Are You Unhappy with Your Workout? Check the Color

exercisingonmountainEvery morning when I’m out walking with my neighbor and her dog, we greet joggers dashing past us on the walking trail and bicyclists whizzing down the street.

All of these activities qualify as exercise, and yet each of us prefers one over the other.

Recognizing that we each have different exercise styles based on our personalities, Suzanne Brue wrote The 8 Colors of Fitness: Discover Your Color-Coded Fitness Personality and Create an Exercise Program You’ll Never Quit! combining her love of fitness and personality type. Based on her years of working with the Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment, Brue created an 8-minute quiz that will identify the exercise workout best suited to your personality.

When I took the quiz I placed in the Silvers. We are energized by new ideas and possibilities. ready to reset our sights to embrace novel concepts and opportunities. It’s no surprise that silver is the compared to mercury, shiny, fluid and changeable.

The beginning of my assessment evaluation says

Energized by new ideas and possibilities, Silvers eagerly embrace novel concepts and respond to a world of opportunity. Silvers find little that doesn’t interest them. They’re quick to see connections and build on ideas. Silvers enjoy being with people who share their enthusiasm and can contribute to their projects and activities. With so many interests, exercise for its own sake can be boring. It’s best when taken out of the context of pure exercise and wrapped in the guise of something else, such as a challenge, adventure, and exploration, or spending time with people.

My assessment continues by breaking my group into two parts, those who make exercise central in their lives and those who do not. It identify exercise settings for both types and even suggests the kind of relationships each prefers with a trainer.

Brue says that while fitness centers have many elements and benefits, you don’t need to join one to benefit from her book. She offers a wide variety of exercise recommendations.

So, if you’ve been frustrated by not being able to stick with a workout program, it may be that it’s not a match for your fitness personality.

Three Ways Pretty Papers and Stories Can Brighten Your Life

1355For those of us who remember the days before the Internet, it’s absolutely magical what you can learn and do on many places in cyberspace. When looking for ways to brighten your day, start with these three.

Count from 1 to 10

Sage advice has told us we can dispel anger and upset by counting to 10. That’s because it gives us time to reflect and pause before taking any hasty action.

But counting from 1 to 10 doesn’t have to be just a cure for upset, it can be way to reflect on the things in your life that bring you joy. This activity increases your joy and keeps you focused on the positive things in life.

As a member of A-List Blogging Club I encountered  a wonderfully refreshing and uplifting blog created by Shimelle, master at storytelling through scrapbooking.  Because of her success with growing her online courses, she was asked to submit a case study on the member site.

I was delighted to learn that Shimelle has been able to make a career out of following her passion, gently and consistently. This weekend on her blog she set up a challenge that goes like this:

Ready to count to ten or sing your ABCs? For the next scrapbooking challenge, you get to pick your poison: numbers or letters.

Create a page with a list that includes the numbers 1 to 10 (or more) or the letters A to Z. Journal ten things you love (or ten things that really frustrate you!) or make an alphabet-themed minibook or anything else you fancy with numbers or letters.

Upload your project and leave a link in the comments on this post to enter. See this post for details and deadlines for this weekend.

Those of you who know me know that I love challenges. (It’s amazing that I didn’t get into even more trouble growing up than I did every time I heard the words “I dare you!)

To learn more about Shimelle’s challenge, online courses and other fun activities, visit her at www.shimelle.com

Keep a simple journal

Happy people often report keeping a journal citing their events of the day, but especially things for which  they are grateful.

If you’ve longed to do this, but have trouble pulling yourself away from the computer to write in a journal, perhaps you would enjoy http://ohlife.com/, the website that makes it easy for you to write your life story. Check it out.

Help write a story

If you’ve always longed to write fiction, but have hesitated to get rolling, here is your chance.

Get over to www.talebait.com where writers and readers collaborate to create a continuous story. It’s free to participate, and the fishing metaphor upon which this site is created is just plain fun.

Sign up and you become an angler. Troll the hooks and storylines, Open Water and Captain’s Blog. To submit a story you cast a line. When you vote for the submitted hooks and storylines, called live bait, you weigh in. There are many story categories, so don’t wait any longer, dive in.

There you have it, three ways to lighten and brighten your life, free and easy. Have fun!

When Things Get Tough, Brace for Impact

womanathleteEvery year at the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, CA, an individual of  distinction is selected to be the Grand Marshal.

On January 1, 2010,  the 121st Parade Grand Marshal was Captain Chesley “Sully”  Sullenberger III, the celebrated hero who landed the U.S. Airways Flight  1549 in the icy waters of the Hudson River in New York, NY in January  2009.

