It’s been said that having a thankful attitude is one of the key secrets to happiness.  The state of joy can in most instances be crafted by practicing the habits of gratitude.  Become a gold miner of your life’s daily treasures.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Create a happiness journal.

This can be a physical journal,  file folder or my personal favorite a digital word document that is converted into a PDF, therefore readable on a portable devise.

This journal is especially useful when you are feeling down or overwhelmed.  During a challenging moment we may be tempted to focus on the negative, this is when it’s time to step back and see the big picture which is the tapestry creation of your life.  You have much control over the beauty of this tapestry.

Step 1:  Make a new file in your text editor document of choice.
Title it:  “Happiness Journal”, within this journal you will create a series of lists.

Soon you may be amazed how doing even one of the tasks in your journal will change your  physical and mental state, breaking the pattern of negative thoughts.  Each individual will have a unique list that speaks to them.

Create a list titled: “Action steps to feeling  better right now”

I’ve added a few idea’s to get you started.

• Play music that puts you in a mood of peace or hope.
• Step out side and get some fresh air.
• Drink water, eat less.
• Breath deep and stretch.
• If you are able lay down and decompress the weight of gravity for 5 minutes.
• If your angry or depressed “chop wood”.  Don’t just sit there or engage in idle chatter,  lose yourself in a task.  Something easy with minimal thought.
• Exercise
• Reflect on joys and accomplishments over your lifetime.
• Review your purpose and lifetime goals.
• Enjoy a relaxing and delicious  beverage such as gourmet coffee, herbal tea, hot chocolate, a fruit smoothie or milk shake.
• Read a Blog entry or book with helpful information on well being.
• Look at old photo’s and read your journal from years past, you will be surprised at how often you have overcome difficult times.  See the beauty in the seasons.
• Know that hard times pass! The sun will come out tomorrow.
• Pray to be in the Lords will  and for his hand to be upon you.
• Read the “Things that make me joyful” list (see next step).

Savor the present!

Create a list titled  “Happy thoughts that make me joyful”.

In the story Peter Pan, the kids had to think about one happy thought before they could fly with the fairy dust.  Sometimes all it takes is one happy thought to carry you through the day in a joyful spirit.

Here are a few ideas:

• Remembering the joy of snuggling with your children, grandkids or pets.
• Reflecting on the simple pleasures of life such as having your favorite morning coffee as you look at the sunrise.
• Imagining your self in a relaxing location.  For example: Walking along the azure blue ocean bare foot in the warm sand.
• Visualizing one of your favorite places that you have visited either as a child or in more resent memory.
• If you are in the office take one moment to imagine your self in a relaxing haven with a burning candle and fragrant essential oils scenting the air.
• Think of your favorite bible promises.
• Get excited about your current interest, passion or hobby.

Create a list titled: “Things that make me laugh”

Examples:

• Weird Al
• Post a link to your favorite hysterical YouTube video’s
• A blog or book

Cherish the joys and achievements of your past!

Create a list titled: “The best times of my life”.
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  Create a list titled: “My top accomplishments, honors and awards”:

You can list items from your professional resume and/or expand to include accomplishments from your childhood (such as winning a dance contest or little league trophy).

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Get excited about the future!

Create a list titled  “My top lifetime goals”.

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Create a list titled  “My top goals for the year”.
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Now that you’ve spent some time on these lists you can go back and insert digital pictures under your most meaningful list items to help you visualize these happy moments or future goals. This can be a lot of fun.  Place an image in your digital frame that brings you joy and reflect on that thought.

Go and live with passionate purpose.

Rain San Martin is a composer  www.RainSanMartin.com digital artist and homemaker.

Have you ever seen What Not To Wear? For a few years I found myself enjoying this program as I was amazed by the transformation of many individuals.  Most went from a shaggy countenance to a polished look.

We have often heard it’s best to keep up with the trends so that we can appear hip and with the times. This is good if one neglects their personal appearance and needs to appear more professional, but what if you wanted the freedom to build a unique wardrobe over the course of years, so that your external self matches your inner creativity?

Some of the shows guests included: a fine artist, yoga health nut, and a biker chick who started out with an individual style yet after the transformation cast off their unique themes and graphic tees in favor of a more universally appealing look.  I felt sad as they seemed to have lost their self expression.

What if instead we apply the fashion wisdom of finding nicely made clothing coupled with a deeply individual style? If you want to stand out from the crowd or develop your unique self, explore a few themes and discover your radically personal look. We shouldn’t have to wait until Halloween to live the dream.  Here are a few ideas.

Extreme (some hysterically entertaining)  examples of people dressing in costume 24/7 include:

• At Timewarpwives.blogspot.com you can read interviews about people who are living the 1950′s day in and day out!  A fun treat indeed.

• The documentary Trekkies profiles some fans who wear their Star Trek uniform on a regular basis, one of whom wears it to work!

Here are some more subtle ways you can express your character:

• Techy Geek: Display your wearable technology.  How about a circuit board necklace? Be sure to watch Weird’s Al’s white and nerdy video to get you pepped up.

http://www.hightechjewelry.com/
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/jewelry/ad19/

• Futuristic Sci-fi:  Wear lots of silver, black or white. Seek clothing with glowing LSD’s. Think Tron Legacy,  now where talking!

http://shop.cyberdog.net/

http://www.futurstate.com/article.cfm

• Renaissance or Pirate Fantasy Adventurer. Buy clothes from the renaissance festivals or on-line.  Play some renaissance guitar music and heck why not speak Elizabethan at home?

http://stores.renstore.com/StoreFront.bok

http://historyshop.piratemerch.com/

• Professional rocker: Sharp blazer’s worn with a music themed label pen, mixed with a wild under shirt, boots or unique shoes, rocker hair with artsy accessories.  Take it one step further by embracing a different decade such as the 1980′s. Watch “Never” by Heart for “rockin” inspiration!

