49. Prioritize Your Happiness And Create Good Energy
The quote “put your happiness over everything” by s. mcnutt is debatable. It can be interpreted different ways. How does this quote make you feel? Let’s explore the idea of prioritizing happiness in order to live a better life, while also not being too selfish. We will challenge the popular notion of “putting your happiness above everything else” and instead, offer a more balanced approach to self-care and connecting with others. This episode features a 10-minute guided meditation aimed at relaxing and creating positive energy within yourself that can help you get out of a slump next time you’re feeling down. Join us as we chat about the importance of finding the right balance and discover new ways to cultivate a happy and fulfilling life.
MINDFUL ACTION: Make a list of the things that make you happy. What bring you joy and what drains your energy?
MANTRA: I prioritize my happiness to make a positive impact on the world around me.
MINDFULNESS SUCCESS STUDIO: www.bethbackes.com/studio
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Transcript
Today, we’re talking about the quote, “Put your happiness above everything. It’s your life, so don’t worry about what they will say.” – We’ll be discussing the balance between putting your own needs first and considering the feelings of those around you. Well, as with everything in life. It’s all about perspective. Keep on listening and let’s break down some myths about this quote and of life.
Let’s talk about the quote
Put your happiness over everything. This is your life, so don’t worry about what THEY will say”. A quote by Sylvester McNutt.
How does this quote make you feel? Most people tend to vary in their reaction to this. Some think it’s good, and some think it’s bad. Before we get into the discussion, I first want you to be clear in how the quote first resonates with you and affects you and your mindset. What is your first gut reaction to it? Put your happiness over everything. Go ahead and pause if you need to think about it for a moment.
In some peoples minds, this quote can seem like a selfish mindset. Like, how on earth could you always put your happiness first? As Stephanie Tanner from Full House would say… How rude! Shoutout to all my millennial listeners!
The trick is, that when you are happy, you’re better equipped to handle the challenges that life throws your way and you are more able to be there for others. So how do you find the balance between putting your own needs first and considering the feelings of those around you?
It’s a tough question! Some of us are people pleasers and we forget about our own needs and only focus on other peoples needs. In this situation, we’re often neglecting ourselves and need to pay attention to this quote in a manner of increasing self-awareness and self-love. This quote seems absolutely absurd to a nurturer, or a people pleaser!
On the other hand, some of us do get inspired by focusing on ourselves and find this quote helpful and motivational. Like, yes! I am a better person when I focus on myself! We know that if we feel good about ourselves, we enjoy life more. The quote, you can’t pour from an empty cup comes to mind with this mindset.
There are some of us who are stuck in between because sometimes we’re the nurturer, and sometimes we’re the self care advocate. Once again, it all comes down to perspective, the current season of life you’re dealing with right now, and the experiences you’ve had so far in life. Sometimes we might want to roll our eyes at this quote, and sometimes we need to hear it.
How To Improve Your Mindset
Mindfulness and meditation can play a big role in finding that balance nurturing and self care. By becoming more aware of your thoughts and feelings, you can start to understand what truly brings you happiness and what drains your energy. This self-awareness can help you make choices that align with your values and your sense of purpose more.
This is the part I really want you to focus on this week, also known as, your mindful action. What brings you happiness, and what drains your energy? We will focus on identifying these areas of our lives during the meditation today, and I’ll remind you at the end to write down your list before you get too distracted. What bring you happiness, and what drains your energy?
This consideration needs to be thought of in all different areas of your life. In your personal life: if you are a caretaker of children, or help your parents, or are closely connected with your friends. How much are you able to give to them before you need to take a break of your own? What types of things can you be more helpful with, and what types of things should you make step back on and not try to micromanage as much? Not everything has to fall on your shoulders for everybody. Prioritize your happiness with your level of involvement. Give a little, take a little.
Or at work. Yeah, maybe you will be proud of yourself for volunteering to take on that extra project, or working after hours, but at what cost? How much of that extra stuff can you really handle, and are you doing it out of obligation to your career and your job, or are you doing it becuase it actually makes you happy and makes you feel good? Over time, you can figure out which projects you really enjoy working on, and which ones you don’t and might be able to delegate. And this was just an example, you can apply this to your job in however it works best since we all have very different career paths. But, this mindset is where you can, again, find your happiness balance. Give a little, take a little.
