Choose Happiness With Rachel Cole

Sometimes we can get stuck in an endless loop of unhealthy mental behaviors - like worrying about what someone else might say to us, assuming the worst is going to happen, putting ourselves down for making a mistake, the list goes on and on. When we've started down that all-too-familiar road of misery, there are 4 words that can immediately snap ourselves out of the spiral and get our minds focuse...

Hopefully we don't have many regrets in our lives, but if we do, we can find ways to turn those regrets into gifts; encouraging us to pursue what we've always wanted, nurture lost relationships, and change our futures to avoid further remorse. It may require some creative effort, but a life free from regret is a happy life indeed. 

While grabbing for "The Brass Ring" is a great metaphor for going after our biggest dreams in life, it's important to remember that when we focus solely on the prize, we can miss the beauty and magic of the carousel ride along the way. We also need to realize that there is no "One Brass Ring" that makes everything fall into place as promised - the real brass ring is a balance of everything that br...

We all know that envy can be a destructive and dangerous emotion. However, what if we took the chance to use envy as a springboard for making our dreams come true? Or if we recognized when we feel jealous of someone, it's because we were programmed to automatically covet what they have, even if it's something that we don't actually want. Join me as I describe how I recently learned to use a tiny s...

2022 was a challenging year for me and for so many other people. While I'm not usually a fan of looking back, I think it can be important and helpful to acknowledge the difficult things we've been through and celebrate our triumpant victories over them. Disappointment, grief, and pain are all a part of life, and how we navigate the traumatic events in our lives (that are usually out of our control...

The holidays can be a super stressful time of year, so here are some ideas for putting aside the worry and choosing instead to fully enjoy the special moments that the holidays can bring. Now's the time to try some new activities that could turn into fun traditions, to embrace letting go of obligations, and to focus on real connection instead of outward trappings. The holidays can be a magical tim...

In our current culture of TikTok and trying to attract followers and social media likes, there is an alarming trend toward kids wanting to be famous as their only career goal. Celebrity and fame are held up as important things to aspire to, but we have to remember that a person's fame is entirely dependent upon what other people think of them. Fame itself has no substance, and just because someone...

Before the pandemic, I think we underestimated the importance of connecting with our fellow human beings. And I mean really connecting - more than just rudimentary small talk or on social media or through texting. Humans are a tribal people and a social species by nature, and the massive disconnect among us is causing both mental and physical problems on a large scale throughout every demographic...

I am a big fan of making tangible representations of our goals and dreams. These seem to be out of fashion these days, but I believe that the act of creating something tactile can be a powerful first step in making our dreams a reality. While positive thinking is great, it's no substitute for positive action. When we can visualize our goals as specifically as possible, it shows us they are achieva...

When someone says something unkind to us, we have to remember that it has nothing to do with us, even though the person spewing the vitriol may intend for it to be hurtful. We always have a choice as to whether or not we allow someone else's rudeness, shame, or anger to become our own. We do not have to give unhappy people the satisfaction of being brought down to their level of misery by taking w...

To stay safe when driving, walking or riding a bike, we have to keep our eyes looking forward, toward where we are going. The same goes for our thoughts: if we keep our eyes fixed on our difficult past, or all of the reasons why something won't work, or on all of the negatives of a situation, it is impossible to move ahead with any kind of optimism or momentum. When we consciously focus on what br...

So many people have specific qualifications when it comes to the definition of "work." For some it means it must be compensated, for some it means going into an office or somewhere outside of the home to do a job for an established company, and for some it means something negative that we have to do to earn a living. I would challenge those definitions and replace them with "Our work is what we do...

I strongly believe that in order to choose true happiness in life we need to live within the shades of gray. So often we categorize things into polarized, "black and white" thinking, which can lead to spoiled dreams, unsuccessful communication and broken relationships. The gray spaces hold life's nuances, its exciting possibilities, and opportunities for us to grow and change, rather than remainin...

Wouldn't it be nice once in a while to take a break from all of the things we tell ourselves? Like what we should be doing better? What we haven't accomplished yet? How "not enough" we are? I encourage you...no, I GIVE PERMISSION to you to take a break from all of that nonsense and just live, contentedly, as you are right now, without needing to change a thing. 

Very often we can get stuck in box of saying "I'm a _____" so I can't do_____." We limit ourselves by "shoulds" and by what other people may expect of us. I encourage you to consciously break free from those restrictions and give yourself permission to try new things and follow any path you choose. 

It is no fun to do the hard things in life but we HAVE to. Because choosing to not run away from them but to instead do the work that the hard things require, makes us strong, resilient, courageous, and dependable people. When we do the hard things they eventually become the easy things, and happiness becomes more attainable overall. 

When we experience the magical moments that life has to offer, we need to immerse ourselves fully in the joy and wonder of them. If we can't find any magic, then we can always create some, and enhance that exuberant feeling of marvel in our everyday lives. 

Whenever someone says something unkind we have the choice as to whether or not we allow it to hurt us. This episode explores why, as humans, we're taught to take things personally and how we can successfully break free from a pattern of accepting others' nasty behavior into our souls.

It is so important to tell our story - both the joy and the sorrow - with the safe people in our lives. Grief is lessened and joy is magnified when shared with others, and being seen, heard, and validated takes us miles ahead in our healing and happiness journey. 

My recent "Bereavement Tour" has taken me around the country to 3 funerals in 3 months. These close-up experiences of how limited our time on Earth really is, reminded me that we have many choices of how we spend our short time here, and it's up to us to choose happiness as often and as fully as we can. 

Our body holds a wealth of information about how we're doing and what we need, and it is vital to stop and listen to what the body is trying to tell us. Tuning in to our body and our gut is paramount when it comes to choosing happiness because it always knows what's best for us, every time. 

Or, more accurately, what we THINK other people are thinking. So often we let perceived judgment from others determine the decisions we make, and always having other people's voices in our heads is definitely a roadblock to living our truth and choosing happiness.  Make the choice to turn off those mythical opinions and choose what's you know is right for yourself and your own joy. 

As we begin the new year with goals and resolutions, it can be very helpful to focus on what is truly most important to us, and the things that are non-negotiable on our bucket list. Here's one way to assess that, and to realize that the dreams we considered to be impossible, may be attainable after all. 

When we are faced with difficult times in our lives it is so important to remember that there is a lesson to be learned and a blessing that ultimately comes out of every one. It is a choice to see and recognize those blessons, which can be a truly vital decision on our happiness journey.

When someone tries to insult us or make us feel badly about ourselves, it is so important to consider the source of the slings so we can make an informed choice about whether we choose to let their negativity permeate our minds, hearts, and souls. This can be a vital tool in choosing happiness for ourselves.