The Best New Year's Resolution You Can Make

I found a mug the other day that's been in storage for over 10 years. My mother gave it to me when I was about 8. It has a picture of a Hollie Hobbie doll on it with the words, "The time to be happy is now...".

I don't recall if those words held any significance for me as I was growing up. I do know that I've lived my life learning about the power of happiness mindset and that feeling good now is at the core of what I teach through my coaching.

The time to be happy is now. Not later, now.

Life happens, and there are many things that may or may not feel out of your control - the people you live with, the people you don't live with, the weather, the government, your animals, other people's animals, your body - you know, that stuff.

What is in your control is what you think and how you feel. You're the only one who can think your thoughts and you're the only one who can feel your feelings.

Christine MeyerDecember 31, 2015Comment

Start from Where You Are

You can always improve your writing.

You can always improve your skiing.

You can always improve your painting.

You can always improve your thinking.

You can always improve how you feel.

You can always improve your golf game.

You can always improve your parenting.

Christine MeyerDecember 18, 2015Comment

Debunking the Myth of Feeling Good

Let's face it. You're tired of hearing people tell you to just get happy.

You would if you could, you say.

You would if those issues in your life would just go away.

You would if you could just get rid of all of those annoying people in your life.

You would if you had more money.

Christine MeyerDecember 11, 2015Comment

One Month of Gratitude...Now What?

November's over and done-with. You did the gratitude thing, declaring your daily appreciation on the FacePlace (FB), and maybe you felt more appreciation than you've felt all year.

psst...it wasn't because of the month of November, it's because you put your attention on ways to appreciate the things that are a part of your daily life.

One month of doing that gratitude stuff is fantastic and all fine and lovely...

What about the other 11 months of the year?

Where do you think you're at?

Do you think that you mostly appreciate?

Or mostly don't?

How do you cultivate an attitude of appreciation?

Outlook on Life, Self-AwarenessChristine MeyerDecember 4, 2015Comment

You Know You're Supposed to Feel Thankful, But...

Do you remember being served broccoli for dinner and when you turned your nose up, your parents said you should be grateful to have food because there were starving kids in the world who would give their foot to eat your broccoli?

Do you recall a time when you had a plethora of toys and wanted one or ten more things, and you were told that you were greedy for wanting more than you have - that you should be grateful for what you do have because there were kids somewhere who didn't have any toys?

Do you recollect when you were living in a place you thought was equivalent to living in a dump and wanted to move into a bigger/better space and someone said you should be grateful for having a roof over your head because there were plenty of people living on the streets?

Appreciation is a powerful tool. It's one of the most powerful approaches you can have to your life but not when you feel bad for not appreciating.

Outlook on LifeChristine MeyerNovember 27, 2015Comment

When Things Aren't Going Your Way...

Good. For. You.

You read that right.

Good. For. You.

When you're not getting what you want, when it's not going your way or when you're in the middle of a sh*t-storm that you're blaming yourself or anyone else within sight for...

It's ok. It really is ok.

Whatever is manifesting in your life is evidence of how you were already feeling, so what's playing out - no matter how "out of the blue" it seems - is valuable information.

It's not reason to beat yourself up; it's not reason to believe you're not good, smart, enlightened, deserving, special, or not-enough of anything.

It's not a testimonial to your un-worthiness.

It's just...validation. Maybe not the kind you would say you want, but still - validation.

Outlook on Life, Self-AwarenessChristine MeyerNovember 20, 2015Comment

Is Your Response to Life A Habit?

Your girlfriend doesn’t call you, and you feel rejected.

You feel disrespected every time your spouse leaves the toilet seat up.

You’re irritated when your kid doesn’t clean up her room.

You feel judged when “that person” speaks to you in that tone of voice.

You feel misunderstood because your dad still doesn’t understand you.

You feel overwhelmed because emails keep filling your inbox.

You feel powerless when you think the government isn’t doing its job the way you think it should.

You’re peeved because your significant other leaves her shoes in your way - Every. Single. Time.

You’re annoyed at the incompetent waiter because…well, why not be?

It’s Monday – you feel slightly depressed.

Self-Awareness, Outlook on LifeChristine MeyerNovember 13, 2015Comment

Live and Let Live

What a mom believes is love for her child is ridiculous over-indulgence to you.

What you think is easy and manageable may be hard and unmanageable to someone else.

What you believe to be an appropriate and timely way to respond to emails is a distraction and splitting of focus to another.

What you think is organized is someone else’s version of chaos.

What scatter-brained is to you may be creativity to another.

What over-ripe banana is to you may be perfectly sweet and delicious to someone else.

What you consider ho-hum boring and downright uninspiring could be stimulating and fantastically awesome to another.

Self-Awareness, Relationships, Outlook on LifeChristine MeyerNovember 6, 2015 Comments

To All of You Who Have Ever Felt Responsible for How Someone Else Feels (which is probably just about everybody on this planet)

It started when you were young. When your parents became parents. And when theirs became parents. Long before that, still.

They were bigger than you. You had no hair, no teeth, could only see vague colorless shapes, couldn’t sit, couldn’t feed yourself and pee’d yourself.

No wonder they thought they were more full of wisdom than your diapers.

You were their sole responsibility and they took that responsibility seriously. It was their assignment to show you the way, to guide you, and to hold red flags up to all of the things you should watch out for.

According to the World Book of Parenting - they the parents, were here to teach you lessons.

Relationships, Outlook on LifeChristine MeyerOctober 30, 2015Comment