For many of us, mornings begin in a rushed panic. We allow our alarm
clocks to buzz at least a dozen times before we decide we have to get
out of bed. We then rush around our homes half-awake trying to get ready
for our day. In a hurry, we stub our toe on the bedpost, forget to put
on deodorant, and don't pack a lunch because we simply do not have time.
It's no wonder that so many folks despise the thought of being awake before 9 am!
So it may not surprise you to know that happy individuals tend to
actually enjoy their mornings. They appear to thrive on waking up with
the sun and look forward to a new day or possibilities. These happy
people have humble morning rituals that increase their own sense of well-being and give their day purpose.
Happy people tend to share many of the following morning habits:
1. They wake up with a sense of gratitude.
Practicing gratitude
is associated with a sense of overall gladness. They start the day with
love. This means that they're truly appreciative of their life and all
of its little treasures. They practice small acts of gratitude in the
morning by expressing thankfulness to their partner each morning before
they rise from bed. They may also write about their gratefulness for
five minutes each morning in a journal that they keep bedside.
2. They begin anew each and every morning.
They know that it's a brand-new day to start over and do something
different. Yesterday may have been a complete failure for them, but
today is a new day for success and adventure. Individuals who aren't
ruined by one bad day are resilient creatures. Resiliency is a telltale sign of having purpose and happiness.
3. They take part in prayer, affirmation, or meditation.
Many of the happiest folks alive are spiritual. Prayer is a way of connecting and giving thanks for our creator. Meditation helps keep our mind focused, calms our nerves and supports inner peace.
Happy people even use affirmations to declare how their day will go. Steve Jobs'
morning routine used to start by looking in the mirror and asking
himself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what
I am about to do today?" And Benjamin Franklin asked himself each
morning, "What good shall I do today?"
4. They read.
Some happy people read a bit of scripture each morning, while others
read inspiring stories to get their day started. Either way, they make
it a ritual to read self-improvement literature to stretch and grow their insight and knowledge. It's starts their day off on a positive note with new ideas to guide their day's journey.
5. They keep things simple and don't rush out the door.
Complex morning routines are difficult to stick to and set us up for
failure. Happy individuals' routines are simple for them because they
prepared the night before. They picked out their work attire, prepared
their lunch, set their coffee to brew — all the night before. A simple
routine limits any multitasking that most people do in the morning to
ensure that they make it to work on time. Multitasking may create stress and anxiety and steal your peace during your first waking hours.
6. They exercise.
Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting brain chemicals like
serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of
the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of depression. Exercise is a big enough priority
that happy folks tend to do it first thing in the morning so that they
don't have to try to make time later in the day for it. They recognize
that willpower is strongest in the morning.
Morning exercise gets the blood flowing and gives them more energy throughout the day. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology
discovered that working out improved how people felt about their
physical bodies — even if they didn't lose weight or gain any noticeable
improvements in their physique.
7. They get some fresh air.
Morning walks are beneficial for all creatures. Walking is also proven to stimulate creativity in the brain, which isn't a bad way to start the day either.
If they have a dog, they walk it. Walking the dog
a mile or two in the morning is a form of much needed exercise for
humans and dogs alike. When happy individuals walk their dog outside,
they breath in the crisp morning air, which promotes a sense of vitality.
8. They savor the beauty of their surroundings and practice being present in the moment.
Whether they go on a morning walk with their dog or sit in their favorite chair by the window, taking the time to appreciate their environment can be invigorating and gets folks excited about their day. Being present
connects and grounds them to what is really important in the moment.
There is a certain kind of wisdom that comes with being a witness to
your own life.
How many of these habits do you perform each morning? Are there some that you would like to see on the list?
Sunday, May 24, 2015
JMG Editorial Of The Day
From the editorial board of the New York Times:
In a statement conceding defeat, the Iona Institute, the main opposition group, said it would continue to affirm “the importance of biological ties and of motherhood and fatherhood.” The absurdity of that statement speaks for itself. As soon as the referendum is ratified by Parliament, Ireland will join 19 nations that have legalized same-sex marriage — an honor roll that does not include the United States.
