Still keeping in with my Happiness Project, I started looking for things that make me happy and give me energy. This brought me to a realization. I am an empath.
There I said it. An Empath is a person who can psychically tune in to the emotional experience of a person, place or animal. Being so strongly affected by the emotions of others, crowds overwhelm me, the negative moods of others send me into a funk and I can tell when something is wrong with certain people in my life. Not only do these things affect me mentally, but it can become a physical reaction as well. Racing heart, anxiety, the works. Sometimes I know where the feelings are coming from, sometimes I don't.
What does being an empath have to do with being happy? I thought at first it was just the reactions to others that exaggerated my moods. After some trial and error, I've discovered the foods I eat play just as big a role.
This spring I started a cleanse with the help of my naturopath. No caffeine. No alcohol. No sugar. Within days, I felt lighter and happier. Once I added exercise into the mix, the effects were amazing! While I still felt the emotions of others, they didn't affect me as deeply. I was able to brush off the negativity so much easier.
After spending the past two months feeling like I wanted to spin off the face of the earth, the realization dawned on me that eating right and exercising daily made me feel grounded and happy. I had energy. I smile more because I feel good. Light. I also am able to deal better with others and love to cook the foods that make me feel good. Healthy foods.
So, what would I recommend for those just starting on the Happiness Project journey?
1) Eat better. Notice how foods affect your mood. Too much caffeine and sugar can make you jittery, anxious. Water, water, water is the best medicine for mood! I even add coconut water or citrus just to change it up.
2) Sleep! There are so many hours in a day and our bodies need to rest and regenerate. Without sleep, we are cranky and crave something to wake us up. Back to the coffee and sugar.
3) Smile. So many days, I don't want to smile. I have to fake it just to get through the day. By the time I fall into bed, however, the smile is genuine and I've had nicer interactions with most people than I would have otherwise.
4) Exercise. Go for a walk. Stretch. Dance around the livingroom with your kids. Take a fitness class. Do something that moves your body and raises your heart rate.
5) Find a passion. Have a hobby you love? Make a few minutes every day or even once a week to indulge. Spend some time doing something you love. I love to write as well as paint. While I try to make time for both, some days that's not always possible due to kids, work, whatever the excuse. There's no harm in taking fifteen minutes a day to feed your soul!
That's it. My top five. The things I'm working on in my own life.
Let me know what works for you!!
There I said it. An Empath is a person who can psychically tune in to the emotional experience of a person, place or animal. Being so strongly affected by the emotions of others, crowds overwhelm me, the negative moods of others send me into a funk and I can tell when something is wrong with certain people in my life. Not only do these things affect me mentally, but it can become a physical reaction as well. Racing heart, anxiety, the works. Sometimes I know where the feelings are coming from, sometimes I don't.
What does being an empath have to do with being happy? I thought at first it was just the reactions to others that exaggerated my moods. After some trial and error, I've discovered the foods I eat play just as big a role.
This spring I started a cleanse with the help of my naturopath. No caffeine. No alcohol. No sugar. Within days, I felt lighter and happier. Once I added exercise into the mix, the effects were amazing! While I still felt the emotions of others, they didn't affect me as deeply. I was able to brush off the negativity so much easier.
After spending the past two months feeling like I wanted to spin off the face of the earth, the realization dawned on me that eating right and exercising daily made me feel grounded and happy. I had energy. I smile more because I feel good. Light. I also am able to deal better with others and love to cook the foods that make me feel good. Healthy foods.
So, what would I recommend for those just starting on the Happiness Project journey?
1) Eat better. Notice how foods affect your mood. Too much caffeine and sugar can make you jittery, anxious. Water, water, water is the best medicine for mood! I even add coconut water or citrus just to change it up.
2) Sleep! There are so many hours in a day and our bodies need to rest and regenerate. Without sleep, we are cranky and crave something to wake us up. Back to the coffee and sugar.
3) Smile. So many days, I don't want to smile. I have to fake it just to get through the day. By the time I fall into bed, however, the smile is genuine and I've had nicer interactions with most people than I would have otherwise.
4) Exercise. Go for a walk. Stretch. Dance around the livingroom with your kids. Take a fitness class. Do something that moves your body and raises your heart rate.
5) Find a passion. Have a hobby you love? Make a few minutes every day or even once a week to indulge. Spend some time doing something you love. I love to write as well as paint. While I try to make time for both, some days that's not always possible due to kids, work, whatever the excuse. There's no harm in taking fifteen minutes a day to feed your soul!
That's it. My top five. The things I'm working on in my own life.
Let me know what works for you!!
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