CANDY WASHINGTON

WRITER | PRODUCER | ACTOR | MANIFESTATION + SELF-LOVE MUSE

happiness

5 Ways to Live a Happier Life

MindCandy WashingtonComment

Hi lovelies,

My main goal in life is to simply enjoy it. If you’re not happy and fulfilled, then what’s the point? Of course there will be ups and downs, ebbs and flows in life, but overall, you can create a blueprint of happiness and joy from which to build your life experience upon.

The most important lesson to know is that you, and you alone, are responsible for your happiness. This allows you to fully embrace your power. No one can take your power unless you give it to them, so read below for five ways to lead a happier life that creates a foundation and mindset to be in a place of power.

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5 Ways to Live a Happier Life


1: Practice Self-Compassion

One of the biggest life lessons that I had to learn, and remind myself of on a daily basis, is to be gentle with myself. To show myself the same love, grace, and understanding that I would to my best friend or to the person that I loved the most in the world, because the person that we love the most in the world and honor the most in the world, should be ourselves. We’re human and we’re allowed to make mistakes and we’re inherently imperfect beings. So embrace your imperfections and be easy on yourself and allow yourself to find your way through compassion.

2: Learn to Relax

As an entrepreneur, I used to feel like I always had “to be busy.” That it was my life to be pitching, posting, hustling, grinding, etc., and that rat race just got exhausting, uninspired, and just led to burnout and fatigue.

I had to retrain my brain and body to relax, destress, and unwind. I was so busy being busy that I had stopped enjoying my journey and the process. That’s when I started implementing an intentional self-care plan. I started to have a cut-off time from work, where I would go offline and read, watch my favorite TV shows, take an epsom salt bath, or go for walk and listen to a podcast.

3: Meditate and Journal

This shouldn’t be a shocker, but meditating and taking a few moments to journal your thoughts and feelings is a powerful way to reclaim your power and establish a foundation of peace, joy, and self-awareness.

The best way is start with 3-5 minutes a day and then increase from there as your grow in your journey. Set a timer on phone, create a safe and comfortable space, and focus on your breathing. Don’t worry about thoughts popping up in your head, just do your best to observe them and not interact with them, and like all things, it gets easier with time. You can also do guided meditations to help you relax and focus. You can search for guided meditations on YouTube for free.

For journaling, you don’t have to be a great writer, just a pen and pad or even on your computer or phone. If you’re having trouble thinking of what to write, use journal entry prompts and questions to get your started. Or simply ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now? What am I struggling with right now? What am I excited about right now?”

4: Date Yourself

Take the time to get to know yourself when no one else is around. Take yourself to the movies, out to dinner, to a comedy club, for a hike, or whatever your interests and passions are, do things that make you authentically happy and fulfilled.

Spend a night alone and get comfortable in your own skin and in your own company. Become your own best friend and your own perfect partner. Rediscover what makes you tick and what turns you on as an individual. Forget the societal labels of wife, father, husband, daughter, best friend, boss, co-workers, etc., and focus on the simplicity of just being your Self.

5: Mind Your Business

This might sound simple, but believe, minding your own business can be tougher than it seems. I had to learn to only worry about what was my business, what was in my control, and what was truly my responsibility. As a recovering ‘people pleaser’ this was harder said than done and something that I work on a daily basis, but learning to only take on what is actually my business and problems has fundamentally elevated my level personal happiness, peace, and stability.

This makes you the center of your own well-being and you’re not responsible for saving other people and other people aren’t responsible for your well-being which gives you the ultimate power to enjoy your life and relish in all of the beauty and joy that’s available to you now.

Things that are your business:

  • Your self-care practices

  • Your mental health

  • Your physical health

  • Your emotional well-being

  • Your boundaries

  • Your standards

  • Your self-worth

  • Your self-esteem

  • Your self-respect

  • Your standards

  • Your self-confidence

  • Your happiness

  • Your relationships

  • Your career

Things that are not your business:

  • Other people’s happiness

  • Other people’s relationships

  • Other people’s careers

  • Other people’s opinions of you

  • Other people’s sense of self

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How To Actually Be Happy In The New Year

LifestyleCandy WashingtonComment

Hi lovelies,

The New Year is one of the most magical times of the year, and as I reflect on 217, one of the biggest lessons that I've learned this year is that, "thoughts become things, so choose the good ones."

This insight came from TUT, an inspirational brand co-founded by Mike Dooley to remind us of life’s fundamental truths: that life is magical, we are powerful, and dreams really do come true. 

And also thanks to this awesome site, I have a new, fresh outlook on how to approach the New Year that would actually result in elevated levels of happiness, joy, and success, rather than the usual guilt from not fulfilling my "resolutions" and empty claims of "New Year, New Me." 

So you actually want to be happy in the New Year, I suggest you follow the suggestions below.

Soon the new year starts, so now's a great time to:

1. Wipe the slate clean.
2. Focus upon what you really want.
3. Chart your course.

Or is that a bit old school? Feels tiring? Ugh!

How about an adventurous alternative:

1. Give thanks that your life is exactly as it is.
2. Decide that 2018 will be the happiest year of your life yet.
3. Every day, follow your heart and instincts down new paths. 

This will be your year!

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