A month into the Ethiopian New Year, we can look at the resolutions and affirmations kept… and broken. In the month of September / Meskerem, it does feel like you start with a clean slate. You seem to have renewed energy, more time & headspace. As a month goes by, in October / Tikemt, we may slip back into our comfort zone and old habits.
Unless we do something different, the outcomes will stay the same. How to harness this fresh energy that opens up after the rainy season? We see that the landscape has become green, revitalized and lush. It’s time to harvest crops. What seeds did you plant and what will you reap in your life?
How can we reach & maintain our personal goals, even when nobody is watching? Staying in alignment and integrity with determination to reach your own particular stepping stones to happiness, can be easier if we can break it down into small tasks and boxes you can check.
1. Develop an “Attitude of Gratitude”. Count your blessings every day. Like how our Grandmothers say Temegen, ALL the TIME!! Remember the best things come for free, like a breathtaking sunset, a hug, a blossoming flower, a walk in the park, a smile, birdsong and unconditional love…
2. Commit to becoming more Physically Fit. Whatever practice you enjoy best, hiking, swimming, tennis, boxing, running, yoga. Enjoy the exercise so you can commit with joy, discipline & consistency.
3. Improve your Nutrition, especially increase the intake of electric, raw, plant-based, brain food & mood lifters, like fresh fruits, flax & sesame seeds, coffee, dark chocolate, fermented foods like Injera & Kotcho, dark leafy green vegetables, like Moringa, Kale & Spinach.
4. Connect to positive, Inspiring People, who enrich your life. Create your own intentional community. Theme some of your gatherings around uplifting activities, like sports, art, or self-care. You can help hold each other accountable and help motivate and maintain the commitment to your goals.
5. Lift the weight off your shoulders and Surrender your Worries to the Divine Creator, share your needs with the Most High, allow yourself to be guided by the Universe, pray to Allah, God, the Source or however you relate to the mystical, spiritual, transcendent, heavenly, celestial, supernatural powers.
6. Spend Time in Nature, outside the concrete jungle. Prevent yourself from literally feeling landlocked, while we are surrounded in Addis Ababa with gorgeous mountain ranges and forests, while we have the Rift Valley and many lakes we can visit. Happiness is at our fingertips!
Written by: Heran Tadesse
Herantadesse@gmail.com
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