Ever look at your favorite leader or mentor and think they must be happy all the time?

I do. I think it's so easy to look at someone who is high up, in a respected position and think their lives must be perfect. It wasn't until this morning that I heard something that made me think otherwise. I was listening to one of my favs, Gabby Bernstein, and she was talking about how everyone has bad things happen but your happiness is tied to your comeback rate. For example, let’s say you over sleep and are late for an important meeting or you are cut-off in traffic. How fast can you process it and turn it around by consciously choosing happiness over negativity?

For those of you who read my, 1-2-3 Maui...Get Present, post I like to think of it along the same lines. How fast can you tune in (“1-2-3 Maui”), realize you are unhappy, then decide to see your situation differently.

Happy or enlightened people are simply more tuned in to the present. They stop themselves when they start to veer off course and they redirect by choosing again. They choose to be happy because they know happiness is a choice. They realize that they have the power to see their situation differently.

Before you think: “well lucky for them”, please realize we ALL are lucky! We all have the same power to choose again every second of every day.

Instead of overreacting to simple problems like finding you're out of coffee (panic attack, I know) just STOP. Breathe. Choose again. Simply think how can I see this differently? How can I choose happiness over negativity? Maybe you've been eyeing a new coffee shop that you've never gone to and this is your sign to splurge and try it out. Maybe there's someone that you are meant to meet at that coffee shop. Who knows?! Whatever the situation may be, know that the power to be happy lies within you.

How freeing is that?!

Anyone do this already? If not, try it out. How did it go for you?

What the heck is 1-2-3 Maui?!?!

Ever find yourself someplace amazing or with people you truly love and care for but you can't for the life of you just be present there in that moment? Something keeps pulling your mind away-you know like little things: work, finances, deadlines, upcoming events, etc. Well I'll be the first to admit that I'm a victim of this. I can be playing with my kids at the park on a beautiful day but my mind starts to dull the magic of our playtime. It's so easy to wear many "hats" these days as we put so much pressure on ourselves to do more and more. I may be a stay at home mom but I also run my own health & fitness business and teach group fitness classes. It's way too easy to let my mind wander thinking about everything else that I have to do later that day. When in reality all that does is take away from enjoying the present. I realized that I needed to make a conscious effort to change my ways.

I'm not sure what reminded me of this but as a kid my family went to Maui on vacation when I was in about 6th grade. I was a kid in paradise and that was that. My Dad on the other hand worked hard running a business in the windy city so this trip was a big shift from his busy day to day reality. He found himself having a hard time switching over into vacation mode. It wasn't until about day two or three that he finally realized enough was enough and that he had to let it go so he could soak up paradise before our wonderful family trip was over. Something inside him came up with, 1-2-3, Maui! He said it to himself as a wakeup call to get present. I knew he did this at the time but it wasn't until recently that I've been able to truly connect to his mantra from many years ago. I'm sure my Dad doesn't even remember or think much about how he did this but that's the funny thing about kids, they remember everything! I'm screwed. No seriously though, I want my kids to remember their mommy truly being there with them not just physically but mentally & emotionally too.

So now when I start to find myself slip away regardless of the situation I channel, 1-2-3, Maui! It helps me to refocus and enjoy the present because after all it is a gift!

Have you ever felt like this? Do you have a favorite mantra or technique that you use? I'd love to hear about them.