Get Happy, Stay Happy – You Are Worth It
Guest post by Sarah Woodard, Spiritual Educator from Stone Bridge Transformation
A couple of weeks ago, True Assisting talked about the International Day of Happiness. But if you’re like me, one day isn’t enough. I’ve noticed that many women, including myself, have been feeling frantic. Our lives are crazy busy and filled with uncertainty, and we’re left feeling anxious. If this sounds familiar, I invite you to try these tips to find your happiness and hold on to it for longer than a day. They’ve made a huge difference in my life.
Dr. Libby Weaver highlights the clash between the modern fast-paced lifestyle and women’s biological makeup, leading to health issues such as adrenal fatigue, weight gain, sleep disruptions, menstrual cycle and fertility problems, bloating, and emotional stress. Offering insights from clinical experience, the book provides practical solutions to help women manage stress, maintain their health, and stay productive amidst their many roles.
Make Time for You
This is probably the most important thing you can do. Between caring for families, career demands, and running a household (or more than one household), we often neglect our own needs. Here’s The thing – if you don’t make time for yourself every day, you will burn out quickly. So, give yourself 20 minutes – daily – where you can take care of yourself. Meditate, read a book, quietly enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage – anything that helps you re-center and put yourself first for a change.
Get Physical
A big part of self-care that many women ignore is exercise. Let’s face it: getting to the gym takes time and effort, and we struggle to find the motivation to exercise when we have other responsibilities and commitments to attend to. It’s also not always cost-effective. That’s okay. Skip the gym and go for a walk instead! You can even turn your walk into a meditation. There are some great guided ones (walking and otherwise) on Insight Timer.
Say No
It’s easy to fall into the pattern of saying yes when asked to do something. As women, we tend to be people pleasers. We want everyone around us to be happy, and we bend over backward to give them what they ask to further their happiness. This often hurts our happiness. Not good. Instead, allow yourself to have healthy boundaries. Say no- NO doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you’re putting yourself first, so you’ll have more emotional resources to care for them. Also, you can say no in a loving way.
Here’s an example: “I’d like to help you with that, but right now, I can’t do it and give it my best. I’ll be happy to let you know when my schedule frees up, and I have more time to give it the attention it deserves.”
International Day of Happiness – A day to be happy as Happiness is a fundamental human goal.
Find a Hobby
Creativity is an excellent outlet for stress and helps refocus our brains. Instead of bouncing from one thing to the next and trying to juggle all the things, doing something creative puts the focus on one thing. In doing so, many of the problems you were trying to solve present a solution – maybe one you hadn’t thought of. This is because quieting the mind allows your intuition to come through. So, find a hobby. Woodworking, painting, knitting, quilting, basket weaving – anything you like!
Get Help
If you’re like me, you’re always trying to do it all on your own. That’s a fast path to burnout and failure. Get help. Outsource if you can. Ask your family to pick up some of the slack. Asking for help can be challenging, but it can be a significant relief with the right approach.
Start prioritizing your self-care. Remember, you are not alone. We’re here to support you every step of the way!
