If You’re Unhappy and You Know It: Clap Your Hands for a Better Life

We are all striving for a better something in life. Whether we're working for a better job, better education, better body or better health, life is about mobbing toward something more. With increased stress levels and unreal expectations I've placed on myself that I simply cannot meet, I've forgotten that life is about the journey. Instead of spending time enjoying life when work is not a top priority, I find I spend most days in a cyclical pattern of waking exhausted, pushing through the morning and early afternoon with a ton of coffee and poor food choices and crashing in the late afternoon from pure exhaustion and poor health. If this sounds like your days, the time has come for us both to step up and start living life to the fullest, starting with a bit of uncomfortable change.

Look at Where You Are and Where You Want to Be

Do you really want to spend your free time napping because you are simply too exhausted to do anything else? Neither do I. Exercise is the best means of increasing energy levels naturally, but dedicating time to exercise is hard. I've managed to graduate from the P90X extreme fitness program and yet I still don't make time for exercise every day. My problem, like most women in the same health slump, is time. I have convinced myself I don't have the time to exercise so I don't. But, that is just a lie I tell myself to feel better about skipping that workout every day.

If you are sleeping through the afternoons or spending most of your off days sick with flu-like symptoms, it's time to get up and get moving. Exercise is the key to improved health and energy and moderation is the key to sticking with your new routine. I'm starting with 10 minutes a day for a week and upping that time to 15 minutes on week two and 20 minutes on week three until I hit 30 minutes a day.

Give Yourself the Time You Deserve to Enjoy Life

Life is about clapping, laughing and enjoying moments you'll remember for a lifetime. I can't say I've dedicated much of my life to happiness as of late, but that is something I am going to change. For the rest of the year I am planning a date night once a month with my husband of nearly 20 years. We have been on less than 10 dates in total in that time. We deserve that time to bond and enjoy life's moments without our four children in tow. I am also going to send hubby out of the house with the kids every Saturday afternoon to play at the park. During that time I will be writing short stories, articles, eBooks, blogs or whatever I want because it will be MY time - not OUR time.

Your personal plan for improved health and energy will be different than mine, but I'm sure you can relate to the changes I am making and alter them to fit your situation. Women often spend more time worrying about family, finances and children than they do about the person that matters most - ME. The time has come to make things happen to change your life for the better. It doesn't take a New Year's Resolution or a bad report for the doctor to know you have to make changes to live happier, healthier and longer. Let's make those changes together.

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