cold therapy adds an additional stressor onto the immune system that already has its hands full fighting off viruses. If you’re a bath person like myself, pour in some Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt and take a hot detox soak to relax your body and calm your mind. While you’re there it’s a perfect time for a DIY facial. Some of my personal favorites are the Onyx Youth Magnet Mask and the G. M. Collins Hydrating Aqua Mask. Stream Arts and Culture Getting stir-crazy at home and need a dose of culture? Streaming is the answer with a plethora of incredible resources at your fingertips. Take a virtual tour of the leading museums around the world with Google Arts & Culture for incredible curated content bringing the world’s most famous art collections directly into your home. The Royal Opera House's channel has a selection of some of the top performances from famous operas and ballets, just a click away. If a Broadway play strikes your fancy, check out the BroadwayHD streaming service that’s just $8.99 a month and there's a one-month free trial. Musical stars are getting in on the act, reminding us we are all in this “Together at Home” with live, at-home performances on Instagram for fans who are self-isolating. On March 16, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin kicked off the new virtual concert series officially dubbed “Together at Home: Who-Global Citizen Solidarity Sessions.” The initiative is presented by the World Health Organization and Global Citizen. John Legend took the baton shortly after Chris, Charlie Puth followed, and other singers like Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello will be getting in on the action in the coming weeks, too. Spring Cleaning Side Hustle Looking for a money-making project you can do at home? Tidy up and cash out with my personal favorite selling app Poshmark. This fun, interactive social commerce marketplace is an amazing resource to buy and sell new and used clothing, accessories, beauty products, shoes and even home goods. Just sign up to become a “Posher,” create your own closet, list items for sale and voila…you’re in business. This is selling made simple and Poshmark provides a shipping label to you once an item is sold. You keep 80 percent of the profits and Spring cleaning has never been more fun! These are trying times for us all. Please self-isolate to help slow this deadly virus and stay strong. We are all in this together and we are AmeriCANS! We can do it. My final note, I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all our incredible healthcare workers on the frontlines fighting this awful pandemic. God speed and God Bless America.

Podcast

Change Your Brain Through Mindfulness and Self-Compassion With Shauna Shapiro

There’s so much talk today about mindfulness that it sometimes seems the word has lost its meaning. This week, Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a clinical psychologist and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and self-compassion, explains what is missing from many mindfulness practices. Her new book, Good Morning, I Love You, combines brain science with easy-to-implement practices that will help you get more calm, clarity and joy in your life. Listen now to find out how you can change your brain with these simple practices. In this episode, you'll learn: Why self-compassion is the “secret sauce” of mindfulness practices. The one simple practice you can do every morning to increase self-compassion. How your self-compassion and mindfulness can help heal those around you. Links and Resources Facebook: @DrShaunaShapiro Website: Drshaunashapiro.com Listen to Shauna’s TED Talk The Power of Mindfulness: What You Practice Grows Stronger Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:

Podcast

Tap Into Happiness With Jessica Ortner

If someone told you there was a simple practice that could lower your stress, improve your health and boost your overall well-being, you might be skeptical. But this week’s guest has a science-based solution that can do all those things … and so much more. Jessica Ortner is a New York Times bestselling author and producer of The Tapping Solution, the breakthrough documentary film on EFT tapping. She’s here today to explain what EFT tapping is, how it works and how you can start using it today to change your life for the better. In this episode, you'll learn: What tapping is and how to do it. Why tapping is so effective. Different ways tapping can be used to solve challenges. Links and Resources Instagram: @jessicaortner Facebook: @followingJessicaOrtner Twitter: @JessicaOrtner Website: https://www.jessicaortner.com/ Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:

Podcast

Setting Goals Instead of Resolutions With Dr. Andrea Goeglein

As we begin a new year and a new decade, many of us have set ambitious resolutions for change. Or maybe we’re still trying to decide what it is that we want and need from the next 12 months. Today’s guest, Dr. Andrea Goeglein, can help. Known as Dr. Success because she helps business leaders learn how to define and reach their goals, Andrea shares those same practices to help you create goals for the coming year, learn how to think differently and how to keep going even when it seems like you’ve gotten off track. In this episode, you'll learn: Understanding the important difference between a resolution and a goal. How to prepare your mind to reach your goals. Steps to set yourself up for success. Links and Resources Facebook: @DrSuccessPhD LinkedIn: @DrSuccessPhD Instagram: @DrSuccess Twitter: @DrSuccess Learn more about goal-setting from Dr. Andrea Goeglein by taking a free online course or downloading an inspirational infographic on goal-setting (use password: success4u). Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:

