It's because ...
It's how you've received attention in the past.
It's because...
It's what you think you're supposed to do to solve the things that seem out-of-place.
It's because...
It's what you've seen and experienced other people doing.
And it's because...
You might misunderstand how you construct your reality.
Read MoreSometimes, our daughter will get this look on her face and she’ll act as if she’s really mad about something. She would convince any movie director that she’s really mad - but she's not. She’s playing a role and acting it out; she's not feeling it - she's pretending to feel something she's not.
Do you ever fake how you feel? Like feeling happy when you're not?
Do you ever pretend to feel something you're not? Like feeling abundant when you feel utterly broke?
Do you ever pretend to feel confident when you feel insecure?
Do you use the words that sound positive to try to cover up how you feel?
How often do you fake it for the sake of – looking good, not looking bad, hiding, ease, impressing someone - faking how you feel mostly because of the way it would look to someone else or because that's what you think you're supposed to do?
Read MoreYou're about one week in from making your New Year's Resolutions and setting fresh goals.
How's it going so far? Hanging in there? Doing awesome? Faltering on what you were so excited about one short week ago?
Why do you make resolutions, anyway?
Do you plan on not-following through?
Do you expect to follow-through or do you expect you won't?
Are you motivating yourself to do the thing you said you were going to do with negative consequences?
How do you feel about your resolutions and goals?
Do you believe you can follow-through, achieve them, own them, live them, drive them, spend them and kiss them?
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.
Read MoreYou 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 your golf game.
You can always improve your parenting.
Read MoreLet'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.
Read MoreNovember'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?
Read MoreDo 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.
Read MoreGood. 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.
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