life

Jun

2021

Unlock The Magic In Your Life

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Life does not need to be sad, boring, monotonous and depressing. It can be fun, thrilling, exciting and full of magic. It . Magic here means the realization of the impossible and the experience of something new. It is going on new adventures and trying out things you have not tried before. Yes, magic can happen in your life but only if you are open and willing. Here are ways on how to unlock the magic in your life.

1.Dream

Do you remember when you were a child? What was your dream then? What did you want to be when you grow up? A dream is a desire for something new in your life. Many people got trapped in making a living that they forgot their childhood dreams while others are simply scared to dream for fear that it might not come true. But in order to achieve the life that you want, you need to start with a dream. A dream is like a seed that you should plant first in order to succeed.

Nothing happens unless first we dream.
– Carl Sandburg

Start dreaming. Get a piece of paper and start redesigning your life through a bucket list.

2. Live with a Purpose

Everyone has a purpose in life. Your purpose in life is your reason for existence. Having a purpose creates meaning in our life because it influences your behavior and decisions. A purpose also gives you energy everyday. When you wake up in the morning, you know right away that there is something that you need to accomplish.

How to find your purpose? Well, your purpose has something to do with your genius, the unique talents and gifts that you are born with. Unleash the genius within you and you will find your purpose.

3. Try Something New

When was the last time you tried something new? By trying something different, you are going out of your comfort zone. It helps build confidence and boosts creativity. It also helps break the monotony of your otherwise boring life.

Trying something new does not only pertain to crossroads in life. You can also apply it in the little things like trying out a new restaurant or ordering something new on the menu. It can also mean listening to a new genre of music, watching a different show or trying a new activity. This can also be helpful especially when you travel. Going to new places will help you expand your world. It is all about new experiences.

4. Spend Time with Nature

In a world full of worry and stress, spending time with nature can help you recharge. It gives temporary refuge and offers peace and calmness away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It boosts creativity and productivity. A walk in nature is good for both mental and physiological health.

Spend time with nature. Go to the beach. Walk barefoot in the sands. Practice grounding. Climb a mountain. Go to the forest. Play with animals. Watch the sunset.

5. Have Fun

Do you take your life too seriously? When was the last time you had fun? Having fun releases happy hormones like serotonin and endorphins. You will feel good. It relieves stress. It also leads to better relationships with others. Have a good laugh, read and watch happy stuff. Eat good food. Play games. Add fun into your life.

6. Love

Have you ever been in love? When you are in love, you can’t help but think of the other person all the time. You grin absentmindedly. Suddenly, the world seems to be a great place to be in. That’s the magic of falling in love.

There is nothing more magical than love. Nothing.
-Ymatruz

So, what are you waiting for? Put magic into your life. Open that magic shop.

Feature Photo by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels

May

2021

How To Know If a Person is Sincere

Reading Time: 3 minutes

You will meet a lot of people in your life. Some will have a deep and long-lasting relationship with you while others will simply come and go. Most of them will be nice at first but only a few will remain with you in this journey called life. Sadly, there will be some who will only be nice in the beginning. Once they are already comfortable, or worse if they get what they want from you; then, you will notice the change in their behavior. Actually, there was really no change. What you thought was a change of attitude is actually showing their true selves. What you saw at first was only their person a. That is the reason why to avoid getting hurt, it helps if you have the ability to figure out a person’s true self early into the relationship. But the real challenge is how to know if a person is sincere?

You don’t lose friends, because real friends can never be lost. You lose people masquerading as friends, and you’re better for it.
– Mandy Hale

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

The first thing to do is to observe the person. Sometimes people tend to say one thing yet do another. If a person is sending mixed signals, then rather than their words, it is best to listen to their actions instead. After all, it is easier to lie with words. Actions are different. It is difficult to sustain an action without sincerity. By observing a person’s actions, it will be easy to figure out whether that person is being sincere or not.

