Need a RESET button?
Spring is in the air - time to reset. But wait, it’s been raining and dreary in San Diego for weeks now. This is exactly why NOW is the time to reset our minds and bodies for a much needed and deserved overhaul.
All of it starts with your mindset - how do you approach each day? Do you sigh heavily and wish you could crawl back under the covers? Or do you breathe in deeply and think of what amazing potential that day may bring? I must admit there are days where the former sounds incredibly tempting, but I choose the latter, ever grateful for doing so.
Research has shown that by reprogramming your mind to focus on the positive rather than on the negative, your risk of anxiety and depression is greatly reduced, leading to more joy and happiness. Are you game to try?
According to well-known wellness activist and founder of the organic supplement company, Peak Performance, Talor Zamir, the time to start this mindful shift is when you wake up each and every morning.
The key is to approach your life proactively rather than reactively. Filling your mind with gratitude will allow you to better face life’s challenges by programming new neural pathways. The new pathways reinforce your brain to take note of and expect great things out of your day including how you move, what you eat and how you approach each day.
I’ve recently been introduced to the SPIRE method, a model popularized by Harvard professor, Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, founder of the Happiness Studies Academy. The goal is to do one exercise in each category per day.
Spiritual: meditation - this could be simple breathing for a few minutes in the morning to a 20 min meditation.
Physical: walking for 20-30 min or working out at the gym.
- Intellectual: learning something new or journaling, starting a new book or creative process.
- Relational: nurturing an important relationship- call an old friend and catch-up.
- Emotional: writing a gratitude letter or keeping a gratitude journal.
What I love about this method is that it is easy! No need to get too complicated or overthink. Like Nike says, “Just do it!”
Please share with me the ways you are implementing this system to make your life the happiest and most fulfilling!
- In health and happiness
