Weekly Happiness Note October 31, 2024
11 Simple Strategies to Keep Your Spirits Bright
“Live light, be the light, spread the light.”
Happy Thursday! 🌞
To all who celebrate, Happy Halloween from my home to yours!
Could you use more lightheartedness and uplifting messages to help you remember why life is good? My weekly happiness notes offer ideas for remembering the good, feeling your best, and resetting as needed.
This week’s topic is “11 Simple Strategies to Keep Your Spirits Bright.”
You can access this week's topic below (available for free subscribers) and consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive the weekly planning prompt and framework to set you up for November 4th- November 10th. ❤ Emily
Here is a short 90-second video that highlights this week’s topic, and for the rest, read below:
This Week’s Featured Topic:
11 Simple Strategies to Keep Your Spirits Bright
It’s easy to keep your spirits bright when life is going smoothly and good news seems to come up at every turn. However, it’s an entirely different picture when life goes off course or bad news obstructs our path.
Life is kind of like that. Bumps and obstacles occur throughout our life journey, and we never really know when they may arise.
The question then becomes: How do we keep our spirits bright throughout the different stages of life? How do we ensure the storms don’t dampen the truth of who we are?
These are some key practices I turn to when I need a reminder (or two) on how to lift my spirits and bring more joy to my journey. Try them out if they sound like a fit for you.
1) Turn the Page
Each day is a gift and a chance to start fresh. If yesterday was heavy, give yourself permission to turn the page. Start today with a new intention that will prompt you to focus on the landscape before you. When we give ourselves the gift of a new perspective, hidden gems appear to remind us of the joy that lives within us.
2) Fuel Your Machine Properly
Your body is your most valuable asset—treat it well. Just as we wouldn’t put soap in the gas tank of our car, we shouldn’t consume food that is overly processed and filled with chemicals and junk.
We humans are meant to eat whole foods that are alive, instead of the packaged junk and processed food we are constantly inundated with. When we take control and feed our bodies with nutritious food and clean water, it makes a world of difference in how we feel. When we feel good in our bodies, it’s so much easier to maintain a bright disposition.
3) Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation is dreadful. It wasn’t until I became a mother that I realized what a precious commodity a good night’s sleep truly is. Getting enough pillow time has a way of making us feel more human. Sleep is a sure way to recharge and start to see things with fresh eyes. According to sleepfoundation.org, “sleep is a vital indicator of overall health and well-being.” Click here to check out their recommended sleep times chart.
4) Get into the Driver’s Seat
When life feels dull or uninspiring, it’s the perfect time to remind ourselves that we can get back into the driver’s seat of our lives. Sometimes, we need the reminder that we are in ultimate control of how we react to experiences before us and how we move forward.
Sure, sometimes the steps may take time — that’s okay. It’s empowering to recognize you are in the driver’s seat of your life. If you want more joy, you can start moving towards that happier destination at your own pace.
5) Limit Your Screen Time
How much time do you needlessly waste on social media, in front of your TV, or on your computer? More importantly, how much of your life force is dimmed while you sit there? The more time I spend inundated by sensory overload or looking at other people’s highlight reels, the harder it is for me to switch gears and get back to being present in my life.
When I feel low in energy or like I’m not measuring up, I come to this reminder and immediately begin limiting the amount of screen time I’m getting. Having a break for some fresh air and leaving the phone behind is liberating—it’s a boost that can be felt right away.
6) Check in With Your Trusted Peeps
We are social beings and are meant to connect with others. The special people in our lives who want to see us shine bright are the ones we can go to when we need a little lift. There is nothing like a good belly laugh with a friend or a warm embrace to brighten our mood. Receiving the gift of being really seen or seeing someone else for who they are has a way of making us come alive.
7) Back to Basics
If life feels complicated and heavy, see what changes when you focus on the simplest things. When I feel overwhelmed with too much to do, I love to lace up my shoes and get outside for a run. There is something about nature and fresh air that melts my stress away. When life gets stressful to the point of feeling it in our bodies, it’s a strong indicator that we need to simplify.
Getting back to basics can include getting outside, having real conversations with real people, enjoying a meal with a loved one, or doing an activity you know brings you joy. The basic things in life always seem to be right under our noses; it’s just a matter of focusing on them.
8) Spiritual Practice
Sometimes, we are dealt things that are hard to wrap our minds around, and life can quickly feel disheartening and unfair. Having faith in a higher power in a way that is meaningful and true for you has a way of bringing a sense of peace and acceptance throughout life. A spiritual practice can become an anchor and a powerful way to reignite our light from within.
