by ShawnSwick | Apr 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
Are you stuck in a rut of mediocre habits that aren’t helping you build a happy life?
It is said that 95% of a persons behaviour is determined by habits. Some of these orient you to who you want to be and the life you want to live, others stop you from achieving and are a nuisance to your health. Regardless of where you think your habits stand, here are 5 habits to live a happier life.
First you must understand habit patterns
Cue, craving, response, and reward. This four-step pattern is the backbone of every habit, and your brain runs through these steps in the same order each time. When changing a habit, you must adapt your response to the cue and craving in order to achieve a similar reward.
For example, every time you start feeling unproductive while working (cue), you get up and eat cookies(response) in order to disconnect with work (reward). Replace your response to taking a walk outside with the dog every time you start feeling unproductive as; a)your cue doesn’t change, b)your craving is still disconnecting from work and c) you still achieve your craving, but now your habit is now a healthy one instead of an unhealthy one. The first step to changing a habit is always understanding it.
1. Exercise
Exercising is one of the most positive things you can do for yourself, it improves your mental health and mood, helps control your weight, strengthens bones and muscles, improves sleep, and much much more.
In order to set a habit to exercise, A) set a time when you want to exercise and a frequency that is hard but not out of reach for YOU.
B) Start small, the important thing is that you start as that is what’s hardest so start small and progress as you feel comfortable.
C) Make it fun – positive, If you associate a habit with pain you will shy away from it whereas if you associate it with fun or pleasure you’ll always look forward to it.
2. Make sleep a priority
Sleep is a vital part of everyone’s overall health but it is hugely overlooked. In order to feel good, stay sharp and achieve your goals, it’s important you follow a good sleeping habit.
Set a time, preferably before 10 and aim to wake up after the number of hours you NEED (not want) and follow this schedule. For example, I tend to go to bed at 10 and wake up at 8 but I need a lot of sleep.
3. Make healthier decisions
You must understand the repercussions of your actions; if you keep making unhealthy decisions you probably won’t become who you want to be.
A) Start by writing down everything you do on a daily bases, what time you wake up, when you eat, if you exercise, all of the little things that occupy your days. do this for 5-7 days
B) Look at your notes, spot the unhealthy patterns and try to shift them, maybe every night at 7 you have cupcakes. In this scenario, try to replace your unhealthy habit of eating cupcakes every night to having a bowl of fruit.
C) Likewise now spot the healthy habits and try to amp them up. For example maybe you go to the gym twice a week, instead of 2 times go 3 or four times from now on.
The purpose of this is to make small changes with huge positive impacts.
4. Practice self awareness
In order to achieve great success you must know yourself and your goals. No matter what your goals are you must avoid low priority activities that take up your time, do things that fuel/you motivate you, focus on your strengths and double down on those hours of the day where you are must productive.
We all function differently and are driven by different things, make sure you know what you need in order to stay productive, patient, driven and positive.
5) Do things that make you happy
This does not mean eat cake because you like it. This means anything that puts a smile on your face without it being a nuisance to your goals and health but maybe isn’t “necessary”, you should reserve some time for. Whether that’s dancing, painting, taking walks or even observing the sky, it’s important to be happy in life in to orient yourself towards things that do so. Someone happy will also execute tasks better and be more lenient towards a positive mindset.
by ShawnSwick | Apr 6, 2020 | Uncategorized
Setting goals is overlooked when it comes to achieving. Setting good goals will maximize your chances of reaching the success you want to reach. Here’s the most important things to keep in mind while setting goals for yourself.
1. Set goals based on you
Self awareness is critical when setting goals. Goals alligned with who you are and what you believe in are much more likely to be achieved and will feel better to work on. Also realize what you are good at and what you are not. If you set a goal to run 100km next month but can’t even do 10 at the moment, you’re setting yourself up for failure. However, if you know you’re close to that and it will be challenging to achieve yet possible, go for it!
“When you know who you are, everything changes”
Gary Vaynerchuk
2. Make sure to establish a roadmap with your goal
Many people make the mistake of simply writing down something they want on a piece of paper and praying they achieve it. In order to maximize the odds of you achieving your objectives, make sure to have a plan on how it will be done. They say “a goal without a plan is just a wish” which proves the plan is just as important as the goal itself, without it, you have nothing.
3. Measure your progress
When you measure your progress, you stay on track, stay driven and feel accomplished as your working towards your goal and that is key to achieving anything. The process tends to be more important the goal itself so make sure you track it and feel accomplished while you work, not just at the end.(for more on this click here)
4. expect to fail
Doesn’t expecting to fail defy the purpose of trying to succeed? no, here’s why; many people will set a goal, for example; going on a diet and then eat one cookie and give up. However, if you expect to fail, after you eat that cookie you can get yourself back on track instead of giving up because you know mistakes happen and you’re only human.
5. Enjoy it
Finally, make sure to enjoy it. I don’t mean if it’s not always fun don’t do it but take the time to appreciate what you do and celebrate the milestones. If you do this, your objective will come to you faster than you imagine.
“There’s a huge difference between achieving to be happy and happily achieving”
Tony Robbins
by ShawnSwick | Mar 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
We make thousands of decisions a day but how often do we decide our attitude? Our mood? People can change themselves but they don’t choose to, all you need to do is decide to change, believe you can and then execute.