His ride in the Rose Bowl Parade leading thousands of  flower-bedecked floats was a lot more fun and stress-free than when he  safely landed in full view of many New Yorkers, saving the lives of 155  passengers and crew.

In one of many interviews, Sullenberger admitted that  he had always wanted to see the Rose Bowl Parade in person.

He certainly  got his wish, and how!

What makes Sullenberger an overnight hero is not just that he made a  successful landing and averted a disastrous crash. He is celebrated  because when faced with a startling dilemma, he assessed the situation,  made a decision and braced himself and his crew for impact.

The ending could have been very different, of course, but Sullenberger could not hesitate while he pondered indefinitely.

Most of us will never be faced with the heart-pounding scare that  must have gripped Sullenberger that day, but we will all be faced with  some situations that require us to brace for impact.

Like Rosa Parks whose refusal to surrender her bus seat to a white  passenger in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 unwittingly sparked the civil  rights movement, you may one day discover yourself in a new role that  you never expected.

Most of us, of course, are not faced with tough situations that are  as dramatic and far-reaching as those faced by Sullenberger and Parks.  But our crises can be devastating, nonetheless.

You may have lost your job, your life savings or your hope. To  survive these you must take similar actions to the heroes mentioned  above.

Assess your situation, determine what you can do right now, then use  immediate tools and resources that can help you and take bold action.

You may never be called upon to save a nation or a plane load of  people, but if you can brace for the impact of your personal adversity,  you can emerge successful.
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This article appeared in an issue of the Color Your Life Happy Newsletter that goes out every week to subscribers. If you’d like to get more encouragement and uplift like this, subscribe to the newsletter here or in the signup box on the top left of this page under Get Weekly Encouragement and your first issue will be on its way.

5 Ways to Be Happier That You Can Start Today

happygirlYou’ve heard it many times. Happiness is not a destination, but a journey along the way of life. What exactly must we do on this trip that results in happiness?

There are five ways to be happier that you can start today.

1. Eat right

Consult a room full of experts and you’ll never get agreement on what is “right” for us to eat. Most people think of healthy eating as a way to lose weight. That is certainly a worthy goal, but healthy eating is more important as a powerful connection to our happiness as well.

How so?

The food and beverages we consume are processed into various forms by the organs of our bodies. Our liver, for example, the largest organ in the body, has the important job of converting our food into useful substances we need for life and growth and neutralizing toxins and wastes.

The liver works fastest and best with real food. Processed and fake foods, loaded with chemicals and preservatives, make the liver work much harder than it should. It’s like asking one employee to do the work of two or more.

You don’t have to be a medical expert to know that overtaxing the liver can only lead to impairing and damaging it. When that happens, we can’t digest our food properly nor get rid of wastes in a timely manner. Even though the liver has the amazing ability to repair itself, there is a limit to how much it can repeat this.

I’m not recommending that you launch into a diet. Who wants to diet? It has the word “die” in it.

What I’m suggesting is that you pay attention to your body. It will tell you which foods and beverages are right for you.  Consult your medical adviser and resources to begin your search for what’s right for your body.

Start slow. Change one thing. Replace one “not-so-good” food choice with a better choice.

Practice portion control. Instead of letting your eyes be your guide, use the amount of food that will fill the palm of your hand instead.

Eat a rainbow each day. That is, choose fruits and vegetables of different colors.

When you discover the combinations of food that are best for your body you will notice that you have more energy, sleep better and best of all, your mood and spirit will be uplifted.  When you eat right, you feel good, and that contributes a big part to your happiness.

2. Get some exercise

You can consult fitness experts, charts and programs to get suggestions, but the best source is your body and mind.

When I was working on my book, Color Your Life Happy, after hours of writing I would sometimes hit a wall. I couldn’t think anymore and my body was craving activity. I would leave the house for at least a walk around the block. I found it helpful to start the morning with at least 20 minutes working with an exercise video and later expanded into daily one hours walks with a neighbor.

If you are blessed to have physical mobility, move your body in whatever exercise seems right and safe for you. Many everyday activities such as housework, walking the stairs to get to your office, parking further away from the entrance to the mall can all contribute to your physical activity.

To get excellent advice, tips, cool tools, recipes, community support, as well as fitness, weigh-in and nutrition trackers, join the free website Spark People, your companion for a healthy lifestyle. There is encouragement and guidance for everyone, plus incentives to keep you motivated.

In a recent article on Spark People, Dodge the Exercise Roller Coaster, Mike Kramer says

You can stay off the coaster and get into consistency. All it takes is a little planning–and a lot of fun. The key is to build an exercise program that’s not stale, boring or disruptive. Now–while you still have momentum–is the perfect time to set up some smart, convenient systems and motivating reminders.

