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| If you could choose, what would you do today? |
What's been getting in the way of you enjoying your life lately?
Have you:
~Lost a job, relationship or loved one?
~Dealt with cancer, or other chronic illness or injury?
~Been struggling to keep a job or get back on your feet in a weak economy?
While tough times find their way into our lives all by themselves, we need to consciously invite the good stuff in. Otherwise, if you let it, the tough stuff will permeate your life and stay for a very long time.
Putting Pleasure Back into Your Life
Life brings tough challenges ~ and one of the toughest challenges of all is finding a way to put pleasure back into your life after dealing with traumatic experiences~ like losing a job, relationship, or loved one; or dealing with cancer or other chronic illness or injury.
Sometimes you have to put one foot in front of the other, or fake it till you make it, to reengage in activities you enjoyed in the past. Initially, it can be overwhelming being with people, or tiring if you attempt to fully engage in that previously enjoyed hobby too soon. But you don't need to come out of your shell all at once. By limiting the amount of 'fun' you commit to initially, you'll make it easier to step back into a fully engaged life.
Create Your List of Ones
Start your trek back to healthy pleasures by making a List of Ones. This is your list of 'one step' activities you could take to put a moment of pleasure into your life-- one lunch date, one walk or one phone call. If you like it, you can do another. If it's too much, you can stop or try a smaller step. Take one minute a day to brainstorm pleasurable activities to add to your List of Ones.
List of Ones
Listen to one hour of music on Pandora
Listen to one CD in my collection.
Make one date for coffee, walk or meal
Call one friend
Contact one friend on facebook
Take one walk
Take one drive.
Take one bike ride
Write one letter.
Create one affirmation.
Paint one picture
Drive to one beautiful place I've never been
Take one minute to begin my List of Ones
Reengage in Activities that Make Life Worth Living
As you allow yourself to focus on things you might find pleasurable, your attention will begin to shift from hardships to those things that make life worth living. Why put off until tomorrow doing something that you could enjoy today? Go ahead, start your List of Ones. You might discover, SHIFT HAPPENS!
Choose to Engage in One Pleasurable Activity a Day
Learn to Choose. Put Healthy Pleasures into Your Life.