2. Consistency Over Time

Consistency is sincerity. In a relationship, consistency means commitment. It means doing things on a regular basis even for a long time. If a person treat you the same way he/she treats you from the very first time you met that person, then that is a clear sign that the person is sincere.

3. Eyes Are The Windows to the Soul

In many cultures, giving eye contact is a form of respect. It also shows sincerity and honesty. In this modern world, it is so common to see people looking at their cellular phones even in the middle of conversations. Showing respect to another person is giving them your full and undivided attention.

To know if a person is being sincere, look into their eyes. The eyes will reflect a person’s true emotional state. You will know a person’s true feelings towards you because the truth is reflected in a person’s eyes.

4.Giving Without Expecting Anything in Return

Many people do things or favors to others but expect to benefit each time. If you encounter such persons, then be aware that these kinds of persons just want to benefit from the relationship. They might not express it right away but if you sense that they are keeping mental tabs, it is a sign that you should be cautious around such persons.

A sincere person will gladly help or do something for you without expecting anything in return. The true art of giving should not have any strings attached.

5. Treating Everyone Fairly and Equally

Do you notice some people who are extra nice to people who are wealthy or in power? Those kinds of people are your typical examples of hypocritical people. If you know such persons, it is best to stay away from them. A genuine person will treat everyone fairly and equally regardless of race, gender, social status, religion and age.

But always remember if you want to be treated sincerely by other people; you must begin with yourself first. If you treat others sincerely, you will attract the same kind of people in your life for you are the average of five persons you spend the most time with.

Feature Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

Mar

2021

Reset Your Life Challenge

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Are you happy and content about where you are in your life right now? What aspect of your life do you want to improve? What dimension of your overall wellness do you wish to become better? If you are having problems right now, the good news is that you can actually reset your life or just a specific aspect of your life but you must be willing to make some changes. It won’t be possible if you keep on doing the same things over and over again. So, are you willing to take the reset your life challenge?

The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.
– Albert Einstein

1. Assessment

To improve on any aspect of your life, the first step is assessment. Find out where you are right now in terms of your physical health, emotions, finances, relationships or any other aspect of your life. The only way to go forward is to honestly assess your current state.

2. Be responsible

You are where you are right now because of you alone. You are having problems with your physical health because you have not been taking care of your body. A healthy immune system can fight off any diseases or viruses. Your finances are in a mess because you have not been taking care of them. It is the same in every aspect of your life that is failing. It is not because of your parents, your boss, the government or anything. It is all a product of all the decisions you have made in the past. So, stop blaming others. Instead, be responsible for your life. Stop blaming others. The sooner you will accept responsibility for your life, the sooner you will be able to take control of your future.

You are what you are today because of the choices you made in the past.
– Jim Rohn

3. Visualization

The next step is to figure out where you want to go. How do you see yourself in the future? What is your ideal life? Visualize yourself living that ideal life. You don’t have to worry about whether it is possible or not. That is what dreams are for. In fact, the bigger the dream, the better. It helps to start by creating your own bucket list.

4. Creation of Goals

Now, it is time to create a bridge between your present life and your ideal life. The only way to do that is to make a connection between the past and the present through goal formation. Goals are supposed to be SMART. That’s the only way to achieve them.

5. Launch

Once you have concrete plans, the next thing to do is launch. The sooner you implement your plans, the sooner you can achieve that better life. What are you waiting for? Start now and look forward to a better tomorrow. When the clock strikes zero o’clock later, it is a promise of not just a new day but a new life.

6.Persevere

Once you start, learn to persevere. Perseverance means having the determination to continue despite all the obstacles and challenges that come your way. Don’t quit. Never give up.

Goodluck!

Feauture Photo by David Alberto Carmona Coto from Pexels

Mar

2021

Zero O’clock

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Did you ever wake up in the morning and feel that something is wrong? For some reason, the day feels gloomy and sad. As the day goes by, nothing seems to be going your way. You feel drained and stressed. You cannot wait for the day to be over. Why? Because you know deep inside that one bad day does not necessarily translate to a bad life. Once the clock hits zero o’clock, it is a signal for a new beginning, a new day and a new life.