It’s also important to consider the feelings of those around you. Remember, you won’t feel any better about yourself if you are selfish and make others feel bad about themselves. It’s all about equally sharing the love. It’s all about finding the right level of putting yourself first and being mindful of the impact your choices have on others. Yes, the choices you make for yourself, often affect those around us. We are all connected. So we have to think about our happiness on a holistic level.
Rewiring Your Mindset
So I am going to reformat the original quote a little bit. Well, actually, I’m just going to totally re-write it, so that it doesn’t feel as finite, or direct, or harsh. How about instead of saying “put your happiness over everything”, we say: Prioritize your happiness so you can make a positive impact on the world around you. To me, this just feels so much more inviting. Because that’s why we’re all here, right? We want to make a difference, we want to enjoy life, and we want to enjoy it not just by ourselves, but with others. And that won’t happen if we alienate ourselves and only focus on our own needs. And as the positive energy continues to grow and flow between us, we leave a ripple effect of good vibes in our wake, which sheds more light in the world. And, voila, there’s the impact you’re trying to make, nicely balanced with your own happiness.
Before we head into our meditation, let’s reflect a little bit about happiness. Because, even just knowing what makes you happy is sometimes difficult. Do you ever have those situations where you go to make your grocery list and you can’t think of any foods that you know how to make. Or at work when someone asks you to list your responsibilities and suddenly can’t think of a single thing you do. Sometimes I feel like that same thing happens with mindfulness and meditation when you ask youself these difficult questions. You just sit there and are like, I don’t even know what makes me happy.
Well, first of all, I hope the meditation today helps to unlock some of those good memories for you. But I also have some tools and resources to help you out with all of this. I currently have 5 openings to join my Mindfulnes Success Studio for the month of February. This is a 1:1 personalized mindfulness experience that aligns with your specific life goals instead of just generic meditations like you get from some of those subscription apps. And I also have a 1-hour mindset restoration session which includes a 20 minute mindfulness discussion, 20 minutes of visioning and journaling, and and a 20 minute meditation. This session focuses on a single specific area in your life that you are struggling with, and we use mindfulness and meditation to work through it together.
Alright, well now, it’s about that time to move into our meditation. I hope you enjoy it.
Meditation For Finding Happiness And Good Energy
The goal of Mindful Actions is to help you explore the intersection of mindfulness, meditation, and everyday life. These 3 things put together can be a tricky thing, but when they’re in sync, it is a beautiful part of life.
Take a deep breath and find a comfortable seat. Close your eyes and allow yourself to relax.
As you breathe, imagine that with each inhale, you are filling your body with a warm comforting ball of light that absorbs all the negative energy within you. And with each exhale, release the ball of light and with it any tension or stress that you may have been holding onto.
Inhale the light. Exhale the negativity. Inhale the light. Exhale the negativity. Continue breathing on your own.
Now, I will bring up a series of questions and you are to go with the very first thing that comes to mind. Don’t think too much about it, just answer, and then continue the breathing exercise to keep positive energy surrounding that thought.
Bring to mind a a memory or image that is your favorite thing about nature and the outdoors.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Bring to mind a memory of when you laughed so much you had tears in your eyes.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Bring to mind a food or meal that was one of the best things you’ve ever eaten.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Bring to mind a place in the world that you would travel to tomorrow if you could.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Bring to mind the best gift someone has ever given you, either a physical gift or through generosity.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Bring to mind something that you get excited to wear because it makes you feel awesome. Either a particular outfit, accessory, or color.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Now, focus on the sensations in your body. What do you feel? Energy? Excitement? Joy? Allow these positive feelings to wash over you, to grow, and to spread throughout your entire being.
Remind yourself that these experiences are within reach. They are a part of your life, and you have the power to create more moments of joy and energy.
Our mantra for today will be the new version of the episode quote: I prioritze my happiness to make a positive impact on the world around me.
Take a deep breath in. And out.
I prioritze my happiness to make a positive impact on the world around me.
I prioritze my happiness to make a positive impact on the world around me.
I prioritze my happiness to make a positive impact on the world around me.
Take a deep breath and hold this open-hearted, loving feeling in your body. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes, and carry this sense of happiness and energy with you throughout your day.
Remember, you are worthy of joy and energy, and these moments are waiting for you. So, let go of any doubts or worries, and embrace the happiness and energy that is available to you..
Peace Love Om