For example, I, just like a lot of people, started to wake up cranky in the morning, I would get out of bed hoping no one talks to me or observe people with an attitude as they want on with their “happy mornings” until one day, I decided to change my mornings. With belief and will power by my side, I started planning my morning the night before and beginning my days with really positive things like the thought of really good cereal awaiting for me or the exciting things I had planned that day. Mornings are now my favourite part of the day.
“It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to it that matters”
Epictetus
Once upon a time, a shoe company sent two salesmen to Africa to determine the market potential for their products. Both the salesmen completed a basic survey of the target market and called back to the office.
The salesman sent to the east coast of Africa reported “No one here wears any shoes, there is no market for us here!” whereas The other salesman sent a message “No one here wears any shoes, there is a huge market for us, send inventory fast!”.
This is a great example of how important good decisions are. In this story, the situation is the exact same yet the outcome will be significantly better for one, only because of the decision he made.
If something goes wrong, you can always react to it however you like, see it as a lesson, not a punishment, this will help learn yet move you forward.
by ShawnSwick | Mar 19, 2020 | Uncategorized
Psychology often describes a positive person as someone who often experiences happiness but it’s much more than that. Happiness is a mood whereas positivity is a state of mind. Anyone can experience joy but positivity on the other hand, you must develop.
Positivity is the strong belief things will work out, it’s seeking the good in all situations no matter what while still being realistic. Some people are like I’m gonna be the best ever and not work for it, that’s just being oblivious. Positivity really is defined as I know I will achieve my goals because I work hard and face adversity with a good, efficient attitude.
It’s important that you don’t just go “I just have to be happy all the time to be positive” because the most uncomftorable emotions are there for a reason, they can motivate you to make changes or teach you something. If you start ignoring your natural reactions to the world around you, is that you’re giving your body the wrong feedback, and training yourself to not react, or worse.
My favourite example of a positive person who persevered is Jim Carrey. We all think of him as happy, funny and overly-enthusiastic but he wasn’t always this way. His family resorted to living in a van because his family was so poor and he even dropped out of school to help.
“Life opens up opportunities to you and you either take them or stay afraid of taking them.”
Jim Carrey
Jim said “I would visualize having directors interested in me and people that I respected saying that I like your work. And I would visualize things coming to me that I want. And I had nothing at that time and it just made me feel better. Visualization works if you work hard. That’s the thing. You can’t just visualize and go eat a sandwich.”
He also wrote himself a 10 million dollar check while he was struggling and when asked about the cheque Carrey smiled and said “Yes, I wrote myself a cheque of $10 millions, for acting services rendered, and I gave myself 5 years. And I dated it Thanks Giving 1995. And I put it in my wallet and I kept it deteriorating and deteriorating. And just before 1995 I found out that I was going to make $10 million on Dumb And Dumber.”
A positive person is the one that looks for the rainbows and rainy days and when dealing with hardships doesn’t just blow them off and smile, but faces it and knows it will pass.
The difference between positivity and happiness
For you to understand positivity, you must also understand happiness which is very different. Happiness is joy because of something happening or something you are doing. It’s when you laugh at something funny or experience positive emotions on a roller coster whereas Positivity is much more; It’s mostly related to your view on life and how you think.
Positivity will give you more self confidence, more energy/motivation, more peace of mind. You’ll also feel stronger and more capable.
Contrary to popular belief, someone positive experiences the same range of emotions as someone who is not because no one can be happy all the time but they will focus on the bright side of life and achieve better outcomes even in worst situations
In order to live a positive life, you must accept the bad parts, the pain and the uncertainty one lives through and know that better times are coming.
Click here to learn 5 tricks to be more positive TODAY
by ShawnSwick | Mar 19, 2020 | Uncategorized
Positivity is a way of thinking that focuses on the bright side of life and helps you attack unexpected situations with confidence. Positivity is not being happy all the time, as that is just unrealistic, but positive people will often achieve better outcomes in unfortunate or competitive situations, creating a better life. Here’s how to be more positive right away.
“Positivity always wins…. Always.”
Gary Vaynerchuk
1.Start your day with positive affirmations
It may seem dumb to wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself everything you need to hear such as, “you will do this great thing today” or if you had a bad yesterday say, “today is a completely different day” but in fact, if you have a positive morning, odds are, you will have a positive day. What you tell yourself does get into your head the same way things you are told by others do, start your morning telling yourself , “I will have a good day.” And you’d be amazed how much that helps.
2.Surround yourself with positive people
You’re having a bad day? Reach out to someone really positive to hang out with them. Energy like that is contagious and surrounding yourself with positive people with also make you more positive the same way hanging out with negative people will make you more negative. You must pay close attention to who you spend your precious time with as that makes a huge impact on who you are.
3. Live in the moment
Just be mentally and emotionally present everywhere you are physically. This will make your life more enjoyable and avoid regret. You will also appreciate everything you live through more which is important to living a positive life.
4. focus on good things
Focusing on good things is critical when it comes to being more positive because if you start focusing your mind on the positive things your mind will begin to do that automatically which becomes hugely impactful on your mindset. Here’s a trick, every time you walk into a room, in your head, point out your 3 favourite things in that room, this will help train your mind to focus on positives.
5. Smile
Smiling is probably the most effective thing you can do on this list. Studies show that smiling will not only actually trick your brain and make you happy but it will also incite people to smile around you more creating a more positive environment for you to live in.
