Just Be 10 Little Things to Bring Your Life Joy!

As we are wrapping up the last part of our 30-Day Joylife Training Journey, I wanted to give you a few little things to just be, to bring your life joy!

• Be Rested: You need to get at least 7 - 9 hours of sleep per night, but if that's difficult, try a nap! When done appropriately, naps can be effective in making you feel refreshed and rested.  Here's an article that gives the benefits of napping as well as tips on napping, even recommending caffeine before napping here!

• Be Social: Have a social group or network you can rely on for support and for interaction!
• With your friends: Organize a book club group, join an adult sports league through your local parks & recreation department, or just get together with friends to play board games Saturday evening.  At work, my husband plays basketball every Friday with co-workers during lunchtime. My friends and I have a book club, 'Ladies Who Read', which really becomes an eating & talking club at times!  Here's a link on how to start a women's book group.
• With your family:  Family reunions and family vacations are a wonderful way to reconnect with family members! Last Thanksgiving, we went on a cruise for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, as well as for my in-law's 50th two years ago.  Even a weekend barbeque or weekly Sunday night dinners can be enjoyable with your family.
• With your significant other: Something my husband & I are going to start is RVing with our new Airstream!  My mother-in-law said that you have to pretty much be social, since RVers are a culture in of themselves!  More to come on our Airstream adventures :D

Author Jamie Ford and I, author of 'Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet' and 'Songs of Willow Frost' !!! He remembered the 'Ladies Who Read', mentioning us in his blog here, stating we "were especially enthusiastic!" We all had a joyful time during this event!

• Be Mindful: Put away electronic devices and be present! This is quit difficult for some (myself included!), but being mindful of life as you're living it at the moment is important to you and to those around you! Here are some tricks & tips to try to be more attentive & intentional in what you do---
• Mindfulness is coming back to the present moment, stilling the mind & body
• Stop and step out of the thinking process
• Intentionally decide where you're going to focus your attention on
• Just breathe and calm your mind & body
• Focus on & experience where you are at, who you are with, what you are doing, and why---Be Present
• Meditation helps you learn mindfulness to increase awareness & clarity
• See link here for How to Meditate for Beginners

• Be Smooth(ies): Real food smoothies can be fast, easy, and healthy! Here are a couple of my favorites.  For each recipe, just blend the following ingredients in a high-speed blender (I LOVE my Vitamix!)---
• Blueberry-Pineapple Surprise Smoothie: 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup frozen pineapple, 1 handful of leafy greens, 1 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, Purified water or Coconut water, optional, depending on consistency desired.
• Green Veggie-Fruit Smoothie: 1/2 peeled banana, 1 peeled orange, 1/2 cup sliced fresh or frozen pineapple, 1 handful of leafy greens, 1 tablespoon Agave or Honey, optional to taste, 6 - 10 ice cubes.

My Blueberry-Pineapple Surprise Smoothie...so thick that I needed a spoon to eat it...so good!

• Be Fun: Forget about exercising and just move around a lot! Find activities that you enjoy, and just get out there and have fun! I enjoy hiking and walking, and will find out if I enjoy SUP and kayaking, which I'm sure I will!  Other play activities include sports like tennis, racquetball, golf, skiing, or games like dodge ball, kick ball, or tether ball.  Or just going on a bike ride, because really, who can't ride a bike?  Here's a link for biking & walking/hiking trails. 

• Be Fresh: One way to rid of toxins from your body is through oil-pulling! It's easy and safe. I've found that I don't have pre-menstral acne anymore and my breath is so much better!  Here's how to do it---Oil-pulling is best done in the morning before you eat and brush your teeth.  Place about a tablespoon of oil in your mouth (I use organic, extra-virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil). Swish the oil around in your mouth for 15 - 20 minutes, being careful not to swallow any, since toxins are being pulled into the oil.  Spit the oil out into a plastic bag because the oil will solidify and clog your plumbing.  Rinse your mouth at least twice with filtered water, then brush and floss your teeth.  Do this everyday, and you'll reap the benefits of ridding your mouth (even the body) of toxins, as discussed in this link.

• Be Real: Shop for Real food at a local Farmer's Market, and you will more likely prepare your own, authentic meals!  Recipe ideas for your seasonal finds can be found in this cookbook here. Here are some of my favorite seasonal fruits & vegetables---
• Winter:  Carrots, Clementines, Grapefruit, Kale, Kiwis, Meyer Lemons, Shallots
• Spring:  Apricots, Asparagus, Carrots, Greens, Lettuce, Mint, Peas, Strawberries, Navel Oranges
• Summer:  Avocados, Blackberries, Cherries, Chickpeas, Bell Peppers, Cilantro, Eggplant, Mangos, Melons
• Fall:  Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Grapes, Sweet Potato

• Be Relaxed: Not everyone can get away for a weekly, or even monthly massage, so do the next best thing...a daily self-massage!  Here's how---Start with your right hand gently squeezing the back of your neck, moving down your left shoulder, along your outer upper arm, down your forearm on the pinky side. Interlace your fingers while gently bending your fingers and rotating your wrists.  Move your right hand again while gently squeezing along the thumb side of your forearm towards your inner upper arm, then gently rub the left side of your chest, then the left side of your stomach. Repeat with your left hand, gently squeezing the right side of your upper body. Next, use both hands to squeeze each thigh from top down, along your knees, shins, ankles, and feet. If you can, interlace your fingers with toes and gently bend toes while rotating ankles, if not, just do this part at home. Move your hands again while gently squeezing the soles and heels of your feet up behind your ankles, calves, back of knees & thighs, moving to squeeze the buttocks. Continue squeezing up your lower back and flanks, as far up your mid-back as you can go.  You can end your self-massage with a gentle temple and scalp massage!  The benefits of self-massage are endless, as seen in this article here.  NOTE:  The massage I describe is a 'dry massage' that can be done anywhere, verses the massage in the previous article, which uses oil.  Therefore this type of self-massage is best done where you have immediate access to a bath or shower.

• Be Creative: Don't loose yourself in daily pressures and deadlines! Take up hobbies that you love again or find new ways to get those creative juices flowing! Hobbies I'm taking up again are writing and piano. Hobbies I'm going to try out are art and gardening!  Here's a great site I found called 'Find Me a Hobby' here.

• Be Grateful: Basically, appreciate others and what you have. Make a list of "5 Things you are Grateful for" at least once a week, like I did in a previous blog, as noted here.  You'll realize how good your life truly is and all you really have, if you focus on the positive instead of the negative. 

Now that's not hard, is it? Another way to bring about a joy-filled life is to simply act like your dog, because if we were more like our dogs, we would---

• Always run to greet loved ones when they came home.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air & the wind in our face to be pure ecstasy.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention & let people touch us.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on our back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When we're happy, dance around & wag our entire body.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something we're not.
• Dig for what lies buried, until we find what we want.
• Be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle someone gently, when they are having a bad day.
• ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Live simply.  Love generously.  Care deeply.  Speak kindly.

Paraphrased from Upgrade Reality

In conclusion, be these ten little things, and be more like your dog!  I promise you'll find more happiness & joy in life! Tell me how you plan to execute these 10 little things, and as always, find what gives you joy in your life!

                                                                 <3 Cheryl Joy