100 Ways To Be Happy- #9: Stop Regretting Your Choices

Photo Credit: Liza Nedelman

How many times have you wished you could go back in time and change the past? Made a smarter decision, got a different haircut, drank less at your work party, told someone something you never got to say…

Yeah we’ve all had those moments, and there’s a reason why we aren’t able to go back and time and prevent them from happening… because they were SUPPOSED to happen to us. Those choices we made yesterday are the reason we are the people we are today. So this weeks Way to be Happy is:

#9: Stop Regretting Your Choices

This one ties back into the theory of trusting the universe. The decisions we made at the time were clearly what we felt best for us or at least desired most or else we wouldn’t have made them. So accept that made it and move on. Feeling like the bad and negative choices you made in the past are going to be the only ones to shape your future is simply not true. You had the power to make a choice then, that power still exists. When we dwell on the mistakes or things we didn’t do, we lose focus on what we can do in the here and now. Focusing on the present allows the realization that this is the only time you have control over. Life takes unexpected twists and turns and the universe has a plan for us all that we will never be able to foresee. If we were able to change the past, it still might not prevent us from being at the point we are right now. That’s because we all are rightfully in the place the universe has planned on all along. Whether you wish you hadn’t gotten that tattoo or hadn’t moved to New York City, these are all things that were positioned into our lives to mold us into the people we are destined to be. Those choices are what give us the experiences we are meant to have. So start to accept your choices from the past, embrace them rather than shame or dwell on them. Those choices are meant to make you stronger when you come out the other side. Love those choices, be proud of the choices that you had to fight through to become a better man/ woman. Turn your regrets into lessons that you treasure.

xo

L

Reiki: A Massage for the Soul

Invented by 19^th century Buddhist, Mikao Usui, the term Reiki derives from two Japanese words, Rei being the higher intelligence that guides us and Ki the non-physical energy that animates all living creatures. After doing my research on the healing powers of Reiki, I finally took the plunge and had a couple of sessions. Now I feel it is my duty to spread the good word on this holistic treatment for anyone seeking a remedy to their physical, mental, or emotional imbalance. For those of you who are skeptics, trust in the knowledge that energy healing is a practice dating back thousands of years and is just as applicable in today’s modern society!

I’ve heard the name but what is Reiki?

 Reiki is a form of natural healing to balance, shift or replenish energy throughout the body. Similar to a massage, Reiki requires you to lie (fully clothed) on a table while the healer uses the light placing of hands on or over areas of the body, specifically the different chakras to channel that energy.

Okay so how does it work?

 Our thoughts and emotions are connected to the world through energy. When those thoughts and emotions are negative, that negativity creates an actual blockage on our cells and organs. Reiki works by clearing out the negative blockage of energy within our bodies and gives them a positive recharge. It raises the vibrations in and around the physical body to relieve us of negative thoughts or feelings. Reiki disables our fight or flight mechanism and enables a relaxation mechanism, which allows our bodies to heal (just as sleep heals a head cold, etc.).

How can Reiki help me personally?

Reiki can be used for all types of healing. I personally have gotten Reiki to become more in tuned with my creativity and to balance and understand myself. Reiki can also be used for stress reduction, anxiety, trauma, pre or post surgery, improving immunity, reducing side effects of medication, and the list goes on.

What should I expect to experience?

 Although I am fairly new to Reiki, I had a similar experience both times during my session. It is easy to fall into a meditative state during Reiki, which allows for a really transcendental experience. During the session, I experienced very vivid memories I had until then forgotten about, mostly of my childhood. I also experienced very lucid daydreams or visions, all things that led to a feeling of infinite peace and tranquility within my own body and mind. Many of these visions struck a chord with me emotionally and would give me overwhelming feelings of happiness or relief that came close to tears. After the session, I felt patient and effortlessly joyful. Conquering my day was inspiring and I found challenges to be rewarding and enjoyable rather than frustrating or exhausting. I was actively being the person I aspire to be.

Do I have to believe it in to receive it?

 No! This is something I struggled with at first when pitching the idea to friends and family. The beautiful thing about Reiki is it can be done on you without you even knowing (in a non-violating way). Many Reiki practitioners offer remote healing for people unable to travel or be with the practitioner. Reiki can also be done on animals to prolong their well-being and relieve pain. Give it a shot, or learn how to do it on yourself!

If you are in the Los Angeles area or beyond and are interested in receiving or learning more about Reiki check out: http://www.reikiforcreativeminds.com/

xo

L

100 Ways to be Happy- #3: Meditate Into Something You Love

 

Meditation. An anomaly for many people, but as Buddhism, Hinduism, Yoga and other spiritual practices become increasingly mainstream, we find it being suggested to us more and more.

Many people have a hard time sitting in a dark room with their eyes closed trying to clear their mind from all thoughts. What will I eat for dinner? What am I going to wear to work tomorrow? Did I feed my cat earlier?

Getting rid of these thoughts and just being inside of your shell can be a really difficult (but beneficial!) practice for the modern soul. We are so used to the immediacy of connection and communication in our lives that it is often hard for us to turn that off and just be with our bodies.

SO, if you are the kind of person who just CANT find a way to quiet your mind for twenty minutes, thats fine!! A friend once told me during a discussion about meditation that he suffers from the same problem, but found a solution. This was an revelatory piece of advice that stuck with me:

MEDITATE INTO SOMETHING YOU LOVE.

Instead of sitting quietly inside yourself, be in the moment and MEDITATE into a delicious desert, a hug from a friend, a good book at lunch, a workout you like to do. Find something that you really appreciate in your life and MEDITATE into that moment. Enjoy and be one with that experience. Adding up all of these little things and taking even a minute to acknowledge and appreciate the experiences we have, IS A MEDITATION.

The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large. – Confucius

 

xo

L

 

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