#1 resolution for the New Year

It is almost over. 2012 is nearing its end, while the New Year is waiting for us full of excitement.

What are your resolutions for 2013? 

I think your number one resolution needs to be your conscious effort to be happy and enjoy life!

While there may be hard times now and then, the joyful moments always outweigh them.

Make the decision to create more happiness in yourself and others!

Live life to the fullest and share it with the world. 

It is truly magnificent!

Don't worry, be happy

From time to time, you encounter a problem that makes you worry quite a bit. You can't seem to ignore the worst possible outcome. So instead, you focus on it and by doing that you drive yourself crazy.

Enough with this insanity! Worrying does not make your situation a tiny bit better, it actually makes it much worse.

Keep your head clear and try to focus on the solution! Keep asking yourself how you can solve this problem. Do not drift into panic mode. Believe in your problem-solving capabilities.

You can overcome any obstacles and still be happy. There is no need to live in fear and worry.

Never forget: Don't worry, be happy!

Gratitude is your best friend

Whenever you feel sad, think of at least five things that you are grateful for. It can be anything. Your new clothes, your full fridge, your family, your job or your health.

It is very helpful to say it out loud and/or write it down.

Here are some examples:

"I am grateful for my good health"

"I am thankful for having so many amazing people in my life"

"I feel blessed to have clothing, food and shelter every day of the year"

Gratitude is wonderful. Gratitude is happiness. Make it your habit to feel grateful every single day. 

You're beautiful, but you don't know it

Do you ever look in the mirror and criticize yourself? I bet you do!

"My nose is too big, my lips are too thin. Oh my gosh, my skin looks horrible! I'm so ugly..."

Please stop this trash talk and understand what it really is. It comes from insecurities and false beliefs about what beauty is supposed to look like.

Thanks to our modern society, millions of people consider themselves ugly. Some try to hide their "shortcomings" under layers and layers of make-up. Others just feel plain miserable. 

Instead of criticizing yourself, please look in the mirror without any judgment.

Just look at yourself and smile. Not a goofy or half sincere smile. A genuine, warm smile. You deserve it! Doesn't it make you feel great?

Bad weather

There is no such thing as bad weather!

For some reason, it is widely accepted to complain about rain, snow, very cold temperatures, very hot temperatures and so on. Why do you spend your precious time being upset about something you cannot and will never be able to change?

Do you hear animals complaining about the weather? If they could talk, they would certainly not choose such an insignificant topic.

Just take it as it is. Rain is rain. Snow is snow.

Don't give away the power over your happiness to some external event.

Dress appropriately and keep your mind busy with more important things. This will make you much happier than fretting about "bad" weather.

Being happy is a decision

There is one thing all of us want: to be happy.

Many people struggle with being unhappy. They focus on disappointments and setbacks. They keep asking themselves why on earth all these negative things are happening to them. Day after day, they feel sad and cheated by life.

Now, what would happen if these same people consciously decided to be happy? What if they made an oath to only foster positive thoughts?

They would stop being miserable and be happy instead! It is that simple.

I am not saying that this process is easy for everyone. There will certainly be people who struggle to break their old thought patterns. However, in the end, it is all worth it.

Decide to be happy now!