You know those days, those days where you are sad for no reason, those days where your body is heavy….but this day will be over, when the minute and second hand overlap…zero o’clock.
– BTS, Zero O’clock

Zero O’clock Tiny Tans version
Video Credit: Bangtan TV

A very powerful message from a beautiful song by BTS. The lyrics were written by the group’s leader RM. When asked during an interview, RM said that “The title is Zero O’clock because no matter how tiring and exhausting our day has been, when the clock hits midnight, it is a brand new opportunity.”

Life is a wonderful thing. Wa can feel love, happiness and joy because we are alive. Unfortunately, not every day is the same. There will be days of disappointments and frustrations. There will be days that will be too difficult to handle. But the beauty of life is that life goes on. Challenges are given to us so that we can grow and become better persons. Each day is different. A bad day does not mean it is a bad life. There is always the promise of a better day.

If there is anything, zero o’clock gives us comfort that it is already another day. The bad day is finally over and It it an opportunity to start anew. The previous day might not be what you have expected it to be but you can always do something different for this brand new day. For one, you can change the way you look at things. Instead of looking at a glass as half empty, look at it as half full. And stop saying that life sucks. Instead, learn to count your blessings. Find joy in the little things. And before you know it, soon, you will be waking up in the morning with a smile on your face.

And you’re gonna be happy, and you’re gonna be happy. Turn this all around, when everything is new, zero o’clock.
– BTS

Image Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Jan

2021

How to Not Get Stuck in the Past

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Last November of 2018, Ariana Grande’s single, “Thank U, Next” broke records when the single became the most streamed song with almost 50 million streams in the first week of its release. The song garnered much attention because the singer publicly revealed her past. In the song, Ariana said that each time a relationship ends, she felt pain but at the same time she is grateful because of the lessons that she learned from each one. She knows that all those past experiences will help her somehow with her future relationships. She is now a better person and a stronger one at that because of what she had to go through. More than simply controversial and entertaining, the song has a valuable lesson. That is, how to not get stuck in the past.

Bad things do happen in life. Things don’t always come our way whether it is our career, business, health, family, love or relationships. It can be very painful especially if we did our very best to make it work. Some people get stuck and allow the hurt from past experiences to continue to hurt them. However, not moving on can only succeed in jeopardizing future happiness. After whether we like it or not, life goes on.

Here are some tips on how to not get stuck in the past:

1.Learn from the Past

Have you ever wondered why we have to take up History in school? That is because history gives valuable lessons. Learning from past mistakes will allow us to grow and not repeat the same mistake over again. Even the COVID-19 pandemic has lessons that we can apply to make our lives better. Learn the lesson, no matter how painful so that you can start to move on.

2.Be Grateful

Yes, it is possible to be grateful even in tough times. Be grateful for the experience. It may sound cliche but challenges are blessings in disguise. Whatever it is that you had to go through was really meant for you to grow and become a better person. Moreover, by being grateful you are shifting your focus from the negative to the positive. A positive attitude can help ease the burden that you are carrying.

Thank you, next.
– Ariana Grande

3. Forgive Those Who Wronged You

When you forgive someone, it does not mean that you are condoning the wrong things. It does not mean forgetting and reconciling with the other person.What it simply means is that you are now releasing and freeing yourself from the anger, resentment, guilt and other negative emotions. This will do wonders to your emotional state and general well-being. The act of forgiveness does not only pertain to other people but also yourself. You need to learn to forgive and love yoursel f.

4. Make Clear Goals

You will forever be stuck in the past unless you are very clear on what you want and where you want to go. Start by redesigning your life through a bucket list.

5. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Did you know that success happens outside of your comfort zone? Your comfort zone is your safe place. Since you are comfortable in that place, there is really no room for growth because there is no need to. Stepping outside of your comfort zone means doing new things that you are not comfortable with. You will need to learn new skills and adapt to a changing environment but there will be transition and growth in the process. It is similar to a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis. Don’t remain a caterpillar all your life. Find your genius zone and be a beautiful butterfly.