Here are three things Mike recommends:

  • combining exercise with other goals such as exercising during commercials or while watching a TV movie
  • taking exercise out of the gym by gardening or having a walking meeting
  • creating an in-home 20 minutes a day workout
  • What does exercise have to do with happiness?

    You know the drugs that doctors prescribe for depression and anxiety?

    Your body makes those chemicals naturally when you exercise, but without the side effects.

    Add to that deep-breathing and meditation and you have just discovered your own mood-enhancers available to you any time you want.

    3. Connect with a higher power

    People who describe themselves as happy report that they believe in a higher power, a higher source.  There are many names given to this higher power and while organized religion claims to have a special connection to this power, I’m referring to a spiritual connection that is  available to all and is our source of intuition, creativity, insight, and hope.

    When we tap into this spiritual connection daily we receive assurance that the workaday concerns that present themselves to us can be resolved. This comforts us and enables us to move through life without being undone by the ups and downs that we all encounter.

    How do you access your spiritual source?

    Quieting your mind and thoughts is the simplest way to get started. If you’ve never tried to sit still for ten minutes without thinking of anything, you’ll be surprised at first at how challenging it is. It takes practice to accomplish this. But it’s worth the practice because you’ll find that meditating can be very beneficial.

    Extending quiet time into meditation brings not only comfort, but also sparks creativity and reveals solutions that elude you during your busy activities.

    Prayer works for many people throughout the world. Some pray to the deity of their religion; others pray to the Universe, the Universal Mind or a Higher Power.

    Tapping your spiritual source is powerful because you’re acknowledging there is a power greater than you in this universe and you’re recognizing your connection to it.

    Many people attend religious or spiritual services regularly as a way to stay in touch with their spiritual source, while also connecting with others who share their beliefs.

    Some people find help in communing with nature on walks, runs and retreats. One author created a sanctuary in his backyard where he could go to be still and meditate. But you don’t have to build anything if you don’t want to—many man-made and natural sanctuaries already exist for your use.

    Some find solace in Nature, others in beautiful music and dance.

    Music is called the universal language because it has the power to speak to all of us—regardless of our native tongue. It can lift us to unheard-of heights and some say it is the only language that can reach the traumatized and brain-damaged.

    Beautiful music seems to flow through the fingers of a skilled pianist out onto the piano, creating visceral excitement; at other times it calms us, brings tears or bridges barriers across nations.

    Art is another path to spirituality. Michelangelo’s passion for creating sculpture was deep and profound. He saw himself not as creating art, but rather as releasing a human form trapped in the marble. His famous David, though created in 1501 when Michelangelo was only twenty-six, still has the power to mesmerize those fortunate enough to view it in person.

    Once you’re in tune with your spiritual source, you’ll discover it’s not just a ritual, it’s a welcome part of your life. Spirituality even helps out with mundane challenges such as finding a parking space or finding those lost glasses or keys. Being in tune with your spirituality relieves stress and brings solutions.

    4. Pursue your passion

    If you’ve ever watched a dancer, singer, or craftsman performing with passion, you can remember how they get so lost in joy of doing what they love that the audience seemed to disappear to them.

    By contrast, people who hate their jobs, look forward to Mondays with dread and sometimes develop physical symptoms as well because they are not living their passion, but are torturing themselves in exchange for a paycheck.

    Pursuing your passion ensures you joy, not because it always makes you lots of money, but because it gives you a deep contentment and fulfillment that money cannot buy.

    Teaching is one of my passions. Sharing information, encouraging, and helping others see their own brilliance gives me so much joy that I get a tingle in the back of my neck when I see that they get it.  I’ve taught all of my life with and without pay.

    Find your passion by asking yourself what you enjoy so much that you would do it for free. What puts a smile on your face? What brings out your creativity and absorbs your attention for so long that hours pass before you know it?

    Is there something inside you that you are burning to do?  Is there something you just must try it even if others don’t see the benefit or payoff? You aren’t even concerned so much with failure, but with having never tried it.

    What things to you talk to your friends about when you swap daydreams? Ask your friends to share what they think is your passion based on what you talk about.

    Perhaps there is something you find so easy that you can’t believe that others can’t get it.

    Finding your passion doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found your life purpose.  And your passion may not be your source of income. That is something else.

    I’m not recommending that you drop your day job just yet to pursue your passion as a career, although that may be what you ultimately decide to do. There is nothing noble about starving or being homeless.

    What I am urging you to do is to tap into your passion. Find that something that makes your heart sing, that fills you up with joy and contentment.  When you find and enjoy your passion, many annoyances of the world will pass by you unnoticed or as minor occurrences.

