Rena’s 12 Steps To Health And Happiness Daily Checklist

At  a  young  age,  I  got  sick,  and  I  don’t  mean  slightly  ill—I  was  literally  facing  death.  As  I  desperately  clung  to  life,  I  set  a  goal  for  myself  that  I  have  never  turned  back  on:  to  find  health  and  live  my  best  life.    

Over  the  30  years  that  have  followed,  I’ve  been  on  a  conscious  journey  towards  seeking  wellbeing—mental,  physical  and  emotional  health.  Through  a  lot  of  trial  and  error,  I  have  come  up  with  12  steps  that  are  essential,  towards  that  end.  

In  addition  to  using  my  own  life  experience,   I’ve  had  the  pleasure  of  working  with  over  100,000  people,  and  I’ve  also  learned  from  their  ups  and  downs  in  the  quest  for  health  and  happiness.  

From  all  of  this   experience,  a  general  theme  has  emerged:  Life  is  a  constant  series  of  choices   that  ultimately  boil  down  to  one  decision  to  be  made  in  every  moment.    Are  we  choosing  life/health/love/goodness  or  are  we  selecting,   either  overtly  or  by  default,  pain/negativity/fear/evil?  

Here are the 12 steps to make the choice easier: 1.        Lift  Your  Vibration  

We  are  made  up  of  energy  and  highly  sensitive  to  it.  Of-­‐  ten,  we  forget  this  basic  fact  of  life.  Our  moods  generally  are  not    arbitrary.  Either  we  are  being  uplifted  by  our  choices  in  thought,    word    and    action    or    we    are    being    brought    down.    We    are    either    surrounding  ourselves  with  positive  energy  or  we  are  putting  our-­‐  selves  in  an  environment  where  the  vibration  is  low.  Vibrations  are  “catchy,”  as  we  tend  to  be  porous  to  some  degree.    

Notice    that    when    you    are    in    the    midst    of    an    ecstatic    crowd  of  sports  fans  or  at  a  rock  concert  or  even  in  the  company    of  someone  who  just  had  a  great  life  fortune  (such  as  birthing  a    new  baby,  falling  in  love,  or  winning  the  lottery)  you  automatically    find  yourself  feeling  uplifted.  

By  the  same  token,  when  you  are  around  a  negative,    depressed  person  (who  may  even  be  you!),  you  can’t  help  but  begin  to  feel  tired,  worn  out  and  possibly  even  hopeless.      

Step one is making a conscious decision to lift your own vibration with your choice of thoughts, words and actions.

 2.    Practice  Awareness,  Self-­‐Reflection  and  Honesty  

How  can  we  lift  our  vibration  when  we  don’t  even  know    that  it’s  down?  How  can  you  improve  your  life  when  you  are  unaware  of  our  own  energy  and  its  impact  on  the  people  around  you?  It  takes  great    humility  to    look    at    yourself    honestly.    It    is    not    necessary    to  ruthlessly    berate    yourself,    but    it    is    essential    that    you  assess    your  own  strengths  and  weaknesses  with  honesty  and  courage.  

If  you  don’t  admit  that  you  are  carrying  within  yourself  a    chunk  of  anger,  resentment,  hatred  or  envy,  how  can  you  possibly    release  it?  Criticizing  yourself  for  small  flaws  such  as  saying  or  -­‐  doing  the  wrong  thing  isn’t  going  to  create  the  kind  of  lasting  change  that  can  transform  your  life.  

However,      observing      yourself      with      honesty—without    condemnation—can    prove    to    be    incredibly    helpful    in    producing    such  a  transformation.  Here’s  why:      

If your goal is to live your best life, you need to see what’s holding you back.

Perhaps   you  turn  people  off  because   your  energy   is  

invasive  or  offensive.  Maybe  you  have  the  habit  of  isolating  yourself  or,  towards  the  opposite  extreme,  spreading  yourself  out  to  thin.  It’s  possible  that  you  are  expending  too  much  of  your    precious  life  force  energy  talking  or  running  around.  Or,  alternately,  you  may  be  clamping  down  your  creativity  by  wasting  oodles  of  time  in  front  of  the  television  or  on  your  computer.  

Without  awareness,  you  have  absolutely  no  control  over  your   life  and  your  destiny.   It’s  easy   to  want   to  avoid  awareness  because  you  don’t  want  to  feel  bad  about  yourself.  Realize,  on  the  other  hand,   that  you  have  the  power   to  change  what   is  in  your  awareness.  