The Irish path to legalizing same-sex marriage was remarkable because advocates have long seen courts and legislative initiatives as easier paths to prevail on an issue that continues to trouble many people on moral and religious grounds. Lawmakers in the United Kingdom approved same-sex marriage in 2013. In the United States, the expanding recognition of marriage rights in 36 states and the District of Columbia has been achieved through lawsuits and legislatures. The Supreme Court is expected to rule next month on a case that could establish a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
The outcome in Ireland sends an unmistakable signal to politicians and religious leaders around the world who continue to harbor intolerant views against gays and lesbians. It also should offer hope to sexual minorities in Russia, the Arab world and many African nations where intolerance and discriminatory laws remain widespread. The tide is shifting quickly. Even in unlikely places, love and justice will continue to prevail.
Today's Daily Dharma: A Good Look Around.
A Good Look Around
There's
a lovely freedom in momentarily stepping back into the privilege freely
taken by children, finding the gap in the cyclone wire fence and
sauntering along in that heightened state of casual alertness, just
having a good look around.
- Susan Murphy, "The Secret Life of the Street" |
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Saturday, May 23, 2015
Via All Out
A Irlanda acaba de se tornar o primeiro país no mundo a dizer 'sim' ao casamento igualitário por meio de uma votação popular. Compartilhe essa notícia histórica!
Via Human Rights Campaign:
BREAKING: Historic Victory for Marriage Equality in Ireland #LoveWins #EqualityForward #marref http://www.hrc.org/ireland
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 23/05/2015
“A preguiça normalmente é interpretada como uma falta de caráter, mas
ela é, na verdade, o resultado de sentimentos negados e bloqueados no
sistema. Ela é uma das matrizes do eu inferior que se caracteriza por
uma paralisação em relação ao que precisa ser feito. Às vezes a pessoa
não consegue sair da cama, mas às vezes ela faz muitas coisas, menos
aquilo que precisa ser feito.”
Para acessar ai Satsang completo, acesse: bit.ly/1F0kh9J
“La pereza normalmente es interpretada como una falta de carácter, pero
en realidad es el resultado de sentimientos negados y bloqueados en el
sistema. Es una de las matrices del yo inferior que se caracteriza por
una paralización en relación a lo que hay que hacer. A veces una persona
no puede levantarse de la cama, pero a veces ella hace muchas cosas,
menos aquello que necesita ser hecho.”
“Laziness is usually seen as a poor character trait, but it is in fact the result of repressed and blocked feelings in the system. It is one of the matrices of the lower self that manifests as paralysis in the face of what needs to be done. Sometimes the person cannot even get out of bed, and in other cases the person may be busy doing a lot of things – except that which actually needs to be done.”
“Laziness is usually seen as a poor character trait, but it is in fact the result of repressed and blocked feelings in the system. It is one of the matrices of the lower self that manifests as paralysis in the face of what needs to be done. Sometimes the person cannot even get out of bed, and in other cases the person may be busy doing a lot of things – except that which actually needs to be done.”
Via JMG: Panti Bliss: IT'S A LANDSLIDE
Panti Bliss: IT'S A LANDSLIDE
Less than one hour into the counting of the ballots, leading Irish
activist Panti Bliss is calling it a landslide in favor of same-sex
marriage. Three minutes later David Quinn, founder of the anti-gay Iona
Institute tweeted his congratulations to the Yes Equality side. From the
Irish Times:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
First indications show a strong Yes vote for same-sex marriage in urban areas as counting gets under way in count centres around the country. Ballot boxes were opened at 9am and votes cast in the same-sex referendum are being counted first. While the official result is not expected until this evening, early tallies are expected to give a clear indication of the likely result. Prominent No campaigner and director of the Iona Institute David Quinn seemed to concede the vote tweeting “Congratulations to the Yes site. Well done.” According to Minister for Equality Aodhán Ó Ríordáin the vote seems to be heavily in favour of allowing same-sex marriage. Speaking from the main count centre in Dublin shortly after the first tallies emerged Mr Ó Ríordáin said: “I think it’s won. I’ve seen bellwether boxes open, middle-of-the road areas who wouldn’t necessarily be liberal and they are resoundingly voting yes”. Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin has said it’s looking like an emphatic yes vote in the same-sex marriage referendum. Fine Gael Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said it’s now a question of whether any constituency will return a no vote.Results have not yet been posted to the government's official tabulation site.