    When you find your passion you will no longer be willing to tolerate a job you don’t enjoy, but will be attracted to one that celebrates you.

    When you find your passion you will no longer be willing to accept less than good treatment from those around you.

    Finding your passion makes embracing happiness easy.

    5. Express gratitude

    Saying thank you to others, yourself and God is one of the deepest and profound ways to open yourself to happiness.

    Express gratitude out loud, in writing, and mentally not only for the good things you’ve experienced, but also for the bad.

    Yes, the bad things have shaped our lives as much or more so than the good so we must be thankful for them as well.

    For example, I am very thankful that I didn’t get hired by the first community college to which I applied many years ago. I was teaching at a university at the time and the hiring committee thought I wouldn’t be able to relate to their students.  Because I didn’t get this job I started my own tutoring program which I successfully operated for eight years.

    Another example.

    I am also very thankful to my youngest sister who when she got frustrated with me for getting too heavy-handed in helping her raise her kids told me one day, “Get your own damn kids!”

    Wow! She was right. I was single at the time and too distracted with meddling in her childrearing that I was not focused on my own personal life. Thanks to her I turned my attention to getting married and starting my own family.  And what fun I had with every phase of my children’s lives. My husband and I raised four beautiful children who are now adults, plus I have the world’s most gorgeous grandchildren.

    I sometimes pause to think how miserable my life could have become as the old-maid aunt offering too much advice and help to my nieces and nephews. By being thankful for the jolt from my sister that turned me around, I bear no hurt toward my sister and was able to move into being her caregiver when I was needed.

    I’m very grateful to my children for still loving me in spite of the mistakes, miscalculations and misunderstandings committed in the name of childrearing.

    Be grateful for the large and the small. Sometimes we rejoice over the large sums or money or opportunities, but we must rejoice over the small as well and it will increase.

    When my feet hit the floor each day I say “Thank you God” and  “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

    I also say “Thank you God” when I find my keys, lost glasses or a misplaced check.

    Finally, be thankful to your former selves that have brought you to this place and this life.

    I’m grateful to my elementary-school self who loved school and reading and immediately fell in love with her teachers and teaching.

    I’m also grateful to my college self who didn’t want to waste my mother’s money so I used my study time wisely.

    Gratitude keeps you in the positive mode, puts the so-called negative in perspective, and  draws more of what you really want. By being thankful for the bad you let go of resentment and hurt. By being thankful for the everyday and small you avoid taking for granted that which you once didn’t have and could so easily lose.

    By eating right, exercising, connecting with a higher power, pursuing your passion and expressing gratitude you are ensured of being unified with happiness.

    Celebrating Color Your Life Happy Day

    This makes me happy--BillieH. . .there was a time in my life that I said “me on a motorcycle….forget about it! Now I hop on every change I get and love to buy those cute Harley clothing!!!

    The only requirement is you have to ride one too…..(smile)

    This is what my friend and subscriber, Billie, shared about how she celebrated Color Your Life Happy Day.

    Since I firmly believe that every day is a “new year” for each of us, and that we shouldn’t end one day without bringing joy to our lives, I decided to create Color Your Life Happy Day.

    I selected my mother’s birthday, August 9th, as the appropriate date.

    Thus this special celebration was created to encourage you to do something that makes you happy and also to honor the memory of my mother, Mildred S. Morris, who would have turned 100 years old this year. (She passed at age 92 in 2002.) She spent her life making people happy with her music. She played piano and organ from childhood through her mid 80’s for many churches, organizations and events. Everyone who ever heard her play was touched by her lively and fervent style.

    Here is how my friend and subscriber, Nakia, celebrated.

    Nakia's favorite book+In the midst of this crazy and hectic thing I call life, I’m getting back to the basics of a little self-indulgence- reading. And not only reading, but reading my all time favorite genre of fiction- Murder Mysteries!!!  After one year of being in OC, I finally made it down to the library and got my library card a cpl of weeks ago. Navigating through the library and learning of all of its amenities and services offered was just as exhilirating as the reading itself! Some days, I feel like curling up with a good book and drowning out all the noise in life. And I plan on having days like this from now on. You can say I’ve found a new lease on life and that I’ll be “Coloring My Life Happy” 🙂 Thanks for allowing me to share!

    How about you?

    You don’t have to wait for Color Your Life Happy Day to roll around again. You can begin right now by adding something that brings you joy each day. It doesn’t have to be something big by anyone else’s standards. Just be sure you choose what brings you joy, a smile, a laugh and a warm feeling of contentment.