Lots of Feel Good Stuff

As always, this third article is full of fun, funny and feel-good videos, sites and stories. Just to remind you of why you’re taking a break from your busy life to do this Goodfinding stuff, here is a great article on the many health benefits of laughter. So, in keeping with the laughter theme, you will enjoy popcorn kittens and dogs shaking off water–bound to bring a smile, giggle or guffaw! I think you’ve got to be really fun-loving to play Dixieland jazz for a group of cows…check out this light-hearted video. And if you haven’t already seen this video of a couple of elders playing with their new webcam, or even if you have, you’ll love it!

Now as we transition toward deeper feeling and inspiration, let this wonderful video remind you that you have greatness inside you.  Now let’s move further in the direction of great and amazing human beings like you doing awesome things. Enjoy these three guys and their three Martin guitars as they make some truly beautiful music together, and this brilliant young woman who is leading a doodling revolution. Now, open your heart and mind, as you watch these everyday heroes lift a burning car to save a young man’s life, and this wonderful physician who composes and performs music to help his patients heal. You’ll also love these stories of a 91 year old and very grateful man giving back in the millions, and this Army major who gave new life to an Afghan boy. Let these folks point you toward the greatness of the human spirit in all of us.

Getting Better All the Time

More and more research piles up every day, showing that attitude has a great impact on our health and level of success. So, how about the attitude that you and your life are getting better all the time! Of course, it doesn’t always look or feel that way, but here’s the deal: If you always focus on the fact…and it is indeed a fact…that your body and your world are always in a process of self-correction, then it is always true that it’s getting better all the time. Think of all of the problems that worried you in the past that are gone now. Think of all of the illnesses you have healed from. See what I mean? That’s because rejuvenation, revitalizing, regenerating and restoring are ongoing unconscious processes in your body/mind organism.

So, no matter how you feel, or what the situation is, the next time someone asks you, “How’s it going?” Just say, “Getting better all the time!” Not only will you feel a little better for having said that, you will actually be sending signals to your subconscious mind to step up the getting better process. Be solution-focused, optimistic and faith-full, no matter what, all of the time. The effort and the outcome will be good for you and your entire world.

The Art and Science of Ease

We use the word “ease” in many ways, but rarely do we focus on it all by itself. So, I want to ease your mind a little, knowing that will help you breathe deeper, and possibly even slow your heart rate a little. Rest assured that when you take your ease and make time in your day to relax, laugh and enjoy, you are much less likely to end up with dis-ease. Hey! Does that mean that illness might just mean we’re not taking it easy enough of the time? We know that much of what we do each day is for the purpose of easing our stress and easing the pressure we feel, and many medical treatments have the exact same purpose. So, to increase your ease, try these:

• Ease yourself into your day. Take some time each morning for positive journaling, meditation, prayer or simply enjoying soothing music with your favorite morning beverage.
• Make your workout easy by having fun with it. Read, watch TV, listen to tunes or workout with friends where you can shoot the breeze. The more fun you’re having, the longer you will keep exercising!
• Move in the direction of easy, by doing the hard stuff first. The longer you exercise and eat well, the easier it gets. The more you practice Goodfinding, the easier it gets.
• Take it easy several times throughout each day. Sit back, take a breath, relax, look at something pleasing at least 3-4 times each day for 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

These are just a few ideas, and you can certainly come up with more of your own, like calling a happy friend, learn a new joke, or whatever brings a smile to your heart.

Give This Gift To Yourself

How would you like to write a note to your future self? Well, you can do just that, and FutureMe.org makes it easy. You just send yourself an encouraging, uplifting message, and pick the date you’d like to send/receive it. This is your chance to be your own best friend, or your own personal coach! Here are some more gifts for you to give yourself, right now…enjoy this “tall painting” video, in which a team of artists create spontaneous beauty. I think you’ll also enjoy this video of Keith Medley playing the 27 string guitar he created, and Marko Contanzo the “sound effects guy” creating movie sound effects from trees and trash cans.

Ever want to fly? Well, this guy is doing it…watch JetMan soar. Speaking of flying high, here are Elton John and Paul McCartney sending greetings to the shuttle station crews. Now let’s head on back down to earth, with this amazingly beautiful video showing an exquisite sampling of the magnificence offered by our  planetary home. And here on this planet, who would think you’d ever see an owl and a pussycat become friends! Now, to tie a nice ribbon on your gift, dive deep into the ocean and watch this mimic octopus do things that we once thought only happened in science fiction, imitating up to 15 separate species. Be in awe, of this universe, this planet, and your wonderfully complex self. That state of awe takes you very close to who you truly are.

Attitude Is Everything

What exactly is attitude? The first two definitions provided by the Free Online Dictionary are: “A position of the body or manner of carrying oneself” and the second one is, “A state of mind or feeling: disposition.” Interesting that the body figures so prominently in the definition of attitude! So, I guess that means your state of mind and the state of your body are in many ways a matter of attitude. Check out this 88 year old track star who is also a veteran of 3 wars. He will inspire you, as will this 101 year old grand lady and her 740 Packard Roadster. Borrow some attitude from those two, and anybody else who inspires and motivates you. Talk about attitude…check out this video of Barbara McAfee singing her invigorating original song, “Yes!”

