3 tips to add some sweetness to your day - Houston Chronicle

It’s the little things we do and think in the course of a day that add up to determine how things go.

So today, I’d like to offer a few simple tips that, at least for me, can have a surprisingly large effect.

Here we go:

1. Add a bright thought.

It’s pretty common to have a few negative repetitive thoughts.

I had a few conversations just this week on the subject. One person commented how she’s now in her third decade of hating her legs. Another said she’s recently been caught in a loop of thinking “I hate him” about her husband (whom she clearly loves, but she’s stressed out).

I think it’s wise to kindly call out the lies we repeat to ourselves and play with different ways of displacing them (one fun tip I heard from meditation Jeff Warren is switch your inner voice to sound like the Swedish Chef from the Muppets; whenever that mental tape starts rolling, say the nasty stuff in silly gibberish in your head).

But I think something else is incredibly powerful, too: consciously add a repetitive positive thought to your mental repertoire.

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“I’m so blessed” is mine. Sometimes I leave it at that. Sometimes I list a reason or two why.

You’re welcome to use this thought or choose your own, but the idea is to think it often. Infuse it into your day.

I refer back to “I’m so blessed” when my negative chatter turns up. It’s not necessarily to cancel it out; it’s mainly just because that’s when I think of it. I say these happy words to myself all day long — every time I remember.

And I try to remember a lot.

2. Add essential oil to your shower.

The next two tips are more superficial, but they totally add sweetness.

I like to add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the corners of the shower while I’m getting cleaned up in the morning. The aroma spreads as the room steams up. I find it to be stimulating, while relaxing. It’s just an all-around pleasant experience and a great way to get the day rolling.

You can try this with any essential oil. If you prefer nighttime showers, lavender is another popular option known for its calming effects.

3. Reach out and connect.

Give someone a big (and ideally long) hug. Love on an animal. Call someone.

This isn’t anything new.

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Genuinely connecting with others is a vital part of living a high-quality, meaningful life. I think it’s easy to get caught up in whatever we’re doing and especially at this point, a lot of us are somewhat used to being more alone, but few things can brighten our spirits as much as connecting with others.

Sometimes I forget how much hugging someone in my house, or offering kind words over the phone, or having a rich conversation, or reaching out in some way can lift me up and make my day - and how it does that for the person on the other end, too. I think this is useful reminder for us all.

Now let’s go sweeten some days.

Marci Izard Sharif is an author, yoga teacher, meditation facilitator and mother. In Feeling Matters, she writes about self-love, sharing self-care tools, stories and resources that center around knowing and being kind to yourself.

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