Where to begin?

The best place to start is exactly where you are, now.

In this age of information, we are exposed to a LOT more knowledge than we ever have been before. In my humble opinion - I don't believe that we humans are supposed to be exposed to this much information, But it is happening, and we as a society are managing the changes, so this inevitable change is due course for us as a species and as a society. Therefore, it is our duty to manage our internal worlds as our access to the external world steadily grows.

This brings us to the question: Where to begin?

• Where do I begin to find peace in world that looks less than peaceful?

• Where do I begin to feel in control of my life when every time I try to change something, it goes wrong?

• Where do I begin to be the ideal version of myself and live my ideal life?

The answer is as simple as it is complex: go within.

Depending on your current knowledge and beliefs about life, energy, metaphysics, and physics you likely either agreed with my above statement, or rolled your eyes at it. It is not my goal to change your beliefs, but to share mine and hopefully bolster a belief you already have or give you a thought provoking topic to bring up with your friends.

Beginning something new is hard enough. How do we begin something that we think or feel will take forever? We begin with a small actionable step that can effortlessly be intergraded or added into our daily routine.

Here are a few small actionable steps you can take to begin bringing more peace and control into your life - ultimately creating the dream life you desire:

1. A Moment of Gratitude in the Morning

   • Immediately when waking up take a moment to recognize you are awake BEFORE leaving the bed. Give thanks for the new day in whatever way works best for you. (How I Use This: I wake up, smile, and say "Hello" to the new day before getting out of bed.)

     
     

2. A Smile in the Mirror

   • When you walk past a reflective surface, or mirror, where you can clearly see your face - smile. Smiling, at ones self or others, is clinically proven to release powerful hormones, like dopamine, into the brain that connect with receptors that influence our mood. Want to be happier? Smile more! (How I Use This: I always give myself a big smile in the mirror after brushing my teeth in the morning.)

     
     

3. A Moment of Silence

   • Find yourself with some downtime between meetings, at a stop light, or waiting for a friend to arrive at your hangout destination? Take a moment and acknowledge silence. It can be the literal silence of no sound, the silence found between song lyrics, the silence of the droning of an air conditioner unit. These are all variations of "silence". Take a moment, a few seconds - tops, and go within to "listen" for silence. You will amaze yourself with how efficient this action step is to dull the edge of stress and bring about positive neurological change. (How I Use This: Every moment I am aware of having time to go within, I do! Walking, at a red light, during a TV commercial - I briefly close my eyes and tune into the "silence" within me.)

“

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

”

”

Lao Tzu

If you are ready to begin your journey, and to take that single step, sign up for a Discovery Call with SMILE Hypnotherapy, today!

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In Loving Kindness,

Adesola O. Daboiku, CMS-CHt

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Article Sources:

1. Cross MP, Acevedo AM, Leger KA, Pressman SD. How and why could smiling influence physical health? A conceptual review. Health Psychol Rev. 2023 Jun;17(2):321-343. doi: 10.1080/17437199.2022.2052740. Epub 2022 Mar 23. PMID: 35285408.

2. Ben-Soussan TD, Srinivasan N, Glicksohn J, Beziau JY, Carducci F, Berkovich-Ohana A. Editorial: Neurophysiology of Silence: Neuroscientific, Psychological, Educational and Contemplative Perspectives. Front Psychol. 2021 Apr 13;12:675614. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.675614. PMID: 33927676; PMCID: PMC8076544.