I get my thrills from inspiring audiences but, what can I say, other people prefer extreme sports – or in this case – Garrett McNamar, a Hawaiian resident setting a world record for surfing a 90-foot wave outside Portugal. I guess it proves that you can do anything you set your mind to (but you won’t see me setting my mind to this). It’s very inspiring.
Tips for a Great Thanksgiving
Note: This piece is from the newsletter by Mike Robbins; one of the best speakers (and nicest guys) you’ll ever meet. I’m honored to be able to use it. If you would like to know more about him, you can find his information at the end of this post. Enjoy.
With Thanksgiving upon us here in the United States, I’ve been thinking about my own love/hate relationship to this great holiday. It can be a wonderful celebration of gratitude, appreciation, and family connection. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving also tends to be about feeling obligated to spend time with the people we’re “supposed” to, eating too much food and feeling guilty about it, and pretending to be grateful when we’re actually annoyed and stressed out.
What if we could make this Thanksgiving less stressful, more fun, and actually be able to enjoy ourselves, appreciate our family and friends (even the ones who drive us nuts), and focus on what we’re thankful for in a genuine way?
Here are some important tips you can use to make this year’s Thanksgiving one you truly enjoy and remember (in a good way):
1) Be you – Instead of trying to be who you think you “should” be with your family, friends, in-laws, or guests – just relax and be yourself! So often we put undue pressure on ourselves to be a certain way, impress people (even those we know well), or do or say the things we think others want us to. When we let go of trying to please everyone and we’re able to be true to ourselves, we create a genuine sense of freedom and peace. This also means that we think about what would be fun for us and our immediate family to do for Thanksgiving and communicate this to everyone else (in-laws, extended family, etc.), even if it may upset or disappoint some of the people involved.
Noticing Perfect Moments
Take time to notice “perfect” moments in life.
How often we do let them slip by unnoticed?
When was the last time you lingered over a brilliant sunset, or stopped to watch children play, or smelled the air after a first rain, or put your day on hold long enough to make a baby giggle? How long has it been since you sat and held hands with someone special, not even bothering to talk? Can you remember just sitting and thinking about how wonderful is life – without having the urge to get up and “do something?”
Life cannot be perfect.
However, do not confuse that with a lack of perfect moments. We get so busy, we forget to notice them when they occur.
Stop.
Slow down.
Breathe deeply the moments when they happen.
Life is good.
Controlling Your Feelings & Emotions
Nobody makes us feel anything.
It is a choice. It can be changed.
It’s hard to remember that when we feel something, the truth is we have learned to feel that emotion under those circumstances. Feelings do not just “happen.” In effect, most of the time, our feelings are a habit. And if they are habits, they can be changed.
When you say to someone (for example), “You make me so mad!” You put control over your emotions in someone else’s hands, making you a victim to their whims. A more helpful way to respond is “When you do that, I get angry.” By wording it that way, you empower yourself to change your reaction – while still being honest about how you feel.
The only other option is to give control over your emotions to other people or to external events, in effect abdicating responsibility for how you live and never being able to achieve what you want. [Read more…]
Remember to Have Some Fun Today
Never consider yourself too mature to act childlike.
We never grow up, we merely become “wrinkled kids.”
With that in mind, kids don’t want to work all the time. Kids don’t like responsibilities. Kids like to play.
If we don’t engage in some time where we aren’t “on,” we squelch a vital part of who we are. That makes us inefficient, overwhelmed, and — of course — sad. (Besides, who wants a life of solid responsibilities anyway?)