Kelly Epperson's Blog, page 23

Are YOU Investing in Yourself?

Written by Kelly Epperson

W e attended our mastermind meeting in Asheville, NC with a wonderful group of creative entrepreneurs. Good people doing good things in the world. It's very uplifting to be around folks from all over the country with different kinds of businesses (yoga therapists, interior designers, orthodontists, artists, JOY spreaders!) who all want personal growth and spiritual growth as well as business growth. 

I've learned that investing in myself with a great coach helps me on all levels. The time, energy, and money that I spend returns benefits a hundredfold. And then some. It also equips me to better serve my wonderful women in my programs.

Recently in January, I was invited to be the happiness speaker at an event hosted by WIPFLI, (the financial planning agency), and the event was called Invest in Yourself. Ah, serendipity.

Women tend to put themselves on the back burner. Learning to invest in ourselves is the best return on investment (ROI) that we will ever see. 

There are many ways to invest in yourself. The best place to start is your time. Do you allow any time in your day just for you? Do you take time to read a favorite book? Do you take a walk? Do you eat lunch and actually savor your food or do you eat at your desk or skip lunch altogether?

 

Do you get a pedicure or a massage? Do you go to a hair salon that you love? Do you have jammies that you love? Do you have a place in your home that is your sacred space?

As we barrel into 2012, take time to think about what you do for you. Do you take time out for activities that you enjoy? Do you have a date with a friend or your partner where you just talk and laugh and relax? 

Do you have shampoo that you love or do you buy the cheapest stuff you find? Are you not worth the extra five bucks a bottle to feel good every single time you wash your hair?

Investing in yourself is indeed all the small stuff. It does not have to be a vacation that you look forward to all year (that is groovy too). It's the daily details of life. 

Are you honoring yourself as a person worthy of your time and attention?

Of course you love your family and friends and colleagues, and you love taking care of them. You are not diminishing any of that by taking care of yourself too. The best thing you can do for those you love is taking care of you, investing in yourself. 

Pay attention as you proceed into this new year. Where do you neglect your own needs? Where do you ignore your own wants? Why are you putting your happiness aside?

The best thing you can do for the people that matter to you is to model to them that you matter to you. 

Does that make any sense to you?  

Imagine a young person from another planet is learning about humans by watching you. Would this alien think that humans are compassionate to others? To themselves? Would they be surprised to see how humans treat themselves? Would they think it odd that people are not kind to themselves? Would they find it odd that you always put yourself last?

I think that alien would report back to their planet that humans have forgotten that investing energy in themselves is how to recharge and how to have energy for all the other stuff going on in life.

Do you recharge? Do you deplete your reserves and think that is normal? Let's create a new normal. 

Don't let 2012 get away from you. Make this be the year you make time for you. Invest in yourself. The returns are immeasurable. 

 

Words to Ponder: 

Every man is the painter and the sculptor of his own life.

– St. John Chrysostom

 

JOY ASSIGNMENT:

Are you sculpting your own life?

Take time this week and do one thing that makes your soul sing, one thing that makes you feel alive. 

 

World Happy Day

Written by Kelly Epperson

World Happy Day is Saturday, Feb 11. Come join us for a screening of HAPPY the movie! For more info on the film, check out worldhappyday.com and/or happythemovie.com.

From award-winning film maker Roko Belic, "HAPPY combines cutting-edge science from the new field of "positive psychology" with real-life stories of people from around the world whose lives illustrate these findings.

We see the story of a beautiful woman named Melissa Moody, a mother of three who had a "perfect life" until the day she was run over by a truck. Disabled for nine years and disfigured for life, amazingly she is happier now than before her accident.

Manoj Singh, a rickshaw puller from the slums of Kolkata, India who lives in a hut made of plastic bags with his family, is found to be as happy as the average American. Through these and other stories HAPPY leads us toward a deeper understanding of how we can all live more fulfilling, healthy and happy lives."

ALL are welcome for this viewing, and to unite with folks all across the country and world who will also be watching Happy the movie on World Happy Day, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012.

When: Saturday, Feb 11, 2012

1:00 pm

Where: North Suburban Library

6340 N. Second St., Loves Park, IL

Cost:     $5 suggest donation to cover cost of film license user fee and room rental

 

Who: Anyone and Everyone is welcome. All ages. All levels of happy.

 

Questions: call toll free 888-637-3563 or info at kelly epperson dot com

 

From worldhappyday website: "World HAPPY Day inspires action for increasing happiness in our own lives and in the world. A growing body of research shows that happy people are healthier and live longer. They are more likely to care for the environment and less likely to commit crimes or go to war. Happy people helps others more often… and are more likely to find creative solutions. Increasing happiness benefits us as individuals and communities in infinite ways and is a goal worth sharing."

