This is one of the most powerful videos I’ve seen that reflects my sentiments on social media and on our electronic gadgets: Can We Auto-Correct Humanity? by Prince Ea .
The message is clear: We have a choice everyday – let’s make the choice to be present.
©2014 Susie Lee
I’m not a dietician but neither am I a rocket scientist to know that what we eat on the inside will show on the outside. One of the ways to living our best is feeling our best. And a part of that is taking care of our bodies through exercise and what we put into it. Fact is, eating healthy takes work – it takes time, energy, planning, and preparation. That’s why it’s tempting to eat out or heat up already-made processed foods. Eventually what we eat will catch up to us, for better or for worse.
A general rule of thumb to eating healthy is to consume food in it’s simplest form of being unprocessed, and if you do consume processed foods, make sure it has very few ingredients in it, ones that you can pronounce. Every little bit helps, so try not to add unnecessary salt to dishes or sugar in beverages but if you need to, a tasty substitute sweetener would be honey (or agave) and a good substitute for salt would be salsa. Another way to cut needless calories from your diet is to replace your soda and juice with water and non-caffeinated tea. And unless you’re an athlete in training, I’d stay away from energy drinks and protein shakes, all of which have an absorbent amount of calories. A little always goes a long way, this applies to both losing and putting on the pounds.
Another way to watch what you eat is to make your own meals and desserts. This way you can control what ingredients you’d like to put into it. Yes, this takes time and who knows, you might find you have a natural knack for cooking and baking. In my spare time, I enjoy baking as it helps me to decompress and I’m electronic-free for a few hours. The plus side is that I’ll have delicious treats on hand for the rest of the week. Yes, baking and cooking takes time and effort but the health benefits far outweigh the work.
I guarantee you’ll have those days where you’re going to want to sink your teeth into sweets or into the deep-fried food with a gulp of pop, and that’s ok, the key is moderation. Actually, this can apply to all aspects of our lives. It’s fine to have a cheat day, just don’t make that everyday. In the beginning, it’s mind over matter – you have to discipline your mind to re-condition your body but as the weeks and months go by, it’ll become second nature.
Along with watching our diet, it’s also important to take our vitamins and get plenty of exercise daily. Overtime, even our work out routine can become a bore and our bodies can become stagnant. So don’t be afraid to change it up. Sign up for a dance class with a friend, or take advantage of the free swim or skate sessions at your local community centre. The trick is to make exercise fun, so go for a hike, run, or bike in the great outdoors with some buddies. If you can’t find the time in your schedule to sign up for a class or get a gym pass, then move your body in simple ways like parking the car further from your final destination, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking the bus instead of the car. I’m not saying we should be obsessed with the health of our bodies but we do need to take care of them because it’s the only one we’ve got. Taking these simple steps will make us feel better. And ironically, energy begets more energy.
On top of eating healthy and regular exercise, it’s important to increase the happiness, decrease the stress, and get plenty of sleep. We need to take care of our bodies now, so our bodies will take care of us later. This applies to any age.
©2014 Susie Lee
One of the most valuable lessons we can learn in life is how to love other people unconditionally. This doesn’t mean we condone a destructive behaviour but it does mean loving them with no strings attached – it means seeing them beyond their actions. So instead of being frustrated by their behaviour, or hurt by their actions, or offended by how they are, we’d save ourselves a lot of heartache by learning to love them where they’re at – happy, sad, upset, and even angry. Being hurt or offended by how they are will only cause more pain, misery, misunderstanding, and create distance.
We’re all a work in progress and are in desperate need of a daily transformation – to grow and live beyond our mistakes, hangups, and pain. We need each other to reach our full potential, see beyond the present, and discover how to love one another. When we feel genuine acceptance and compassion, true transformation begins to take work within us, and so with them. We need to envelop ourselves with love and then extend that grace to others, especially to those who are hurting, frustrated, angry, and lonely.
©2014 Susie Lee
Some days, it’s tempting to look at ourselves and think we haven’t amounted to much, haven’t gotten very far, or haven’t accomplished very much in life. Yes, I guarantee those days will come when we feel defeated in the midst of pursuing our goals and feel the weight of our failures behind us. In the big scheme of life, success isn’t often what we imagine it to be – it doesn’t always have to be tangible like being the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, earning a six-figure income, or even having a family of 10. Sometimes, success is in who we’ve become, and who we’re becoming. It’s our outlook, attitude, and reactions to life that’ll define who we are and ultimately, determine our success in life.
©2014 Susie Lee
20 signs you’re succeeding in life even when you don’t feel like it:
1. Your relationships are less dramatic than they used to be.
Drama is not maturity. As we age, we should develop maturity. So maybe your relationships were drama-filled in your past, but if you have moved beyond that, then you are successful.
2. You are not afraid to ask for help and support any more.
Asking for help does not equal weakness. In fact, it is strength. No person has ever succeeded in isolation. It takes teamwork to accomplish goals. Asking or help is a sign that you have grown as a person.
3. You have raised your standards.
You don’t tolerate bad behavior any more – from other people, or even yourself. You hold people accountable for their actions. You don’t spend time with the “energy vampires” in your life anymore.
4. You let go of things that don’t make you feel good.
No, this is not narcissistic even though it might seem like it. Self-love is success.
