The Cloud 9 Collection
If you want to master a sport, you have to consistently practice the skills to excel at that sport. If you're going to master an art form, you have to consistently practice the skills to excel at that art form. If you want to master happiness, you need to consistently practice the skills to excel at being happy! You can excel at happiness by practicing the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that lead you to be satisfied. You can't live a life of negativity, misery, and woe and expect a life of joy, bliss, and exuberance to come from it!
One of the best ways to begin training your brain for happiness is to make daily entries in your Cloud 9 Collection. 15 minutes a day over a cup of coffee or tea is all it takes to start your day in a positive realm.
Your Cloud 9 Collection can be a physical notebook or an online journal. I use an A5 journal with a 6-ring binder. On Amazon.com, I found a refill package of 200 lined sheets, 5 tabs, and a zipper pouch that I use to hold my pens. If you don't want to invest $20-30 bucks in a physical journal, notebooks from a dollar store will do. For those interested in using an online journal, I recommend the DayOne app.
On your 5 tabs or notebooks, write the following:
Section 1: Happy Memories.
Happy memories can be any time in your life. Happy memories can be good times with family, friends, or strangers. Happy memories can also be enjoying time alone, reading a book, practicing a sport, or playing an instrument. Happy memories should include victories, accomplishments, vacations, and other positive experiences. Happy memories should engage your senses; sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Seeing your significant other for the first time, hearing the words "I love you," the tastes and smells of your favorite foods, or the textures of your favorite objects.
When you write out a happy memory, it does not have to be an essay. All it has to be is enough words to invoke the memory back to your conscious mind. Ex: 1) The smell of freshly brewed coffee. 2) Taking 3rd place in my spelling bee. 3) Watching Star Wars for the first time in May of 1977. 4) My father's voice told me how proud he was of me. 5) My mother's homemade mac and cheese. 6) Golf cart rides around the neighborhood with my husband.
Section 2: Affirmations and Declarations.
Affirmations and Declarations include everything you like and love about yourself, PLUS any traits or characteristics and traits you wish to have. Ex: I am loving. I am always early to my appointments. I am smart. I achieve anything I set my mind to.
If you say "I'm bad at math" repeatedly, you will be bad at math. Where your thoughts go is where energy flows! If you tell yourself, "I'm good at math," your math skills will miraculously improve! Be sure to read your affirmations and declarations section every day.
Section 3: Goals and Dreams
What do you want? What do you wish you had? Where do you want to go? What else do you want to do with your life? Write it down here. If you want to supercharge your results, write everything down as if you already have it or did it! Add photos, too. What you believe, you achieve. Ex: I earn $250k a year, helping people conquer fears, achieve their goals, and live their best lives. I spent 120+ days cruising around the world.
Section 4: Gratitude
What are you thankful for? Who are you grateful for? Write your gratitude statements in this section. For example, I'm grateful for my husband, who loves to cook dinner. I'm thankful for my dog, who makes sure I get my walking in. I'm grateful for my clients, who trust me to help them live their best lives.
Section 5: Gems and Quotes
Gems and Quotes are little pieces of wisdom and encouragement. They can be quotes, memes, pictures, photos, sayings, poems, song lyrics, religious verses, thank you notes, or anything that resonates positivity throughout your soul. Feel free to add magazine or newspaper clippings, internet articles, horoscopes, numerology, astrology, or fortune cookie papers. I enjoy searching the internet for gems and quotes when I need inspiration on a particular topic, such as finances, motivation, or happiness. Be creative! Here are some gems and quotes to get you started: Do more of what makes you happy. Fall seven times, stand up eight. We're all broken. That's how the light shines in!
Schedule 15 minutes daily to read or write in your Cloud 9 Collection. To start, commit to this practice for 30 days, and check in with yourself on Day 30. What changes did you notice? Mastering any skill, including happiness, requires daily practice, so make sure you keep going past your 30 days!
Wishing you continued success on your self-improvement journey…Traci Kanaan
