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10 Simple Ways to Lighten Up and Let Life Flow

Shannon Kaiser
Author:
June 8, 2012
Shannon Kaiser
By Shannon Kaiser
mbg Contributor
Shannon Kaiser is the best-selling author of 5 books on the psychology of happiness and fulfillment including The Self-Love Experiment, Adventures for Your Soul, and Joy Seeker. She has a B.A. in Journalism and Communications from the University of Oregon.
June 8, 2012

There have been countless documentations of people having near death experiences and as they almost die they see “the light.” When they are jolted back to reality and wake up from their near death episode, the number one take away from the near-death experience is not, “Holy crap, I almost died.” It’s, “Holy Moses, I need to lighten up and not take life so seriously. I better start living!”

We don’t all get second chances but we can switch our path starting right now. If you feel unhappy, you have the power to choose happiness based on your actions. It starts with your perception and how you treat the world. The way we see the world is a reflection of how we see ourselves. Remembering to treat ourselves kindly and laugh often is one way to appreciate life. In order to love our lives to the fullest we can start by lightening up. When we learn to not take life so seriously, this is when we can truly be free.

I’ve been exercising this lately and I have seen a transformation in my world. New opportunities have come to me that otherwise wouldn’t have because of my outlook on life. When I choose happy, kind, and loving thoughts, more happy, kind, and loving people and opportunities can come to me.

Where are you grasping in your life? Are there any areas that you are taking too seriously, such as your job, your relationship, your family, or yourself? Look at that and see how you can release resentment and control over the seriousness. On our mission to finding happiness, we can let go of seriousness and let life flow more. Think about children and their outlook on the world. How often do you see a child super serious? They only learn to be poker-faced through us inspiring adults. So let’s learn a thing or two from the Mini Me's running around and adapt a happy-tude rather than an attitude.

Here are some simple ways to lighten up and let life flow:

  1. Be in the moment fully.
  2. Play more games.
  3. Look at the situation that is bothering you from a new perspective.
  4. Laugh more.
  5. Go outside and enjoy nature.
  6. Turn your head up to the sun and let the light fall on to your face (this gives people an instant mental makeover).
  7. Call a family member or good friend and tell them how much they mean to you.
  8. Pet a furry friend (refrain from wild furry friends unless you are comfortable with unpredictability).
  9. Look at your dream list and put action towards your top one.
  10. Smile at strangers.
Shannon Kaiser author page.
Shannon Kaiser

Shannon Kaiser is the best-selling author of 5 books on the psychology of happiness and fulfillment including The Self-Love Experiment and Adventures for Your Soul, Joy Seeker, and Unshakable Inner Peace Oracle card deck, and the forthcoming book Return to You. She has a B.A. in journalism and communications from the University of Oregon. As an international life coach, speaker, and retreat leader, she helps people awaken and align with their true selves so they can live their highest potential.

She's been named top 100 Women to Watch in wellness by mindbodygreen, alongside Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kris Carr and Gabriel Bernstein, and was listed as of the freshest voices in mental health and wellness by Chicken Soup for The Women's Soul. She's been named one of Entrepreneurs Must-Follow Instagram Accounts for Inspiration and Top Facebook Accounts for Daily Motivation by Mind Body Green.

Her website Playwiththeworld.com has been names top 75 Personal development websites and top 100 self-help websites by the institute for the Psychology of Eating. She's an international life coach and author mentor, and a full time world traveler with a home base in Portland, Oregon with her best friend, her Golden Retriever Chance, who she flew to China to Rescue.