6. Remove Toxic People From Your Life

Did you know that you are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with? Your thoughts, beliefs and actions are highly influenced by the people around you. Thus, it is important to choose the people you spend most of your time with. Remove negative people from your life. Spend time with positive and supportive individuals instead.

7. Believe in Yourself

Fear is crippling. It can hold you back in life. That is why it is important to learn how to overcome fear. Conquer your fears by trusting yourself. Believe in yourself. Trust that you can do great things.

In short, allow yourself to feel the pain then move on. Don’t dwell on it. Get yourself ready for the next adventure.

Updated version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 11.17.2018

Photo by Rodolfo Clix from Pexels

Jan

2021

Life Goes On

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The year 2020 has been tough. But no matter how tough it has been, you were able to survive it all. So, congratulations! You made it at this point. It is now 2021. The New Year signifies new beginnings. Life cannot remain in a standstill. At some point, people need to move on and accept that life goes on.

Challenges are part of life. Even without this pandemic, every human being will go through challenges in their lives. What is important is how individuals will react to challenges that will come their way. It may sound cliche but everything happens for a reason. Learn the lesson and move on. That is the essence of life.

The COVID-19 pandemic literally caused the world to a standstill. the world which we are used to ceases to exist. Suddenly, we have no choice but to adapt to the new normal. It happened in the blink of an eye that no one was prepared for it. But now that it has been months since the start of the pandemic, people need to learn the lessons from COVID-19 and move on. There is no point resisting the new norm. It will only cause stress and more problems. Unfortunately for us, it will be difficult to go back to the world that we were used to. So, there is nothing left to do but to embrace change.

Life Goes On is a promise of a better tomorrow. We don’t know when it will come but it will come. One day, all these things will remain just a distant memory.

Close your eyes for a moment. Hold my hand to the future, let’s run away. Like an echo in the forest, the day will come back again as if nothing happened.
– BTS, Life Goes On

New Beginnings

The New Year is the perfect time to redesign our life through a bucket list. The goals that we had before may no longer be applicable in the new normal. So, take this time to reflect on what it is that you really want in life. Visualize your ideal life. Unleash the genius within you. It is okay to start from scratch. Just believe in yourself. Believe that you have the power to create your reality. You can be happy, healthy and wealthy. It is all up to you. Listen to your hear t.

No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today. life goes on, and it will be better tomorrow.
– Maya Angelou

Let’s all work for a better 2021. Happy New Year!

Oct

2020

A Whole New World

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Whether we like it or not, the world has changed. We just woke up one day in 2020 and there is a whole new world out there waiting for us. We can no longer go back to how we used to live before the pandemic. Even with the development of the vaccine, Covid-19 will not just ‘magically’ go away. It is now part of our world and our environment. And it is going to be here with us for a long time.

Point of No Return

We already came to a point where we can no longer change the environment. At this point, no amount of lockdown, no matter how long can prevent the spread of the virus. What it can do is just to help slow the spread. If we can no longer change the outside, what is left is for us is to do is to change our way of life. We need to learn to co-exist with the virus.

It will be difficult to adapt to the new norma l if we continue to look at things the same way. We need to change the way we see things and try to look at it from a different angle.

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
-Wayne Dyer

A New Fantastic Point of View

Remember Aladdin? When he took Princess Jasmine out for that magic carpet ride, he showed the princess, a whole new world. Well, technically it is still the same world. Aladdin just wanted to show Princess Jasmine to take a look at the world differently and see it from a new fantastic point of view.

With all the changes happening, you are still you. You are greater than your current situation. Trust and believe in yourself. There is a silver lining out of all this. After all, success comes if you learn to how to overcome challenges in life. You just need to start looking at things differently.

Video Credit: DisneyMusicVEVO

Are you up to the challenge?

