FIND YOUR HAPPY: An Inspirational Guide to Loving Life to Its Fullest (21 page)

Nature Is a Teacher

Nature is one of the best teachers to help us through life. The simple balance of everything coexisting and functioning together makes it easy to recognize that there can be lessons found outdoors. Whether we look to individual aspects of nature or the entire ecosystem, we can lean on Mother Nature to teach us valuable life lessons. For instance, look at the life cycle of a tree. The process of growing from a tiny seed into a huge, leafy adult tree takes hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. What a perfect representation of patience. General Sherman, the largest tree in the world, is a fantastic example of patience. Located in Sequoia National Park, near Visalia, California, the tree is 275 feet tall and almost 52,513 cubic feet. It takes thousands of years for a tree to grow that tall. The oldest tree in the world,
Pinus
Longaeva
, is believed to be 4,844 years old, which makes the tree one of the oldest growing things on earth. Imagine the amount of changes this tree has had to endure in order to stand tall today.

The same goes for humans. Each new experience brings a new outcome in our lives, but we have to learn to weather the hard times in order to stand tall and make it through to the next bright sunny day. The trees grow tall into the sky reaching their branches up towards the sunlight to allow the shadows to fall below them. When we find ourselves in a difficult situation all we have to do is turn our heads up to the bright sky and let the sunlight fall onto our faces, allowing the fears and worries to fall behind us like the shadows of the trees.

I’ve learned that the trick to enjoying life is to experience it fully, which means just like the tree that weathers the elements, we must learn to live through, accept, and appreciate the tough times as well as the good times. The tree endures everything from the natural weather patterns of earth to the evolution of society; a tree is a survivor and a wise source of inspiration. The power of patience is immense, especially when we want to create a fulfilling life. The saying “all good things come to those who wait” may be a cliché, but it is true. When we wait for things we want we often feel more gratitude when we receive them. We feel more abundant after waiting or working hard towards something. There are two parts to being patient. There is the waiting aspect, and then there is the most important part, the knowing part. Most people don’t ever get to or understand the power of knowing, rather “trusting” the process. When we are truly patient we can afford to wait without worry because we know that the outcome will be in our favor. My mother used to always say, “It is either this or something better,” meaning if the outcome of any situation didn’t look like what I wanted, it would then be something even better, and it was always on its way.

Think about you life and something you really wanted, but you had to be patient for it — maybe applying for school and waiting for the acceptance letter, waiting for a second date from your future “I do,” or maybe hearing back about your dream job. Whatever the life situation, trust that whatever happens will be the correct course of action. If the date never calls you back, that means someone better is right around the corner on their way to you, but if you took a date with Mr. or Ms. Wrong, then you’d be farther off course from being with the right person for you. The same goes for jobs. The dream job in your head might not be as cool as the dream job you get when you let go of the outcome and trust the process of patience. This is a difficult concept to grasp at first because we think we know what we want and what will be best for us. There are always other factors in every situation that we cannot see. Remember to trust that the universe has a plan much greater then ours.

For example, a few years ago, I had a job interview at what I thought was my dream company. I felt like I nailed the interview and I was a total shoo-in. A few weeks later, I found they had filled the position with another person. Naturally, I felt bummed, but only for a moment as I picked myself up and said, “Okay what’s next? It is this or something better. Just because I thought that was my perfect fit, doesn’t mean that there isn’t something else out there that is better suited for me.” And there was. I ended up landing a better job with a company that fit my personality better. So I was able to go to work and express myself and work with like-minded people, without having to conform to a corporate stale environment. This happens all of the time in life when we think our outcome must be one way in order for us to be happy. I have coached clients who have been desperate for specific outcomes, only to find when they don’t get what they wanted they crumble to the floor in tears of rage. I know how hard it is. I used to live my life like that, too, until I discovered the real power of patience.

Awesome
Opportunity:

1. The first step is to declare what you want. Write down your intention and take steps to work towards it.

2. When things don’t happen according to your timeline, don’t give up. Write down steps you can take to move back toward your goal. This is the most valuable aspect of patience.

It is human nature to want things, but in order to live a purposeful and powerful life, we must learn to relax into outcomes and trust that things will always work in our favor.
A
Course
in
Miracles
states, “Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait, and wait without anxiety.” Think about our friend the tree. He grows tall, patient, and wise. He does not worry about the outcome or fear the unknown; he simply coexists with his surroundings. The grass, the dirt, the birds, and squirrels all help make his home comfortable. The same goes for us if we want something to happen in our lives. Rather than trying to force it or manipulate time, people, or energy, to make it happen on our timeline, we can relax into the flow of life, and let “nature take its course.”

Many people are not aware that they can control their surroundings by practicing patience and peace from within. Learning to appreciate the moment is a good first step. The same way a child makes a mud pie or catches fireflies in the yard, an adult can learn to be in the moment and become closer to nature. When we trust that everything is in right order, and that whatever outcome prevails will be the right outcome, we can trust the process of patience. Having patience is one of the easiest steps to loving your life to the fullest. When we relax into the rhythm of life, we can flow with its currents rather than fight up stream like a salmon.

