Smile, count your blessings, and don’t forget to breathe

If you are looking for ways to enhance your time, here start by looking in the mirror. Your responsibility is to be mindful of the energy you exude. Cultivating the following practices can pave the way for positive changes.

Number one: Smile. Smiling is notoriously contagious. People gravitate towards pleasurable experiences and the easiest way of relaying a message of pleasure is displaying a smile. If you feel happy, smiling comes naturally. Practice smiling even if you don’t feel happy; your brain will be tricked into thinking you are. Plus, you’ll appear youthful and there’s everything right with that!

Number two: Count your blessings. Practicing gratitude enables awareness of the positives while also putting things into perspective. Robert A. Emmons, research expert on gratitude, states that gratitude “strengthens relationships, reduces stress, improves health, [and] in general makes us happier.” Brene Brown, a popular “vulnerability researcher,” declares that “Even if you’re just grateful the day is over, that’s still practicing gratitude!”

Number three: Stand up straight. Maintaining proper posture reduces the risk for back and shoulder pain, joint injury, arthritis and osteoporosis (yes, aging happens to everyone) while improving both physical appearance and muscle memory response. The more consistent you are, the easier and natural remaining upright becomes. Hauling a “stuffed” backpack or shoulder bag around campus regularly isn’t doing your spine any favors; hence, practicing this one seems extra important!

Number four: Say your prayers. Spirituality is  unique to everyone, where one size fits one. Your spiritual duty (pun intended) is to find ways of connecting with forces unbound by three-dimensional space. Get outside; take a walk; breathe deeply; explore nature; meditate; try yoga; plant a tree, then hug it. Practice spending time doing whatever it takes to find meaningful, external connections throughout the universe.

Number five and six: Do unto others and be nice. I linked the last two because they are of utmost importance and work well together. Treat others with the respect, compassion, open mindedness, cooperation, patience and understanding you would want to receive. Have the willingness to be helpful, hold doors open (literally and figuratively) for others, value common courtesy, remain nonjudgmental and don’t give harsh criticism. Practice self kindness, self empathy, self love, self admiration, self validation, radical acceptance and critical awareness; undoubtedly, this means seeing that beauty belongs to the beholder.

Remember to breathe: All things take time, practice makes progress, sharing is caring, listening is loving; the point is the journey and the journey leads us back home, so let’s travel together.

Positive quotes on change:

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ~Dr. Wayne Dyer, motivational author-speaker.

“You must make the choice to take the chance, if you want anything in life to change.” ~Unknown.   

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~Gandhi

Books to read:

“Opening The Door of Your Heart,” by Ajahn Brahm

“Daring Greatly,” by Brene Brown

“The Gifts of Imperfection – Let Go Of Who You Think You’re Supposed To Be And Embrace Who You Are,” by Brene Brown

Movies to watch:

“Hector and the Search for Happiness” – starring Simon Pegg

“Happy” (2011 movie, Netflix Documentary)

Sources:

en.wikipidea.org/wiki/smile

unstuck.com/gratitude.html

sg-fitclub.com/importance-always-sitting-standing-straight

zenhabits.net/18practical-tips-for-living-the-golden-rule

inc.com/steve-tobak/why-you-should-be-nice-to-people.html