Being Alive And Happy

You are a Badass Deck, by Jen Sincero — It’s time to get mighty clear about what makes you happy and what makes you feel the most alive, and then create it instead of pretending you can’t have it.

The cards in this deck were created from a book You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.

The dream catcher in the photo above is both artsy and practical. I have a group once a week as a culture consultant. We will occasionally make a dream catcher or at least ask the staff to make it with the guests in the program.

Where I am from people have used dream catchers for a very long time. They are said to let the good dreams in and to keep the nightmares or bad dreams caught in the web. The good dreams move down the feathers to the individual dreaming.

Many of the cultural teachings contribute to my happiness. I was fortunate to hear those teachings and stories growing up as many were not due to being placed in boarding school. My father and grandfather who I had the most interaction with as male figures were in an Indian boarding school.

That meant even though my grandfather spoke fluent Ojibwe, he would not speak to his children or grandchildren as he was punished for speaking his birth language. He taught us some things even though he told me I should speak English to not be punished.

I am happy that family and friends are learning the language and sharing it with others. My grandfather would speak to other fluent speakers and they would be laughing as they spoke. The language is fun. As a kid, I thought — Why would anyone want to get rid of a language where you can laugh?

Upgrade Your Environment — If you aspire to have a more up-leveled and inspiring lifestyle than you presently have, do what you can to make some upgrades to where you’re at now. Give the place a paint job and clean it up. Get new furniture or fix up what you already have. Throw out the clutter, let some air in, and hang inspiring art on the walls. Jen Sincero

How about a new bed? I had lunch with friends yesterday and we were talking about shoulder and arm aches and pains and having difficulty sleeping on our side when one friend talked about how she “Sleeps like a baby” in the new bed they bought a couple of years ago.

She said it is adjustable and she can raise the head and also the legs. It was funny as I pictured her sleeping in a yoga pose. She said, “Not quite.”

A new bed sounds about right. I will start looking soon. I am okay most of the time. My husband sleeps about 4 hours in bed and then on the reclining sofa a couple of hours each night.

Many things could be done. I think we could use a few new windows. So paint, decoration? I am slowly decluttering. At least faster than I bring in more clutter! The paint and decorating will have to wait.

Feeling and thought are far more powerful working together than either one is on its own. Jen Sincero

What works together

Thought and feeling

In every kind of weather

Feel it after thinking

~

Thoughts will set off how we feel

Just thinking all of the time is too much

Let’s get real

Not knowing how we feel is such

a shame as we may be set to reel

with not knowing how we feel.

~

So let us think and then feel and not reel

around on the ground trying to know

just how we feel!

~~

Authors note: Okay, it was funny to me, maybe not to you. So how about a few affirmations:

I practice gratitude every day.

I am positive in my thoughts and deeds.

My feelings aren’t good or bad, they just are!

It is okay to feel my feelings.

I can muck around in some feelings for minutes each day and then move on. I won’t stay there.

Tears and laughter are healing medicine. I will cry more and laugh more.

I am happy, joyous, and free!

~~~~

First published by Mercury Press on medium.com