Joyful June

Happy June! While the previous months have brought about many unique challenges and stressors into our lives, we hope that the month of June offers fewer curveballs and more opportunities for rest, play, connection, and self-care.

While we cannot change what lies outside of our circle of control, it's important to remember that we do have control over our own thoughts, specifically how we perceive and think about a situation or circumstance. Our thoughts are incredibly powerful; they have the ability to influence both our mood and our behaviors.

Consider this. For a moment, think about the following: chicken pox, mosquito bites, lice, poison ivy. Are you starting to feel a little itchy? Are you scratching yet? The mere thought of itch-inducing items can significantly shape our feelings and behaviors!

Keeping this in mind, pay close attention to your thoughts to make sure you are using this amazing superpower to your benefit! Be purposeful and intentional with your thoughts--consider both what you are paying attention to and how much attention you are giving those things (e.g., people, items, situations, social media).

This does not mean we should ignore or disregard any negative experiences or feelings we encounter. It just means that we can acknowledge the negative without letting the negative be all-consuming. And by devoting more of our attention and cognitive resources to focusing on, and thinking about, neutral or positive events in our lives, we're better able to positively influence both our mood and our behaviors!

To help strengthen our ability to notice, and focus on, the positive, check out the Action for Happiness calendar below! You can download a pdf version here.

Take care,

Taylor & Megan