Are YOU Living Your Why?

Smart Women Live Their Why! 450 pages of powerful stories from women all over the world (including me!) Grab this book TODAY only athttp://tinyurl.com/buywhybooktoday

What are you chewing on?

Written by Kelly Epperson

I bit the inside of my cheek the other evening. Right there. One little bite. It bothered me tremendously.

I inspected it in the mirror. I commented on it. I thought about it. I talked about it. My tongue kept going over to it. One tiny little ouchie had my full attention. Oh my goodness, that small annoyance was a Big Deal.

When I brushed my teeth the next morning, I noticed, "Hey, it's gone. It healed!"

And hence I got to thinking. (It doesn't take much these days for me to see a life lesson.)

If I'd have kept chewing on it, I would have turned that little bite into a big festering wound. The pretzel or whatever the culprit was that first poked me was long out of the picture. It would have all been me doing the damage. Chewing on it and chewing on it.

How many times in life do we that? Someone or something bites us or pokes us. Maybe they are not even aware they did anything. We feel a sting. It's small but we feel it. And we keep feeling it. We don't let it go.

We inspect it. We comment on it. We think about it. We talk about it. We keep going over and over it in our mind. We let one little annoyance become a big deal.

Who is the one in control here? You got it. I have a choice. I can keep chewing on it or I can give it time and let it heal.

Is there a co-worker, a neighbor, a family member, or a friend who has done something and you felt a sting? Do you make it much bigger than it ever was because you keep chewing on it?

Do you run the reel over and over in your head, recounting every word and gesture that person did to offend you? Do you tell anyone who will listen? Do you analyze it repeatedly?

Do you let it fester inside you?

"I can't believe she said that to me!" "Can you believe he did that to me?!" We go on and on, and cause ourselves more pain.

Your joy assignment is to notice when you are chewing on something. Maybe someone cut you off in traffic on your way to work. That driver is long gone. They are not biting you anymore. Do you let it ruin your entire morning because someone did something that ticked you off?

It's your choice.

If you had cross words with your spouse, do you keep chewing on it? If a co-worker rubs you the wrong way, do you keep chewing on it? If you make a mistake, do you keep chewing on it?

Go to bed and let it heal.

Pay attention to what you are chewing on.

I realize some folks are truly going through pain that is bigger than all the annoyances that we let ourselves get worked over. If you are going through job loss or divorce or any other situation that is poking you, are you chewing on it?

The principle is the same. Focusing on the pain does not ease the pain. Focusing on what is going well will. Cross my heart.

Even in the darkest situations, you only make the wounds worse by chewing on it. You have to take your attention off the hurt and give yourself time to heal.

One day you will wake up and be amazed to realize that it doesn't hurt anymore.

In the meantime, give yourself other things to think about and focus on.

Chew on that.

Darkle or Sparkle?!

Written by Kelly Epperson

darkle \DAHR-kuhl\, verb:
1. To grow dark, gloomy, etc. 

 

I'd much prefer to sparkle!

My first vision board used the word sparkle or sparkly at least three times. Bring on the bling, yes, but the inner sparkle is the real deal.

How do you want to sparkle and shine this year?

The JOY Beyond Your Dreams life mastery program blasts off again in early February. If you are ready to make 2012 the jumpstart to your lifelong joy, write info@kellyepperson.com. It's not about polishing you up on the outside, although that is fun too. It's letting your inner radiance out.

Happiness is an inside job. Happy people sparkle.

Happiness Club in a nutshell

Written by Kelly Epperson

WHAT is Happiness Club?

A place to learn how to be happier and feel better in every day life.

WHO can go?

ANYONE. Yep, that includes you.

WHEN is it?

FIRST THURSDAY of every month.

WHERE is it?

North Suburban Library, 6340 N. Second St., Loves Park

6:30 – 8:00 pm

HOW much does it cost?

Nothing.

WHY go?

Free cookies.

The most wonderful time of the year?

Written by Kelly Epperson

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."

Nah.

The holidays are over. Some people are glad. Some are sad. Guess what? Every day can be wonderful. Every day can have twinkle lights and good cheer. Every day can have marshmallows for toasting.

We don't have to save up our good cheer for one time of the year. Life would be pretty dim if we only were merry and bright in December.

I love cookies and sparkle lights and presents. So I make that a part of life year round.

We don't need a date on the calendar or media hype or tales of men in suits or on camels to bring out the best in us.

The best in us is always there. You can let your light shine every darn day.

