Ten Steps to Radical Happiness!!

“Happiness is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel its warmth” – Jon Foreman

What a beautiful summer we have had this year! It is incredible how the sunshine can bring happiness to us all, which inspired me to write this series of tips to make you feel as happier than a unicorn eating cake on a rainbow. Here is a list of 10 RADICAL steps to happiness to make you walk around with a giant grin on your face  🙂

#1 Journal!

Every night, BEFORE you grab your phone or laptop, and scroll through current events or newsfeeds, write down at least 5 things that happened that day that made you truly grateful for your current life, maybe a friend or stranger said something nice to you, maybe you stepped out of your comfort zone and felt grateful for your courage, whatever it is, write it down! If anything that day disturbed you, write about that on a separate page or even a separate journal. It is good to get our emotions and feelings out on paper; this is part of the process of letting go and fully sinking in that gratitude for life.

#2 Exercise!

If the weather is nice, go for a run, walk the beach or go for a hike and reconnect with nature as you disconnect from everything else. If the weather is not that good, go to a gym and get your sweat on! Go with a friend or even solo, just lace up those runners and GO! Working out gives you an amazing boost of happy-feel-good chemicals in your brain such as serotonin and dopamine, so get that body in motion and feel that workout high! If you are new to the gym, Exercising will help you build confidence which will carry out in other aspects of life as well, which in turn… makes you HAPPY!

#3 Eat Nutritious Food

I know what you’re thinking… “Julie just HAD to put that in there didn’t she… that nutrient-food obssesser…) But seriously-DO IT!

I have always said that “happy healthy cells equals a happy healthy YOU!”

Have you ever had a real fresh cold pressed green juice (not from a bottle) at a juice bar? Do you remember that euphoric feeling that you felt post-juice? It is real my friends… your cells are jumping for joy and thanking you down to the micro-cellular level! Make sure you get some fatty acids that come from fish (omega-3s), which help improve cell function, and those from olive oil (monosaturated fatty acid), which are believed to help the mood-regulating chemical serotonin bind to its receptors. Also Vitamin D, B-12, and lots of greens! This also means cutting out refined sugar, and other mood busting refined factory-made junk! Check out my Check out my Blog on How to add more vegetables into your life!

#4 Sleep!

Statistics Canada shows that 25% of Men and 35% of women have a hard time getting to sleep and 3.3 million people suffer from insomnia! That’s a nasty statistic, so and count those sheep until you are snoozing in dreamland. Start a regular bedtime ritual including reading a book, a soothing cup of chamomile tea, journaling, and meditation. Another big part of getting quality sleep is disconnecting from electronics such as tv, phones, laptops, anything. This will in turn, help you re-connect to yourself for a better sleep.

# 5 Connection

I am NOT talking about Facebook or social media, I am talking about REAL connection, meet up with a good friend and just chat about life, go for a walk outside or get comfy at home with a tea and just talk! If you decide to go out dancing, that’s great too, just get together and have some fun!! Just make sure that you surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you, make you happy and not get stuck with an Energy vampire.

# 6 Get Outside!

Studies show that people that exercise outdoors have a much lower stress level (aka more happiness) than people who exercise in urban areas. Lower stress hormones (cortisol) equals happier you! Leave your phones in your car, get off the grid and just BE. Practice meditation, throw some rocks on the beach, count some rings on a tree…get mindful about your environment- feel the fresh oxygenated air coming in from the majestic trees around you, smell the cleansing air coming off the ocean breeze. My favorite getaway place here on the island is Sombrio beach, you get the best of both worlds, beach and rain forest!

#7 Meditate and be in the Present Moment

“If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” ~Lao Tzu

Meditation reduces anxiety, increases positive thinking, provides a deeper understanding of yourself, builds confidence, self-love, promotes happiness and teaches you how to live in the present moment without fear or judgement. Just breathe, let go, and be… everything will be ok! Don’t know how to meditate? No problem! I love guided meditations on the Insight Timer app! Just like any skill, the more you practice meditation, the better, and HAPPIER you will become!

#8 Positive Affirmations and Daily Mantras

You wouldn’t believe the positive results I see in my client’s happiness just from the affirmations alone. Find out where you are stuck in life and find or create an affirmation for that you can focus on and repeat it numerous times daily, write it on a post-it note, put it on your bathroom mirror, even stick it to your ceiling so you see it first thing when you wake up and go to bed.

• Fitness or nutrition-“Today, I abandon my old habits and take up new, more positive ones.”
• Love-“I draw love and romance into my life and I accept it now”
• Motivation-“I possess the wisdom, the power, the motivation, the inspiration and the passion to accomplish anything and everything I choose.”
• Business- “My business is growing, expanding, and thriving.”
• Confidence-“I acknowledge my own self-worth; my confidence is soaring”
• Strength –“I am a powerhouse; I am indestructible.”

There is no limit to how many affirmations or mantras you choose, cover your wall in post it notes… who cares- just DO IT!!!

#9 Remove the Toxins

This means, food, atmosphere… aaaaaand people! Eating toxic foods will only create a temporary satisfaction, leaving you with inflammation and a bucketloads of health and emotional problems. This goes for your environment too… if you don’t like what you are doing-CHANGE IT!!! Hire a coach, figure out a plan, and live out your true authentic INTENTIONS and live that life that you once thought could only be in your dreams. Where there is a will- there is a way. Write some affirmations, take the steps and make it happen! Last but deeeefinitely not least…PEOPLE…. Yes people… get rid of those negative energy vampires that want nothing but to suck the life out of you. Stop making excuses for them and remove yourself from that situation. Surround yourself with people that want nothing but to bring out the best in you, take you higher, and help you in ways that the energy vampires won’t!

“you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with” – Jim Rohn

#10 Spend Time with Yourself

You MUST be happy within your own company and LOVE your own company before you can feel happy and content in any other part of life. Go for a walk alone, take yourself out for lunch, give yourself a pat on the back for all the great things you have accomplished and be proud of your unique quirks and characteristics. Run yourself a bubble bath with lots of rubber duckies, listen to your inner voice-is it kind and encouraging or is that voice negative and sabotaging? Is it by chance the ego trying to protect you? Say thanks but no thanks and turn that thought into a positive one. Keep that self talk and self love at an all time high and you will see incredible changes in your overall well-being.

With Love and Happiness,

The Fit Gypsy