#HappyActs

Giving is the Reason for the Season

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! We encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! December's Happy Act theme is altruism. French philosopher Auguste Comte, the father of positivism, first defined the term of altruism as a social act that is the opposite of self-centeredness, even though the giver does receive personal satisfaction from giving. If you are motivated to serve the welfare of others without expecting anything in return, then you are more than likely an altruistic person. When we embrace each other with compassion and kindness, we create an opportunity to be better human beings to each other. While research into the benefits of altruism continues, many studies suggest the more generous we are, the better off we will be. December's Happy Act is to give a little extra this holiday season to someone in need. In his book Altruism: The Power of Compassion the Change Yourself and the World, Matthieu Ricard writes: “our existence is usually woven from deeds of cooperation, friendship, affection and care.” Whether it’s the ringing of the bell outside of the department store or serving warm meals for the hungry or shoveling a neighbor's sidewalk, don’t miss the call to pay a little more attention to others and make the holidays merrier for everyone. Our December Happy Activist is Carol Novello, founder of Mutual Rescue, author of Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too and president of Humane Society Silicon Valley in California. Carol displays her altruism by rescuing homeless animals, and in turn, placing those animals in happy homes. The result, she says, is a transforming experience for the people who adopt these animals in need. “Animals bring so much joy into our lives … part of the altruism in helping animals, is that you are really helping people too,” she says. “When you connect an animal with a person, you are enriching two lives.” For more on altruism, check out these articles: A Twist of Faith How to Be Compassionate Toward Difficult People The Giving Way to Happiness With Jenny Santi Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

#HappyActs

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy Home » Privacy Policy Your privacy is very important to us. This Privacy Policy describes our information practices and how information about you is collected and used by Live Happy, LLC and its subsidiaries. This Privacy Policy applies to all Live Happy websites and downloadable applications. This Policy does not apply to non-Live Happy websites, including those linked to or advertised on any Live Happy site. Any information you provide when you visit a website other than those covered by this policy will be subject to the privacy policies posted on those sites. The Information We Collect Through Live Happy websites and other media, you can order products and publications; subscribe to one of our services, such as newsletters; engage in activities like taking quizzes or expressing an opinion; or participate in an online discussion or community. 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Opt-Out Requests and Contact Us If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or its implementation, please contact us by email by clicking here or by writing to: Live Happy Attn: Customer Service 4201 Spring Valley Road, Suite 900 Dallas, TX 75244 You may opt out of having your Personally Identifiable Information shared with third parties for their marketing purposes. If you wish to exercise this right, please contact us at the address or email address above and state that you want to opt out of our sharing with third parties. You may click here to be removed from our promotional mailing lists. Note that you may continue to receive certain communications from us, such as transactional or relationship messages and/or messages about your account. Changes to this Privacy Policy This Privacy Policy is subject to occasional revision. The revised Privacy Policy will be posted to this page so that you are aware of the information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we may disclose it. Last revised November 6, 2014.