One  of  the  keys  in  this  step  is  noticing  your  own  identifications.  Do  you  identify  yourself  as  someone  who  is  lazy,  weak-­‐  willed  or  strong-­‐willed?  Do  these  labels  serve  you?  For  example,  if  your  goal  is  to  be  at  a  healthy  weight,  but  your  self-­‐talk  insists  that  you  hate  to  plan  ahead,  cook  or  prepare  healthy  meals,  how  is  that  useful  to  you?  

If  you  want   to  succeed   in  reaching   your  goal,  you  must  drop  that  identity  the  way  you  would  drop  an  old,  worn  out  piece  of  clothing  and  realize  it’s  just  a  story  you’ve  adopted  about  yourself.  

Character   traits  can  seem   like  they  are  carved   in  stone  but  in  reality,  most   of  them   are  just  habitual   tendencies.  With  motivation,  you  can  shape  your  character  by  reclaiming  your  lost  inner  resources   and  remembering   that  you  are  so  much  more  than  you  think  you  are.    

 Who you are is not lazy, hopeless, unhappy, obsessive, angry, anxious or poor, but those adjectives may describe your behavior and your life circumstances in the moment.

Shed  old,  unwanted  identities  by  deciding  to  do  so.  Remember  that  even  though  those  character  traits  may  exist,  each  one  is  only  part  of  the  story  and  you  are  so  much  more.  Reclaim  your   life  and  start  heading   towards   your  best  possible  outcome  or  destiny.    3.        Love  with  an  Open  Heart  So  many  people  choose  to  give  their  deepest  love  to  animals.  This  is  not  surprising  because  the  beautiful  gift  that  many  of    our  pets  give  us  is  the  experience  of  absolute,  unconditional  love.    Pets  seem  to  respond  to  our  highest,  best  selves,  and  never  reflect    back  to  us  parts  of  ourselves  that  we  wish  to  disown  or  ignore.  We  can  receive  this  same  wonderful  gift  when  we  open    our    hearts    to    other    people.    It    also    provides    the    opportunity    to    witness  repressed  parts  of  ourselves  based  on  our  own  reactions    to  them,  and  incredible  love  then  comes  back  to  us.  What’s      interesting  is  that  this  love  doesn’t  always  get  returned  from  the  one  to  whom  we  are  directing  our  affection—but  it  does  always  come  back,  in  one  way  or  another.  Just    the    act    of    being    open    and    approaching    life    with    a    pure,  open  heart,  invites  beauty  and  goodness  into  your  life.  When  

Healthy Living  you  are  strong  enough  to  let  go  of  calculated  measures  about  who  you  give  your  adoration   to  and  in  what  amount,   you  are  able   to  connect  to  the  unconditional  love  that  is  deep  within  all  of  us.    

This  leads   to  greater   happiness,   regardless   of  the  outcome  of  any  single   relationship   you  may  be  in  pursuit  of  in  the  physical  world.  

 “Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”

– Karl A. Menninger

4.         Release  and  Forgive  Daily  What    prevents    us    from    maintaining    an    open    heart    

and  giving  the  love  at  our  core  freely  is  the  constant  insults  we    shower    on    ourselves.    The    more    we    analyze    life,    the    more    we    come  to  see  that  it  isn’t  fair;  often  we  cannot  understand  why    things    happen    as    they    do.    This    realization    and    acceptance    is    one  of  the  keys  to  happiness  

We  want  to  be  loved,  appreciated,  and  we  want  our    mistakes    overlooked.    How    can    we    ensure    that    our    mistakes    will    be  overlooked?  We  can’t,  but  we  can  begin  to  forgive  the  mistakes  of  others.  Often,  this  can  very  challenging  because  the  analytical  mind  tells  us  that  the  other  person’s  behavior  is  unforgivable.  We  tell  ourselves  that  we  would  never  do  what  the  other  person  did.    While  this  may  be  true,  we  often  overlook  the  fact  that  we  have    done    other    things,    either    now    or    in    the    past,    that    were    equally    hurtful  to  someone  else.    

It’s  so  easy  to  judge  and  condemn  others  but  it  can  be    quite  humbling  to  realize  that  the  forgiveness  we  are  being  asked    to  give  is  in  reality  the  forgiveness  that  we  ourselves  are  seeking.    

To  release   is  to  gain   freedom.  Try  working  with  this    Affirmation:    

“I forgive you. I release you, I set you free and I am free.”

