Program Yourself to Be Happy Part 4 (Steps 16-20)
In my last 3 articles, Program Yourself to Be Happy Part 1 (5 Steps), Program Yourself to Be Happy Part 2 (Steps 6-10) and Program Yourself to Be Happy Part 3 (Steps 11-20), I discussed several ways to program oneself to be happy. Specifically: 1) Eliminating Obstacles (aka Negative Stimuli), 2) Observing Thought Patterns, 3) Correcting Thought Patterns, 4) Eliminating Expectations, 5) Trust, 6) Practice Patience, 7) See the Positive in the Negative, 8) Practice Gratitude, 9) Stop Caring What People Think, 10) Practice Generosity, 11) Practice Compassion and Forgiveness, 12) Spend Time Alone, 13) Do Things That Make You Feel Good, 14) Create a Positive Purpose in Life and 15) Express Yourself. I will now continue where I left off starting with Step 16:
16) Eat Healthy & Detox: Eating Healthy is one of the most important things you can do to stay feeling good. The reason for this is that the foods we eat (and the drinks we drink) have a direct impact on how we feel both physically and mentally. There is a direct link between the gut and the brain. This is the reason why so many people who suffer from mood disorders also suffer from a stomach problems. Many people also (unknowingly) suffer from food allergies and/ or sensitivities. If you find yourself feeling unhappy quite often it may be wise to keep a food diary and start writing down what you've eaten. You may be surprised that your negative thinking, depression, anxiety, lack of energy or motivation, etc. is directly linked to the foods you eat. My suggestion is to eat an organic, plant-based, non-gmo, non-processed, gluten free, sugar free, soy free, (dairy free) diet. No fast foods, no diet foods or sodas! I also suggest eliminating caffeine and alcohol. In the past I would've recommended a completely vegan diet, however I ended up going B12 deficient when I did 7 months of raw vegan. So you have to be careful! If anything, I suggest making sure the animal protein you consume is organic and humanely raised. I also suggest eating only organic rbgh hormone-free dairy (if you consume dairy). I make an effort not to do so as I tend to experience sensitivities to dairy. Eating healthy is a process that has taken me a long time to master and I am still not perfect! Who is? Worse case scenario- if you can't help yourself and have to eat some junk, please make sure to detox afterwards. One of the best products for detoxing is called Activated Charcoal. It is also used for food poisoning. This will help eliminate all the bad feelings you have both physically and mentally after eating the wrong foods. Another great detox product is Organic Sulfur, however relying on detoxing is not the best approach. I suggest eating healthy and detoxing regularly!
17) Exercise: Exercise boosts endorphins! Endorphins are chemicals that our body releases that trigger positive feelings & pain reduction. Many studies show that people who exercise regularly benefit with a positive boost in mood and lower rates of depression. Exercising regularly can help reduce stress, boost self-esteem, improve sleep and prevent anxiety and depression. It doesn't have to be difficult! You don't necessarily have to join a gym or start some crazy regimen. You can literally step outside your home or office and go for a 20 or so minute walk. Walking is great exercise and it's easy! My personal favorite is swimming. I love swimming but it has to be in a saline salt pool. Chlorine is not very healthy! Swimming is great because it is low impact and doesn't put stress on your bones, joints or muscles.
18) Sun: If you are planning to take a walk to get your exercise, you might as well take a walk out in the sun! (If burning is an issue, please use a natural sunscreen!) There is so much controversy over sun exposure, however lack of sun exposure has actually been linked to poor health, fertility problems, cancer and depression. People actually get depressed from a lack of sunlight. The form of depression often associated with variations in sunlight is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The sun is also needed for our bodies to produce Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 deficiency can lead to a multitude of health issues. If you absolutely cannot tolerate sun exposure or are unable to get enough sun, please make sure to take a Vitamin D3 supplement daily and go see a doctor to check your D3 levels.
19) Meditation: Studies suggest that meditation may increase ones capacity for happiness and reduce ones propensity towards negativity. Like exercise, meditation can increase ones levels of feel-good chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin. It can reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and depression and boost the immune system. Meditation does not have to be a difficult task. There are many forms of meditation but I suggest starting simple. If you find it difficult to slow your thoughts down you can record a positive affirmation and listen to it while you meditate. You can even have it playing in the background while doing other activities or fall asleep while listening to it! As I mentioned in Program Yourself to Be Happy Part 1, auto-suggestion is a great technique to help re-program your thoughts. If you don't feel like recording an affirmation, you can just go on youtube and listen to one that's already been recorded! It's that simple! Or just repeat a positive affirmation in your mind while meditating. You can also practice slow breathing techniques while listening to your positive affirmations. There's various methods. Do what works for you! Just taking a moment daily to quiet the mind can work wonders on your mood!
20) Supplements/ Homeopathy/ Essential oils: Some of us have a more difficult time than others when it comes to achieving and sustaining happiness. There's genetic factors that can predispose us to mood disorders. When our neurotransmitters are unbalanced, every attempt at happiness can end up being thwarted by the chemicals running through our bodies that are not so easy to control. However, there are ways around this issue. Many people resort to psychotropic drugs. I personally prefer a more holistic approach. I have suffered from a mood disorder my entire life and I have found a few things that have worked pretty well. Homeopathy is a great alternative to psychotropic drugs. Essential oils like Lavender, Copaiba, Frankinscense and Myrhh are all excellent for creating a balance in mood. Cannabis oil works wonders! And there's quite a few natural supplements that can boost one's mood as well such as St. John's Wort, 5-HTP and SAM-E (please note: these particular supplements are not good for bi-polar disorder as they may induce mania). A few other great mood boosting supplements are Vitamin D3 (as I already mentioned), B Vitamins, Fish Oil, Glycine, Ashwaganda, Lithium Orotate, etc. There's also a company called NeuroScience that provides a Neurotransmitter test. I actually took this test and am currently taking the supplements they recommended in the treatment plan. Well, although quite pricey, I can attest that these supplements do in fact work (at least for me). I've been feeling much better since taking them! I've read some reviews where the supplements didn't work or made people feel even worse. So to each their own! You must experiment and figure out what works best for you!
Final Thought: If you are experiencing difficulties finding and maintaining happiness and none of the programming techniques I've mentioned are helping you, I highly suggest seeking out a Holistic Integrative Doctor. You could very possibly have a health issue you are unaware of that is affecting your mood. Integrative Doctors are a bit more expensive and most don't take health insurance, however from my experience it is worth it! I have had conventional insurance doctors tell me that everything was in my mind and that I am perfectly healthy. Meanwhile, the Holistic Doctors found that I have a B12 deficiency, Hormone Imbalance, Gene Mutations, etc... Don't allow health problems to stop you from being happy! Go see a Good Doctor and figure out what's going on!
We are all capable and deserving of Happiness! It is not so difficult. Anything and everything you put your mind to you can achieve. There are no limits! If you are determined you will make it happen! You can do it! I wish you all the Peace, Love, Abundance and Happiness in the world!
Jennie Haiman is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!
