Author: systems

Take care of one another. Yes, think of what is best for you when making your choices. Of course. You do have to get on your own unique path and show those nay-sayers that you’ve got the goods. But, along the way, when you can make an impact on the world in your own sweet way, please do. All we have in this world is one another.

Trying to be more thoughtful and present? Awesome. That means you’ll be more in tune with your own thoughts and how your body feels. It also means that you’ll be gentle with your words and actions. That your personal vibe will draw people in and you’ll be contagious… but in a gooood way! Spread it Around!

Be boundless, but have boundaries. Wait. What kind of psychobabble mumbo-jumbo is THAT? Well, being boundless means that you know you have no limits (only self-imposed ones!) when it comes to doing the things you’re here to do. Whatever your purpose is, you can find a way there. On the way, though, there may be people who try to bring your down or hitch to your wagon (emotionally or physically) and want to slow your inertia (or not have to do the work on themselves).
You will accept or ask for help from time to time on your way through the world, as you should when you need it. This is simply a reminder that you can and should draw the line sometimes of what’s acceptable. No one has to have the power to keep you as an emotional hostage. Got it? Good.

When you think about it, kindness and niceness aren’t the same. Being nice is super easy. Being kind is a lot harder. Maybe being kind means standing up to injustice while niceness means smiling, nodding, and walking away. Being nice is politely keeping the peace while being kind might mean rocking the boat. Being kind might also mean you aren’t always liked… but you will be loved by those that truly matter.

There is more information out there than anyone can learn in a lifetime. You could learn something (or even several somethings) new every day, and there would still be stuff you didn’t know. Still, the passionately curious are winners, because gobbling up knowledge leads to new ideas and ways to do things. It doesn’t matter if your interest is birds, bees, or hydrodynamics. Maybe you dig geology, genealogy, or giraffes. When you get your noodle interested in something, chase it and the knowledge it brings into your life. You never know where that will take you… but you can bet your curiosity will bring you closer to joy and true success.

You can’t learn without making mistakes. You have to gloriously screw up a few times in order to level up. Success doesn’t come from giving up, it comes from messing up until you get it right. So, forgive yourself, learn, understand that it’s a process, and even if it takes 101 tries, don’t you dare give up after 99.

Sometimes all you need is a cookie. Sometimes you need a little more than that. Sometimes you need the battery signal on the smoke alarm to stop beeping so that you can concentrate (pro tip: replace the battery rather than putting in the earbuds again!). No matter what you need, there’s a way to work around it, to strive toward it. See what you need in your mind. Big or small, take the first step toward it. Make it an adventure. There will be no stopping you!

Even a small affirmation or happy thought every day can change how your brain works. Seriously. The science says so. And those neuroscientists probably have a lot of student debt, so they’ve got reason to be all moody and cranky… but no! They’re all busy trying out the whole neuroplasticity thing instead and watching the parts of the brains that light up. You’re created to be able to grow, change, and learn — and you can have an active role in how your brain works. Cool, right? You’re so amazing like that.

When the sunshine is hidden behind dark clouds, make your own light, whether that’s turning on a lamp, lighting a candle, or setting off a boxload of fireworks (where safe, legal, and away from pets, of course!). Electricity is off and the landlord doesn’t let you have candles? No problem. You may have figured out by now that we know there’s a light inside of you. Let yours shine.

What do you need? Sometimes you’re so busy caring (for people, pets, plants, etc.) that you forget to check in with yourself. You know it’s true. Don’t deny it. Here’s your reminder: do a check in. Figure out what you need — emotionally, physically, spiritually. Refuel. Restock. Then do what you need in terms of self-care. Take the time (even if it is after everyone else has gone to bed!) You’re worth it and you deserve it.

Methods for increasing happiness aren’t like a one-size-fits-all Snuggie. Different people have experienced different kinds of trauma. Physical, emotional, family, cultural, personal loss… those are just a few of many kinds of individual traumas that could leave a scar — and not the kind of scar that a little cocoa butter and some spit can fix. You CAN be happier. You CAN begin to heal. You ARE strong. Don’t compare your journey to another’s, though. You will go at your own time, in your own way, and be sure to try on a lot of Snuggies before you find that one (or ones!) that works for you.

You’re here reading this! Yay! So glad you’re on this Earth today, going about your business in the world. You didn’t give up. You didn’t back down. You didn’t stop trying to get through it. You deserve a medal. And a cookie. Because the world is fortunate just to have you around and wouldn’t be the same without you in it.