Make   it  a  daily  practice   to  let  go  of  everything   that  is  bugging   you.   If  that   seems   difficult  or  even   impossible,   imagine  the  passage  of  time  happening,  in  this  moment.    

Ask  yourself,  “How  long  does  this  event  warrant  me  carrying  it  around  with  resentment  and  hostility?”  

Clear  all  your   fear,  anger,  hurt,   shame  and  guilt  by  letting  it  wash  off  you,   just  as  you  rinse  the  dirt  off  your  body  on  a  daily  basis  in  the  shower,  or  dust  off  the  furniture   in  your  home.  Since  there  is  no  distinct  amount  of  time  that  is  beneficial  to  carry  around  pain,   the  quicker  you  can  let  it  go  the  healthier  you  will  be.  Fear,  anger  and  resentment  create  aging,  illness  and  disease.  It  doesn’t  matter  if  these  emotions  are  understandable  based  on  your  life  circumstance.  What  matters  is  simply  that  you  are  carrying  them  and  they  are  weighing  you  down  (often  literally).  You  can  let  them  go,  just  by  deciding  to  do.  Remind  yourself  that,  “Nothing  means  what  I  think  it  does,”  and  “This  too  shall  pass.”    

In  the  big  picture  of  your   life,  remember   constantly  all  the  goodness   and  love  that  are  directed   your  way  and  let  that  overshadow  the  disappointments.  And  stop  looking  for  a  cause.    

There  never   is  any  one  cause  or  single  person  to  blame.  People  treat  you  in  less  than  loving  ways  because  of  their  own  emotional  pain,  fear  and  anxiety.  Give  them  the  gift  of  forgiveness  and  open  your  heart  to  receive  all  the  redemption  that  is  here  for  you.    5.         Exercise  

One  of  the  most  obvious  ways  to  improve  our  health  and    stay  youthful  is  to  exercise.  Physical  exercise  is  not  optional  –  it’s    necessary    for    peak    mental,    physical    and    emotional    health.    The    key  is  making  exercise  part  of  your  daily  routine.  We  have  to  make  it  a  habit.  We  don’t  ask  ourselves  daily  whether  we  feel  like  bathing  or  brushing  our  teeth,  do  we?  

When  it  comes  to  physical  activity,  chances  are  you    expend  too  much  energy  trying  to  decide  whether  you  feel  like  exercising  or  not.  Honestly,  if  your  goal  is  to  be  healthy  and  happy,  then  exercise  must  be  a  part  of  your  routine,  even  if  sleeping  in  another  hour  feels  more  desirable  in  the  moment.                          Here’s  the  great  news.  Like  any  other  habit  you  acquire,    once    you    start    incorporating    movement    into    your    daily    routine,    you  will  crave  it  and  look  forward  to  it.  It  won’t  feel  right  to  skip  it.    

The  other  terrific  news  is  that  exercise  really  can  be  fun.    It    may    not    be    exciting    every    time,    but    in    the    big    picture    of    your    life,    you    can    begin    to    look    forward    to    movement    in    anticipation    of  reducing  stress  and  releasing  pent  up  feelings  of  physical  and    emotional  constriction.  

There    is    such    a    variety    of    activities    to    choose    from!    Also,    give  yourself  plan  A  and  plan  B.  Find  something  you  like  to  do.  Perhaps  it’s  a  sport  you  used  to  enjoy  such  as  tennis,  swimming,  bicycling  or  hiking.  Make  a  commitment  to  move  your  body  daily  and  you  will  see  a  great  upswing  in  your  health,  energy,  mood  and  stamina.      6.         Eat  Whole,  Clean,  Real,  Unprocessed  Food  

What  a  detour  dieting  is!  If  your  goal  is  health  and        happiness,  I  can  only  encourage  you,  no  matter  how  long  dieting  and  deprivation  have  been  a  lifestyle  and  an  identity  for  you,  to  shed  it.  That’s  right,  just  let  it  go.  

Most  people  who  diet  are  not  at  a  healthy  weight,  nor    are  they  likely  to  have  a  healthy  state  of  mind.  Not  being  on  a  diet,    however,    doesn’t    mean    eating    whatever    we    want    whenever    we    want,    until    our    taste    for    food    changes.    Once    that    happens,    we    really  can  eat  whatever  we  want,  whenever  we  want,  because  at    that  point,  we  will  actually  crave  healthy  food.  

