How many posts on social media do you see like this come the end of the week?  If your feed’s anything like mine I bet it’s a lot!  Well I want to challenge this habit and ask WHAT’S THE RUSH??  Why are we celebrating the end of another week like it’s been a chore?  Whilst we’re wishing the days away, counting down to the weekend, the holidays, the end of the holidays, we run the risk of missing the very thing we’re actually here for…. LIFE!!!
Last year I did a VLOG on the topic of “I’ll be happy when…” for those that missed it here it is again:

Finn explores the psychology of running ridiculously long races & the fascinating ride the mind goes through.  What struck me is that very often, despite having gone through pain like us meer mortals can’t begin to imagine & fighting the demons in their heads, the athletes will feel a huge sense of anti-climax when passing the finishing line!!  So the way they battle this is by staying in the present all the way through, some don’t take watches & take no notice of mile markers so they are purely living in the moment.  Now THAT is a great analogy for life!!  I, for one, don’t want to feel a sense of anti-climax when I get to the end of my race! I want to look back & know that I’ve savoured life as much as I could.  I remember feeling exactly the same when I ran (bimbled) the London Marathon.  I turned the corner at Buckingham Palace & didn’t want it to end – that 9 month long journey was almost over &, despite it being almost vomit inducingly tough, I felt sad.
This is particularly poignant when, like me, you have what’s known as a “Hurry up” driver!!  I really have to battle to keep mine under control!  When I have an idea I want to have already completed it by the end of the day – no matter how massive an idea it is, so I have to implement strategies to slow myself down!  If you are wanting to slow down & NOTICE – be more PRESENT why not try the following:

5 ways to SLOW DOWN & savour the moment

1. Take a mindful walk – notice the colours around you, feel the wind or sun on your skin, notice how your muscles feel as you move them.
2. Look at a photograph from 1 year ago – focus on all the details, events, experiences that you have encountered since that photograph.  Write them down or draw them or talk about them, make sure you go into detail!!
3. Take half an hour out of your day and do some mindful colouring.
4. Meditate – if you’re not used to it then use a guided meditation app like Calm or Headspace 
5. Go watch a dog or a young kid playing (obviously don’t be too weird and stand outside school playgrounds!)  Kids and animals don’t have any concept of time & look how happy they are!!!

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Part of my work as a positive mindset coach is based on building strategies to savour the moment more.  If you would like to find out about how we could work together please do book a call to discuss your options.

 I hope you find some nuggets of gold that you can either use yourself and/or pass onto others.
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Andy has a PHD in positive psychology & writes very amusing, sometimes hard hitting, easy to read self-help style books.  In this particular book he writes about 6 principles that will lead to a happier life:

1. Choose to be positive
2. Understand your impact
3. Take personal responsibility
4. Have bouncebackability
5. Set HUGE goals
6. Play to your strengths

The book is full of stories and activities which bring the book to life if you utilise the space to write and draw.  My books are filled with my own thoughts and answers to the thought provoking questions & are definitely a go to when I feel like I have lost my way a bit. 
Take a minute to reflect on the following questions from the book:

• Think of someone who inspires you.  What exactly do they do that makes you feel so brilliant? 
• Who are you at your best?
• It’s your 100th birthday and there’s a big family part in your honour.  Someone is going to say a few words about you.  What would you like them to say?

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He is controversially outspoken on the widespread use of antidepressants & he refers to research throughout the book.  The theory around causes of depression & anxiety are:

• Disconnection with Meaningful Work
• Disconnection with Other People
• Disconnection with Meaningful Values
• Disconnection with Childhood Trauma
• Disconnection with Status & Respect
• Disconnection from the Natural World
• Disconnection from a Hopeful or Secure Future
• The Role of Genes and Brain Changes

He then goes onto talk about how we can reconnect.  Once again there is an element of us taking responsibility for own environment & the environment we create for others.  What really draws me to this book is the links he makes between other primates & also our ancestors.  We have made life so complicated that sometimes we just have to strip life back to our basic needs as social animals to remember what’s important. Simple things like connecting with nature, feeling part of a community, having meaning in our lives and having something to strive for that’s bigger than ourselves.
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This really does what it says on the tin!! It’s a little book which breaks down the underpinning findings of Positive Psychology and puts them into 12 Happiness Habits.  These are:

1. Learn to Play
2. Express Gratitude
3. Savour the positive
4. Harness your strengths
5. Live with meaning
6. Learn Optimism
7. Value relationships
8. Practise kindness
9. Get physical
10. Turn to nature
11. Practise mindfulness
12. Strive for success

Take your time and read those 12 habits slowly…. If you had to mark yourself out of 10 (10 being smashing it, 1 being errrm not really doing this at all) what mark would you give yourself for each of those habits?  What one action could you take for each habit that would help move you up a point?
What I love about this book is that it is evidence based, it gives you a nice bit of digestible science AND activities for each habit – all of this in a pocket-sized book with beautiful illustrations – what’s not to love!