Jun 1, 2019
Visit my website for your free copy of Five Essential Daily Must Do’s for a Happier You! (Gailmanahan.com)
This is an excerpt and the key is practice:
Practice 1 The only person you can change is you! You have 100% direct influence on how you behave, how you fill yourself with positive support such as spiritual or uplifting books, podcasts, blogs, Youtube, Ted Talks, short stories, and how you view the world. You are the circle of influence, the one person you can count on to change for the better. I know it would be so much easier if you could just change everyone else, and, I am sure you work on that a little bit every day. However, as you are well aware of, no one wants your good advice, your smart observations or correcting someone else’s behaviors, unless, of course, you are asked directly to do so. So today, put your energy into your own well being, self-improvement, self-acceptance and love yourself up a bit just to be sure you get some love at the start of your day. (And, if you don’t know how to do that…here is how: give yourself 3 compliments, write down 3 things you are grateful for and choose super healthy food to start your day, and put some time in your morning for a walk, yoga treadmill or the gym).
May 28, 2019
The body-mind connection is where every answer you are looking for is located: in your body, your gut or your core, whatever you wish to call it, When you are looking for answers from the smallest questions to the biggest questions, your answers are inside. BUT, you must practice being tuned in. These answers come as nudges, hints, ideas, and they wrestle with your “I should do this or that” constant internal conversations. Listening to you, your wants, desires, and intuitions is where you find your truth, your authenticity, your answers and your integrity and peace of mind. Start today with tuning in and paying attention and separating the endless programmed shoulds with What is true for me? What do I want? With practice, your ability to access your truth will be strengthened, resulting in more clarity, enthusiasm, and personal autonomy and authenticity.
![I Don’t Love My Dog]()
May 25, 2019
My clients often share with me that they don’t know how to access their feelings or that their partner has a tough time sharing their feelings. Feelings are usually in the range of sad, mad, or glad and are different than our thoughts. ” I thought the movie was sad” is not a feeling it is a thought. “I was so sad when I watched the movie, tears were streaming down my face.” Your body first records feelings before your mind is aware of them. Try this exercise: “I don’t love my (and insert your pet’s name or a person’s name). See how that feels in your body. Now reverse this: “I love my pet or person’s name.” You can feel the difference in your body. Practice focusing on how your feelings are connected to your body. The body-mind connection is powerful. Often we hear about “the mind-body connection” but it is actually the reverse. Our body, our gut, our core is our operating system. It feeds our mind information 24/7 and is your most valuable resource. More on this in future posts.
May 22, 2019
Falling in love usually leads to wanting more and more: more time with your partner, more stability and that “living happily ever after” dream of being together forever. However, love is not enough when it comes to personal happiness and fulfillment.
“No partnership of equals — that is, no truly satisfying partnership — can be complete without each partner recognizing and respecting in the other a sense of purpose beyond the relationship, a contribution to the world that reflects and advances that person’s deepest values and most impassioned dreams, in turn adding creative, intellectual, and spiritual fuel to the shared fire of the relationship.” (Cinderalla Liberator by Rebecca Solnit and Arthur Rackham).
May 19, 2019
As women we do a lot for other people sometimes to the detriment of our own joy and well-being. Sacrifice is involved: sacrifice of our time, our free will and our feelings. If what you want to do today is go to the gym, shop a bit, meet a friend for lunch and maybe even take a nap, if you have a to-do list a mile long, family and friends who need your attention, then that is most likely not going to happen. Doing things for other people often requires sacrifice. That can feel difficult, obligatory, create low energy and often result in a backlash of resentment.
However, doing something kind for someone else is a conscious choice and the immediate payback for you is not resentment, but joy. When we intend to be kind to someone it is not an act of sacrifice or dependency, but a transaction where each person involved feels a surge of happiness! That is a win-win for both and does not involve obligation, “the shoulds” and is free of resentment. Doing something for someone out of the kindness and willingness of your heart is not co-dependent, in fact, it is independent of anyone else’s needs. Being kind and thoughtful towards another person will give you more energy, a smile on your face and brighten your heart.
May 15, 2019
“Of course, the world is not divided into two types of women: those who grow and those who don’t. All of us fit into both groups almost every day of our lives. Some of the time, we are good copers and resilient human beings, in other moments, we are reactive and pessimistic. Pain, sorrow and anger will always be with us. But, with will, intentionality, and the right set of skills, we can be happier over the long haul.” (Women Rowing North, Mary Pipher, page 2 Kindle). All of us can expand our self-awareness at any age, and at any time. Having a curious and open mindset and seeking conversations about ourselves with counselors, our more enlightened friends, reading self-growth books, googling pertinent articles on the areas in our lives we wish to improve. There simply is no shortage of help available once you commit to growing, healing and becoming more self-aware. I am here for you, also.