9) Time Management
If life feels out of control and you can’t keep up, see what happens when you implement time management strategies. There are many digital time management systems out there that can help. Set event reminders on your phone and computer. Set an alarm as a reminder to leave early. Start your day by writing a list of what you intend to accomplish and putting time parameters around each task.
Sometimes, we need to let go of things that aren’t important and prioritize what is. Having some control over our time management allows us to feel like we are right where we are meant to be, and that is empowering.
10) Dream Big
Keeping our deepest desires and dreams alive is the fuel that keeps our spirits bright. Give yourself the gift of having goals and dreams, and don’t allow fear to have a say in how big your dreams may be. Giving ourselves the gift of thinking about our dreams and sharing them with others is an automatic way to brighten our spirits.
11) Gratitude Practice
When we focus on all of the things we are grateful for, we experience a boost that can be felt on a very deep level. A gratitude practice can look like whatever you want. It could be counting your blessings at the start of the day, throughout the day, or as a way to end the day.
Perhaps you will choose all of the above. Like everything in life, when we put our own personal spin on things, they have a way of becoming meaningful and more powerful. What about you? What are you grateful for today?
This Week’s Quote:
Limited on time or don’t feel like reading
Check out this week’s Video instead:
Subscribe above to unlock your weekly planning prompt, including a printable planning framework for November 4th - November 10th.
Planning for Next Week📝:
Use the framework below to plan your upcoming week: November 4th - November 10th. Some people like to map out their forthcoming week on Friday to ease into the weekend, knowing they are ready to hit the road running on Monday. Others (like myself) have a Sunday planning ritual. Do what works best for you. Over the years, in supporting many people in their planning and goal-setting, it seems to work best to pick a day of the week that’s easy to stick to so that your weekly planning becomes a habit and ritual.
What are your wins? Before you organize the upcoming week, ‘November 4th - November 10th’, reflect on the week you are wrapping up. What are your wins (big or small)? What is something you are grateful for? What have you learned about yourself this week? Record your reflections in your journal or the Notes section of the Planner Printout. Feel free to comment below (others in this community will also be able to see your comment) or hit reply to this note and share directly with me.
Planner PDF printout: This printout is from the ‘Fall in Love with Your Life, Seasonal Planner’ and will give you the framework and planning system to help you organize your upcoming week: November 4th - November 10th. Click here to access. You will need to enter a password to open the PDF. It’s in all caps: FILWYL
Accountability: If you’d like an accountability check-in to support you in making the weekly planning ritual a regular habit, just hit reply to this email after you’ve organized your week and let me know you’re organized and complete. Feel free to share your weekly intention/power word. I’m always happy to be the check-in support and would love to celebrate your wins.
Instructional Video: Get free access to this mini 20-minute video course. It will show you how to efficiently use the ‘Fall in Love With Your Life, Seasonal Planner’ method of organizing your week. Go here to access the free video course.
Priorities: What are your top three priorities for the upcoming week? What are some of the daily ways you will prioritize yourself? Remember to balance your energy output with energy input. Think: What has been energizing me lately? What has been draining my energy?
Connect with Nature: Depending where you live in the world, this Sunday November 3rd at 1:00 am the clocks fall back in accordance with Daylight Savings. This will set us up to experience more daylight in the morning and less light in the evening. Daylight Saving Time (DST) was introduced to make better use of daylight during the longer days of spring and summer, allowing people to have more daylight in the evenings. The idea dates back to Bejamin Franklin, but it was officially implemented in Germany during World War I to conserve energy, and other countries soon followed. Today, DST is used in many regions, though not universally, to help reduce energy consumption and increase evening daylight hours. Just another example of how our habits and way of being are connected to nature and the world we live in.
Journal reflection point prompted by nature: How does changing seasons and daylight impact you? Do you notice a change in your sleep patterns and your level of energy depending on the amount of daylight your exposed to? What might change for you this season if you make a habit of getting outside to experience more daylight and fresh air?
Share your intention for the week of November 4th - November 10th. What are you calling in? What is your power word/phrase?
Or come Share in our Facebook Group
Disclaimer: This newsletter's advice and strategies are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee outcomes or be held liable for any consequences of using or misusing the information provided. We encourage you to seek professional advice or consult with qualified experts for guidance related to your particular needs.