When    you    select    healthy    food    consistently,    by    choice,    you  just  don’t  even  want  the  junk  anymore.   It  starts  to  look    extremely  unappealing.  That’s  the  gift  that  awaits  you!  Freedom  is  being    completely    turned    off    to    harmful,    toxic,    processed    foods  that  suck  the  life  force  right  out  of  you.  You  may  recognize  these  foods    because    you    see    them    on    commercials,    being    touted    by  beautiful,  thin,  seemingly  happy  people.  These  people  are  drinking  soda  or  beer,  eating  fast  food,  junk  food  and  fried  food,  and  seem  to  be  no  worse  for  it.    

Welcome    to    the    world    of    mass    hypnosis!    Processed,    junk  food;  greasy,  oily  food  and  sugar  in  all  forms  make  you  sick  in    body,  mind  and  spirit,  over  time.  

You    didn’t    develop    bad    eating    habits    over    night    and    that’s  why  it  takes  time  to  get  out  of  an  unhealthy  lifestyle  which  is    comprised  of  unhealthy  habits  like  eating  when  you  are  not    hungry  or  stuffing  your  problems  with  food.    

The  basic  rules  of  healthy  eating  are:  Eat  only  when  you  

are    physically    hungry;    eat    only    real,    whole,    clean,    unprocessed    food,  from  the  earth;  plan  ahead.  It’s  eat  to  live,  not  live  to  eat!  

Every    food    has    a    vibration    that    either    uplifts    you    or    brings    you    down.    It’s    not    about    calories    or    points.    Some    of    the    foods  with  the  lowest  number  of  points  or  calories  are  just  as  toxic    to  your  body  as  a  500-­‐calorie  hot  fudge  sundae  or  plate  of    barbecued  ribs.    

Think    health,    energy    and    vitality!    Choose    your    food    wisely    based    on    asking    yourself,    “How    will    this    food    sustain    me    and    nourish    me    over    time?”    “Will    this    food    satisfy    me    or    will    it    cause  me  to  crave  more  sugar,  in  one  form  or  another,  either    immediately  or  long-­‐term?”  

Make decisions about what you are going to eat with consciousness, mindfulness and awareness.

 7.  Eliminate  Toxic  Substances  –  Drugs,  Food,  Liquids  

Your    body    is    not    a    trash    can.    Stop    treating    it    like    one.    Think  about  the  substances  you  are  about  to  put  in  your  body  and    their  long-­‐  and  short-­‐term  effects.  

Flippantly    throwing    out    phrases    such    as,    “You    only    live    once,  you  might  as  well  enjoy  yourself,”  as  you  guzzle  down  your    third  margarita,  may  not  be  in  your  best  health  interest.  

Many    times    when    evaluating    what    food,    drink    or    even    the    prescription    drugs    to    take,    we    seek    advice    from    others.    The    downside  of  that  is  that  the  people  we  are  seeking  advice  from,    even  if  they  are  professionally  competent,  may  not  have  the    expertise  we  are  assuming  they  do.  

How    many    medicines    have    been    touted    by    physicians    and  their  educators  (drug  companies)  for  decades,  only  to  be    recalled  later?  Food  items  and  beverages  that  are  reported  to  be  safe  for  consumption  are  often,  later,  put  under  greater  scrutiny  and  found  to  be  health  hazards.  

These  examples  are  obvious,  but  what  about  the  subtle    effects  that  food  and  drugs  have  on  us?  I  suggest  reading  up  on    the    benefits    of    living    without    caffeine,    alcohol,    sugar,    processed    foods  and  other  potentially  harmful  substances.  

Become    a    master    of    your    own    body.    Notice    the    effect    that  lifeless  substances  have  on  you.  Consider  the  fact  that  if  an    item  is  processed,  it  most  likely  is  not  carrying  a  very  high  level  of    life-­‐force  energy.  And  if  you  are  taking  a  substance  to  lift  yourself    up,  remember  that  what  goes  up  must  come  down.  Look  for  ways    to  obtain  the  energy,  vitality  and  happiness  you  seek,  naturally.    

We are often looking for shortcuts when it comes to improving health, but the truth is that the journey leading us to the better life we are seeking is often what is of the most value.

 Question  what  you  are  putting   into  your  mouth  and  

make  a  conscious  decision  to  select  the  items  that  will  uplift  you.  Be  patient,  listen  to  your  body’s  feedback,  and  let  it  guide  you  and  show  you  the  way.    

