This 7-minute meditation can be used to set an intention for your day or whenever you need a break from your busy routine to center yourself and refocus your energy.
You can learn more about Keri’s coaching and yoga practice here.
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Tag: Refreshed And Ready
The pursuit of happiness is a core part of life. It’s what humans have chased for thousands of years, attempting to find it through relationships, experiences, and even material goods. But despite how much you try to have a positive outlook, you might find yourself in a rut at some point. Work feels like an uphill battle, you struggle to connect with your partner and friends, and the activities you once loved just don’t bring joy anymore. It’s like you’re waking up on the wrong side of the bed every day. What gives?
“Depression is like glasses you wear on your brain,” says Acacia Parks, PhD, chief scientist at Happify—a company that aims to make positive psychology both accessible and interactive. “You see whatever is happening to you through a filter that makes everything look bad.”
Stanford University’s Neurodevelopment, Affect, and Psychopathology Laboratory provides a straightforward resource on depression that distinguishes various clinically diagnosed forms of depression from the feelings of sadness we commonly refer to as “depression,” which is an important differentiation to keep in mind when considering happiness and mental health.
Everyone feels down at times, and while some depressive symptoms point to a need for clinical intervention, Parks, who has spent years researching the psychology of happiness, says that feeling amazing all the time just isn’t realistic. Negative and positive emotions each play an important role in being human. The good news is that there are scientifically supported techniques that can help you figure out how to be happy.
Here are some ways you can shift to a more cheerful, healthful, and sustainable mindset:
Let the facts reveal the truth.
Depression can trigger deep feelings of loneliness. It can be so overwhelming that you end up feeling isolated from your closest companions, even when they try to help. But it’s important to remember that you are not alone: One in every six adults will experience depression at least once in their life according to the Centers for Disease Control. Women especially need to focus on how to be happy, as they tend to suffer from higher rates of depression than men. In fact, overall, only 33 percent of Americans say they are very happy and the fact is that everyone experiences unhappiness sometimes.
“You might look at your circumstances and feel you have no one to connect with,” says Parks. “But once you overcome that, you can look at the exact same circumstances with a different filter.”
One way to rekindle social connections and experience a surge of happiness is by writing a gratitude letter, says Parks. Think about a person you feel grateful for, such as a friend or relative. Then, write a letter describing why you’re glad they’re part of your life. Use specific examples of their behavior and how it has enriched your life.
“You can stop there,” says Parks. “But if you want the full effect, read your letter to the person.”
It’s an intense experience, but you’ll feel better immediately. It’s also a powerful reminder that you’re not alone.
“You’ll become closer to them. The gratitude letter will help you build more social resources if you don’t have a lot of positive emotions,” she says.
Be your own mirror.
It’s all too easy to blame your lack of happiness on a set of circumstances. Maybe you missed out on a big promotion at work or you were ghosted by someone you really liked on a dating app. Those situations, of course, will make you feel sad, but they don’t necessarily cause depression.
Parks suggests that a shift in perspective may be an essential part of making space in your life for happiness. For example, don’t think of a setback in your career as a sign that you’re not good at your job or a valuable contributor to society—try to see it as a challenge that you can overcome, and look for areas of improvement. Consider taking a class to improve your skills, finding a mentor, or volunteering in your field to build your experience and confidence.
Baby steps will help you not only feel better on a day-to-day basis, but also support your success in the long run.
“Certain people take problem-solving approaches and look at situations as threats, whereas others see them as challenges,” says Parks.
Take a look at what’s within your control—then take action.
Observe the art of the ritual.
Humans tend to focus on the negative rather than the positive. From an evolutionary standpoint, it’s actually a good thing for our species.
“Generations ago, all the people who didn’t pay attention to negative things got eaten by tigers. But the memories of bad things can drown out the memories of good things, and that’s really bad for us if we let it happen,” says Parks. “The biggest thing about how to be happy is looking at where you direct your attention.”
