We are dedicated to helping you and our communities thrive on the quest to whole health. We're focused on being your guide as you take charge and live your best life. And while we might be changing our name, the philosophy of whole-person wellness has been the engine behind our model of care from our humble beginning.
Today, we continue the tradition of whole-person care by practicing and sharing CREATION Life, a blueprint for living a healthy, happy life based on the principles given in the Bible's creation story. One of these principles, Outlook, is what grounds us in eternal hope and positivity.
With the belief that miracles can happen - that anything is possible - healing can happen. And a brighter life can transform, too. So, we have some tips to change the sheen of your outlook for a happier future of whole health.
Choose Your Lenses
Having a positive attitude generally leads to a happier life, which you really do "wear." In fact, you can make the choice to put on more positive lenses through which you view the world and your experiences.
If you have your lighter, positive lenses on, you see things a little brighter and interpret your surroundings and life events with more grace or patience.
If you have darker lenses on, you tend to miss the beauty of what's around you, only see the negative side of a situation and experience more frustration.
Take Responsibility
There are many things that we can't necessarily control in our lives. Good and bad things happen. When good things happen, it makes us feel amazing and encouraged. It's when the bad things happen that tries our outlook.
When challenging things happen in your life, focus on the things that you can control in the situation. You can control how you view your challenges, how you try to overcome them, and whether something positive could result from them in the future.
It's important to remember that we always have choices, even if it feels like we don't. We have control over our thoughts, feelings, how we treat others, health, nutrition, and the list continues. If you find your face starting to crinkle, focus on something that you can do to harness a more positive outlook.
Shift Your Perspective
Most of us go about our day expecting that everything is going to pan out perfectly. If we change our expectations and accept that we can't always control the world and people around us, many disappointments can be halted in their tracks. We can better accept challenges as they come and move on in a healthier direction.
When you shift your perspective you tend to appreciate any challenge because it could always be worse. If you lost three hours of work on an important document, at least you didn't lose the entire thing. Instead of being upset with someone who cut you off while driving, be grateful that you skirted an accident and are OK. Just because you may have dark lenses on one minute, doesn't mean you can't take them off and put the lighter ones on the next.
In times of utter frustration, take a pause and ask yourself this question: Am I having a bad day or five bad minutes? Don't let one upsetting moment ruin the rest of your time and experiences in that day.
Create a "Happiness Toolkit"
What makes you the happiest? It could be one thing or many, but whatever makes you happy should be in a toolkit that you have available when you need a shift in outlook.
You can get creative with this. It could be a digital folder housing pictures of things that remind you of what makes you feel great or a physical "toolkit" that you keep in your car with tokens of items that make you happy and inspire you.
When you are experiencing struggles, reach into this toolkit for a shift toward positivity. How could you not turn that pout into a smile after looking at photos of loved ones, reading your favorite inspirational quotes, holding a sentimental gift, seeing a souvenir from your favorite vacation, or focusing on a symbol of one of your greatest achievements?
Making a happiness toolkit is a constructive way to take control of a situation that is bringing you down. It's an instant boost that can help you appreciate the wonderful things in your life when a more negative moment might be making you otherwise feel stressed.
So, the next time you get that jaw clenching, nose wrinkling, eye wincing feeling, remember to put on your brighter lenses: Take control, shift your perspective, and grab your happiness toolkit to improve - and wear - a more positive outlook.
For more information about our CREATION Life principles, click here