Feature Image Photo by Johannes Plenio from Pexels

Sep

2020

How to Rise Above Difficult Circumstances

Reading Time: 4 minutes

You are in pain. You are having a tough time. Nothing seems to be going your way. You just want everything to end. Unfortunately, no matter how miserable you are; life will go on. If it is any consolation, think that you are not alone. All of us, at several points in our lives have to go through challenges.No one is exempted even if you are the smartest and wealthiest person in the world. That’s just the way life is. The good news is that if you feel like you have already reached the lowest point in your life, then there is nowhere to go but up. Take inspiration and some lessons on how to rise above difficult circumstances in life.

Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself at its most brilliant.
– Paulo Coelho

Low points are the turning points in life. What you make out of them will define who you are and what you will become in the future.

An Inspiring Story

Here is an inspiring story of how a woman overcame her lowest point in life. She was a wife and a mother. Her day-to-day activities revolved around her family. She was financially dependent on her husband. She was also too much emotionally invested into the relationship. Her whole world crumbled when she got separated from her husband after being together for over a decade. It was not just one aspect of her life that ended, it was practically her whole life – her relationship, her dreams, her financial support and worst of all her self-worth. It was devastating.

Today, she is an investor and an entrepreneur who manages several businesses. She employs people especially women who underwent the same experience as her. Her free time is spent helping some marginalized people in society. She is also active in her spiritual community.

It is easier to just give up. Instead, this lady fought back and rose to the challenge that life has to offer. She succeeded in making her greatest crisis as the starting point in turning her life around.

How To Rise Above Difficult Circumstances

She shared with me the steps and some lessons on how to rise above difficult circumstances in life:

1. Embrace the Negative Emotions

The first step to healing is to embrace the negative emotions. Yes, it’s okay to not be okay, at least at first. Anger, frustration, fear and helplessness are all part of life. Avoiding, denying, ignoring and keeping them inside will only make matters worse. Pain demands our attention. Whether it is a loss of a love one, the end of a relationship, business failure, or whatever painful experience it is; we need to acknowledge them first before we can move on. Avoiding these emotions in the short-term will only lead to stress and long-term pain. Escaping the negative emotions through alcohol and drugs are never a solution, it will only lead to self-destruction.

2. Acceptance

Acceptance is understanding and realizing the reality of your situation. There are just some things that are beyond your control. There is no point to continue blaming yourself or other people for the things that happened. Know that things happen for a reason.Just let go. It is difficult to understand why it had to happen to you at that particular moment but later on as you look back in life, you will understand why certain events turned out that way. Just accept the fact that there are things that we need to experience in order to grow as a person.

You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that somehow the dots will connect in your future.
– Steve Jobs

3. Self-Searching

In order to get back in track, you need to start your journey towards self-discovery. Self-discovery means finding yourself again. Meditate and ask yourself, who are you? What makes you happy? Think about your hobbies and interests. Then, ask yourself, what are you good at? Look for the genius within you. It involves recalling your childhood days and remembering past events and experiences in your life that shaped you as a person. It is about knowing who you really are and what you want to accomplish in your life.

As part of your journey in figuring out who you are and who you can be, it is important to not just look into your heart but also to include God in your journey towards self-discovery. Pray. Read God’s word. Meditate. Include God in your plans. And then, surrender.

4. Set Goals

Once you have decided what you want to do in life, it is now time to set some goals. Goals are your stepping stone towards a new version of you. Having goals will give you a sense of meaning and purpose in life. You are done crying over your past. It is now time to look at the future and plan the direction of your life. In order to succeed, you need to make SMART goals.

5. Reconnect with Friends and Make New Ones

Being alone at the beginning is necessary in your journey towards self-discovery. However, long periods of isolation is no longer healthy. Once you have set your goals, it is now time to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. There are people that you need in your life . Extend your social circle. Join support groups. Attend trainings and seminars to help you meet new people in your chosen field of interest. But remember, choose the people that you hang out with. Stay away from toxic individuals. Instead, hang out with people that will motivate you to achieve your goals for you are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.

