Declutter And Be Happy! – May 25, 2020

In the time when the world is at a standstill, when the normal life as we knew it, is gone, replaced by social distancing, staying at home, wearing face masks and meeting friends and family only virtually!

Some people with a flexible approach to life are able to stay strong mentally while some find it difficult to deal with the uncertainty and give in to negativity and anxiety.
When we coach people on anxiety, we like to start with decluttering.
You might ask, what has decluttering got to do with mental health? When we ask clients to declutter, we don’t just mean decluttering the physical space, we ask them to declutter mentally.

In this era of too much information flowing our way, it’s important to have a discerning mind and decide what’s worth paying attention to and what needs to go. Having too much in our heads can lead to stress, overwhelm and anxiety, specifically the fear mongering propaganda type news about the virus, about the casualties from it.
When you are watching too much news, you might feel worried.
Ask yourself: Why am I anxious? What can I do about it? How is this anxiety serving me?

Steps to relieve anxiety:

1. Take happiness breaks – If you are feeling stress and anxiety, take a break from what’s causing it, if it’s the news, take a break from it and do something for yourself and practice gratitude. 
2. Meditate – If you don’t already have one, find a corner in your home and turn it into an altar. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You can create it with few candles and flowers. Sit near it with closed eyes and focus on your breathing till you feel relaxed and peaceful. If you don’t know how to meditate, we have a basic meditation video on our Youtube channel (HappinessFactor) and we also host a weekly session on “Happiness In Uncertain Times” on Fridays at 3 pm PDT.
3. Think about something that makes you happy and smile – When you are anxious, it’s important to focus on some happy experience from the past as it will change your emotional state. Try to feel how you felt when you were in that happy place. 
4. Listen to uplifting music – Many studies have shown that music has an uplifting effect on our mood. When you let yourself get lost in the music, it will help you get relaxed. 
5. Dance – You don’t need to be a great dancer to dance for yourself. When you move your body, the state changes. Movement has a profound effect on your state which affects your emotions and the way you feel. 
6. Watch/Read something hilarious – Comedy does wonders on getting rid of anxiety and makes you laugh thus makes you less anxious. 
7. Talk to a positive friend – Sometimes, venting works wonders for your mental state. The thing to keep in mind is that make sure you are venting to a positive person because a negative one can add to your anxiety. 
8. Take a nature walk – Nature has proven time and again to help calm people and relax them. Research has shown that walking in nature reduces negative thinking. 

Decluttering the mind of the need to control and negativity can help a great deal in getting rid of anxiety.
“You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.” — Wayne Dyer

– Anita Kumari, Founder and CEO

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May is designated Mental Health Month. Happiness Factors is all about nourishing mind, body and soul, taking care of one’s mental health, emotional wellness and happiness!

I am grateful for the gift of my mind – both the physical brain and the spiritual consciousness that recognizes me as a unique person. I am thankful for this wonderfully complex organ and all its connections in the body, the emotions, the thoughts, memories and imagination that make me a thinking, feeling human being. How often do we acknowledge the miracle that we are?

In many cultures, mental illness has stigma attached to it. Many do not seek help until their conditions start to seriously impact their daily lives and relationships.
I am grateful to be able to understand to not take mental health for granted. Grateful to understand the fragility of the brain – one wrong genetic mutation, trauma, an accident – that is all it takes to completely change one’s life trajectory.
Mental health is not just about hereditary diseases of the brain, it is the health of one’s psyche.

Preventive ways to take care of one’s mind:

• Meditation: There is a ton of literature about the effects of meditation on brain waves and its calming of one’s system.
• Relationships: Good relationships make a lot of difference.
• Kindness to oneself: When in doubt, chose kindness.
• Nurturing the Mind: Healthy lifestyle, nutritious food and active mind and body help nurture the mind.

– Lakshmi Iyer, Happiness Factors Team

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Thai Tofu Curry (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Ingredients (makes 6-7 servings):

• Vegetables: 3 large bell peppers, 2 large or 3 medium sized carrots, 1 cup of chopped broccoli and 1 cup of chopped beans
• 1 bunch of scallions or 2 shallots
• 2 or 3 cloves of fresh garlic
• 2 green Thai chilies (optional)
• 1 cup of diced firm/extra firm tofu pieces
• 1 can of coconut milk
• Seasoning: Thai green curry paste concentrate (available in many grocery stores such as Sprouts, Whole Foods or Asian grocery stores), 1 tsp. turmeric powder, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, salt to taste, ½ a lemon, a few cilantro leaves to garnish, 4 or 5 fresh basil leaves
• Peanut/sesame/vegetable/canola oil for cooking

Preparation:

1. Chop the scallions/shallots, green chilies and garlic into small pieces. Chop the bell peppers and carrots.
2. In a large pot, heat some cooking oil (3 to 4 tsp.). Add the cumin seeds, scallions/shallots, green chilies and garlic and sauté for 5-8 minutes on medium heat. Add the turmeric powder, vegetables and salt and continue to mix and stir.
3. In a separate pan, heat a few drops of cooking oil, and lightly toast the tofu cubes so that they are light brown on a couple of sides. Add the tofu to the vegetable mix in the pot.
4. Add about 3 tbsp. of Thai green curry paste concentrate and mix well with the vegetables and tofu. Pour the coconut milk from the can.
5. Add basil leaves and squeeze some juice from the lemon into the mixture. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, turn off the stove and let it stand for a few minutes.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

This is an easy Thai curry that one can enjoy with brown/white rice.

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Do you want to learn to boost immunity without drugs while also learning emotional wellness tools? Join us on Fridays at 3:00 pm PDT for our weekly session on Happiness in Uncertain Times.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/happiness-in-uncertain-times-may-tickets-106575805102

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We are exuberant to have you read Happiness Factors!

It’s a universal truth that life’s better when we are happy, healthy and fulfilled.  
At Happiness Factors, we believe that your goal of joy and empowerment is achievable and starts with a strong happy mindset. We are here to help you not only achieve greater emotional wellness but also sustain it.

We offer a variety of tools and techniques including coaching, workshops, webinars, courses, trainings and more. For Newsletter discount, mention HAPPYREAD and get 30 to 50% off our products! Call us today for strategies towards a lifetime of emotional wellness and happiness.

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