• Magical Hippy:  Crystal pendants, colorful tunics, hemp, etc. Why not live in the late 1960′s/ early 1970′s with tie dyed shirts, play The Guess Who and burn some incense.

• Yoga Health Nut: You could try organic fabrics and wear comfortable flowing yoga wear with natural makeup. Get a subscription to Natural Health and make your own granola.

• Mysterious Victorian Gothic: Buy lots of black, invest in a high quality cloak, and wear long lace gloves.  Buy Gothic decorations from Toscano.

http://gothstore.piratemerch.com/gothic-clothing-c-20.html

• Pioneer days:    Society for Creative Anachronism.  Some traditional homemakers enjoy dressing in period clothing from this era even make soap from scratch.

I know many of these themes may be extreme. So find something that works for you. I welcome you to add links in the comment section to a youtube video or website showcasing an individual or group of people dressing in  costumes in their daily life.

Rain

Rain San Martin is a composer  www.RainSanMartin.com digital artist and homemaker.

Written by Rain San Martin 

The first time I allowed family and friends to hear my musical compositions took courage and humility. “If they do not approve of my musicianship then I am not worthy, and therefore my life has no meaning.” As I analyzed the fear I realized it was my ego blocking me.

“And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

Remove perfectionism

Sharing your music with loved ones after a reasonable deadline will help you to become more bold and therefore remove one of the biggest procrastination road blocks: perfection. We need to accept that if the music we create pleases our self, then there will be others out there somewhere in the world who will share in this feeling. If we take away excessive vanity we are truly free. This step can be scary as you may feel you are wearing your heart on your sleeve yet over time you will become stronger!

Carefully select a handful of your closest loved ones or mentors whom to
share with. Constructive criticism may be difficult to swallow, yet necessary. Note if a person seems overly critical of your work this may not be the best person to share your compositions with.

Examples of negative criticism:

“You should stick with accounting”.
“Don’t you think it’s a little too late to take up the keyboard.”
“You’re a guitar player, why are you doing your own keyboard parts?”

Here are some examples of effective constructive criticism:

“The song could use another part, such as a bridge.”
“The guitar’s are too loud”.
“You need more low end in the sonic spectrum. Add additional base, cello and base drums.”
“Add a few embellishments.”
“The drums could use compression to avoid distortion”.
“Work on playing the parts more cohesively, give it a few more takes”.

Revise your work and commit to a journey of excellence

• Give yourself a reasonable deadline to complete a song.

• Writers of novels and non-fiction will create rough outlines, edit and elaborate many times until the piece feels complete. Go through a similar process for music composition. Look at the song structure,  can it be improved? How about the arrangement? Come back to your music after a few days or a week and see if it’s missing anything. Many of us are performing our own engineering, producing and mixing these days, can any of these elements be improved in your song?

• Commit to continually hone your craft and your work will automatically improve overtime. Move forward with where you are today.

• Repeat: After you have shared your work with trusted ears, make additional revisions  and move to the next stage of mixing or mastering, get feedback as necessary. Soon you will be on your way to a digital release or album sale.

• Seek inspiration and motivation all along the way! Listen to other similar independent artists in your genre on social networking music sites such as www.reverbnation.com , www.lastfm.com and others. Just think…many of these artists are on a  similar journey and this realization can be very motivating! One of my favorite tools is the browse artist search on Reverb Nation  (click the Search Artists tab). For an example:  Type Symphonic Metal into the Genre field and you will discover new talented bands. At LastFM type in the specific style of music and you will hear a radio station filled with a composite of many unique artists.

Live with passion, purpose and take action.

Rain

Rain San Martin is a composer  www.RainSanMartin.com and digital artist www.FantasyRealmImages.com.

Our “day of rest”, gives us an opportunity to sharpen our axe and come back with a renewed sense of wonder. The key is to allow a large enough block of time with no scheduled commitments,  where your mind can drift into a creative space.

1)   Visualize yourself at a serene location. While listening to relaxing music or nature sounds imagine that you are at the beach, a joyful place you have visited or a personal created space.

2)  Relax with an at-home “spa treatment“. Pick up a fragrant bath gel, luxurious face mask or exfoliate with a homemade mixture of sugar, olive oil and a few drops of 100% essential aromatherapy oil.

3)  Create visual goals on index cards. Cut out inspiring photo’s from several magazines and secure onto index cards. Make one or several for each area of your life. Review regularly keeping only the cards which represent your current dreams.

4) Step out into nature. Linger in your backyard or a local park and have quite time with God. “Be still, and know that I am God“  -Psalm 46:10

5) Go on “an artist date” alone,  as recommended by Julia Cameron, author of the Artist‘s Way.  Have a latte, casually window shop or attend a festival. Have a note pad or digital recorder on your person to capture idea’s, dreams and words of wisdom.

6) Review your old journal entries, photographs, letters from loved ones and memorabilia. This will help you to “keep true to the dreams of thy youth” and be thankful for the people in your life.

7) Make something just for fun.  Assemble a digital scrapbook, create your own soap or edit your home videos on the computer. Just make certain that whatever you do in this block of time it shouldn’t be something you feel you have to do.

You may use this article in your web site or eZine, just be sure to post the credits below:

“Written by Rain San Martin, a multimedia composer, digital artist and homemaker.  www.RainSanMartin.com   Read more blog posts at www.livingwithpassionatepurpose.wordpress.com

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