Think Calm, Be Calm

Some of the ways I think about my life can work against my state of calm.
Being calm makes me feel rested, happy, more in tune with others - so if I make little decisions in each hour of each day that take me towards calm then my whole life will be  changed by all those little decisions creating a big difference.
To be practical - as I always try to be :) - here are some attitudes or practices that we can cultivate to attain greater calm.
Workshop participants with Ed and Deb Shapiro helped create this list of how to be happier and enjoy our lives.
1. Not to take yourself too seriously. At times of hardship, such as loss or illness, we can easily lose our humor, and even more easily get very involved with the negative aspects of what is happening. We become the center of our universe. Remembering not to take ourselves too seriously brings a lightness and ease to the weight of circumstance around us. Remember--angels can fly because they take themselves lightly!
2. Not to identify with suffering, loss, or illness, as being who you are. Many of our participants realized how they were identifying themselves as a cancer survivor / widow / recovering addict, or whatever it may be, but had not asked themselves who they were without that label or identity. When we do not identify with the negative label, then the positive sense of who we are has a chance to emerge and shine.