The Keys to Happiness, Success and a Healthy Heart

LIFE LESSON

How many of you are good at giving compliments? How many of you are good at graciously accepting them?

If you’re like most people, it’s probably easier for you to give a compliment than it is to receive one. Know this: when you minimize or refuse to accept a compliment, you are insulting the giver and telling yourself that you are not worthy.

Am I being harsh? Nope.

As a writer, I love words. I love how words convey meaning, mood and power. The nuance of words affects how you feel and how you think. The very word we use to describe the arrangement of letters to create a word invokes magic: “spell.”

Take for example the following words: Amble, stroll, stride, mosey and perambulate. All of them can be used to mean “walk,” yet each conveys a different connotation. Those nuances are picked up subliminally and interpreted through the lens of the subconscious. In a similar way, the words we tell ourselves affect our self-esteem. The words we hear affect our self-worth.

For instance, you may have a soundtrack currently running through your head that is full of demeaning or negative words.

“I’m stupid.”

“I always screw up.”

“I’m worthless.”

“I’m ugly.”

Now imagine each of those phrases as a cosmic chisel, whittling away your self esteem and worth. The good news is, you have the power to change those words.

By changing the words you use to describe yourself, you can reshape your life. It sounds like moonbeams and fairy dust — magical thinking — but changing your life via the words you speak is entirely possible. I know for a fact that when you change your words, you change your life. As a Happy For No Reason? certified trainer, I can also teach you how you can reset your Happiness Set Point?. There are scientifically proven methods for changing the amount of joy and abundance you attract into your life.

Understand this: You are magnificent. The fact that you exist is, in and of itself, a miracle. Of all the configurations in the universe, your atoms arranged themselves in perfect alignment to produce you. Running through your veins is the same element from which the Eiffel Tower is made: Iron.

You are strong.

You are beautiful.

You are a wonder.

Do us both a favor: for the next week, every morning, when you wake up, please say two sentences out loud:

“Thank you for this day.”

“I am a miracle.”

Let me know how it works.

LIFE HACK

While there are many definitions of success, if you examine the lives of various people considered successful in their respective industries or fields of endeavor, you will find that they do these things each day.

If you take the time to cultivate these habits (customizing them for your own interests), I can promise that you will become successful as you define it. It is a guarantee.

1. Silly: Be silly. Learn to laugh. Do something each day that helps you laugh and/or appreciate the absurd. Laughter itself helps your mental and physical health in real, measurable ways.

2. Study: Truly take the time to research, learn and study about the topic that makes your heart sing. Each day, read a book, watch a video, take a lesson—add to your knowledge about your favorite subject.

3. Sip: Hydrate your body. Water has an almost magical effect on your body. When you are hydrated, you keep your carbon suit operating at its highest specifications. Your brain works better. Your metabolism operates efficiently. Your cells carry out their tasks easily. Make it your goal to drink at least 32 ounces of water a day. Keep in mind that you can also eat your water. Many foods can contribute to your water intake; celery, watermelon, grapes and cucumbers are just a few.

4. Support: Do something good for someone else today. Open a door. Make an introduction. Donate to a good cause. Call a friend and ask how they’re doing. DO NOT ASK FOR FAVORS IN RETURN. Give support. Paradoxically, by reinforcing your support system in this way, you are actually weaving a network that will be there for you when you need it.

5. Stillness: Spend at least 15 minutes in absolute silence. No phones. No meditation music. When you can successfully still your mind, you’ll have the discipline to remain calm when others are not. If 15 minutes seems like an overwhelming amount, begin with five minutes a day and work your way up.

Take the time to cultivate these habits. Consider them an investment in your own personal wellbeing. In so doing, you will not only improve your own situation, but you will improve the world around you by default.

These are really tumultuous times, which makes your stability even more important. If your to do list included just these five things, it would help you navigate the chaos. Why? Because whenever we feel powerless, it helps us to control something. Anything.

Controlling your choices is a powerful act.

TREAT

If you’re a long-time reader of mine, you’ll know that I was born with a congenital heart defect (congenital = present at birth, not related to genetics). After having an immediate open heart surgery to stabilize my infant body, my major corrective surgery of Tetralogy of Fallot was performed in 1972. My heart condition was glaringly apparent upon arrival. For thousands of people, heart defects aren't as readily detected.

To honor Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (February 7-14), I’d like to share some information about Young Hearts For Life? (YH4L) . Here’s their Mission:

? To offer FREE ECGs to all students (not just athletes) to detect conditions which may cause Sudden Cardiac Death.

? To educate the community about Sudden Cardiac Death and how it can be prevented.

* To help schools/trainers prepare an Emergency Action Plan to effectively manage cardiac emergencies.

? To provide families who have lost a child or sibling with support through interaction with other families who have faced the same unimaginable loss.

“We firmly believe ECG screening of all physically active young persons, regardless of gender or sports affiliation is clinically justified, cost-effective and ethically compelling. There are some things you cannot place an economic value on, and a child’s life is one of them.” — Joseph C. Marek, MD, Founder and Medical Director, Young Hearts for Life?

If you click on the link to their website above, you’ll learn all sorts of helpful things about free screenings, volunteering or supporting their work.

I hope you have a stupendous Sunday, and I’ll see you next week!

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An author, media consultant, life coach and speaker, Molly Cantrell-Kraig has been recognized as one of CNN’s Visionary Women, been profiled by both the Christian Science Monitor and the Shriver Report. Cantrell-Kraig has also been interviewed on the Women’s Media Center and the BBC, speaking on such topics as women, independence, gender roles and life transitions. From her beginnings as a single mother on welfare, Cantrell-Kraig is a self-described work in progress whose focus is on helping others achieve their goals by sharing her own experiences.