Is you life too busy, boring or bland? If yes, read on, focus on self-renewal and energy management making your life beautiful by prioritising how you use your energy, time and attention to engage in activities that help you flourish, thrive, have zest and engagement to feel fully alive.
The year 1994 was a defining year in my life. I was just reflecting and realised that 2024 marks 30 years since I started my personal development and growth journey.
In the story of Jesus’ birth there are three kings who come bearing gifts. In Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carol there are 4 ghosts who visit Ebeneezer Scrooge. His business partner Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
On 11th Dec 2020 our world changed when my father suddenly passed (https://www.happylifehabits.co.uk/news/2020/12/24/live-love-learn-amp-legacy) away within 36 hours. He was the primary carer for my mum. We had the gifts and ghosts of : Old age, Grief, Loneliness, Parkinsons and Dementia. That was part of our inheritance.
Without those gifts and ghosts this article would not be written, published and shared.
As time goes by the probability that someone close to you will be impacted by dementia is increasing.
“One of the hardest things in life is to know that you can not stop the decline as you witness firsthand the diminishing cognitive capacity of a loved one due to progressive incurable neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s or Dementia.
To observe them becoming a shadow of themselves day by day; the impact on their physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing. Knowing there is nothing you can do to stop that decline. Experiencing the loss each day as anticipatory grief.”
Shaileen Shah - Carer, Happy Life Habits Coach, Speaker and Trainer.
This article is about my role as a carer for my mum who is elderly, grieving, lonely and suffering from the progressive and incurable neurological conditions of both Parkinson’s and Dementia. It shares the perspective of the carer, the challenges faced, how best to look after yourself as well as how to look after and interact with someone who has these conditions or someone you are caring for.
I salute all those who are carers of any type and ask you to support those who you know who are doing a caring role.
The blog was not planned. The fantastic Mel Robbins video The World Needs Your Light prompted a thread connecting various content. The essence is about being the light, shining our light. This is by living and expressing our virtues, qualities and values. The World Values Day and the Book Club help by recognising the values and virtues that are important to us, how we become Heroic in expressing them each day to be our best and contribute to positively serving the world.
For those who have joined the book club or ordered the book from Happy Life Habits watch this video on the Heroic 7 Objectives to get a sense of what the book is about and how we use it to be our Heroic Self.
In addition to being a coach, speaker and trainer, I am now also an author of the ebook, “Every Day Happiness”.
‘Every Day Happiness’ provides understanding, tools and habits we can utilise to navigate a world with rising uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. This increase makes more demands on our Physical, Mental, Emotional, Social and Spiritual Wellbeing. Everyday Happiness is a nonfiction book written for professionals, business owners, leaders and managers reminding them to choose to put Happiness and Positive Emotions at the heart of everything they do. Thereby they will have better happiness, mental and emotional wellbeing, productivity and life satisfaction in all areas of their life.
Gratitude is my superpower. When I am immersed in the feeling of gratitude I come alive, have hope, optimism, see some many possibilities, am creative and very productive. My whole energy is different - feel very positive, connected and grounded.
Gratitude is my Superpower
7 THINGS THAT AFFECT YOUR VIBRATORY FREQUENCY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF QUANTUM PHYSICS
What are your Superpowers?
Thanksgiving
Inner Compass Good Life
Outstanding Black Friday Offer
This article was written for the Oshwal Health and Care Fair Brochure as part of the Oshwal Health and Care Fair in June 2019 where Happy Life Habits had a talk on Stress and Resilience.
Why be Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Wise?
Recently I read
“You only live once. That is incorrect! You die once but you get to live every day.”
I had not planned to write this blog but had an inspired mindful moment. Today is the last day of the current tax year. I remember a quote I had seen when I was younger.
Born Free, but taxed to death!
Tax, money, work, health, parents, kids, family, relationships, traffic, Brexit or lack off can all cause us stress. Stress in itself is not a bad thing, it is the body’s coping mechanism to deal with perceived threat and help us survive. The problem occurs when we have constant stress which are greater than our capacity to deal with them. Fortunately we can nurture, practice and develop coping systems that increase our capacity to deal with and bounce back. This is known as resilience. Happy Habits such as mindfulness and gratitude help build our resilience, perspective, ability to cope and find solutions.
Over the next month and bit I am fortunate to take part in various events where I can share about stress, resilience, mindfulness and happiness.Some are free public events and some are ticketed events. Details are below.
4th May “The Resilient Dentist” : Oshwal Dental Group
14 May “Mental Health Awareness: Habits for Happy Mental Health” : GLL Better Finchley Lido
30 May “Mental Health Awareness: Habits for Happy Mental Health” : Shishukunj
02 June “Journey from Stress to Happiness”: Oshwal Health and Care Fair : Oshwal Centre
In June I will be hosting an online 21 Day Mindfulness Challenge
If you are coming to any of the events let me know, would love to say hi.
I have capacity to share more and would love to do more events. So If you have opportunities at your work place or group let me know, especially for Mental Health Awareness, Resilience or Well Being.
Have a Happy day celebrating The International Day of Happiness. Smile. Think of something you are grateful for. What good things happened to you today. Practice a mindful moment. Do a random act of kindness. Sign up to the Happy Life Habits newsletter.
Happy Life Habits supports the UNs Sustainable Development Goals.
https://www.happylifehabits.co.uk/business-for-good/
Today, the 3rd Monday in January is known as Blue Monday when many people feel at the lowest, depressed and unhappy. This is supposedly due to some factors occurring at a similar time which include Christmas being a fading memory, payday still a week away,January bills coming through, rest of the year still to go through, high hoped resolutions broken, cold, gloomy weather, government uncertainty on Brexit and such factors.
Ways to combat Blue Monday….
Realise that today is also a Super Red Moon not to be repeated for 10 years
Seeing the beauty of nature ( I saw a gaggle of geese fly in V formation overhead)
Write down 3 things that your are grateful for
Write down 3 things that would make today great
Write done 3 things you are looking forward to this year (family weddings, holiday, get together etc)
Take a moment to enjoy mindfulness and focus on your breathing, do a short body scan, a mindful walk or mindful eating
Read and share an inspiring quote e.g “Every day may not be a good day, but there is good in every day”
Read and share an inspiring story
Tell a joke
Laugh out loud for no reason
Call a friend, have chat
Get together for a coffee or meal with a friend or family member
Give a donation to a good cause (time or money)
Cuddle a dog
Do an act of kindness
Do 5 star jumps, some exercise
Attend the last day of Museum of Happiness, Winter Happiness Festival and take part in a Sound Bath
What are some of the ways you can think of ?
Habits run our life.
They can serve us or dis-empower us. They can be 40% of our behaviour in any given day. We can have bad habits or good habits. Cultivate good, positive habits that serve and empower you.
By definition a habit is “An action or decision repeated and repeated till automatic”. It is moving from the conscious mind to the subconscious.
