What are you Passionate about?

Have you ever found that when you're TRUELY PASSIONATE about something (or someone?) you're also HAPPY? 

Some people look for 'purpose' in their lives. What's my purpose in life? You might ask yourself. If you're not really sure yet, start with listing all the things you're passionate about, like really passionate about. What makes you smile? What makes you happy? Giving or contributing gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling which can lead to more happiness. What are you grateful for?

I'm currently passionate about being a parent and about my baby, so naturally I live, love and breathe everything "baby/parenting" - at the moment ;) 

Another one of my passions is Being Happy and this Happiness blog. Although my contribution to my blog writing has gone from weekly to monthly(!!) since I had my beautiful baby, I'm still passionate about it - and it makes me Happy knowing that I may be contributing to someone else's life by reminding them about focusing on the things hat make them Happy. I'm also continuously topping up my happiness inspiration since  I am passionate about inspiring others to Be Happy, Happier, Happy Always!

Here is something I found in an email that I thought I would share "31 days to Waking Up Happy for Life": 

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Wake-Up-Happy-Happiness-Research

I do contribute pretty much daily to my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/happybeingfelicia

So I suggest you like it :) for regular inspiration!

Happy Dayz.... :)

Day 27: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 27: Today I am grateful for my mum, for everything she's done for me in ally years of my life

The baby hasn't arrived yet, but with all the antenatal classes I've been attending, I've been learning how to cope with labour, what to do when the little human gets here, how to change a nappy, when, how and how often you might feed the munchkin etc etc. 

All these things are great to know and a kickstart on how to be a good mother -  lessons I know I'm going to just have to work out along the way...but it's made me appreciate everything my mum had to go through when birthing me, bringing me up in this big world and the guidance and life lessons she's tried to teach me along the way. Of course she still likes to tell me how it's done or how I should do things...but then that's up to me whether or not I decide to take it on board or make my own decisions about it!

As we get older and we from our own lives with our own personalities and form our own beliefs, we may not agree to everything our mother or parents said but it's important to be grateful and appreciative for all that they've done and try to do. 

We don't need to follow everything they say, but we probably need to be a little more understanding and know they have just come from a place of their own life lessons, beliefs, upbringing and ideas on 'life'. 

Our mums (like soon-to-be-me!) aren't perfect, but they are good or great in so many ways! 

How are you grateful for your mum?

Day 23: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 23: Today I am grateful for the lovely compliment I received from my client. 

How we carry ourselves is reflection of how we might be feeling or projecting in that moment. It can also affect others without us realising (even though we are not really responsible for their own feelings!).

I had the nicest compliment today from my client who told me she was glad I was a part of her special day because I was nice and calm and in control and that kept her calm too. 

It gave me that fuzzy feeling of satisfaction that I had done a job well done. Again this gave me an awareness on how our own energy can have a profound effect on others. 

How are you carrying your energy? Are you uplifting others or bringing them down? 

Day 22: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 22: Today I am grateful for a friend checking in with me

Isn't it nice to have someone check in with you now and again? How good does it feel? Out of the blue and it also allows you to check in with yourself. 

When I checked in with myself today, I noticed how much my energy had shifted and I was feeling amazing! I felt much better rested and noticed that it was just some rest which is what I needed to make a shift and change my attitude, my behavior, my actions etc.

It's important to check in with yourself on a daily basis. Ask yourself what is it that you need? Sometimes it might be the opposite of rest! Perhaps you are needing to do some exercise? Perhaps you just need to catch up with a friend to feel like you're being heard, perhaps you just need a hug.

Whatever it may be, allow yourself to have that and to fulfill your needs. It's much easier to help someone else when, you, yourself have had your own needs fulfilled :)

Day 19: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 19: Today I am grateful for my meditation awareness this morning - to be made aware of my energy and what I may be projecting

In the last couple of days, my awareness has shifted to a different level - I did things differently...

I listened to my night time visualisation meditation lying down with my feet up against the wall - for me, I did this because I was trying to also do two things at once, I wanted to start practising putting my legs up the wall to relieve my swollen legs (joys of pregnancy!) and at the same time it was keeping me awake enough (whilst lying down) so that I didn't fall asleep during my night time meditation! It was AMAZING - I was able to listen to the whole visualisation meditation all the way to the end and I had a different awareness.

This morning, my mind was quite focused again and again I was able to listen to each word at the beginning of the meditation and had some new awareness and learnings - I am so grateful for this as it brought a different energy to my day.

Have you ever had an awareness around your energy?  What did it do for you?

Day 15: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 15: Today I am grateful for staying committed and taking myself to the pre-natal yoga class I had intended to go to all day.