5. You have moments where you appreciate who you see in the mirror.
Ideally, you should appreciate who you see in the mirror at every moment. But even if that doesn’t happen, if you do it more than you used to, then that is success. Love yourself. You are awesome.
6. You have learned that setbacks and failure are part of self-growth.
Not everyone can have success 100% of the time. That’s just not realistic. Life is about victories and losses. So look at your setbacks as stepping-stones to something better. In reality, there really is no such thing as setback. It’s all just part of a wondrous journey.
7. You have a support system that includes people who would do anything for you.
If you have figured out the people who “have your back” and recognized the ones who only pretend that they do, then you have succeeded. This is a painful realization, but once you learn to see the signs of betrayal, you can stay away from those people.
8. You don’t complain much.
Because you know there really is nothing to complain about. Unless you really have gone through some horrific life experience and had unimaginable losses, most of what we all experience on a day-to-day basis is just mundane. And successful people know that. And they live in a space of gratitude.
9. You can celebrate others’ successes.
Just because other people succeed, that doesn’t make you a failure. Applaud the people who rise to the top. The more positive energy you give to other people’s victories, the more you will create your own.
10. You have passions that you pursue.
You are not stagnant. You know you have something wonderful to contribute to the world. You have unique talents and gifts. Not only do you know that, you pursue it.
11. You have things to look forward to.
If you don’t have exciting things going on in your life that you are eagerly anticipating, then you are slowly dying inside. Successful people create goals that they are passionate about pursuing. They let this excitement drive their life.
12. You have goals that have come true.
Even though “failures” are a part of life, you have stuck to your goals and dreams long enough to make them come to fruition. You have some tastes of victory. It fuels you.
13. You have empathy for others.
A person without empathy is dead inside. Empathy equals spreading love and positive energy into the world. Successful people know this. They love others as if they are family.
14. You love deeply and open yourself up to be loved by others.
Love is risky, and sometimes scary for people. It’s the one thing we all strive for, but it’s also intimately tied to the one thing we fear the most – rejection. If you open your heart enough to love and be loved, then you are successful.
15. You refuse to be a victim.
You know that life doesn’t always happen to you. Many times, you are a co-creator of your life experiences. Successful people know this and refuse to be kept down by life experiences. The rise up and conquer anyway.
16. You don’t care what other people think.
You know you can’t please everyone. You know that the standard with which society judges people is many times unrealistic. So you just keep true to yourself and love the person you are.
17. You always look on the bright side.
Life can be full of disappointments – if you choose to see them that way. Otherwise, they are learning opportunities. No negative experience is ever wasted as long as you learn from it.
18. You accept what you can’t change.
Let’s face it – there many things you can’t change in life. All you can change is how you view what happens. If you can change your negative perspective on situations to a positive one, then you are successful.
19. You change what you can.
And let’s face it again – there are many things you can change in life. Successful people don’t sit around accepting the negatives that are changeable. They get out there and do something about it!!
20. You are happy.
To me, this is the ultimate definition of success. It doesn’t matter what the balance is in your bank account, how big your house is, or how many fancy vacations you take. If you are happy, then you are succeeding in life. Even if you don’t see yourself in many of these 20 things, don’t fret. It’s okay. Be happy that you see yourself in just a few. In time, the rest will come. You just need to keep moving onward and upward.
Written by Carol Morgan
At some point in our lives, we’re going to meet people who have the tendency to highlight the negative things in life. Depending on our tolerance gauge, it might be hard to listen to their criticisms and not take it to heart. But as challenging as they may be, we can never really blame them for making us feel (or not feel) a certain way. We’re responsible for our reactions and emotions – we have the power to let them affect us. Here are a few tips to remember when we’re with the critical thinkers of our lives:
©2014 Susie Lee
Happiness is a choice. We can’t blame a person for our unhappiness but neither can we attribute our happiness based on someone. What’s going to determine our happiness is in the choices we make in our actions, decisions, and thinking – every single day. It doesn’t come from things, people, or experiences, sure, they can enhance and enrich our lives but to think they’ll bring us true lasting happiness is a golden fleece we’ll never attain. Happiness, peace, and joy are readily available to us at any given moment because it comes from deep within us. We have the ability to be happy despite our circumstances, the people around us, and yes, even in our dead end jobs. Happiness is a choice, everyday. Happiness is an attitude, for life.
©2014 Susie Lee
The purpose of my blog is exactly what the title suggests, Living Your Best. And a part of living our best is to be happy especially in relationships, whether they’re romantic or platonic. I know it’s never as easy as we’d like them to be but here’s a light-hearted way to make it happier. Although this simple chart is far from being exhaustive, hopefully they’ll be a few practical truths you can take to heart. Here’s to living your best, always.
©2014 Susie Lee
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious
to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter, for always
there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment;
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
-Desiderata
My dear friend and sister, Angie, sent me these timely words of wisdom to live by today, and in the days to come. We all need friendships that we can draw encouragement, strength, and a shoulder to lean on when our hearts grow faint and weary. I hope each of you can find inspiration and courage in the unexpected places of life.
If you’re having a rough day, be gentle with yourself. Find some time today to retreat to a quiet place, perhaps re-read your favourite book, or soak in the beautiful words of poetry, slowly sip a hot beverage, paint, read, write, play with your pet, go for a nature walk, take a nap, do something that’ll restore your peace, joy, and ultimately bring you rest.
©2014 Susie Lee
living your best 