6. Serve Others

Serving others will lead to deeper healing. When you serve others, you don’t think about our own pain. Instead, you think about other people’s situations. Once you think about the needs of others, you begin the process of healing. Thus, you end up actually helping yourself. It will also help you identify all the blessings in your life and feel grateful. The fact is even at your lowest point, there will be others who are in a worse state than you. Spending time with them will help you realize how blessed you are.

First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 10.2.2019.

Feature Image by Posted by A.L. Jonas in Emotional, 0 comments

Sep

2020

Signs From the Universe That You Are on The Wrong Path

Reading Time: 4 minutes

We have all experienced ‘coincidences’ in life. They often affirm our strong belief that something was meant to be or not meant to be. How many times have you had a gut feeling that you should do or not do something? These are what we call signs from the Universe (or from God, the Divine Source, etc.). Have you also experienced getting signs from the Universe that you are on the wrong path?

The Universe is always communicating with us but sometimes we aren’t aware about it, or we don’t trust it. If you’ve ever had a good or bad feeling about a situation; that is a sign from the Universe. Sometimes, the signs are not as subtle as a ‘gut feeling’ but a long-lasting phase or mood. If you are feeling or experiencing any of these things in your life right now; then it is a sign from the Universe that something has to change.

1. You’re Always Stressed Out

The mot common sign that most of us ignore is when we always feel stressed out about something. Especially if this stress is constant, that means that you need to leave the situation. It may also mean that you need to do something you’re afraid of doing to change the situation.

Sometimes, it’s a person or a thing that stresses us out. If it’s a thing that stresses you out; like the sight of the clutter in your room, then you can easily do something about it. Clearly, it’s a sign from the Universe that you are on the wrong path. So don’t be lazy and clean your room.

If you are always stressed out when you’re around a certain person, examine why this is so. What is it that this person does that stresses you out? Is it something trivial, then maybe it’s your reaction that you can change. If it’s something that not only affects you, then maybe you can talk with that person to stop doing it. If they are unwilling, then maybe you need to stay away from that person or that group of people. Or maybe you just need to take a break from seeing them for a while. This way you can sort yourself out and be able to deal with them better next time.

2. You’ve Lost Interest

Do you feel you’ve lost interest in the things you once loved doing? Take a break from it and see if you can come back to it with renewed interest. If this is not the case, then perhaps you need to move on to something new, or to bigger things.

We sometimes feel guilty when we feel the need to move on from something that we once had a passion for. It’s almost as if we are betraying them and ourselves because we are turning our back on them. So we try to stop the process from happening. But we are only prolonging our agony (and maybe everyone else’s) as a result. This is one of the signs from the Universe that you are on the wrong path.

Whenever you have a feeling that you need to move on from something or someone, your gut is probably right. You are not betraying them or yourself. You only feel this way because you regret all the time and effort you spent with them. Moving on feels as though you invalidate all that you did before. The truth is that all your time and effort has prepared you for the next step or phase. Just be thankful for the experience and move on without regrets.

3. You’re Longing for Change

Did you suddenly wake up one day feeling or thinking that you want things to change? Then they probably need to. Most of us have a sudden realization like this; but we brush it aside and just go on our usual activities. We wait until this thought or feeling becomes a strong longing. Then we either get depressed or frustrated over it, or we do something about it.

The best way to deal with this kind of realization is to do something about it quickly. But figure out what change you want to make first, then start with the small things. Think about what you can do today to implement the change you want for the long-term. Do you wan to start exercising again? Start by doing some light, stretching exercise first or go for a walk or a short jog.

Embrace your longing for change. Do something about it every day instead of putting up with it until it becomes a stressful experience. Define what that change means for you. Set up a plan and a strategy on how you are going to do it. Then start implementing your plan. You future self will thank your old self later on for responding quickly to a nudge from the Universe.

4. You’re in Chronic Pain

We are all aware of the phrase ‘listen to your body’. The Universe also speaks to us through our bodies. If you are experiencing chronic pain that you can’t explain, then take it as a sign from the Universe. You need to do something to make that pain go away.