No matter how bad your day goes, something good probably happened (whether or not you acknowledged it). So how do you zoom in on it? Parks recommends a nightly ritual where you jot down three positive things from your day.
“It sounds easy, but it can be a challenge when you start out. It eventually gets easier because you’ll get better at noticing things as they happen during the day, and you think to yourself, ‘I need to remember to write this down later.’ Before you know it, you achieve a better balance of positivity and negativity,” says Parks.
Rituals like this will play a big role in your journey toward experiencing more happiness and appreciation. They give you something to rely on for comfort, no matter how your day goes.
“Make sure when something good happens, it gets the attention it deserves,” she says.
Fuel your well-being.
When you’re feeling unhappy, the last thing you feel like doing getting off the couch and hitting the gym. However, a recent study of more than 10,000 people revealed that those who moved around frequently throughout the day—even if they didn’t engage in any rigorous exercise—experienced higher levels of happiness. Even a brief walk or stretch can help get mood-boosting endorphins pumping through your body.
Physical activity isn’t the only fuel our bodies need to be happy, though. Our diet impacts how we feel from head to toe. A recent study found that people who switched to a modified Mediterranean diet (which focuses on eating lots of whole grains, fresh produce, and lean proteins while reducing consumption of sweets and processed food) experienced significant improvements in their moods. So put down the Ben & Jerry’s and dig into a colorful, intentionally prepared plate or bowl of fresh, well-balanced food instead.
Another important element of how finding and maintaining happiness is not overindulging when it comes to treating yourself. Shopping sprees, binge-watching TV, and eating a box of cookies might feel okay in the moment, but the positivity is fast fleeting, and you won’t find the satisfaction you’re really looking for. Instead, try to nourish your soul by doing something more meaningful.
“Research finds that we want to do nice things for ourselves when we’re down, but if you actually do nice things for other people, you’ll feel way better,” says Parks. “Doing nice things for other people—community service and volunteering—reliably lead[s] to people feeling better.”
Even something that seems small, like helping someone load their groceries into their car or giving your spare change to someone in need, can amp up your happiness.
Know what to savor.
Maximizing your happiness isn’t always about hitting major life milestones (although that certainly doesn’t hurt!). Bliss can be experienced in some of life’s smallest moments, like getting a whiff of your favorite perfume, feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, snuggling with your pet, hearing your favorite song on the radio, or listening to children laugh at the playground on your way home from work. But how can you relish in the seemingly mundane occurrences of your daily routine?
“Savoring techniques will help you get the most of everything, from your meals to your walk from the car to the office. There are so many things out there that you can stop and deliberately savor,” says Parks.
Savoring involves intentionally appreciating the sensory details of an everyday experience. Take your morning coffee for example. You could just dump it in your travel mug and guzzle it down on your commute. But instead, try savoring it. Breathe in the nutty aroma as it brews. Pour the coffee into your favorite mug and feel it gently warm up your hands as you bring it to the table. Personalize it with perfect amount of cream and sugar. Then, take a sip and try to taste all the subtle flavors of the brew.
“Exercises like this will give bursts of happiness often enough to get you moving from negative thoughts on to something better,” says Parks.
Getting in the habit of finding authentic satisfaction throughout your day will help you learn how to be more satisfied with life in general. You won’t have to wait for something big to happen to feel joy.
“People who do this can learn how to experience gratitude, even when bad things are happening. Those moments are the building blocks of resilience to stress,” says Parks.
Choose you.
How many hours a day do you spend mindlessly scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, and other social media? It might seem harmless in the moment, but it could actually be impacting your overall happiness. It’s hard to feel content with your own life when you’re constantly barraged with posts of your friends’ romantic weddings, tropical vacations, graduations, career advancements, and happy families.
“People who are happy are not looking at other people and comparing themselves. But social media can foster social comparisons whether you mean to or not, and it’s antithetical to happiness,” says Parks.