Nature for Good Health

“There
is
nothing
more
satisfying
than
eating
right!
The
domino
effect
that
occurs
will
influence
every
nook
and
cranny
of
your
life.”
— Kris Carr

It’s no secret that choosing natural, organic foods grown from the earth will give you great health. In general, when we eat more fruits and vegetables rather than processed sugary, carb-injected, fake food we feel better, our insides function better and we have more energy. The domino effect of eating healthy food is tremendous. When I start my morning with fresh lemon water or tea, I feel five times better than when I start with a latte loaded with cream and sugar. Naturally, my lunch is healthier; I usually choose better snacks and even have a better workout each day. However, when I wake up and go straight to sugar and processed junk food, refined carbs or sugar-loaded cereal my body has to work overtime just to digest and process all the foreign food. While my body is spending time trying to process all the sugary food, it is using energy that could have been used to enjoy my day and help me fulfill my dreams. When my body is trying to digest such foreign foods it takes a lot of energy, and I feel tired more quickly.

I have tried many diets to find what works best for me. I tried a paleo diet, which is to eat only what our ancestors ate, vegetarian (no meat), vegan (no animal products), raw, only natural uncooked foods, Atkins, meat and lots of meat . . . and the list goes on. I have arrived at a place where no diet is best, and listening to my body is my diet. When I ate ice cream, I noticed how my taste buds loved it, but my digestive track was uncomfortable, so I limited my dairy and saw my face clear up instantly. I noticed that when I ate meat I didn’t digest the food for a few days, but when I ate lots of healthy, leafy greens, tofu and polenta, I felt like a million bucks. Bottom line is, do what feels right for yourself, however there is no denying that eating foods from nature will give you more energy, power and help you look, feel and be your best. Maybe try it out for a few weeks. What do you have to lose? Just look at your eating habits and see how you are feeling. See what the connection is between the two and maybe switch up some small habits. See if you can trade in coffee for tea two days a week, or choose an apple instead of baked chips. Think natural and organic, and choose wisely.

There is a trick to grocery shopping. Only shop on the outside perimeter, where you will find the fresh produce and natural foods. Generally items on the inside are processed, refined and loaded with chemicals and sugar. I also shop at farmer’s markets. Buying locally is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help the community. When you do that, you naturally feel better about yourself, and thus turning any down mood into a happy one.

Nature and Your Magic List

Becoming best friends with nature is easy when you start to see the benefits of playing in it, eating it and loving it daily. When it comes to loving life fully, including nature is a must. Adding things to do in nature to your magic list is a great way to love life. Whether it is growing a garden, learning to surf, hiking up a volcano, volunteering as a camp counselor or climbing K2 Mountain, involving nature in your magic list will help make life more fulfilling.

In
a
Nutshell:

1. Spending time in nature reduces stress and can help maintain balance.

2. Nature can teach us lessons about patience, coexisting, balance, and order.

3. Your body will thank you for eating natural, organic foods.

4. Adding things to do in nature to your magic list will help you feel more alive.

Additional
Resources:

Audio Meditation:
Find
Your
Happy:
Motivational
Mantras,
Track 11, “Practice Patience” (available on iTunes,
amazon.com
, and
playwiththeworld.com
shop).

Chapte
r
FIFTEEN

Danc
e
Lik
e
N
o
On
e
I
s
Watching

“Why
compare
yourself
with
others?
No
one
in
the
entire
world
can
do
a
better
job
of
being
you
than
you.”
— Unknown

The Art of Being You

T
here is only one you in the entire world. No one else will ever be able to do exactly what you do in the way you do it, so at this point in our journey it is necessary to understand how awesome you truly are. No one in the world has your experience, your knowledge, your thought patterns, your history, family and friends. What you bring to each situation impacts the rest of the world. When you are not there the energy is different. Whether you skip a chance to spend time with friends or call in sick to work, when you are absent you are missed. So appreciate yourself and the contributions that you have to give this world.

I spent the majority of my life trying to be someone I wasn’t. I didn’t even know that I was being inauthentic to me. Because the rest of society was busy graduating from school, getting good jobs, getting married, and landing big promotions, I just assumed that’s what we all needed to do. It took me years to figure out that perhaps there was a better way for me to live my life. And it started because I got clear with myself about what I really wanted out of my life.

It took a major life stressor to show me the possibilities for living passionately and honestly. For the first time in my life, I was forced to ask, “What do I really want?” Rather than just going with the flow, I was excited to learn that my passion for travel and writing was more than just a tiny dream; it could be a real and fulfilling career. So I spent time learning more about myself, discovering what I really wanted and pulled out the magic list. I started to tackle that bad boy and published many stories in travel magazines and inspirational books, such as
Chicken
Soup
for
the
Soul.
This led me to create the website
playwiththeworld.com
, a site dedicated to helping others find true happiness and purpose in their lives through adventure, travel, articles, lectures and inspirational mantras. This is who I am. Who are you?

Most of us spend our entire life walking around half dead, just going through the motions and trying to make do with what life hands us. It takes a truly dedicated person to see opportunities in every aspect of life. Real happiness is making the most out of the good times and the bad times. Real, lasting, and fulfilling joy comes from embracing life and your role in it. When you step into your power and your true authentic self, you shine. You shine so brightly that the world tries to keep up. Opportunities fly at you from every angle. It starts with asking yourself one thing, “What do I want?” After asking yourself what you really want, you will quickly be able to determine who you are. Who are you? You are uniquely you, and you are here to do one special thing that no one else in the world can do, because they are not you. Many times we stop ourselves from following through on dreams because we think, “It’s been done,” or “No one really cares if I say or do this.” But this is our doubter kicking us in the pants.