PART IV: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO FEEL GOOD?
OPEN UP YOUR MIND TO FLOW
CATCH UP ON PART I, PART II AND PART III to learn how to open up your body to inner peace and your heart to love
In this substack, I will share with you lots of tips and tricks to add lots of positive moments to your life. Are you ready for an overflow of joy?
Did I hear you say “bring it on?”
Here you go…
9. Do activities that you enjoy to balance out the things you have to do but don’t enjoy
What activities did you enjoy as a child? Which ones can you take up again as an adult?
What do you secretly wish you could do? “I wish I learned to play the piano as a child” “I wish I could draw” “I wish I could speak another language”. What are you waiting for? Do it now! Your brain is plastic. It can keep on learning new things as you age.
What activities make you lose track of time? Add some to your schedule.
Consider doing something with your hands for an extra dose of dopamine that results from the feeling of accomplishment (cooking, art, building things…)
10. Get you daily dose of the feel good hormones (endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin)
Connect with others in person: schedule quality time with loved ones and friends. Surround yourself with people who uplift you and set boundaries for those who put you down
Be generous with hugging your loved ones
Join a social group (peaceful faith group ☮️, Choir, book club)
Learn a group dance (Try the Palestinian Dabke, Jewish dance or the Zorba…)
Laugh out loud! (choose comedy over the news or laugh with these hysterically laughing babies)
Exercise (Mix it up to get the full range of the feel good hormones –cardio, strength, flexibility)
Schedule time in nature, preferably in the sun for 30 minutes every day
Eat enough protein. Your body needs proteins to make your feel good hormones.
11. Be a Positivity Detective. We see more of what we look for.
Look for positive characteristics in people/situations
For every negative thought about yourself, think of three positive thoughts (e.g., “I’m hopeless at cooking”-- “but I am loving, kind and considerate”)
Curate your social media content: watch, like and share positive content (educational and uplifting) and the algorithms will give you more of that (turn off notification: bombardments hurt your attention and peace of mind)
Find the gifts in adversities. Draw your life timeline and divide it into decades. Under each section list the ‘bad’ events that happened in your life then try to see the gifts that came out of them. Listen to the parable of the Chinese farmer and the horse to inspire you.
Consider a current situation that is bothering you. Imagine three ways it could turn out to be a gift. What are small actions you can take today to turn the situation into an opportunity for personal growth, gain in knowledge, self-regulation, deeper connections, boundary setting…? (Write this down to help you think through it)
12. Smile and stand like a SuperHero
Your facial expression and body posture can influence how you feel.
Act happy and confident, even if you don’t feel happy or confident.
When your behaviour is not congruent with your feelings, you experience cognitive dissonance (a very uncomfortable emotional state). To resolve this cognitive dissonance, your brain changes your feelings to be in line with your behaviour (or so says the theory 😉)
(source)
(In the above experiment, researchers studied the impact of holding a pen with the teeth which mimics a smile and holding a pen with the lips which mimics a frown)
Don’t worry. I will not ask you to do a daily practice of holding a pen between your teeth as in the above experiment... Just remember this old muslim saying:
“Smiling in the face of another is an act of charity”
SO
CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE
“I am smiling, therefore I am happy!!”
13. Adopt a healthy lifestyle
The mind-body connection is very powerful. Being healthy makes us feel good and feeling good makes us healthier. Eating a nourishing diet (getting enough proteins, staying low on carbs and reducing your toxic load) and being physically active can help you resolve many chronic illnesses and make you feel more energised, stronger and happier. ==> Join the SWITCH CHALLENGE
Next week I’m going all philosophical on you. Stay tuned for PART V.
My mission is to help improve the health and wellbeing of people around the world. Please help me mobilise humanity towards personal agency by sharing my work.
DISCLAIMER: I take no commission from any of the above programs. I am sharing them because I have personally tried them and found them beneficial and I am hoping you would benefit from them too.
DISCLAIMER: All information provided by Abir Ballan is solely intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for expert advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abir Ballan has a Masters in Public Health, a graduate degree in special needs education and a BA in psychology. She is a children’s author with 27 published books.