Friday, July 29, 2016

How to Get Your Fair Share of Happiness…



Today I want to cover some simple ways to get your fair share of happiness in life

But before we get into it I want to know what the word “happiness” conjured up in you.

Did it bring a smile to your face or did your face just screw-up into a nasty frown?

Has life become too serious for you with fun or happiness feeling short-changed?

Happiness is a conscious decision. You can choose to be happy or sad.

A quick word about being sad. There is nothing inherently wrong in being sad as it can serve a healing purpose. For example somebody did something bad to you, or you had a horrible day at work. Sadness can become an issue if you stay “in the emotion” for too long. As somebody once said to me… you can visit “pity city” but you can’t live there.

Back to happiness…

Many people consider happiness to revolve around money, spending and security. Certainly, there is an element of this notion for most but being rich does not guarantee happiness, as it introduces other worries.

In the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” Will Smith struggles through many difficult circumstances in the pursuit of a better life, and despite his circumstances he realized with each new day he got to decide his thoughts and attitude which influenced his outcomes – happy or sad.  

Life is not a race to the finish line. It’s about the journey and the need to enjoy that journey – after all you only get to make it once!

I’ve found many people with hobbies are happy. They get absorbed in their hobby and it gives them great pleasure… just show an interest in their hobby and watch their face light up!

If you’re struggling to get to a place of happiness then one of the best places to begin is through quiet time and meditation. If you have difficulty quietening your mind, then you might want to try self-hypnosis.

Start with the free resources available to you already as a subscriber… my FREE mindfulness MP3 session here >>> and then listen to my other FREE Sanctuary MP3 session here >>> Start listening to them on alternate days.

In this hectic and demanding world we can all do with more “happiness” in our life.

Most of us can’t be “in happiness” mode 365-days a year but in my book if it feels like a rarity to be happy then something is wrong, and the only person that can do something to change it… is you.

Make the decision to have thoughts of happiness over the next 30-days whatever happens. Try it on for size. It will show in your face and be infectious to others. After the 30-days ask those you interacted with on a daily basis during the period if they noticed a change in you.

I’m betting you’ll be surprised and delighted with the responses, and want to continue.

Let me know how it turns out for you.

Erika Slater CH.
Director
Free At Last Hypnosis

P.S. If you enjoyed this short article then we have in-depth articles on similar topics at our Free At Last Hypnosis Blog here >>>

Thursday, July 21, 2016

What We Can Learn From a Martian…



Being stranded on Mars is a tad more serious than finding you’re run out of gas on earth and 3 miles from the nearest gas station. At least you can breathe, you won’t explode, you have a phone, and you’re not going to run out of food and starve to death.

But if this has ever happened to you – being stranded without gas that is – then it was probably a nasty experience - inconvenient, frustrating, and making you feel a little stupid. 

But for Matt Damon in the film “The Martian” he was stranded on Mars and faced dire survival circumstances.

So what did he do?

He viewed his misfortune in a unique way… he injects humor whenever he can. He ridicules constantly one of his fellow astronaut’s selection of music left behind that he has to listen to… ABBA fans will know what I mean

My personal favorite is his exclamation that he can truly claim to be the best Botanist in the world! On Mars world that is!

I’m betting you know somebody like Watney – the character portrayed by Damon. Somebody who can always find something to laugh about in any situation. Somebody that looks for the funnier side of life especially, and I mean especially, when things are really bad.

Laughter is good for us. One study from the University of Oxford found laughter made subjects of the study better able to withstand pain.

Scientifically, we do know emptying the lungs by laughing activates endorphins, which creates a mild euphoria and dulls pain. It has both a positive mental and physical impact on us.

So what does this all mean?

Time to lighten up even when things seem dire. I don’t want to spoil your story but everything will be all right. Learn to see the funny side of predicaments as they’re everywhere and they will happen to you. But you get to choose how to respond. 

Have a bad boss? Just imagine them naked yelling at you and try and keep a straight face. Not likely.

I’m not saying if you’re dealing with a life threatening situation or illness you can laugh it off, but most of us don’t find ourselves in these situations every day. But we do manage to create a lot of drama around every day mishaps with family and friends or even idiot strangers. 

This drama leads to stress on our bodies… and we don’t need to add stress in any way to a world that piles it on even before you get out of bed each day!

You can’t control the actions of others but you can control how you react to other’s actions. 

Make a pledge with yourself to start enjoying the mental and physical benefits of laughter… today.

Start by doing this… breathe and smile… breathe and smile… breathe and smile.

Enjoy

Erika Slater CH
Director
Free At Last Hypnosis

P.S. Don't forget to check out one of the best resources I have... my blog. Hundreds of 
articles to answer many of your health and mind questions. Access my blog here >>>

This short article was inspired by my friends over at Uncommon Knowledge.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Our Own Stories and How They Cause Limiting Beliefs


I enjoy going to the movies. There’s something special about seeing a film on the big screen as opposed to TV.

But for me there’s something missing from most movies I see these days… a good story.

I understand that Hollywood with their big budgets and special effects these days can make even the most unbelievable of plots seem real using digital wonders and highly talented individuals using software.

But I’m not blinded by this any longer and it’s all beginning to fall flat as the plots are shallow and the films are less about a vehicle for wonderful storytelling and acting and more about blinding me with digital science.

There are exceptions where the story and acting is front and center and the special effects are there and well done but support the story.

As humans we are all about stories and live them out in our lives every day.

Our stories are important to us as they explain what we think and why we think the way we do. It’s what makes each of us unique. Our stories start at birth and as we grow so do our stories and help to shape and expand our futures.

But they can unfortunately confine and limit us as well causing us to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Like the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray we can end up living the same story with the same result everyday… until WE decide to change it.

Helping people change their story to get a better result is what I’ve chosen to do.

It’s hard but rewarding work.

People who come to me don’t have a Hollywood budget but they do have a fascinating story and my role is to spot what it is about their story that’s hindering them from getting the results they want – such as becoming smoke free, losing weight, or reducing anxiety.

Your “story” is just another term for what I call your Mental Blueprints – shaped by your life, environment and decisions you’ve made up to now. As I mentioned your story or beliefs can also severely limit what you achieve and the results you get.

The wonderful thing about your story is… it can be changed.

I’m not suggesting you quit your job, divorce your spouse, or move to another country because of reading this email – although if you know this is what you need to do then maybe this email is the sign you’ve been waiting to read.

No, I’m suggesting you rewrite your own story in chapters just like a book. Tackle one issue at a time.

I know your next question is something like: “How do I know what to tackle first?

It’s a good question and one most people need help in identifying. If you feel you’re living out a story every day you need to change then seeking professional help to make change is not just one option but could be your best option.

But first here are some free resources to get you started…

Check out an article I wrote about Mental Blueprints  and one about Limiting Beliefs here.

Both of these articles will help you gain an understanding and insights into your story and arm you with information on choosing how you best can go about changing your story to get better results.

Let me know how you enjoy them.

Erika Slater CH
Director
Free At Last Hypnosis