Happiness 1. What is your most valuable asset?
by Una Hearne.
For the rest of this year I will be re-running updated blogs. It’s going to be a kind of course in happiness – focusing on mindset first and later in the year vision and action.
So to kick us off – what is your most valuable asset?
If you are thinking ‘my house’ ‘my car’ ‘my cd collection’ ‘my rare 13th century whatjamacallit’ I’ll give you a moment to think again.
Are we there yet? Good, well done, yes, it is you. Your brain, body, personality, abilities, experience and everything else that makes up the unique and fabulous package that is you.
How well do you look after your most valuable asset? Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually?
How we care for ourselves in each area impacts naturally on all of the other areas. Good food nourishes us physically, makes us happy emotionally and supports our mental health. Good sleep, good friends and exercise are all examples of good things that benefit us in multiple ways. (Note: Unless you have M.E., Long Covid or other condition in which exercise can be damaging).
Similarly stress in any area impacts other areas. Poor diet, poor sleep, stress at work, relationship problems, isolation etc can affect all areas negatively. Our job as our own life managers is to minimise the negative things we do and maximise the positive. The better shape we are in the more we have to offer those around us and the world in general.
There is a great little exercise you can do to support your development in this area. I think I picked it up from a life coach on the Oprah show, if anyone knows who should be credited with this I would be glad to know. Carry a small notebook around with you for at least a week, a month if possible. On the first page write ‘Strong, healthy, happy’ and on the last page write ‘Weak, unhealthy, unhappy’. Note all of the things that make you feel one way or the other as you notice them. So that over time the front of the notebook becomes filled with everything that nourishes, strengthens you and makes you happy. And the back of the notebook fills up with the opposite. Over time, do more of the stuff in the front of the notebook and less of the stuff in the back.
This is another deceptively simple and truly effective practice that can change your quality of life for the better. Don’t take my word for it – try it out. 🙂
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