Weekly: Take a step back
It’s April, which means my first book, New Happy, is coming out next month. And I am… feeling all of the feelings about it! Especially: excitement, anxiety, fear, hope, joy, stress. All of them!
The good news is, though, now that it's April, I can finally share what I’ve been working on for the last few months: an incredible set of exclusive pre-order bonus gifts just for you!
If you pre-order the book now, you'll get a set of gifts that more than triples the value of your purchase. Each bonus was designed or chosen to help you be happier and get more out of the book. I know you’re going to love them! Click here to learn more how to get them. I know you're going to love them.
With love,
Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy
This Week
Old Happy: "I'm stuck — which makes me a mess, a failure, a disaster."
New Happy: “I'm a human being — which means I get stuck in patterns sometimes, and that's okay."
It happens: you fall into pattern, a rut, a standstill, a disequilibrium, a detente, a taking-another-for-granted, or a repeat of what you experienced in your childhood. And it's perfectly normal that it happens.
Human beings are patterned creatures: we gravitate towards what is familiar, we repeat it, and that very act of repetition makes it a part of our selves, lives, and relationships. But just because you fall into a pattern doesn't mean that you have to stay in it.
The first—and often hardest—step is to notice that you are stuck at all. The best way to do it is to take a step back from your daily life. You can physically step back (get distance, go on a holiday, disrupt your routine.) You can mentally step back (engage in reflection exercises, try to see your life from another's perspective.) Or you can lean on others to help you to see your life from a different angle (asking for feedback, imagining a trusted mentor giving you advice.)
With that new awareness, you can take the second step, which is, more often than not, making just one small different choice.
Here are a few choices to kickstart a transformations. Today, could you...
Ask for what you need?
Choose to stop avoiding something?
Let go of who you think you need to be?
Treat yourself with love?
Inquire into the other person's pain?
Engage in an open conversation?
Ask someone for help?
It might not be comfortable at first. But you're strong. Stronger than you know. You've just proven that to yourself by making this choice — to leave what is known and comfortable, but no longer serving you, and venture towards what is healthy, joyful and fulfilling.
Tips and Tools
1. If you never make mistakes... — This week's animation.
2. What matter most — Focus.
3. The next right thing — Use this tool when you're lost.
4. How to be braver — Be the bridge.
More from TNH
Book — Preorder New Happy today and discover the real secrets of happiness.
Podcast — Get a daily morning pep talk — in five minutes or less
Speaking — Book us to speak to your team about well-being, resilience, and productivity.
Articles — Read more articles on our website.
Community
What is a pattern in your life you'd like to change?
"Using my phone before bedtime! It doesn't make me feel as good as reading a book but the dopamine hits are real."
"I’d like to show up for others more."
"Going to bed late. I want to create a more sustainable and healthier sleep ritual."
"Comparing myself to others."
"Negative self talk and doubt. I am realizing that I am enough, no matter my accomplishments or fears."
"Putting myself down."
Inspiration
1. When I became a birder, everything fell into place (NYT) — "It’s easy to think of birding as an escape from reality. Instead, I see it as immersion in the true reality. I don’t need to know who the main characters are on social media and what everyone is saying about them, when I can instead spend an hour trying to find a rare sparrow. It’s very clear to me which of those two activities is the more ridiculous. It’s not the one with the sparrow."
2. Every Best Picture winner... based on how good it would be with the Muppets (Guardian) — This brought me joy.
3. ‘To the train lady with dark brown hair … ’: extraordinary stories of four couples who found love via small ads(Guardian) — Little miracles.
Before You Go
No spam, just joy.