8.  Eat  and  Live  in  a  Balanced  Way  Balance    is    the    key    to    health.    Let    go    of    the    concepts    of    

good  or  bad,  right  or  wrong.  We  need  to  check  in  with  ourselves    regarding  the  effect  the  foods  we  are  eating  and  our  lifestyles  are    having  on  our  mind  and  body.  

It’s    all    about    balance.    Carbohydrates    aren’t    bad,    but    it    is    essential    to    eat    them    in    balance    with    protein    and    vegetables.    Plant-­‐based  food  is  indeed  best;  however,  most  of  us,  particularly    those  of  us  with  sugar  and  carb  addictions,  need  to  offset  the                        vegetables  we  eat  with  protein.  We  need  some  starch,  too,  but  that    needs    to    be    combined    with    protein,    healthy    fat    and    vegetables.    Healthy  starch  is  made  from  whole  grain  or  root  vegetables,  not    processed  white  flour.  Potatoes,  winter  squash,  yams  and  whole    grains  are  good  examples  of  healthy  carbs  to  go  along  with  your    vegetables.    Good    quality    protein    is    essential,    along    with    healthy    fat  such  as  olive  oil,  small   amounts  of  coconut  oil,  almond                  butter    and    avocado.    Other    foods    like    dairy,    nuts    and    seeds    can    be    enjoyed  in  small  amounts  by  those  who  are  not  sensitive  to  them.  

Balanced  eating  also  means  discovering  your  triggers—  most    likely,    sugar,    fat    and    sugar    substitutes—and    eliminating    them.    Not    because    you    are    on    a    diet,    but    because    trying    to    eat    them    in    moderation    is    next    to    impossible.    It’s    like    trying    to    date    someone    only    once    a    week    to    get    over    them.    It’s    easier    to    just    break  the  addiction  than  to  try  to  string  it  along.  

Balance    also    means    not    thinking    in    terms    of    black    and    white.  If  you  “messed  up”  and  had  some  pizza,  don’t    think  of  it  as    messing    up    but    rather    make    your    next    choice    of    food    something    healthier  to  offset  any  damage.  Wait  until  you  are  hungry  again  and    then  have  a  salad,  some  celery  or  a  little  meat  with  steamed  broccoli.  

If  you  are  in  an  environment  where  a  lot  of  dense,  highly    caloric,  rich  food  is  your  only  option,  select  small  amounts  with  lots    of  lettuce  to  help  stay  in  balance  and  lessen  the  negative  impact.    

Drink  lots  of  water,  rest  deeply  when  you  are  tired  and    move  your  body  as  much  as  possible.  

One  of  the  biggest  mistakes  I  see  people  make  is  “all  or    nothing  thinking.”  Either  I’m  on  a  diet  or  off  a  diet.  This  attitude    just  leads  to  failure.    Remember  balance  is  the  key  to  a  healthy  life.    Eat  everything  in  moderation  except  trigger  foods,  which  do  need    to  be  avoided  completely.    9.  Practice  Emotional  Containment  

One  of  the  greatest  challenges  we  all  face  is  dealing  with  our    own    emotions—our    reaction    to    the    world    around    us.    Our    ability    to    do    this    successfully    can    mean    the    difference    between    happy    relationships    and    painful    ones.    Can    we    contain    our    own    and    other    people’s    emotions,    without    withdrawing    or    attacking,    either  overtly  or  in  a  passive-­‐aggressive  way?  

One  way  to  do  this  is  to  remember  that  our  emotions  are    like  the  weather—they  simply  come  and  go.  Also,  they  are  repetitive.    

The  good  thing  about  getting  older  is  that  we  get  to  have    the    realization    that    our    emotional    tendencies    are    habitual.    This    realization  can  bring  us  to  the  awareness  that  what  we  are                                  feeling  in  the  moment  may  be,  to  a  large  degree,  based  on  our  own    history,  and  not  exclusively  by  what  is  happening  in  the  moment.    

Often,  strong  emotional  reactions,  when  observed    without  judgment   or  interpretation,   reveal   deep-­‐seated   fears   or    insecurities  that  we  weren’t  even  aware  of.  In  fact,  these  fears  and    insecurities  may  have  been  handed  down  to  us  by  our  ancestors  

and    may    be    kept    alive    by    our    culture,    our    environment    and    our    own  habitual  way  of  operating  in  the  world.  