If there is a message or a nugget of joy to be taken from the holidays, let it be that every day can peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

Wake up every day with background music playing in your head: Have a holly jolly Monday, it's the best day of the year. Have a holly jolly Tuesday, it's the best day of the year….

See the beauty in the snowflakes. See the beauty in the buds of spring. See the beauty of the blaze of summer. See the beauty in the crisp of autumn.

Beauty and love and joy are everywhere, every day. We don't have to wait until a particular month or season.

Pay attention to your daily joys. Wonderful things are everyday occurrences. Notice them.

Make 2012 be the year you jot down your joy droppings. See what a difference it can make.

Strap on your life skates

Written by Kelly Epperson

Last year at this time, Prince Charming got me on ice skates for the first time since I can't remember when. The night was like a scene from a romantic comedy. The snow was falling in big white fluffy cotton puffs that were pure movie magic.

The holiday music was playing over the speakers, the twinkle lights were glittering, and there was no one on the ice rink but us.

Prince Charming is very skilled on skates and extremely patient with me, as my ability on blades is quite like a fawn getting up to walk for the first time on spindly legs. To say I was wobbly was an understatement.

Yet that night is a storybook memory for me. The visual beauty of the night was stunning and the romantic fun was a delight.

Getting on skates was out of my comfort zone, and I've since done a lot of things this past year that were out of my comfort zone. Being uncomfortable is not terrible, it is not painful, it is just merely doing something we are not familiar with. And guess what, growth happens in the process.

My wish for you as we close out a year and enter a new one is to do things out of your comfort zone. Stretch a little.

When I first launched this ezine, that was out of my comfort zone. When I first started public speaking, that was out of my comfort zone. Climbing Grandfather Mountain this year was out of my comfort zone.

Many years ago, when my boys were young, we went to a roller skating party. I was the only person in the entire crowd who didn't fall because I was the only one who never left the wall.

I wanted the security of hanging on to the wall. Everyone else, kids and parents, were out there laughing, having fun, and yes, occasionally falling down. They laughed some more, got back up, and kept rolling.

I wanted to play it safe, not get hurt, not look like a fool. I hugged the wall. I had no fun. I didn't experience the day at all. I just got through it.

So many people go through life like that. They keep their heads down and think that "security" is the answer. Really the answer is getting out there and having some fun. You might fall down. You might get a bruise. And someone will be there to give you a hand and help you back up. You laugh and keep going.

It is okay to be a little wobbly. It is okay to leave the so-called comfort zone. Strap on your life skates. Ask someone to hold your hand. If you fall down, laugh, get back up and keep going. You might discover life is better outside the comfort zone.

Words to Ponder:

To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. ~Soren Kierkegaard

Scientific proof to get your happy on

Written by Kelly Epperson

You all know that I am a touchy-feely slightly-silly gal who has got her happy on and wants to teach others how to do the same. You may also know that my joy fairy whimsy is rooted in reality.

I serve it up with fun, but this "happiness stuff" has scientific proof. (Frankly, the only proof I need is how I feel, but some of you like research and big words.)

There are always studies being done, and positive psychology and Happiness Classes are being taught all across the country these days. I have a big word for that: YAY!

My first tip I always teach is the joy journal. Write 3 things that went your way at the end of each day. I recently read of a study that had a group of folks do that – keep a brief gratitude journal just once a week writing a single sentence for 5 things that made them happy.

After just two months, this group, compared with the control group, felt happier and they were more optimistic. They actually increased their exercise and had fewer health issues. (Mind/body/spirit connection. It's all part of the one you.)

Grateful people also reported being able to fall asleep quicker at night, sleeping longer and deeper, and waking up in the morning feeling rested.

Happier people sleep better. If you sleep better, you feel better. If you feel better, you are happier. If you are happier, you feel better. It all begins with gratitude.

Make this December truly a happy season. Start noticing all the little joys. Jot them down. It's that easy. Start today.

There are countless studies on gratitude and health and happiness. You can read the studies or you can try it yourself. Do you want to feel better? Get your happy on.

Need help? Contact me.

Words to Ponder:

We count our miseries carefully, and accept our blessings without much thought.

~Chinese proverb

A Happiness Tip for the Holidays: Checkbook

Happiness Tip for the Holidays #412

Keep your checkbook balanced. This could be doing the posture exercise with a book on your head as you walk across the room. It could be a yoga pose or it could be not falling down when you walk across an icy parking lot. Perhaps you could balance it as you build a house of cards. Perhaps you could put in on the kitchen scale and weigh out sugar and flour against it. Maybe chocolate chips.

How ever you decide to do it, keeping your checkbook balanced will help keep your stress level balanced too as you navigate the holiday shopping.

Cheers!