Have you tried exercising and eating healthy to improve your condition to no avail? Then maybe it’s one of the signs from the Universe telling you that you are on the wrong path. Maybe you need to stop self-medicating and see a doctor instead? Maybe something has to change in your environment.

Sometimes, physical pain can be a sign of other underlying conditions. You may have an emotional issue that you have not addressed. Maybe the Universe is telling you that now is the time to take action to resolve these issues.

There are always signs from the Universe that you are on the wrong path or the right path. It helps to be mindful of your body and your habits so you can easily identify these signs. Try to act on these signs as quickly as you can. That way, you can get back on the right track quickly too.

What other signs from the Universe have you experienced that helped you identify you were on the wrong path? These signs are often very personal and only we can identify them. Don’t take it negatively when things don’t go as planned. Think of it as a sign from the Universe that you are on the wrong path. It’s the Universe’ way of nudging you back into the right path so you can accomplish your goals.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.

Sep

2020

Finding Joy in This Challenging Time

Reading Time: 3 minutes

It is normal to feel overwhelmed and unmotivated with all the things happening in the world right now. Yes, life is so stressful for many people nowadays. The health crisis is still there. We have not yet fully adapted to the new normal. And yet at the same time, we found ourselves trying to survive this economic crisis that was brought about by the pandemic.

It is okay to not be okay in times like this but to dwell on it for a long time is a different story. We must not fall prey into unending negative thoughts. The only way to counter this is to fill ourselves with positivity by looking at things to be grateful for in our lives. Finding joy in this challenging time is the key to staying positive amidst all of these.

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.
– Henry Ward Beecher

Finding Joy in the Small Things

As life slows down, let’s take this opportunity to be grateful and joyful for all the small things that we normally take for granted.

1.Waking Up

Did you know that about 150,000 people die each day? This is based on a research that was published in 2017. Today, that number may be higher because of Covid-19. The fact that you woke up this morning alone is already enough reason to be grateful for.

2.Family Bonding Time

We live in a fast-paced life. Most of us spend our time chasing money and growing our careers that we tend to sacrifice our relationships in the process. Then suddenly, the pandemic strikes and we found ourselves with too much spare time. If there is anything that this pandemic gave us, it is the gift of time. More than ever, we now have time for family bonding. Here is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and create happy and lasting memories together.

3. Access to internet

A few years ago, unless you have an encyclopedia at home; if you want to learn something, you need to go to the library. Online learning and work from home are unthinkable. Nowadays, everything is just one click away. You can work, study, watch shows, movies and concerts online. You can even contact any person around the world without having to pay exorbitant long distance fees. Regardless of the speed of your internet or the model of the gadget that you are using, be thankful that you now have access to the internet.

4. Time for Self-Reflection

Did you find yourselves questioning your thoughts, beliefs, actions, career and other decisions in life lately? If you did, then congratulations! By asking yourselves important questions about who you are, where you are in your life right now and where you want to go from here is an indication of growth. It is the first step towards self-improvement. Now is the perfect time to look within yourself and find your purpose in life and unleash the genius within you.

5. Your Health

Your heart is beating. You can walk, run and do whatever you want. You are not sick. Aren’t you grateful for your health? You used to take it for granted. You party like there is no tomorrow. But now you know that health is the most important thing in life. You now find yourself, making healthy lifestyle decisions. You can experience the joys of life only because your senses allow you to see, hear, feel, taste and smell the beauty around you.

6.People Around You

Challenges are a lot easier to handle if you are surrounded by people who love you and support you. Be grateful that you have them in our life.

7. Nature

If you have experienced being locked down at home during this pandemic, you probably realized by now how important nature is to our lives. The flowers, trees, parks, mountains and oceans have become places to unwind because of their calming power. Nature has become a sanctuary in this pandemic world.

By finding joy in this challenging time, you are shifting your focus from the negative to the positive. As a result, life becomes not just bearable but fulfilling and amazing.

Feature Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay Images