Containment  means  being  able  to  hold  or  contain  situations  without  reacting  in  a  way  that  adds  fuel  to  a  burning  fire.  It  means  responding  with  wisdom,  love,  humility  and  compassion  rather  than  with  the  need  to  control,  defend  or  gain  power  and  dominance.  It  means  holding  the  space  for  a  win-­‐win  conclusion.  The  goal  of  containment  is  to  bring  healing  to  the  human  condition  and  any  pain  that  it  is  triggering  in  you,  either  consciously  or  unconsciously.    

To contain your emotions, it’s necessary to shift your perspective—to see the points of view of the other person or people involved.

It  can  be  helpful  to  mentally  roll  back  in  time  to  increase  your  understanding  of  why  you  and  the  other  players  in  your      drama  may  be  feeling  and  acting  a  certain  way.  Finally,  the  goal  is  to  look  toward  the  future  and   imagine  the  achieving  and  outcome  that  will  be  beneficial  to  all  involved.  

What  would   be  your  next  right   action   to  take,    considering  these  factors?  As  you  are  contemplating   the  next  step,  remember  to  keep  your  heart  open  so  that  you  are  receiving  compassion,  mercy  and  strength  as  you  seek   to  bring  something   of  value  to  the  situation  at  hand  and  to  your  life.  10.  Breathe  and  Live  with  Intention  

The  breath  of  life  is  what  keeps  us  alive.  Yet  most  of  the    time,  we  are  breathing  unconsciously,  with  no  awareness.  To  be    truly  happy,  we  need  to  increase  awareness  of  our  own  levels  of    tension  in  the  body.  Patterns  of  muscular  constriction  and  holding    tension  directly  correlate  to  how  shallow  or  deep  our  breathing  is.  

When    you    are    feeling    tense,    chances    are    that    you    are    holding   your  breath.   Stay  conscious  of  your  breath  and  deliberately  practice  making  your  breath  rate  slow  and  even.  This  action  will  calm  your  mind  and  slow  the  thoughts  down.  

Set  an  intention  for  how  you  want  the  next  hour,  day  or    year  to  unfold.   I’m  suggesting   that  you  not  only  consider   long-­‐  term  goals,  but  ask  yourself,  What  is  important  to  me  and  how  do    I  want  to  live?”  

The  point  of  discovering  this  information  isn’t  to  figure    out  whether  you  are  right  or  wrong  or  good  or  bad.  It  simply  can    be    helpful    to    notice    that    when    you    say    you    have    a    goal    and    do    nothing   to  move   towards   it,  except   spin  your  wheels  and    sabotage    yourself,    perhaps    there    is    a    part    of    you    that    really    doesn’t  want  to  achieve  what  you  think  you  do.    

To    help    break    free    from    this    type    of    downward    cycle,    remember    to    breathe    deeply    with    conscious    awareness    and    at    the  same  time  set  a  new  intention  to  let  go  of  the  past  and  your    old  way  of  doing  things.  Embrace  a  new  possibility  for  yourself—  one  of  accomplishing  your  goals  and  living  congruently  with  your    deeper  values.    

Setting    a    daily    intention    and    drawing    it    in    with    a    full    breath  can  be  very  strengthening.  Some  possible  intentions  may    be,  “Today,  I  am  alive  with  happiness  and  gratitude,”  “I  embrace,    radiate  and  receive  love  deeply  today,”  “I  am  full  of  wisdom,    kindness  and  inner  peace.”  11.  Practice  Meditation  and  Self-­‐Hypnosis  

If  we  could  have  solved  our  problems  with  our  conscious    

mind  alone,  we  already  would  have  done  so.  Einstein  told  us,  “You    can’t  solve  a  problem  at  the  same  level  it  was  created.”    

This  means  that  when  we  create  problems  for  ourselves    with  our  incessant  thinking,  judging  and  analysis,  the  only  way  to    break    out    of    this    trap    is    to    shift    away    from    that    surface    level    of    awareness    and    go    deeper.    Self-­‐hypnosis    and    meditation    offer    a    vehicle  to  go  past  the  critical,  chatty  conscious  mind  and  connect    deeper  with  our  inner  voice  of  Truth  and  Wisdom.  This  new,   in-­‐  inspired    information    may    come    in    the    form    of    an    inner    knowing,  new  awareness  or  deeper  insight.    

Getting into a positive habit of practicing self-hypnosis is like opening the window and letting the fresh air in.

