I was reading through my daily emails the other day, and came across this great little nugget of wisdom.  I just have to share it, because I’m completely in love with it.

It’s one of the KEYS to living a healthy, happy and more inspired life, in my sweet little opinion. And I’ll tell you exactly why.

Are you ready for it?

Here it is:

The 5 Rules to Happiness, from José Silva and Burt Goldman of The Silva Mind Control Method of Mental Dynamics.

1. If you like something, enjoy it.
2. If you don’t like something, avoid it.
3. If you don’t like something and can’t avoid it, change it.
4. If you can’t or choose not to (important distinction there!) avoid or change something you don’t like, then accept it.
5. You accept something by changing your perception of it.

Great, right?

So, what’s it have to do with your health?

Everything.

Call it woo-woo, hippie-dippie, whatever you will.

[If you’re calling it that, just stop reading right now. Or consider yourself warned..]

When I first start the process of working with my private coaching clients, I always begin with telling them that working to get to a “healthier lifestyle” starts first with changing and upgrading the quality of their food– but ultimately has to encompass so much more if they actually want to change their life(style) for the better, and for the long term.

The truth of the matter is that health isn’t just about achieving the perfect number on the scale, how much you work out, or how well you eat. Although those can be pieces in the game for sure. It’s not everything. I’ve seen plenty of people nail one of those categories, but they’re still not happy, satisfied or truly inspired in their life.

I’m sure you can all think of someone  you know that fits in this category. They go through the motions and follow the right rules, but they never see much in terms of lasting changes.

Something is missing.

For me, a truly healthy life is something that connects all the important pieces of your life in a more balanced and mindful way. And on a much deeper level than any of those components can individually provide by themselves.  It’s your pattern of daily living and how you navigate the world around you– mentally, physically and emotionally. And I think you need all three, to get to that place of true health and happiness, and to have a sense of clarity and calm, balanced purpose in your life. Because whether people admit it or not, that’s the base of all desire to be healthier at the very end of the day. To improve the quality of their life.

That’s why I love those 5 Rules.

Your health = your attitude, your stress level, your reaction to your stress level, your relationships with family and friends,  your job, how you view the world, and how you perceive things. And what you do about it– both inside your head and with your daily actions.

It’s whether you give love, good energy, appreciation, gratitude and joy to people around you and yourself— by eating good quality food,  having a strong + positive mental attitude as much as you can,  pushing your body to get stronger and better, continuing to grow, to learn new things, to cultivate different interests and passions, and to invest in people that you care about (and letting them know). Or just taking a break  from it all and giving yourself time to heal or repair when you need it.

It’s living your life with a true value on these things, and an intention that they are all important to get you to that next level of health and happiness.

So, what’s the flip side of the coin and the things that will always keep you un-healthy?

Acting like the victim in your own life, festering in the negative and destructive, and letting the unimportant triumph over the truly important things in life. Because those things are always a choice.

So why not choose the good, the uplifting and the beneficial choices, actions + thoughts, whenever you can, and as often as you can in the context of your daily life?

Yes, that’s a personal challenge.

Pick an area of your overall health that you think you could infuse a little bit more good into– whether in the physical, mental or emotional realm. Start with something small. And think about it, act on it, and give it a little bit more attention and intention than usual.

A healthier, happier and more inspired life awaits. Only good can come from it.

That just might be a promise.

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Sarah Adler is the owner of Simply Real Health, Inc, a healthy lifestyle company on a mission to teach people a fresh, modern and simplified approach to healthy eating. See more about her or her customized healthy lifestyle programs here.