VIA JMF IRELAND: Fine Gael Calls It
From the Associated Press:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Leaders on both sides of Ireland's gay marriage campaign say advocates of legalization have won a resounding victory with the ballot count still underway. Senior figures from the "no" campaign, who sought to prevent Ireland's constitution from being amended to permit gay marriage, say the only question Saturday is how large the "yes" side's margin of victory will be from Friday's vote. An Irish Cabinet minister, Leo Varadkar, who came out as gay at the start of the government's campaign, says Dublin looks to have voted about 70 percent in favor of gay marriage, while most districts outside the capital also were reporting strong "yes" leads. Official results come later Saturday. Varadkar said: "We're the first country in the world to enshrine marriage equality in our constitution and do so by popular mandate. That makes us a beacon, a light to the rest of the world of liberty and equality. It's a very proud day to be Irish."
Via Freedom to Marry
Historic: With a landslide victory, Ireland is the first country in the world to pass the freedom to marry by popular referendum! Congrats to ALL who voted for equality, and to our Irish colleagues who worked so hard on this momentous fight. Click "like" and share to celebrate this wonderful step forward: http://bit.ly/1AlvMNy — with Gina Frias.
Today's Daily Dharma: The Open Question.
The Open Question
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Our
task as practitioners is to bring the teachings to life in a personal
way. No one can tell us how to do it. This is the practitioner?s
koan?the open question.
- Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, "The Power of an Open Question" |
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JMG Quote Of The Day - Evan Wolfson
Labels: activism, Europe, Evan Wolfson, Freedom To Marry, Ireland, LGBT History, LGBT rights, marriage equality, SCOTUS
Friday, May 22, 2015
Via JustaBahai: Critiquing the Universal House of Justice
Can a Bahai critique texts penned by the Universal House of Justice or the Department of the Secretariat? My answer, “Of course. Critiquing is engagement. We must obey the Universal House of Justice but that doesn’t mean we must be silent if we do not understand their reasoning.”
Abdu’l-Baha said that we must obey the Guardian to safeguard the “mighty stronghold,” the Baha’i community. The same could be said of obedience to the House of Justice, which is the Head of the Bahai community today. Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Baha wanted to avoid the problems other religions had of being torn into schisms, so they emphasized obedience very strongly. It doesn’t mean that Bahais can’t think for themselves.
So I am free to disagree and to critique, but I am not free to go and claim any form of leadership or a new Bahai religion. I am also not interested in any ideas associated with what might be called reform because I see no need for these. My arguments and the ideas I express on my blog here as just a Bahai aim to follow Baha’u’llah’s pleas for each of us to be “an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression” (Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 93)
And so to the letter, dated 9 May 2014, penned by the secretariat for the Universal House of Justice which I will critique.
A letter, dated 18 May 2015 from the National U.S. Bahai administration has already been widely circulated in diverse online Bahai groups and e-lists. It states:
“A four-page letter from the Universal House of Justice on the subject of homosexuality has recently been receiving wide circulation via the Internet and through personal email lists, and we are increasingly being asked to comment on its authenticity.
The letter—dated May 9, 2014, to an individual believer in response to a personal inquiry—was indeed issued by the Supreme Body through its Department of the Secretariat. We enclose it here for your reference.”
Make the jump here to read the complete posting at JustaBahai
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