Regular   practice   of  self-­‐hypnosis   helps  you  keep  your  heart  open  and  your  mind  receptive  to  new  ideas  and  fresh,      creative  possibilities  to  improve  all  areas  of  your  life.  Even  more      importantly  practicing  meditation  and  self-­‐hypnosis  helps  to  combat  the  negative  and  detrimental  effects  of  stress.    

Physical  and  emotional  stress  has  been  proven  not  only  to  cause  or  exacerbate  illness  and  disease  but  to  increase    depression,  anxiety  and  hopelessness.  

Often  when  we  find  ourselves   in  these  negative  states,  our  tendency  is  to  want  to  analyze  our  way  out  of  them.  This      rarely  works  in  the  long  run.  What  can  help  us  shift  out  of  a  dark  state  of  mind   is  traveling  within  beyond  the  conscious  mind  and          connecting  to  the  deeper  resources  within  our  inner  mind  and  heart.  

Getting  caught   in  negative  frames  of  mind  such  as  fear  and  grief  are  like  being  trapped  in  a  bed  of  quicksand.  The  more  you  fight  against   difficult   feelings   or  submit   to  them,   the  more  they  seem  to  engulf  you  and  the  stronger  their  hold  on  you.  The  solution  is  to  go  inward  beyond  the  “quicksand”  of  emotional  and  mental  turbulence  and  discover  and  bask  in  a  deeper,  wiser,  more  vast  and  eternal  part  of  yourself.    

Though  this  infinite  field  of  intelligence   in  your    subconscious  mind  is  always  available  to  you,  it  is  only  through  your        conscious  intention  and  focused  attention  that  you  can  make  contact  and  commune  with  it.  It  is  through  this  connection,  on  a  regular  basis,  that  your  life  can  start  to  change  and  reflect  this  deep,  inner,  soulful  and  profound  relationship  with  your  higher  self.  

Not  only  will  you  live  a  less  stressful  life  but  you  will  ac-­‐  quire   the  satisfaction  of  achieving   greater   levels   of  inner   peace  and  happiness  and  more  optimal  health   in  your  body  and  mind.  Another  side  benefit  of  regular  self-­‐hypnosis  and  meditation  is        developing  greater  awareness,  deeper  compassion  and  empathy  for  others,  and  a  connection  to  a  greater  wisdom  and  strength  that  can  guide  you  to  your  greater  good  in  all  areas  of  your  life.  

12.  Adopt  a  Miracle  Mindset  Having  a  miracle  mind-­‐set  means  letting  go  of  skepticism    

and    fear    by    replacing    them    with    faith    and    optimism.    No    doubt    we’ve  heard  the  expression  from  Henry  Ford,  “Whether  you  think    you  can  or  think  you  can’t,  you  are  right.”  It’s  so  true  that  our        ability  to  achieve  our  goals  is  very  predictable  based  on  our  mindset.

The  best  way  to  change  your  mindset   to  be  more    productive  is  to  become  aware  of  your  own  inner  voices  and  adapt  them  to  reflect  what  you  truly  desire.  

   It’s OK if you have doubt. That is only natural. We all have doubt, insecurity and fear so welcome to the human race!

Even   the  seemingly  most   confident   people   have   some  insecurity  and  fear,  which  will  manifest  in  one  way  or  another.  The  important  thing  is  not  to  attempt  to  rid  ourselves  of  fear  because  what  we  focus  on  grows.  We  need  to  admit  it’s  there—see  it  for  what  it   is:  false  evidence   appearing   real—and   stop  making   an  identity  of  it.  

Instead,  focus  on  your  strengths,  blessings  and  the  vast,  infinite,   eternal   spiritual   strength   that  you  have  access   to  and  can  tap  into  at  any  time.  If  your  inner  voice  says,  “I  can’t,”  “This  is  hard,”  or  criticizes  you  in  one  way  or  another,  affirm  to  yourself  aloud  or  silently:  

“I  release   all  negativity,   criticism,   judgment,   un-­‐forgiveness  and  toxic  emotion   to  my  higher   mind  to  be  dissolved  and  healed  completely,  and  I  am  free.”  “I  release  all  emotional  pain,  real  or  imagined,  known  or  un-­‐  known,  coming  towards  me  or  from  me,  conscious  or    unconscious,  past,  present  and  future  in  all  directions,  to  my  Divine  Mind,  to  be  dissolved  and  healed  completely.”  “I  Am”  statements  are  very  powerful,  so  use  them  wisely.  Your  subconscious  mind  hears  everything  you  think  so  be  aware  of  putting  a  negative  expression  after  the  words  “I  Am.”  Instead  repeat  phrases  to  yourself  such  as,  “I  am  successful.”  “I  am  happy.”  “I  am  loved,  loving  and  lovable.”  “I  am  strong.”  “I  am  capable.”  “I  am  a  fast  learner.”  “I  am  peaceful.”  “I  am  filled  with  light  and  love.”  “I  am  a  vessel  for  love,  beauty  and  goodness.”  

