Fall in Happy with YOU: 101 thoughts to create happiness from within

by Nita Pettibone

Overview

Fall in Happy with YOU is a compilation of motivational thoughts created to be a simple and quick read. Life is busy, so the messages are laid out in a format that allows 101 thoughts to be quickly absorbed.

• -A daily devotional style tool that can be used again and again
• -Challenges are incorporated to encourage the use of new concepts
• -Note pages are included to allow personal journaling and reflection
• -Feel empowered to create change from within one thought at a time

Get ready to feel inspired, whether you are already in a state of wellness, could use a happiness boost, or are completely reinventing yourself.

Find your smile and Fall in Happy with YOU!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504349406
Publisher:	Balboa Press
Publication date:	02/16/2016
Pages:	134
Sales rank:	711,019
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.31(d)

Read an Excerpt

Fall in Happy with You

101 Thoughts to Create Happiness from Within

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By Nita Pettibone

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2016 Nita Pettibone
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5043-4940-6

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CHAPTER 1

WHY FALLING IN HAPPY

The name Falling in Happy sounds silly to some, but when most people find out the meaning behind it, they see it isn't so silly after all.

So here is a little about me:

I got married straight out of high school (as in 5 days after graduation) to a man that stole my heart. I thought the world revolved around him and us. My happiness was wrapped up in a little wedding band and if things weren't going well in our marriage, then it was a mad rush of what can "I" do to make it better? What can I do to make HIM happy? How can I make others happy? I worked hard - many hours and sometimes three jobs - my life was full and with nothing to complain about. We always had a roof over our heads and food on the table; we traveled a bunch and carried love in our hearts. How could I possibly complain? I was always that annoying person trying to find the positive in any situation, but if my husband wasn't happy, I would take a step back. If we didn't go somewhere together, then we just didn't go. If he didn't want to take part in an activity, then neither did I. We ate the same foods, regardless of how my health began to suffer. We split the chores in half and did them together. On paper, my life would be completely perfect. In fact looking back, I wouldn't change a thing. We were 50/50 down the middle. But there was a key element missing that I would learn later.

Marriage isn't a 50/50 split. It is 100/100 and when one person misses a few steps the other takes extra, but at no point do we have to take on their emotional baggage, too.

I began changing my diet to better my health and the results were remarkable. I started exercising even if it meant running alone and training for races without help. Eventually a child hopped in our lives and things changed in a big way. Next thing I knew, I was doing everything for him, taking care of the house, making sure my husband had what he needed regardless of distance between us, and my career spiraled in a good way to a new level. If I had to travel for work, I made sure they had everything done for them at home before I left. I would leave treasures so they didn't miss me, and presents so they would smile while I was gone. My life was full and still nothing to complain about; yet, I was so busy taking care of everyone else between family and work that I didn't even know who was looking back at me in the mirror anymore.

One day, I finally realized that I hadn't been eating optimally, was gaining weight again, was exhausted, working many hours, my adrenals were shot, and exercise was happening but in a different way. I was staying up late to get everything done, was spending every possible moment with my son so I wouldn't miss any events, and dealing with a marriage that was no longer optimal.

I realized my entire adult life had been spent making other people happy to a point that I didn't know what happiness was within my self. From that moment of sadness came a joy that I never understood before--A state of mind that feeling my best is only within me, and that when I change my thoughts, I could change my reality. It hit me that I can't make anyone else happy. We can only do that for ourselves. Just like no one can make me happy or sad if I don't allow them to. It was a moment of clarity that I will never forget. Don't get me wrong, my life was great prior. But this was a new awakening to what my life could really be.

From that day forward, I continued to grow my wellness initiatives in our house. We created a garden, made our own cleaning products, started juicing, dehydrating, trying new recipes; the list goes on. The time we spent together was the quality kind because I was coming from a different perspective. My health was back on track again. I started crafting more, writing more, running longer races and eventually joined an amazing gym. I stopped feeding the negativity that had been a part of my life prior and looked only toward positive relationships. I reconnected with distant family, created new friendships, and was committed to helping others find their own way through health, wellness, and happiness. I looked at the world through a different set of glasses. Discovered I didn't have to do everything alone. I realized that people will help when you ask. And if chores don't get done, the world doesn't end. My wellness initiatives outside the home took on a life of their own as well. For the first time in my life, I could look in the mirror and smile at who was looking back. Through all of this and more, I discovered why I was placed on this earth. Little did I know that a career change was on the horizon.

CHAPTER 2

FALLING IN HAPPY WAS BORN

When I started sharing the message to others, I quickly saw the need and desire for people that wanted to change. People don't generally want to feel bad; they just don't know where to start. Friends, family, and co-workers began asking questions when they saw my results.

