Do you spend more time feeling relaxed and happy, or stressed and worried? Think about the impact that’s having on your life, relationships—even your health and wellness.

It’s a well-studied fact that catabolic emotions like stress can deteriorate your body. But think about how you are showing up in relationships when you are stressed, frustrated, angry, anxious, or worried? Are you quicker to snap, criticize, and demean?

I know I am. Getting out of balance even a little bit by getting too hungry, too tired, or feeling like things have to be a certain way can result in a sharp tone of voice, or even barbs and criticism—often to the people I love and care for the most.

Imagine the difference in how you treat other drivers, waiters, and checkout people if you are feeling good or feeling frustrated. Do you think they can tell the difference? How do you think that makes them feel? How does that make you feel?

If I have a choice of what I am going to focus on—and I do—then I am going to do everything I can to practice feeling good.

Yes, I practice feeling good. If I am waiting for everything to align perfectly for me to be happy, then I will be waiting a very long time. The same is true if I am waiting for others to change, circumstances to change, or for me to achieve something before I will allow myself to be happy. All I am doing is putting off being happy.

If I am going to be happy, I have to be happy now.

And regardless of where you are in life, there is always something to be happy about, even if it is just that you are alive and have air to breathe. You can start practicing feeling good exactly where you are.

Practicing feeling good can include:

• Meditating or praying.
• Making a list of things you appreciate, and adding to that list every day.
• Catching yourself in a good mood and making that feeling last even longer by thinking about all the things that make you feel good.
• Exercising.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Doing things you enjoy.
• Looking for things about other people to compliment.
• Scheduling time to relax.
• Helping someone else.
• Getting a massage, taking a bubble bath, or participating some other form of self-care.
• Focusing more on what’s right with your life then what’s wrong.

Just imagine the impact practicing feeling good has on your life, relationships, and health and wellness. Not only are you happier and healthier, but the people around you are happier, too.

How can you practice feeling good today?

Together we can do it!