                                     Notice   how  these  words  make  you  feel.  It’s  so    interesting    to    see    people    hooked    up    to    biofeedback    equipment    that  measures  their  physiological  responses,  such  as  heart  rate,  blood  pressure,   sweating  response  and  muscle   tension.  They  have  noticeable    improvement    in    all    these    bodily    systems    when    they    are  speaking  words  of  kindness  to  themselves.  

By  contrast,  when  we  speak   harsh,   cold  words   to  our-­‐  selves,  or  remember  times  when  other  people  have  hurt  us,  our    physiology    reflects    the    impact    by    shifting    our    bodily    systems    in    the  wrong  direction—muscles  get  more  tense,  hands  and  feet  get    colder  as  the  blood  vessels  clamp  down,  and  heart  rate  goes  up.  

Practice  adopting  a  mindset  filled  with  thoughts  of  peace,    safety,  gratitude,  joy  and  faith.  Don’t  worry  if  you  have  to  fake  it  at    first.  The  good  news  is  that  your  subconscious  mind  doesn’t  know    the  difference  between  what’s  real  and  what’s  imagined.    

If    you    pretend    to    be    happy,    your    body    and    mind    will    

respond  by  relaxing,   being  more  at  ease  and  creating  healthier,  more  productive   responses.   This  starts  a  positive  feedback   loop  and  helps  to  turn  your  miracle  mindset  into  a  positive  habit.  

 Always look towards the future with optimism, believing that things will get better, even if your conscious mind doesn’t know how.

Dare  to  dream.   Access   the  incredible,   creative,    picturing  power  of  your  subconscious  mind  by  visualizing  and  imagining  with  all  your  senses  how  magnificent  your  life  can  be.    

Imagine  feeling  so  full  of  love  that  you  are  flowing  over.  Imagine  expressing  yourself  creatively  and  feeling  your  own  inner  power  in  a  way  that  only  brings  out  the  best  in  others,  while      basking  in  your  own  deep  strength  and  sense  of  empowerment.  

Instead  of  looking   to  the  outside,  physical  world  to  tell  you  what  reality  is  and  what’s  achievable  and  what’s  not,  seek  out  within  yourself  an  understanding  of  your  place   in  the  world  and  what’s  possible  for  you.    

 Tap into your deep heart and soul to discover your inner longing and let that longing for life and energy guide you to the best action steps for you.

Practice  your  miracle  mindset  daily  by  releasing  doubt,  fear  and  insecurity   and  embracing   inner  power,  love,  wisdom,  strength,  and  your  connection  with  the  life  force  energy  that      powers  all  of  life.  

These  are  the  12  steps  that  I  have  developed  over  time  to  help  you  live  your  best  life.  The  goal  is  not  perfection  but  getting  closer  and  closer  to  living  a  life  where  you  are  most    connected  to  your  authentic  self,  comfortable  and  happy  in  your  own  skin,  feeling  fully  alive  and  saying  yes  to  life!  

Scroll  down  to  the  Daily  Checklist,  print  it  out,  hang  it  up,  and  practice  your  new  Healthy  and  Happy  habits  every  day.  

 

•  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •    Rena  Greenberg  is  the  author  of  The  Right  Weigh:  Six  Steps  to  Permanent  Weight   Loss,  which   is  used  by  over  100,000  People   (Hay  House  Publishing)  and  The  Craving  Cure:  Break  the  Hold  Carbs  and  Sweets  Have  on  Your  Life  (McGraw-­‐Hill).   She  conducts  weight  loss  seminars   using  hypnosis   at  hospitals  throughout   the  country  and  has  a  private  hypnosis  practice  specializing  in  gastric  bypass  hypnosis  in  Sarasota.  She  can  be  reached  online  at    www.EasyWillpower.com  or  at  800-­‐848-­‐2822.

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