Monthly Archives: March 2012

Red Lotus Happiness Project: Mahalo!

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Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. ~Denis Waitley

Thank you for participating in our March Red Lotus Happiness Project. What an amazing month we have had focusing on our daily happiness! We’ve made our Happiness manifestos, cleared the clutter, set physical goals, and channeled our inner Bruce Lee. I don’t want it to end!

Our Great Wall of Happiness!

While trying to help you get happy, I got happier, too! What an awesome “side effect.” Happiness is meant to be shared and a project that should last a lifetime. So, I’m creating the Red Lotus Daily Happiness Challenge. Everyday, I’ll post a small challenge– could be emotional or physical–on our Facebook, Twitter, and Blog. “Like” the post if you complete the challenge. Let’s make our happiness project viral!

Today’s challenge is: Smile at a stranger!

I smiled at the cashier lady in Longs.

xoxo

Me and two of my besties, Amy & Jess, who always make me smile.

Red Lotus Happiness Project Week 4: Spring Cleaning!

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“Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.”–Lao Tze

This week, I was going to focus on creating long term happiness goals. Then, I realized that happiness is not about planning, it is about living in the moment.

So, it’s time for some spring cleaning. Get rid of emotional and physical clutter so you can enjoy the moment. What are you holding onto that prevents you from being in the now? Old resentments? Fears? Sad memories? What about the clutter in your house? Boxes filled with junk, old clothes that don’t fit…Let’s get rid of it! Purge, baby! Stop the emotional and physical hoarding.

First step this week is to clean out your closet. Get rid of those jeans that you’ve been saving for “just in case.”

Then, meditate on what you can throw out of your emotional “closet.” Take a breath, acknowledge it, then let it go.

Simplify, let go of the unessential. When you clear the clutter, you’ll have a space to appreciate the moment and be happy.

Red Lotus Happiness Project Week 3: I Am Bruce Lee

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“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”–Bruce Lee

Like many, I love me some Bruce Lee. I was excited to watch the latest documentary on his life this past weekend. His story inspires me on so many levels. He makes physical perfection look so effortless on screen. He was a voracious student who endlessly practiced, read, researched, listened. He loved his wife and family. He was willing to take chances for what he believed in and he spoke up. His work ethic and pursuit of excellence is legendary.

He took knowledge and techniques from numerous “styles” without being bound to one. He was the ultimate rebel with a cause. And he understood that the physical being is connected in every way to the spiritual and emotional.

The body is a metaphor. If you do not feel good physically, it is hard to feel good spiritually and emotionally. This week we focus on our physical “happiness.” Feeling fit, strong, and healthy is essential to our overall well-being and happiness.

Bruce Lee was ahead of his time as a martial artist. Not only did he cross the boundaries of martial arts “styles,” he combined western style training–cardio, weight lifting, plyometrics, core conditioning, high intensity intervals, boxing, and nutrition into his daily routine. Sound familiar?

Let’s all channel our inner Bruce Lee this week.
What are 3 physical goals that you’d like to achieve in the few months that will make you feel stronger, healthier, and happier?
Here are mine:
1. Cut out all refined sugar and processed food.
2. Drop 3% body fat
3. Spend 1-3 hours per week on my own training, research, and meditation

Now, make an action plan. How will you accomplish these goals? Bruce Lee meticulously wrote out all of his training plans. He left nothing to chance and made no excuses.

For Bruce Lee Abs...

“Be happy, but never satisfied.” Thanks, Bruce.

Red Lotus Happiness Project Week 2: If Not You, Then Who?

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“Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
that Bang-ups and Hang-ups
can happen to you.”  –Dr. Seuss

Life can be full of challenges.  For the next few minutes, I give you permission to vent, moan, whine, and complain about the things in your life that DON’T make you happy.

Yes, that totally sucks.

Now, take a breath.  Acknowledge the negative, accept it, and let it go.  A year from now you probably won’t remember what you were venting about today.  Unfortunately, bad things do happen that we cannot control.  However, life is short. We can control how we react and use the experience to enrich our view of the world.  Learn to re-frame and re-focus your perspective.  

This week we are going to focus on the things that DO make us happy. Our homework this week is to create our “Happiness Is…” List.  What are 5 things that always make you smile? Big or small.

Here’s my list:

Happiness Is..

1.  Picking up Cade from school and having his favorite snack, ramen, and talking about our day.

2.  Feeling fit and healthy–practicing my martial arts everyday

3.  Enjoying time with my family and friends

4.  Creating art–directing, performing, writing

5.  Helping a student succeed.  Love seeing a student smile because they “got it!”

Now take action.  This week, DO all 5 things on your list.  Focus on taking responsibility for your daily happiness.  We’ve only got this one life.

If not you, then who?  And if not now, then when?

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(Sometimes, Happiness Is…a bowl of ramen!)