It's human nature to care for others but we tend to forget ourselves in the process. We have a need inside ourselves to feel something more but get so busy that we fail to see what is truly happening.

When I shifted my thoughts to feeling happy within, everything else in my life began to fall into place. I noticed that when I removed the negativity, I made room for positive things to happen. My relationships, both personal and professional, expanded. My career shifted to a point that I went back to school and educated myself in the ways of coaching others. The fitness goals I set for myself grew, and the foods I put in my body were optimal.

When I changed my thoughts, I changed my life and discovered my mission is to help others do the same. Falling in love with other people is a natural and amazing experience, but falling in happy with yourself is a life changing event. It doesn't mean you stop caring for others. It means you START caring for yourself.

Living a life of happiness:

As of the day this is being published, I will have been married for over twenty-four years and am the proud Mom of one incredible human and one goofy canine.

Being a motivational speaker, personal health coach, wellness educator, youth fitness coach, and the owner of Falling in Happy, LLC, has allowed me to support thousands of people to achieve their own wellness goals. Now it is time for you to achieve yours.

CHAPTER 3

101 THOUGHTS TO CREATE HAPPINESS FROM WITHIN

You will find that I wrote this book to be a simple and quick read at a moment's notice with inspirational and motivational bite-sized pieces of information. Life is busy so the messages are short and laid out in a format that allows 101 thoughts to be quickly absorbed. You can take it with you and read one thought at a time, or devour every snippet again and again. Each thought is numbered so you can highlight your favorites to reference as needed. Some have more content than others while some thoughts provide a challenge to help utilize a concept - These challenges are also listed at the end of the book with note pages as a resource for writing your own thoughts - Whether you are already in a state of wellness, could use a happiness boost, or are trying to reinvent yourself, this book may be just the inspiration you need.

When you read these pages, I encourage you to think of the words as if a friend were saying them. Some thoughts may be hard to take, but facing reality is part of creating change. Use this as a reference, resource, motivational and inspirational tool. You aren't alone and happiness is always within reach. You just have to look in the mirror and say: "I'm Worth IT!"

CHAPTER 4

BEGIN CREATING HAPPINESS FROM WITHIN

(1)

Happiness doesn't come from others or from things; it comes from within. My wish for you is that you feel the smile deep inside and then let it out for all to see. Don't wait for people or things to do that for you or you will always be waiting! Find your own happiness then watch the positive relationships find you.

(2)

We are all born with the ability to be happy. As babies we smile at the noises our bodies make. We laugh at a silly face and sing when we fill our diapers. As we get older and life takes hold, we begin to forget how to laugh. Of course laughing when you fill the toilet may be a little odd as an adult, but when was the last time you laughed for no good reason? Some of us even hold in our giggles for fear it will be frowned upon.

Challenge: Laugh, just laugh and for no other reason than you remembered to do so. Make laughter a new habit even if that just means laughing at yourself, a situation, or listening to a comedian. Create a new kind of happy hour- the kind where you are truly happy. Instead of hiding your problems, laugh at them.

(3)

Are you just going through the motions each day or are you truly living? There is a big difference between allowing the tires to spin and taking control of the steering wheel.

(4)

When people speak to us in a negative manner, we have a choice of allowing those words to bother us or not. However, when we speak to OURSELVES in a negative manner, we tend to give up that choice. Negative self-talk can be more toxic than any other relationship. Choose your words wisely.

(5)

When you are feeling down about the incredible to-do list or wellness struggles, remember how much you HAVE accomplished instead of focusing on what you haven't.

Challenge: Give yourself a pat on the back for what you HAVE accomplished. Look in the mirror and smile, because you are AMAZING. Take the negative self- talk and throw it in the garbage where it belongs.

(6)

Being in your own mind for a bit is a good thing: Sometimes we think we have to be ON all of the time, because if not then we aren't worthy or we aren't doing enough, or maybe it means we don't want to be alone with our thoughts so we stay busy all of the time. The problem is, those thoughts you are hiding from will present themselves in other ways such as sabotaging your wellness efforts or relationships. Thoughts you haven't dealt with could create food cravings, health issues, or worse. That doesn't mean you have to dig up every hurtful thing in your life. By taking some down time each day - even if it's just five minutes to check in with your thoughts - you know that you are okay, present, and are making a difference.

(7)

Getting ahead in this moment is a choice, just as giving up is a choice. It seems easier to give up sometimes but the rewards of moving forward are much greater! Which will you choose today?