Keep in mind that social media is a highlight reel—everyone is sharing the most picture-worthy moments of their lives, not their typical experiences. If social media is causing you to experience feelings of missing out, limit the amount of time you spend on those platforms. Chatting with your friends through email, text, phone or (better yet) in-person get-togethers gives everyone the opportunity to be more honest about their lives.
“Emails from friends are more nuanced. They’re more likely to talk about their problems, as well when they’re doing awesome,” says Parks.
Mindfulness meditation is another way to tune into yourself and discover what really matters. It helps alleviate feelings of anxiety by allowing you to acknowledge perceived threats (like the fear of always being unhappy) and put them into a more healthy perspective.
“Trying to change how you feel is like psychological quicksand. If you flail around, you will sink. But mindfulness meditation is a way to receive the message of what’s making you anxious and let your body know you’re handling it,” says Parks.
Interested in trying it? Consider signing up for a mindfulness-based stressed reduction program or exploring the mindfulness and meditation apps your phone puts at your fingertips. The exploration of possibilities can be exciting, while a continued practice will calm your mood and improve your outlook over time.
The Journey to Bliss
Believing you can’t be happy until everything, from your career to your love life, falls into place is a myth. The reality is that a happy life is not built on circumstances—it’s achieved through healthy habits, appreciation of meaningful moments, and seeing life through a generally positive lens, even when things aren’t going according to plan.
“You need positive and negative emotions to deal with everything in life. It’s not about getting rid of the negative emotions, but remembering the good things that happen. If you can then look at them side by side, the bad things have less power over your life,” says Parks.
Experiment with a variety of techniques to see what works for you. Meditation might not be your cup of tea, but creating a gratitude journal might be really effective for you. Regardless of which particular practices capture your attention and loyalty, make a few mindfulness exercises (from savoring a beautifully made salad to jotting a note of gratitude on a Post-it) part of your everyday life.
“Happiness involves sprinkling positivity throughout your day, allowing you to feel more expansive, connect with others, and plan for the future,” says Parks.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to how to be happy. But by engaging in self reflection, setting realistic expectations for your emotions, experiencing meaningful engagement with others, and treating your mind and body with care, you will get out of your own way and let genuine happiness enrich your entire life.
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Having a grand plan for your life is a really good thing. Actually, it’s a great thing! With every goal you work toward, you’re defining your purpose in life for yourself and the world at large.
But a dream without a plan isn’t going to get you anywhere. We (among the likes of Oprah herself) are big fans of using vision boards to focus our aspirations and inspire us to achieve our dreams. Using vision boards may sound a bit like wishful thinking, but they really can help you focus your goals and work your way toward achieving them.
What is a vision board?
A vision board not just a collage. It’s a collage that follows a formula to serve a very specific purpose. Instead of pinning up your favorite images at random, the images used in a vision board are assigned meaning. Vision boards are a collection of images used to help you maintain focus and visualize an explicit goal.
Physical vision boards can include images taken from magazines, newspapers, or otherwise printed materials. They can take many forms, from images stuck into a shadowbox frame and positioned on a desk to a full poster or cork board with images glued or pinned on. Artsy individuals might draw a vision board out by hand, whereas those who are less driven by art and imagery might opt for a vision board dominated by a collection of quotes with fewer images.
When it comes to digital vision boards, many people are unknowingly familiar with them, since many social media websites serve as unintentional vision boards. A digital vision board is a collection of images stored on websites, your computer, or your phone. The top social media platforms for curating vision boards are Pinterest and Tumblr, but you can also get creative and use a document, a folder on your desktop where images are saved, or even the collection feature on Instagram.
Aside from the obvious differences between physical and digital vision boards, digital vision boards generally feature cleanly lined up images. Physical vision boards, on the other hand, usually look like collages. People who prefer a clean-cut look may be drawn to digital vision boards.