The field known as Positive Psychology focuses on what makes us healthy and happy, whereas traditional psychology focused on diagnosing and treating psychological disturbances. If you’d like to learn more about this transition, and some of the latest perspectives on positive psychology, watch this video in which Martin Seligman asks, “What can modern psychology help us to become?” This is what Goodfinding is all about!

Your Body Likes Optimism

Apparently, our bodies are listening to our every thought and the emotion it brings. Most of us think of our health as separate from our thought processes, but I assure you they are intimately connected in a very powerful way–called emotion. This Mayo Clinic article states that the possible health benefits of positive thinking and optimism include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardship and times of stress

The most recent research I’ve found suggests that optimism may lower the risk of strokes. Combine this with HeartMath Institute’s findings that appreciation and love improve heart rate and regularity, and when combined with the power of intention, can actually alter your DNA. So, the rest is up to you, and I’m here to help. Open your heart and lift your spirit with this beautiful video that suggests simply “Love Is Energy…Pass It Forward.” And, if you haven’t already, watch this video on Gratitude, Appreciation and Optimism that will guide you through a daily journaling process to become a Goodfinder!

Raise Your Positivity Ratio!

I love this quote from Barbara Fredrickson, who is known for her research-tested formula for flourishing in life: “Positive emotions don’t just make us feel good. They transform our minds, our bodies, and our ability to bounce back from hard times.” Watch this video of her talk, and take her positivity quiz, to check your positivity ratio. Now let’s get on with the business of increasing your positive emotions! Get your creative juices flowing when you watch this video about Silky Hart’s workshop, “Ink On Your Fingers, Color On Your Soul.” Be sure and visit Silky’s site, ExpressiveHart.com, where you can learn about her upcoming events. While we’re expanding consciousness, check out Superhuman: The Incredible Savant Brain, which suggests that the amazing abilities of savants point to the potential we all have! Ever wonder what causes the Aurora Borealis? Watch this beautiful video that shows exactly how it happens. Enjoy this video story about Reckless: The War Hero Horse, these monkeys with cameras and this wonderful video journey of a mother robin and her babies. In the realm of generosity, watch this video of “Patriotic Millionaires” who want to be taxed more, so there’s more for the rest of us. Let’s finish on a goofy note, with this drunk stunt pilot and this very talented young man break-dancing at a ball game.

Charge Forward Wisely

Your body tries to cooperate with your activity level, just as your brain rises to the challenges you provide for yourself. This is the reasoning behind the “use it or lose it” idea. Have you noticed how you can do things you didn’t think you were capable of, when you’re excited or challenged enough? Being gentle but persistent with your magnificent body, push into new levels of activity, exercise and stretching–for the rest of your life! I assure you, your body is listening, and it will do its best to rise to the level you attempt to reach. Likewise, the more sedentary you become, the more likely it will shut down the unused functions…and we don’t want that! The same with your brilliant mind. Start with your memory. Delete any negative comments about your memory fading or getting older or “senior moments,” no matter how funny you might think that is. Any time you want to remember something, just say, “It will come to me,” or, “It’s not coming to me right now, but I’ll get it in a minute.” Here is a full article on improving (and maintaining) your memory. So, to use more of your brain’s almost unlimited capacity, practice Goodfinding, learn a language, learn to play a musical instrument, learn to dance, take an art class or start your own Internet business, and you’ll find your mind getting sharper, brighter, and more optimistic!

Treasures At Your Fingertips

You don’t need a compass or a map to find treasures beyond measure. When you decide that you will not take anything for granted, and begin appreciating the many aspects of yourself and your world that are good, right and working, you will be flooded with positive emotion. Can you see, hear, walk, talk, and breathe easily? Take a moment and appreciate the many pleasures these capacities afford you. Do you have people in your life whom you love, and who love you? Take another moment and think about all that you love about them. Have you ever been loved unconditionally? If so, look at yourself through those unconditionally loving eyes, and consider the possibility that this view of you is accurate and real. Your gifts and attributes far outweigh your shortcomings, and there is a great treasure of well being waiting for you when you begin to recognize that on an ongoing basis. Take some time every day to appreciate what is inside and all around you, and watch as your good fortune grows. That’s right, the more time you spend in a mode of appreciation, the more good you will find, and the more good will find you!

Music And Inspirational Videos

If you can talk, you can sing. And even if you can’t talk you can sing…sort of. Watch this fuzzy vocalist as he belts it out “like no one is listening.” Now for even more great role models on belting it out, watch these musicians from around the world performing “Gimme Shelter.” Forget anything negative you’ve ever heard about your singing or musical talent, and make a joyful noise any way you can! Music and creative expression have nothing to do with what other people think–it’s all about what you feel when you’re doing it!

Speaking of creativity, it is always uplifting to learn of a good soul being “discovered.” Watch this story of a NYC artist who gets her big break after 30 years. She proves the value of never giving up, as do this 90 year old high school graduate and this woman who completely reinvents herself and earns a college diploma after a brain injury that wiped out all of her memory. And while we’re looking at the power of hanging in there, here’s a man with no limbs who swims and is a motivational speaker. To conclude this issue, let’s look at this article about how anger helps and this video about a woman who forgave the murderer of her son. These last two pieces show the power we have to transform difficulties in our lives into opportunities for growth and happiness.

Okay, let’s end on a lighter note…have fun with this smartphone magic and this video of a kitten taking on a pit bull. As the artist and architect of your life, remember that having fun with it all is the most important part!