Happiness Non-Negotiables
steffani

Happiness Non-Negotiables

Over the last 10 years, deep in my own personal growth work, I’ve finally designed exactly what I need in order to keep my happiness in check. 

My “happiness non-negotiables”. 

Here are mine:

#1. Regular daily exercise. I’m sure you know why this is the first one for me. It not only releases endorphins that help you feel amazing but it also makes you feel like a badass. There’s nothing that compares to pushing your body physically beyond where you thought you could. 

happiness

#2. A healthy, connected, inspiring morning routine. The way I “prime myself” every morning makes a huge difference in how I go about my day. And how prepared I am to face any challenges that can, actually that will, come up. Meditation. Gratitude. Affirmations. Music. Lemon water. Visualization. All of that in one bundle is a non-negotiable for me. 

#3. Working on my thoughts. I’ve been playing this game for almost 30 years. Yep. Three decades of work on my mindset and my thoughts. And I’m not done. I will never be done. Figuring out how to consciously direct your thoughts. And to consciously course-correct your thoughts is the biggest game-changer of all. And therefore a massive non-negotiable for my happiness. The Byron Katie work is it for me!

#4. Me time. I might still be technically “happy” but I feel really OFF without any me time. Time totally alone. To self reflect. Not to work. Not to complete a project. But to catch up with ME. To let my mind catch up with my soul and my life. 

#4. Lots of water and healthy food. I don’t always nail this. But when I do I feel AMAZING. I can feel so out of sorts

happiness

 when I eat a lot of processed foods or too much sugar or even caffeine. The jittery edgy feeling is not fun. So this is a big one too. What we put into our physical bodies definitely helps determine our inner state and internal happiness. 

#5. Connection. Similar to me time in the sense that I can go without it, but I just won’t feel fueled properly. If I’m spending too much time with kids and no adults, if I don’t have deep intimate conversations, game over. 

What are your happiness non-negotiables? Comment this post. I would love to hear from you!

How You Can ENHANCE Your Morning Routine and Avoid the Winter Blues
steffani

How You Can ENHANCE Your Morning Routine and Avoid the Winter Blues

I hope this winter season finds you happier than you had hoped for. Are you doing all you can to avoid the winter blues?

I wanted to share this FB live I did a few days ago in my 21 Day Badass Mindset Mini-Course. It’s a short video but has lots of goodies on how you can ENHANCE your morning routine and avoid the winter blues.

If there was one message I could shout from the rooftops it would be this. (Ok it would be hard to pick just one…but this would be one of the top 5):

You are responsible for your STATE every day. The way you prime yourself in the morning sets you up for success or failure.

So no matter where you’re at with a morning routine I am SURE it can still get even better. Check out this video and see if you’re using all the best morning routine happiness hacks possible.

One thing I know for sure…. you are in control. You have what it takes. You program your own hard drive. And you are powerful beyond measure.

What will you do to enhance your state every morning starting TOMORROW? Comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

 

It’s ok to cry.
steffani

It’s ok to cry.

I hope you know, it’s ok to cry.  Actually, I think it’s crucial. We often hold back our tears and see them as a weakness.  I learned years ago when I first started out on this personal growth journey that it’s a strength.  

 

I’ll never forget the women sitting next to me in a circle who looked at my tears and said: “I wish I could feel like you do,”  That’s when it hit me that it’s ok to cry. It’s ok to feel. It’s not just ok it’s necessary for us to move through our feelings and get to the other side of them.  

 

Now, I’m not ashamed to cry.  

 

I cry every day….

 

I don’t cry every day out of sadness or anger or upset.  Sure I have as many challenges as anyone else in this life.  I have stresses and frustrations and family members who are ill.  But still, that’s not why I cry.

 

Every day I cry for a different reason. 

 

I cry because this life is pure magic.

I cry out of gratitude for every breath.

I cry for beauty.

I cry at art.

I cry when I see moments of kindness.

I cry when I hear beautiful music.

I cry when I sing.

I cry when I reflect on life in the shower.

I cry when I say goodbye to a friend.

I cried eating a blueberry muffin at Starbucks once.  It was a really really good muffin! 

I cry at commercials.

I cry watching my kids sleep.

I cry when I travel – when I fly through the air and look out the window. 

I cry when I walk into a church.

 

My husband jokes that I cry at mall openings.  I have never cried at a mall opening. But I have cried at the opening of the Olympics.  And the closing ceremonies. And my son’s soccer game yesterday.

 

Basically, I cry when I feel connected.  I cry when I FEEL this life. When I feel alive. 

 

Unapologetically I cry.  And I look forward to the moments in my day, those vulnerable, beautiful, tear-filled moments where my heart feels so full I can hardly breathe. When I sip air in through my nose and my eyes well up with tears only to be sucked back in moments later when I compose myself, it is a moment of sheer bliss.  A moment of REAL life. To feel alive. And grateful. And connected. 

 

I’ve never counted how many times I’ve cried in a day.  But I might start now. And I invite you to start with me.  Can we FEEL alive and connected 2 times, 5 times,10 times a day?  I’m willing to try.

 

This is LIFE.  This is really living. 

 

My wish for you is that you feel all your feelings today.  All the joy and all the sorrow. All the beauty and the pain.  I hope you feel it and move through it. If I can support you in any way, I’m here.  Let’s cry together. 

 

To join me on this journey start by taking this Best Life Quiz to discover what’s holding you back from living a life you wholeheartedly love and one you FEEL every day.