The Science Behind Vision Boards
Manifesting your goals in a vision board isn’t just daytime talk show fodder. The science says that the visualization involved in creating a vision board actually works to help you achieve your goals. But, it’s not all in the pretty pictures. You need to actually use the vision board in order for it to work. This means that besides taking the time to create your inspirational piece, you need to spend a few minutes engaging it every day.
Research suggests that visualizing the action steps that will help you achieve your goals works better than just meditating on the end game. A study at the University of California, Los Angeles found that students who pictured studying for an exam got better results than just visualizing acing the exam. And even if you don’t know what your action steps are yet, envisioning either action steps or an end goal were both found to work better than not visualizing anything at all according a 2014 study from the International Journal of Information and Education Technology.
For those of us who are no longer test-taking students, visualization can still be a helpful tool for manifesting our ambition in the world. Let’s say you have a fitness achievement in mind (who doesn’t?). A study published in Neuropsychologia found that doing “mental training,” namely picturing yourself doing a physical exercise, “drives the muscles to a higher activation level and increases strength.” In other words, visualizing yourself exercising helps you get stronger before you even hit the gym.
The mind is a powerful thing!
How to Define Your Goals
Before you can start on your vision board, you need to specify your goals. Defining your exact goals gives you something to work toward. Research suggests that crafting your goals to be as specific and actionable as possible in the short term is your best bet for making them happen.
This means that instead of choosing an intangible goal (like doing your best or being happy), you should articulate something concrete. If your ultimate desire is to be happy, think of the things you do, places you go, or people you interact with that bring you happiness. Use actionable verb phrases like “Take a walk after dinner three times a week” or “Have coffee with a friend every other Sunday” to inspire your vision board. These more clear-cut ambitions are easier to work with and depict visually.
Keeping your objectives reasonable in the short term will also help you accomplish your goals. You can always create another vision board down the line that expands on your shorter-term goals as you realize them. Naturally, definitions of short term are objective, but short-term vision board goals should play out on a timeline that is longer than one month but shorter than a year.
If your goal is to find yourself in the best shape of your life, start with the small steps. Consider researching trainers in your area or sign up for three group fitness classes to attend each week for the next month. Making sure a friend or acquaintance is in at least one of those classes can help keep you accountable and motivated.
If you’re trying start a business or build a brand, instead of agonizing over when you’ll get to celebrate a million dollars in sales or be invited to do a TED talk, finally get some business cards made (so you can stop jotting down your info on scraps of paper) or invest in a freelance web designer to spiff up your site.
If you want to enhance your morning routine, instead of committing to 30 minutes of yoga, a 15-minute meditation, and 15 minutes of journaling, try setting your alarm to get up 20 minutes earlier and add just one of these wellness-enhancing activities to your morning. Once you’ve gotten into the groove, it will be much easier to incorporate other elements. Setting yourself up to win in little ways—like filling a page in your journal before you finish your first cup of coffee or completing a guided meditation before you suit up for the day—will help you build momentum for your bigger, more ambitious goals.
Each step helps you get to where you want to be without getting discouraged along the way.
How to Create a Vision Board
With your goals in mind, it’s time to start crafting! The first thing you need to do is decide if you’re going to keep it digital or get physical with your board. We’re big fans of the digital vision board for ease, but taking the time to create a physical board that you can see daily is extra helpful in solidifying your goals. Out of sight, out of mind, right? A digital vision board may not be seen as often as having a tangible board you see during your day. If you’re creating a physical vision board, make a specific place for it so you’ll see it while doing everyday tasks. The refrigerator, your closet door, or a spot near your desk are all great places to hang a vision board.
You also need to decide whether you want to make your vision board alone, with a friend, or with a larger group. If you’re making big changes that will require your support system, it can be fun to get them involved in creating your board. But if you want to engage in deeply focused self-reflection, it may be best to execute the actual creation of the board alone and share it later. It all comes down to personal preference in this case.
The images you put on your vision board are totally up to you. Look for photos that show off your end goal, whether that’s a job you’d like to get, a physique you’d love to attain, or a big move you want to make.