It's so easy for us to give ourselves excuses to not do something we know will make us feel SO much better once we've done it - it's like there is a liiiittle obstacle in our way and perhaps the worst thing we might do for ourselves is to not do it. And if we don't, other 'stuff' might come up, like guilt or feeling worse than we did beforehand.

This afternoon, I felt I had already been pretty active today since I went for a swim at the pool, so I almost decided not to go to pre-natal yoga which is what I promised myself I would do since I didn't go the evening before. Setting intentions at the beginning of the day, can set us up for how we might choose to live our day.

I said to myself "Now I made the commitment and I'm going to stick with it" - also knowing deep down inside I would probably feel much better about myself and of course it's good for the baby, which is such a motivation driver for me at the moment!

Do you find yourself giving excuses and putting off something you know will do you good?  If we keep doing the same thing and giving us the same excuses but expecting a different result - well that's just the definition of insanity! LOL.  Make the shift, make the change, stick to your guns and your commitment to yourself.  You will have EVERYTHING to GAIN!

"Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you HAPPY" - quote from the movie, Legally Blonde

Day 10: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 10: Today I am grateful for being given even more baby stuff from our friends!

As we're starting out with hour first baby, we're slowly discovering all he things we need to get for it's arrival! Like a cot, change table etc. and we're lucky and grateful that so many of our friend have been so generous and have given a lot of they're old stuff! Not only had it been saving us money, but also we get to have some things we probably didn't think of getting (yet!). 

What gifts might you be grateful for receiving?

Day 8: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 8: Today I'm grateful for being appreciated. 

Often, we might go about our day, without stopping to think what we might have to offer to the world, our community or our friends and family or even our work colleagues. We just go about our day 'same old, same old' and with no awareness how we might have an effect on others.

Today, I felt appreciated by the talent and it felt really good! Sure, I feel confident in what I do, but it's such a compliment when you find out from the talent themselves that they were so glad to see me on this job as it gave them the confidence in themselves too :)

Do you have an awareness of how important you are? How important you might be to someone else or of part of a team?

We are all important in one way or other for whatever reason. It's another reason why I consistently like to check-in and create more awareness of myself, my well BEING, my state of mind, my health and my mindset. For I know that when I am the best person I can be, I'm an even better version of myself to/for someone else.

How about you?

Day 4 - "30 day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 4: Today I am grateful for my dinner being made for me! 

It's always a treat having someone else cook you dinner or perhaps a cup of tea when you seem to need it most!

We all have needs and it's important to listen to your body and be intuitive to it. I may have had 9 hours sleep last night but I was still feeling lethargic when I woke up. I'm not perfect and I'm ok with that. After all we're not super human. 

Sometimes we have commitments that we have committed to, like going to work each week or day (or a full weekend if birthing classes!), even if we may not feel up for it. We just have to remember the purpose of doing what we have chosen to do. 

As soon as you get home, look after yourself as best as you can in order to rejuvenate. It's different for everyone. Perhaps it's doing some meditation to centre you after a hectic day, a bath or shower to forget any stresses that may have turned up and to release those tense muscles or just another early night to bed so your brain can just process the day. 

Whatever it may be, try to find some positivity in your day at the end of the day. Maybe this might be the best time for you to reflect in your gratitude journal. It might be the very thing to help induce a more restful sleep! ;)

Day 1 - "30 day Gratitude Challenge"

Today is Day 1 of my 30 day Gratitude Challenge! Very excited!!

Day 1: today I am grateful for all those who are and have been supporting my

Blog and Facebook inspiration page since it's existence last September 2013. 

Thanks to all the friends and family who are reading my blog posts, liking my inspiration pictures and sharing it with your friends, family, network or community. 

The other day I put a post up that reached so many people, people I didn't even know! That really made my day!! Super happy! :) So I would also like to Thank all the random beautiful people I don't even know who I get to share with and inspire each day and continue to like my posts :)

Thanks to my mentors along my life's journey (you know who you are!) who have guided me to find my passions and start this very blog! 

The 30 day Gratitude Challenge

With the New Lunar year soon approaching in a couple of days - the year of the Horse - it's a time to sweep out the old and welcome in the new. So why not enter the new year cultivating the habit of BEING GRATEFUL? 

I've decided to do a 30 day Gratitude Challenge - starting tomorrow - the day before the New Lunar Year, so that it carries on into the new year. The end of the 30 days will also bring us to the end of summer (in Australia!), which will give us another great opportunity of reflection on the challenge when Autumn arrives!

I would like to invite you to play with me by also joining in on this "30 day Gratitude Challenge"! You can either join/Like the Happy Being Felicia Facebook page (www.facebook.com/happybeingfelicia) and post each day something that you are grateful for or comment on each blog post as I blog for the next 30 days sharing with you what I am grateful for myself.

This is going to be a fun challenge and I'm very excited!! 