home and happiness concept - smiling young woman lying on sofa at home

Self-Care

7 Steps Toward a Better Day

We all experience times in life where we feel things are not going well. No one is happy with those small moments when traffic is not moving and we’re running late, or when our kids won’t listen, or when things feel out of control at work. We are further affected by those larger-scale moments when we get earth-shattering bad news or experience a painful loss. As a psychotherapist who regularly offers herself as a shoulder to cry on and a resource for people in need, I spend many hours each day hearing about people’s struggles, sadness, fears, anger and pain. I am frequently asked how it is that I can take in so many emotionally heavy experiences and still manage to embrace happiness and positivity in a meaningful way. The truth is that sometimes it’s not easy to transition from deep, emotional conversations or experiences into an upbeat and positive mood. However, because I believe our emotions are like our eyes—that they affect how we see the world—I have learned that the ability to transform your emotions into a more positive space is an important skill to learn. An emotional makeover involves taking a situation, feeling or mood and altering it from a negative into a positive. You can take negative experiences for what they are—upsetting moments in time—and decide to makeover your mood. While you have no power over the day-to-day irritations, let alone life’s huge traumas, you do have control over how you respond and react. Here are some tools to help you do just that: 1. Evaluate Your Perspective. Ask yourself if you’re reading into things, jumping to conclusions or exaggerating the situation. For example, you run into a friend and she seems short with you and distracted. If you decide she is mad at you or doesn’t like you as much as she once did, and you don’t have facts to back that up, you may be causing your own emotional downer. Instead, reach out to that friend. Call or send a text saying, “It was great seeing you,” or “I miss you, let’s make plans,” or “I meant to tell you I loved your hair today.” Send a message of positivity as a way to connect and see if some positivity comes back your way. 2. Stay in the Present. Did something happen to you before that is multiplying the intensity of this situation? You ask your partner to do something around the house, and your partner didn’t do it...again. If you start to think about all of the times that he or she has neglected to do what you requested, you’re experiencing this emotional drag. Instead, take a breath and treat this incident as an isolated one, as if it has happened just this one time, and let your emotions reflect that one experience. Next, remind yourself of what you like about your partner. Once you have done both of these, you can calmly approach your partner to discuss the issue. 3. Move Your Body to Change Your Mood. Did your child act up, leaving you in a frustrated state? Did you have a bad day at work and get home feeling like it is still affecting your mood? If you continue to dwell on that negative experience, you’ll be spending the next several hours or days in an emotional pull-down. Do something physical that you enjoy to help pull yourself out of that mood. Put on headphones and take a walk, chop a bunch of vegetables or fruits to prepare a meal, lift weights, garden, unload the dishwasher. 4. Make the Most of Your Downtime. Do you find yourself thinking about all of the things that you have to do while you are supposed to be relaxing, resting and recharging over the weekend or in bed? This kind of badly timed emotional distress and rumination not only affects your mood, it also deprives your body and mind of the downtime it needs. Find a place to lie down, promise yourself you’ll think about these stressful things at a more appropriate time, close your eyes, and listen to your breathing. Picture the most beautiful or peaceful place that you can and start to think about what you love about it in as much detail as possible. This will shift your focus onto something positive and calming. 5. Seek Warmth. Initiate a hug, cuddle up in a blanket, soak in a hot bath, walk outside and stand in the sun if you feel cold, tense or wound up. These warming acts will serve to calm your negative emotions and lift a bad mood. 6. Practice the Positive. Is your first response “no,” and do you feel like anyone in the vicinity is at risk of getting a piece of your bad mood? Shift into positivity—place a smile on your face, and do something kind and positive for either yourself or someone else. Bring your neighbor cookies, help out a charitable organization or tell your mate all of the things that you like about him or her. 7. Initiate Connections. Do you feel isolated, withdrawn and alone in your emotional state? Call a friend, ask someone you live with or work with to take a walk with you or sit down and have a chat. Spending time with someone else is a great distraction from the negativity. In closing, I have some great news! When it comes to working on yourself and taking the time to learn the skills for an emotional makeover, you will discover that the more that you do it, the easier it gets!

Sad loving couple wife and husband sitting together looking at each other with love,

science

How Gratitude Heals Grief

Bev Meyer was standing at the bedside of her dying father when she felt an emotion she hadn’t anticipated: gratitude. Broken from years of heavy drinking and felled by a massive stroke, her father lay motionless, unable to communicate. As their troubled relationship drew to an inevitable close, Bev hung her head and cried, grieving as much for the relationship that had eluded them as for his impending death. Then, inexplicably, the man who couldn’t speak and could barely move reached up and gently touched her cheek. It was a final act of love and comfort that bridged a rocky history, and Bev was filled with an overwhelming outpouring of gratitude and relief. “I had many years of not feeling that love, so I carry that with me,” says Bev, of Oregon, Wisconsin. “I was so grateful that I was there for his last breath and could have that moment. Without that gratitude, I don’t know how I could ever get through my grief.” Although both gratitude and grief are common emotions, we don’t necessarily think of them as going hand in hand. However, gratitude can provide a powerful source of healing during the grieving process. “Gratitude reminds us that we can find happiness even when life is painful and messy, as it often is,” says Kingsley Gallup, MA, LPC and author of Project Personal Freedom. Presenting at the International Positive Psychology Association’s Fourth World Congress in 2015, she explained, “With gratitude, we can embrace our grief and burn it as fuel for our journey.” Regardless of the source of our grief—whether it’s a recent loss or a long-standing injury—Kingsley says that practicing gratitude is an effective way to reinstate joy in our lives. “For anyone who’s grieving, isn’t that what we want? To feel joyful again?” she asks. “Gratitude heals. I see it in my clients all the time, and it has healed me in my own journey.” Going Against the Grain Practicing gratitude while suffering with grief doesn’t feel instinctual or natural, she acknowledges, and many clients tell her that practicing gratitude “seems unrealistic.” Kingsley says that even though we are not hard-wired to feel thankful while suffering, adopting a gratitude practice can help us move through the grief process more purposefully. “Grief is part of the human condition,” she says, noting that grief comes from many types of losses. It can be the “loss of dreams, time, self esteem, enthusiasm, relationships and loved ones.” While the inevitability of grief is universal, each loss has its own nuances: losing a parent is different from losing a child; sudden, unexpected loss from a traumatic event will affect us differently than a death that was expected. Kingsley says making the decision to heal, and then taking action, is a key step. With the loss of a loved one, actions such as writing a letter of gratitude and acknowledging all the things you loved and appreciated about the person—and also what you learned and how they changed you—can be a powerful tool for healing and transformation. “There’s something unique about the deliberate act of writing that letter,” Kingsley says. “Then share it with a trusted individual or during a service or ritual; it’s very healing.” Regardless of the magnitude and depth of grief, Kingsley says, gratitude can close the gap between pain and peace, between grief and joy. “We grieve because we so deeply appreciated our loved one,” she says. “Gratitude bridges the past, present and future; it allows us to retrieve the positive from the past, and connects us with the present, and we embrace our good fortune.” And, ultimately, it delivers the future as we begin moving forward with optimism. When Holidays Hurt Grief is often magnified during the holiday season, and Kingsley believes the power of gratitude is also heightened during this time. She says using “the immeasurable power of gratitude” is a powerful tool that can help us cope with the emotions that accompany the holidays. “We can count blessings. We can count them daily—and deliberately,” she says. “Perhaps we will create a holiday tradition around blessings. Perhaps we will give gifts of gratitude. With gratitude, we can find beauty in our holiday sadness.” However, it’s equally important to acknowledge the grief as it arises. “We can lean into our grief as opposed to trying to avoid or outrun it,” she says. “Leaning into grief is about going within. By leaning into it, we actually move through it.” And, to help move through the complicated and challenging emotions that accompany the journey of grief, she says the holidays can provide the kind of reminders we need to celebrate what we have even as we acknowledge what’s been lost. “With gratitude, we focus on what is present,” Kingsley says. “We focus on the here and now. We allow ourselves to feel the pain, knowing that we wouldn’t hurt so much if we didn’t care so much.” She said thinking of the relationship as ongoing through memories provides a profound healing energy. “Grief may never end, per se, but it will change shape,” she says. “And we can do much to change its shape. Gratitude is acceptance. It allows us to embrace a chapter of life we hadn’t envisioned. When we can find the blessings, we are better able to let go.”

