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Natural Awakenings National

Four Ways to Light(en) Up Your Life

Aug 01, 2010 03:01AM ● By Isha Judd

In an increasingly unpredictable world where anxiety and insecurity abound, where can we turn to find peace and happiness? The simple answer is: within ourselves. Here’s how.

 

1. Get present
When you find yourself in the midst of a worrisome situation, stop. Go inward, and ask yourself, “What is wrong in this moment?” Usually, nothing is wrong at that time. It is when we stray off into past regrets and future concerns that anxiety kicks in; don’t deny the problems that you are facing, but don’t get lost in them, either. Being in the present will bring you greater alertness and inner security, allowing you to face challenges more objectively and with greater calm.

2. Laugh at yourself
When you realize that you are obsessing over a concern or a worry, laugh at yourself. Just look up at the sky and think, “Oh! I’m doing it again.” When you don’t take yourself so seriously, you immediately disarm the worry and anxiety of the human intellect. This will help you take stock of the situation and reassess things more clearly.

3. Go with the flow
As adults, we lose the ability to flow. We cling to the idea of what we want and fight against the current of life, because we think that securing what we want is what is going to make us happy. But that’s not the truth; our happiness depends upon the wisdom of the choices we make in each moment. Ask yourself, “Am I choosing to be happy, or am I fighting for what I want? Am I attached to an idea or am I willing to flow?”

4. Take responsibility for your own happiness
“If only he or she wasn’t so… then, I could be happy.” Does this sound familiar? We are so dependent on the behaviors of others that whenever they aren’t doing what we want them to, we suffer. If your happiness depends upon others, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. People continually change and things are never exactly the way we expect them to be. Stop trying to change others so that you can be happy. Instead, focus on praising and appreciating the people around you.

 

Isha Judd is an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and author; her book and movie, Why Walk When You Can Fly? explain her system for self-love and the expansion of consciousness. Learn more at www.WhyWalkWhenYouCanFly.com.

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