There is something rejuvenating about plane rides for me. Strange as it may seem, it is a small space of time, in between gate connections and rental cars, that I have a moment to reflect on my life, my relationships and the joy of where I am at the moment. It forces me to slow down, read edifying books, and write about the things that I am focusing on right then.
So, as we continue the Happiness Manifesto, our next point is…
1. TAKE NOTICE … Be curious, catch sight of the beautiful moments, be aware of the beauty of your world, reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters.
Research suggests that it is the moments of pausing, reflecting, noticing, that creates a self-regulatory behavior. So, those moments of meditation, of cognitive behavior therapy or just writing your thoughts on the moments you live will help you to be aware and choose the actions that are more in line with your values and your interests. It is this awareness – this thoughtfulness – that can inspire us to live our best lives.
So, too, can taking notice of your financial lives. I know you have heard me say that it is not about the money, and I mean no different here. Take notice of the things that you do for the money – does it align with your values and your intent in this life that you live? When you invest, do you look at the results that you aim for, or are you so tied up in the volatile world of that currency that you lose sight of what is truly important in the grand scheme of your life? If you say to me that your life is not grand, I would want to know why – you are the master of your destiny, so shouldn’t you live a very BIG life? Create what will inspire you and move you into the life you desire. Money is just the tool that will get you there, so make it do what you need.
We tend to dream about what we will do later in our lives, what joy we will have when we start living our lives and stop working for money. I am here to challenge you to find what you love NOW, and start to create the life you want to live so that you can work with the money. Or, at the very least, make the money work for you and your grand dreams.
And, I would love to hear what those dreams are! You are welcome to comment or email me and tell me how you are dreaming your best life. I’ll post some of those dreams here, so you can be held accountable for living that grand life.