Podcast

Train Your Brain for Happiness With Dr. Tara Swart

We’ve all heard about the principles of visualization and manifestation, but to many of us, it might sound a little too good to be true. Today, we’re talking to a neuroscientist who guides us through the science of visualization and tells us how it can help us reach our goals and live happier lives. Dr. Tara Swart is a neuroscientist, psychiatrist and senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She works with top executives all over the world to help them achieve mental resilience and peak brain performance. Her new book, The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain, shows how you can actively change the way your mind works to train it for happiness. In this episode, you'll learn: Why it’s critical to take control over what we’re thinking about. How we can make dramatic, positive changes by changing how we think. The science behind vision boards — and how to put it into practice. Links and Resources Twitter: @taraswart Instagram: @drtaraswart Website: www.taraswart.com Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:

#HappyActs

Kindness Counts When Sharing Happiness

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! We encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! November’s Happy Act theme is kindness. People who practice kindness show more compassion and are more willing to help people in need. According to Character Strengths Interventions: A Field Guide for Practitioners by Ryan Niemiec, Psy.D., when we add more kindness into our lives, we help alleviate some of the negative effects of stress and anxiety. Kindness is also associated with other important character strengths, such as gratitude, leadership and love. November’s Happy Act is to make the world a kinder place through good deeds, favors and helping others. This month, think about how many ways you can do something nice for someone else, for example, raking leaves or shoveling snow for a neighbor, giving extra for holiday charity drives or just holding the door for some who has their hands full. If it helps, make a plan of action beforehand, so you’ll be prepared when a moment to practice kindness presents itself. Don’t forget to write down each time you do something kind for someone else and how it made you feel. At the end of the month, reflect on your kind acts and see if your attitude and mindset changed at all. Our November Happy Activist is Marilyn Boss, aka The Happy Lady. This Floridian retired from corporate life and now focuses on bringing happiness into the lives of others through acts of kindness and happiness workshops. “You never know whose life will change with one Happy Act of Kindness,” Marilyn says. “Happiness is a choice and we get to choose it every day.” Every year on the International Day of Happiness, Marilyn sponsors multiple Happiness Walls by sharing happiness and happy acts in classrooms, before and after school programs, summer camps, Job Corps of America and the homes of veterans. Her goal is to sponsor more than 100 walls in just three years. “I have such gratitude for how Happiness Walls have changed my life,” she says. “I learned along the way how to use the tools that I share to be truly happy and I want that for everyone.” For more on kindness, check out these articles: Happy World Kindness Day! Four Ways to Grow Kind Kids 'The Kind Mama' Builds Community Practice Random Acts of Kindness Every Day Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

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