Your HappiNewsLetter – FEBRUARY MARCH –
February-March : Welcome to your HappiNewsLetter!
I am so happy to share with you tips and reflective topics that inspired me during the last months.
Check out as well what’s cooking for the following weeks.
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2023 ~ FEBRUARY-MARCH
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How is it Mid-March already? Did you also lose track of time?
Shorter month, longer daylight hours, long-lasting viruses and unpredictable weather…
As Charles Dickens once wrote…“those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade”.
It’s February-March, stay warm and healthy!
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Take good care, you are precious.
Choose to Savor
More Candles, More Cake!
Few weeks ago, on February 26th, I celebrated my birthday, yay! I’m always curious about how people celebrate this milestone. I have a simple formula: loved ones + cake. It’s also a good time to reflect and gather some wisdom. Henry Cavill once shared some advice from an 80 year old. As I don’t want to wait that long, I’ll share a few that I like with you now. 1. Keep it simple. 2. Be courageous. 3. Be modest. 4. Count your blessings. 5. Avoid sarcastic remarks. 6. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go. 7. Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday. 8. Look people in the eye. 9. Sing in the shower. 10. Be romantic.
What’s one piece of advice you could share?
Fill-up The Emotional Bank
“Relationships move at the speed of trust” said Stephen Coley. In his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he explains the concept of Emotional Bank Account (EBA) to measure the level of closeness and trust in a relationship, with either withdrawals or deposits.
2 things to ask ourselves in our relationship with a loved one: What is the current balance? What can I do that would generate a deposit?
Here are 6 ideas: show understanding, give attention, keep commitments, clarify expectations, show integrity, present sincere apologies. You have the power to build better relationships.
Which relationships would you like to improve today? Which deposits will you do?
Frenzied Swiss Fastnacht
The famous Basel Carnival in February-March, or Fasnacht, took place starting on February 27th for exactly 72 hours of stirring music, buzz, colorful parades and confettis EVERYWHERE. The first day is the biggest day, as so that they made it a bank holiday. Hundreds of thousands people gather just before 4am to open up the festivities with beautiful lanterns. As soon as the city lights turn off, flute players and drummers begin the marching music, called Morgenstraich, literally “morning streak” and the parade starts. Per tradition, the paraders’s costumes are made of a gigantic fluffy head, colorful clothes and wooden shoes that matches per clique.
What’s the carnival tradition where you are?
What’s next?
The Stickler
This month, let’s make space to the Stickler Saboteur, the famous perfectionist!
Perfectionism is such a great quality, which, when taken too far, will make you, and the people around you, completely crazy. Most of us (yes, I plead guilty) with the Stickler Saboteur actually take good pride in wanting to do things as perfect as possible. It’s a lie – and it’s totally unrealistic to be perfect at everything…
Therefore, it creates 2 main issues: 1. you loose a lot of time and energy wanting everything to be perfect. 2. People get quickly discouraged, frustrated and resentful when you keep on spotting that negative little thing right there.
Challenge of the month: To help you deal with the Stickler, create 2 buckets: the 20% perfect and the 80% good enough. This way, you can keep on looking and getting perfection, but on what really matters most. Reflect on: How can I embrace and celebrate being perfectly imperfect?
Springtime Activities
On Monday finally and officially arrives our beloved Spring! The renewal of nature offers us a delightful contemplation. Here are a few ideas to attune yourself.
1. OBSERVE – Go outside and look at any tree or area with flowers around you. Play the game to spot the differences from one day to the next. How many can you count?
2. CREATE – It’s not by chance that it’s called spring cleaning. Choose 1 room or 1 area in your home and start a little improvement project. Clean up, tidy up, make space, fix the broken bits, upgrade the decoration. 1 area on 1 day will already make a huge difference.
3. APPRECIATE – Choose a day of the week to consciously focus on appreciation, gratefulness and enjoyment. Do that thing that you like, and talk about it. Thank someone. Hold the door for someone. Smile at a dog.
How does it feel to be more in the present moment? What impact focusing on the positive side of life has on you?