While you’re selecting pictures that represent your ultimate goals, think about what steps you can take to get yourself there. These action steps are important for helping you achieve your dreams, so find and include images that convey them, like stretches you can do to prepare for meditating in lotus or snaps of beautifully plated healthy food that will help you eat a more nutritious diet.
Also, it wouldn’t be a vision board without an inspirational quote or two. Add quotes that spark your desire to do the hard work to get to your goal; we suggest picking just a couple of shorter quotes so you don’t get too bogged down in the words.
When you are piecing together a physical vision board, it’s a good idea to have different sections mapped out for your different goals. If all the different imagery gets mixed together, it can be hard to focus on a specific goal. You can section off different corners of your board and work inward, or map out different areas for different goals. Affix your images and quotes however you please. You’ll look at it every day, so spend a little time making sure you really love the aesthetic of your vision board, from the background to the thumbtacks (if you decide to use them).
If you’re going the digital route, keep different files (or tags, collections, etc.) for each specific goal. Digital vision boards are particularly susceptible to overload with too many images and themes as space is seemingly unlimited. Keeping your images whittled down to only the most impactful will be helpful in keeping you focused on your goals rather than being overwhelmed by too much visual stimulation.
Accountability Tips
If you don’t put it to good use, a vision board is just a piece of art or collection of data on your computer or up in the cloud.
Research on the power of visualization consistently concludes that visualizing your goal must be followed by taking actionable steps toward achieving it. After creating your vision board and placing it prominently, take just a couple of minutes a day to meditate on your goals and how you’ll get there—a practice that’s so much easier to keep up with if you keep your vision board highly visible! If you do go for the digital vision board route, pencil in a time once a day to take a scroll through your inspirational images. Once the images are sharp in your mind, you can drop into a couple of minutes of reflection.
To keep track of your progress, it can be fun to keep a mini notebook or journal; even a note on your phone would work. Depending on the goal, check in on a regular basis to evaluate whether you’re making progress and what you need to keep up or consider changing. We suggest a bi-weekly or monthly check in, which is just long enough to see changes, especially when it comes to fitness goals that can take longer to achieve.
It’s also a great idea to get your loved ones in on your vision board. Having your partner, family, or a good friend to help keep you on track is helpful. They can encourage you when you need a push and congratulate you when you get there!
Vision Board Success Stories
It isn’t just Oprah who finds that that vision boards really work. Anyone can make their goals a reality with the help of a vision board. All it takes is the inspiration, visualization, and dedication to get it done.
Writer Jeannine Morris says that manifesting goals through a vision board totally works. “Throughout the years, I manifested TV hosting gigs, brand partnerships, and even finding the love of my life. Since I started putting that energy out into the universe, I’ve hosted for E!, had brand partnerships beyond my wildest dreams and yes, even got married.” Her vote is for a physical vision board.
“There’s something about the creative process of cutting up magazines that’s so satisfying.”
Yoga instructor Mia Michelle Marie says she rooted her vision board in a slightly different way. Instead of pasting together images, she hand-drew her vision of living in a tiny home in the woods. The path to her goal involved selling her yoga studio, taking a work-trade job, then getting a promotion that landed her a tiny house in the woods as part of her compensation. Total kismet.
Actor Kellan Lutz told Men’s Fitness that he creates a vision board once a year. “It’s great when you get to check off dreams” like his acting career, fitness goals, and his fashion line collaboration with Abbot + Main.
“Man if I didn’t have no vision board, I’d be in trouble” Steve Harvey told Oprah during a 2014 episode of the show Life Class. Harvey keeps his visions in front of him in a most unusual way: He has them sewn into the hem of his pants.
Taking an hour to create a vision board may turn out to be the best thing you’ve ever done. When you begin to achieve your goals, you can work your way toward your life’s purpose. A vision board isn’t just a collection of pretty pictures, it’s a tool to help you visualize and internalize your own success. Believe in yourself and just watch what can happen.