As you may have seen, I recently spent the weekend with my nephew. 

His name is Ethen, he’s 6 years old, and he’s a great teacher. 

Ethen’s already experienced significant loss, that many adults haven’t even dealt with; yet, he continues to exude positive energy, unwavering curiosity, and an infectious (and super fun!) vibe that can literally put a smile on your face.

I appreciate that this may be because he’s young, resilient, and innocent to the nuances of adulthood — e.g. stress about the future, overwhelm/anxiety about the past, fear of the unknown, imposter syndrome — and all the things we can get caught up in, but I find myself learning from him, I think you will too.

 

“You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it” — unknown 

We’re all faced with loss and setbacks in life, and it’s how you choose to be while you’re in the challenge, that will either help you move forward — and even stronger — than before, or keep you feeling stuck in the storm. 

This isn’t to say you can’t feel your emotions, be sad or grieve (this is all part of a healthy emotional process) but you can still make a conscious choice on how you decide to perceive your setback, and continue to share your light and love with yourself and others. 

When spending time with Ethen, I admire how he’s able to easily feel joy; here’s 3 tips that apply to everyone:

LESSON #1. NOWHERE BUT HERE: It’s so easy to get stuck in the past, and worry about what we “could have” or “should have” done. But, as you know, you can’t change the past, so why waste so much time trying to?! The first step in this process is acceptance and knowing that you’re here, right now, and there’s nothing you can do about it, but BE HERE. Make the most out of each moment starting today! You can start by writing this affirmation on a piece of paper and sticking it on your mirror: “I love and accept myself exactly the way I am”. This will help you to accept yourself, your current situation, and will train your brain to be grateful. 

LESSON #2. DO WHAT YOU WANT: Stop trying to please everyone else and start being you! Seriously, the only way you’ll truly be happy in life is when you be the truest, most authentic version of you. This doesn’t include other people’s expectations of you or their opinion of what you should do. This is about you, your desires, and authentic truth — and only YOU know what this is. And if you don’t know what it is yet, don’t worry, this is exactly what I can help you figure out in YuSchool.

LESSON #3. HAVE FUN! Find joy in the process. Life is full of a series of “good times” and “tough times” that are ultimately given to you as lessons to learn and grow from, so eventually they become positive experiences to expand from too. Know this, and take on all that comes your way, with the mindset that — “this is happening FOR me” opposed to, “this is happening TO me.” What can you learn? How can this experience help you become more loving? Compassionate? Authentic? Joyful? 

As challenging as life can get, remember, you still have control over how you react to the situation you’re in. It’s not always going to be easy, and you can’t do it alone. 

Love yourself, the people in your life — and do whatever you can, to share your special gift with the world. 

Book your free call with Tonia.

Once you’ve tried the tips to feel more joy, I’d love to hear how this was for you.

What lesson are you going to start today?

Leave a comment below and let me know.

If you know someone who could use some more joy, share this post.

Thank you for being here and choosing to be you, with confidence.

With love and support,

XO,

Tonia

Background: Ethen recently experienced the sudden loss of his father (my brother), the biggest influence in his life, and although he’s still grieving this tremendous sadness, as we all will for years to come, I’m acknowledging his strength in the process. 

P.S. I’ve blocked out some time over the next few days for free breakthrough calls. So if you’ve been dying to finally make a change in your life, now’s the time to talk. 

Book your free breakthrough call with Tonia