Happy Dayz! :)

Appreciate the Little Things

Being on holidays in Mexico has given me a little bit more appreciation for the little things - the things we already have in Australia that perhaps many of us might take for granted, such as perfectly safe drinking water or beautiful clean beaches of Sydney.

In Mexico, it's advised not to drink the water. Not even the locals drink it! There are other countries in the world similar where the water is not necessarily safe to drink or to even brush your teeth! Yet how many of us are actually grateful or mindful for safe drinking water each day? Or other little things in our life?

I find, the more often I have appreciation or am grateful for the little things in my life, the more happiness that I feel and create.

What little thing could you be more appreciative of today? It sounds like such a simple little act, yet it can bring great rewards. 

Happy Dayz! :)

Head or Heart?

I took this photo at Bondi's Sculptures By the Sea which happens in November every year and runs over two weeks.  What I love about it, is how our brains are confused because it's a STOP sign, yet our clever little brains can make out the word START with the few letters that appear...  so is it a start or stop sign?

Sometimes our heads say one thing, yet our hearts say another - and then confusion or frustration might set in.  Ever happen to you?

My head tells me to write something super positive, yet my heart says, just tell the TRUTH and the rest will flow.  So that's what I'm going to do!

Like everyone, I'm not perfect.  That's the simple truth. I'm human after all!

Last week seemed rather challenging.  Anything that could go wrong, did. If I could be late for something like work or an appointment, I was. If I could give my husband the shits, I gave it to him. If I could feel emotions - which I did, I cried.  I think I cried at least once a day last week!

I would say I'm a glass-half-full rather than a glass-half-empty kinda gal. More so, I do my best to keep my glass topped up and that's when I know I'm really congruent as everything flows easily and effortlessly! Life feels GREAT! But like most people, I don't always have uplifting days - that's just life.

Upon reflection of last weeks antics, however, I realised that it's because I created my daily habits and rituals (even if it meant I would run late for an appointment!) - that allowed me to come out alright in the end.  Sometimes we just need to trust the process. What I know for sure, when I'm faced with a lot of challenges all at once, it can only mean that a change is a coming!!!

Here's what I do to keep me going:

* Daily meditation - it seemed the latest Oprah & Deepak meditation came at the right time!  I was certainly going through some personal challenges and the challenges that the meditation practice brought - Desire & Destiny - definitely CHALLENGED me!  It also allowed me to get some clarity, for example, one of the days I was able to label "frustration" and that's what was going on for me at the time.  Each day is different, as is each moment.

*Gratitude Journal - there is nothing more that helps me to get me out of a rut of downward spiralling of unhealthy thoughts than to write in my gratitude journal.  It allows me to keep being a loving human being.  It allows me to be focused on the good things in life so that I can attract and be given more of that greatness from the universe.

* Contributing to my blog and Facebook page and allow myself to be inspire by other people's pages and blogs of a similar 'happy' theme

* Present moments - Have you ever noticed your thoughts? When you're shitty at someone, do you keep thinking negative thoughts and complain and whinge about that person or do you stop yourself and start to be grateful for the lessons they might be giving you instead?  It's important to STOP everyone once in a while throughout the day and just be fully present.  Take a DEEP BREATH!  

Amazing what a simple little act like taking a deep breath can do for you and to clear the head!  Whenever I became present, I learnt lessons in those 'difficult' moments.  Lessons of personal responsibility, more letting go (of control) that I needed to do and to just allow whatever it is to JUST BE.

Ahhhh... peace :)

Kindness and Appreciation

How are you feeling this morning?

What small thing will you do to make a shift in your life that might make your day better today, right now, in this very moment? 

We can all do something very small and very simple to improve our lives and our day to give us a different perspective and change it for a more a positive outlook. But have you ever thought about what small thing you can do for others that might make their day? It could be as easy as letting them know how grateful and appreciative you are for them.

What small but certain RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS could you be doing today? You might not know it, but it could totally change their day and allow them to have a better day!

Think of a time when a stranger perhaps did something for you that changed your course for the day.

The other day, I was standing in line to buy a bus ticket and a random elderly man gave me his all day train/bus/ferry ticket, meaning I could use any public transport for free! (To go and pick up keys from my husband). The kindness he presented made a small impact in my day as I was a bit flustered from having locked myself out of the house! 

Perhaps we forget to let someone know how much you appreciate them for what they did or said to make you feel better?

My mother-in-law specifically wrote me an email to let me know how good I looked over FaceTime and how pregnancy was suiting me well. That really meant a lot to me as we don't all feel radiant during pregnancy! Yet I hadn't let her know how much I had appreciated her thoughts. 

So my small act today is to email her back to acknowledge the appreciation I felt. 

I know sometimes all we want to feel is acknowledgment and the knowing we are appreciated by others.