(8)

When you eat something that makes you feel horrible, imagine what is happening inside your body that is making you feel horrible. If food has that kind of power, then doesn't it also have the power to help you feel AMAZING? How we feel physically can determine how we feel mentally. When you are feeling down, start taking a closer look at what is on your plate.

(9)

When a plant doesn't get proper water or sunlight, it begins to wilt. We are also living beings that begin to wilt when not properly nourished. Fatigue, sleep troubles, digestive ailments, internal inflammation, headaches, skin issues, and so much more are all signs of our own wilting. If you find yourself feeling like a wilted plant, it is time to shift your lifestyle towards one of nourishment.

(10)

We can't control the weather, but we can control how we feel about it. We can sit inside and mope at the rain, or we can create rain barrels to help with our garden. We can certainly fuss that the weather changed our plans or we can simply change our plans and stomp in a puddle while we are at it. When the weather turns colder, the days get shorter, and darkness sets in, our minds can quickly take a turn towards negative emotions. This is natural as our circadian rhythm is off. Other things shift too, like our serotonin, melatonin, and availability of vitamin D absorption. Add to that the holidays, junk food, lack of exercise, more sedentary days, and suddenly our happy outlook has turned very grim.

Challenge: Use the darker days to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Eat colorful foods and grounding veggies. Add some spice to your life with peppery mixes to help warm your body from within. The most important thing to do when you least want to, is exercise. This will raise those feel good hormones and conquer the depression beast. If you are experiencing extreme depression, however, always seek professional medical help.

(11)

Did you know that inflammation on the outside (bruises, bloating, swelling, redness) is the kind you can see? But it can also be a warning to the inflammation going on inside that you can't see. As mentioned before, the digestive system plays such an important role in how we think. Maybe eating a certain way worked at one time but is now causing you grief. Don't be afraid to change it up.

Challenge: Today, try to eat foods that promote an anti-inflammatory environment. Your moods and body will certainly thank you.

(12)

You are WONDERFUL!! Yes, YOU!! When you wake up each morning after reading this, remind yourself that you are. Let the day start with the knowledge that you are in control of how you feel.

(13)

We can't change those around us, but we can change ourselves. Don't focus on what he or she is doing, eating, or thinking. That is theirs to carry not yours. Focus on what YOU are doing, eating, thinking, and how YOU want to feel. If you aren't feeling your best in this moment, change it!

(14)

Create a lifestyle plan that works, commit to it, and make it happen. This sounds simple enough, right? In reality it can take months, even years to find the perfect combination of food, fitness, and lifestyle for your body and mind. But when you find it, there is no turning back. At no point will a magic pill or potion do what commitment and dedication will.

(15)

Strength isn't about what you can lift when times are good; it is about how you pick yourself up when times are tough.

(16)

Getting recognized for work well done is a wonderful thing. But always seeking recognition sets the stage for always looking. To live happily we have to not worry about the thoughts of others and give ourselves recognition instead. Just getting out of bed can be hard sometimes but when you look at every single thing accomplished in a day, you are doing a dang good job. If someone else recognizes your efforts, that is great, but do things because YOU recognize them.

Challenge: Write yourself a letter that starts with "Dear Me, I am worth every bit of happiness that I can muster and in looking at my day, I have done the following ..." Fill that last part in with every little task from one full day starting with brushing your teeth in the morning. List every phone call, every family, house, or friendly act. List what you have done for yourself, for others, and for the environment. Also, what you have done at work, the gym, or even making a meal for your child or feeding the pet. At the end of one day, I guarantee you have done a whole lot. Pat yourself on the back. Smile and recognize your own efforts, even the thankless ones. In this exercise, it is impossible to think about everything that hasn't been done or that is left to be done. You must focus on what you HAVE done which turns your thoughts toward a place of happiness and gratitude. Write yourself a letter whenever you are feeling defeated or need a reminder that recognition comes from within.

(17)

Complaining doesn't make change happen; neither does talking about it. The doing part is where change happens! What will you do for yourself today that will make a difference in how you feel tomorrow?

(18)

Regardless of our beliefs, no human can ever provide another human an expiration date on her life and no human knows when his last breath will be. But if you are reading this, then today you are ALIVE. How we choose to live is our choice; how we feel, think, and thrive in this day no matter our limitations is up to us. How are you going to live today that allows you to feel your best in each moment? We all have an expiration date, but no one can tell us what it is. How we live while we are living is all that matters. I encourage you to live, love, and feel. Be happy in the now, make changes where needed, but live!

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Fall in Happy with You by Nita Pettibone. Copyright © 2016 Nita Pettibone. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Why falling in Happy, 1,
Falling in Happy was born, 4,
101 Thoughts to create happiness from within, 6,
Begin Creating happiness from within, 7,
Challenge Review, 110,