Project Happiness Articles — motivationmonday

Martial arts is an ancient sport that survives to this day in many forms. Though many people view it as violent and don’t think it has any suitable benefits, it’s actually about the opposite of violence. It’s about finding peace within yourself and coping with daily life with your feet firmly on the ground. T

CAACTUS effect is a transformation concept which is to some extent inspired by the cactus plant itself. Not only does the cactus have an astonishing outer appearance, but its development throughout hundreds of years is one of a kind. And by understanding its advanced progress we might be able to reflect our own adaptive responsiveness.

Everyone wants to be happy. Behind our every action is our desire for happiness. However, unknowingly we have certain mindsets, I call those happiness stealers, which as the term suggests, keep us from being happy.

Dreams…I get that warm, fuzzy feeling just thinking about this. The space, the creativity, the opportunity to DREAM! To think of the kind of life, career or business you’d love to create for yourself. It’s one of my favourite things to do. But sometimes the map to achieving our dreams is not nearly as fun, or inspiring. Sometimes it’s hard. Really, really hard.

We have all heard that exercise is good for us. The physical benefits, ranging from reducing the chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes to lowering blood pressure, are no surprise. Or that we sleep better, feel better and probably look healthier too. But beyond that, what are the mental and emotional benefits?

Everyone wants balance.  It’s the hottest commodity.  If it were a stock on Wall Street, there would be a run on the market.  If it were a novel, it would be #1 on the best sellers list. We talk about it, look for it, strive to get it, we grab, opt in, opt out, make lists, and struggle to capture this elusive animal we call balance.  So, if balance is a universal desire, and we as human beings are so intelligent, why haven’t we discovered the formula for attainment?

Like the Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage for any Christian, Mecca a pilgrimage for any Muslim, Burning Man a pilgrimage for any festival goer, a marathon is a pilgrimage for any runner. In the words of Nike, you’ve gotta just do it!

The biggest challenge I have found since becoming a health coach has been getting people to take a step back. Mental, physical, and emotional change come only after we learn to take care of ourselves. Learning to take care of ourselves comes only after we can break down our everyday lives and how actions we take without even thinking about them shape how happy we are.

I had been desperately trying to avoid pain at all cost, perpetually searching for new stimuli to prevent me from sitting alone with my thoughts. In that moment in my garage, as I sat there fatigued, I realized that it was powerful to embrace the pain. The calm exhilaration that I felt was an effect of the physical exertion.

Former American actress Joey Adams claims that “if it weren’t for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all.” While Adams humorously understands the expectation of society today, many of us truly struggle to find motivation for exercising. However, like all complications in life, simplification leads to completion.