Simple Gestures

Our CEO is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.
He is funny, charming and tells really corny jokes. He knows the best spots for good food and great wine.

He is based in Cape Town and has been trying to get me to CT for years. One day I may just relent.

He calls me Sunshine.

The other day a poster of One Direction and a necklace of Liam - my favourite arrives in the mail. From the CEO because he knows how much I love them.

I tell you - surprises like this are enough to have me smiling the entire day!

Speaking of which - my concert at Wembley was 40 days ago. I am still wearing my armband from the show.
Yes I bath with it on - it is not made of paper.

40 Days & 40 Nights

Liam

In the Spotlight

The Boys

Happy Crowd

10 Things You Never Realized You Could Do To Be Happy

The older I become, the more I realize that it is up to US to make ourselves happy.

Wisdom really does come with age! :-)

I made the decision at the end of last year that I was going to be a happier person this year.
It is working. I am happier.
Yes I do still have those few days every now and then when I cannot pull myself out of the black hole that threatens to suck me in. I try to ride them out without letting it cause any ripple effects (I try not to speak to people and avoid causing fights from being over-sensitive etc)

I have a few posts lined up about aging, things I wish I knew, things I want to accomplish, etc. I hope you will find them useful and perhaps in some way they will resonate with you as well.

For today - here are some handy tips I really loved - they sound like common sense, but we don't always apply them to ourselves.

What do you do that make you a happier person?

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people.
Many seemingly happy and successful people are burning themselves alive on the fire of their inner turmoil. So focus on you.

More to read: How to Stay Happy No Matter What Happens

2. Socialize.
Even if you are an introvert, force yourself into social scenarios that give you the opportunity to meet people and form connections. These connections will put you back in touch with your humanity.

3. Make healthy decisions.
It is amazing how much exercise and good diet can change your outlook on the world around you. The negative thoughts in your head that seem so very real and pressing will melt away.

4. Do something different.
Stop wasting your time trying to find the “perfect hobby.” Pick anything – whether it’s fiber art or coffee tasting. Find something that you can put effort into, build competence, and see results.

5. Get in touch with your anchors.
We tend to lose these anchors as we get older. Try to better position yourself within any communities you once found a home in, whether that’s your family, your neighborhood, your culture, or your religion.

6. Look less ahead. Look less behind.
Try to refocus yourself to the current moment more often. Start building memories instead of living in them. Start creating your future instead of just hoping for a better one. If you don’t do this, your life will become a fog that can stretch across your entire time on earth.

7. Create.
Write in a journal. Paint something. Make up a song even if you will never perform it. Start to fashion the relics that you will leave behind when you are gone.

8. Let go.
Forgive those who hurt you. I’m sorry you were hurt but if you do not leave that hurt in the past, it will follow you like a wolf – forever casting a dangerous shadow over everything you do.

9. Worry more about the others.
Many times it is our own narcissism that destroys us. It seems counter-intuitive, but take some time each day to think about the needs of the other people in your life. Helping them meet those needs will make you happier in a way that you might not understand right now.

10. Stop running.
There is no such place as “away.” Travel as far as you want, but you will still find yourself waiting for you when you get there. Pull out your sword. It’s time to turn around and fight the dragons inside you.

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