Tip 4 to a More Joyful Life

It's nearly the end of another week and time, as usual seems to be racing! We live in a fast world and that's why tip number 4 is not an easy one to achieve - and that's Life Balance. Most of us are living at a frantic pace and spending our valuable time on "urgent" things rather than "important" things. To get balance in our lives we need to focus on what's important in our life, rather than what's urgent. We also need to plan! A great tip I have given numerous clients over the year is to plan their month/week/day "wearing all their different hats"! By this I mean - at the beginning of the month/weekday think about yourself as the "business person" and write what you need to achieve in your diary. Then, take your "business hat" off and put on your "home/family hat" - what do you want to do this week with family or at home? Then it's time to put on your "health hat". What exercises are you going to undertake to stay fit and healthy and full of energy? Hopefully by now you get where I'm coming from. It's important you think about the areas of your life that are important to you - personal development, fun, recreation, loving relationships, money, etc. etc. Most people only diarise business activities and then wonder why their life gets out of kilter. Try filling your life with things that are important to you this week and see how much more joyful your life becomes. Live each day as though it were your last - because one day it will be.

Tip 3 to a More Joyful Life

It's the weekend and I love weekends! No early morning start, extra time to relax with family, time to enjoy my home - the list of things I am grateful for is endless! Have you been practising gratitude since my last blog? I hope so, because if you have, then no doubt you've experienced more joy! My third tip for a more joyful life is to "watch your thoughts". This anonymous poem sums it up best:

Consider your thoughts for they become your words
Consider your words for they become your actions
Consider your actions for they become your habits
Consider your habits for they become your character
Consider your character for it becomes your destiny!

Our minds can only hold one thought at a time - and we get to choose whether that thought is positive or negative. By choosing positive thoughts we can change our words, actions, habits, character and destiny! Thoughts become things - make them great!

Tip 2 to a More Joyful Life

I hope you've taken the time to get to know yourself better and find out what makes your heart sing. Self awareness is definitely the first step to a more joyful life. The second tip I want to pass onto you today is a favourite of mine - and it's to "Live with Gratitude". Too often people focus on what is not right with their lives rather than what is! It's all about perspective! The minute we change our perspective on our life to one of "thanks" our life becomes more joyful. While our lives mightn't be perfect we can still wake up in the morning and give thanks for the bed we've slept in, the roof over our heads, the warm water of our shower, the breakfast we can eat, the car we are driving, the job we have, the people who we love and love us, and on and on and on..... I have a habit of asking myself "what I am grateful for today" every morning. I do this while I'm still lying in bed (it gives me those extra few minutes before I have to put my feet on the floor) and it helps me start the day in a positive way. Again, at the end of the day when I'm back in bed I mentally run through the day and give "thanks" for all the great things that have happened to me. Through focusing on the good things in our lives we automatically attract more good things. Start today to live with gratitude and watch your world change.