Ignite more LOVE in 2 minutes or less!

Did you know that 40% of our happiness

is a result of what we decide to deliberately do ?

 

If you are reading this but don’t have a valentine this year.

Or if you have a valentine, but feel like he/she isn’t stepping up to the plate.

-Instead of being disappointed,
-Waiting for someone to send you flowers,
-Woo you with a box of dark chocolates
-Sweep you off your feet

Guess what?
You have the inner resources to re-ignite your own happiness.
Yup, even if you might be feeling the blues (honest)

Below are 10 of my favorite ignite your happiness tips. Let’s tip the scale to more than 40% in your favor!

1. Ready, set, go! Get up from the couch/chair/bed and go for a brisk sprint (it’s surprising how far you can go in just 2 minutes from your home/office)
2. Get up, raise your arms up over your head and jump up and down (this will get the blood flowing, and help unstuck any thoughts looping in your head)
3. Tune into your favorite tunes (calming if you are angry, uplifting and silly if you are down, etc)
4. Check in with your breath. Is it shallow? Try some 4×4 prayanama breathing, or deep breathing for 2 minutes.
5. Got supplements? Are you low in vitamins like B12, D? Make a quick run to the grocery for some Omega 3’s, it helps fight depression.
6. Hmmnnn…smells good! Inhale essential oils like lavender, or citrus, light a scented candle to change the mood.
7. Go outside. Take a break, and a good inhale of fresh air. Even if it’s cold, it will be a refreshing boost for all of the mind chatter.
8. When did you eat last? And what did you eat? Was it filled with processed carbs made with white flour? Soda or candy? These can be sources of immediate energy boost, but also a crash. Might be time for some healthy snacks like nuts to balance it out.
9. Stop the hamster wheel! Sometimes, our mood heads south when we are focused on a challenge or conflict and it begins to loop over and over again. When we can begin to recognize this, we can begin to re-route and think about something else for 2 minutes to give our brains a rest.
10. YouTube a funny video. Watching a funny video for 2 minutes will infuse your brain with that much needed feeling good vibes you have been missing. Everyone can use more giggles.
11. P.S. -This is a runner up.  I HAD to include (see the feature pix above, that is Chloe, one of my favorite instant mood lifters!) It’s at 11 only because it might not be easy to go hug an animal in 2 minutes or less if you don’t live with one. (or 3 in my case) But if you have more than 2 minutes, go volunteer at a shelter, visit a dog park, you can get hugs that way too. (guaranteed)

I’ve road-tested this list myself, frequently dip my toes in when I’ve had my fill of a challenging day. (Even griefologists are human too) It’s free—takes no time at all and as you may have noticed by now, my tips are always very practical.   This list is good for everyone, even the most optimist travelers can experience a jetlag sometimes.

Please share with anyone who could benefit from a mood lifter, especially with friends who might be blue,  it helps so much to hear from someone we love when we are down, but have a hard time reaching out.

As for me, I will be heading north to San Francisco for The San Francisco International Gift Show Thursday for Luxepets, and most definitely, I will be missing my honey and my girl a bit, so I will be practicing these tips above during my pit stops along Hwy. 101!

Will you share what your favorite instant mood lifter is below? I am sure they are great ones and I would love to hear them!

When we give from this place, it contributes to more LOVE! Mwuah until next week:)

xo, Claire

 

p.s.-I might be on the road, but will promise to check in. Btw- I just want to share that I wouldn’t be where I am today, successfully running 2 businesses without my business mentor Marie Forleo. My coaching practice and Luxepets has grown leaps and bounds since Marie’s RH&H B-School Program last summer. Tune into one of her videos here, where she talks about 13 ways to make your business work online. Like these tips above, they are practical and implementable right away!  Even if you may not be a business owner, these tips can help you in whatever work you are sharing with the world. So, say yes to the 40+ % of the happiness you can shift right away!