What is a bliss book? It developed from a training I recently took that assigned the creation of a brag book. The entries entail at least one thing every day I’m proud of. I’ll admit, I found this quite contrived at first. Full disclosure: I still don’t do it every day like I want to, but I've taken it on, calling it a bliss book instead.

Hello, I’m Morgan Meredith, and I’m pleased to join HealthyPlace as a new writer for Living a Blissful Life. I look forward to sharing the approaches and tips I’ve collected over the years to help create a more blissful life in the face of mental health concerns. Though at times I certainly struggle, my goal is to continue developing so that the moments of satisfaction and confidence overwhelm those bliss-killers.

You can find inspiration in your everyday life. We certainly find inspiration in the person who overcomes obstacles to do something profound, a beautiful work of art or piece of music, or the magnificence of the Grand Canyon. These are definitely inspiring things. But you don’t need to go to a museum, visit a world heritage site, or learn about a famous person to be inspired. You can find inspiration in your everyday life.

We all need to learn to live life now. Spending all of our mental energy focused on the past or the future means that we aren’t living in the present. We aren't living our lives right now, and, honestly, the present moment is truly the only time we have to live. Many of us are constantly distracted, but I'd encourage each of us to live life now and be fully present in this moment.

Start to live your purpose and choose your destiny now. Don't let life just happen to you. When you truly believe that you control your life rather than life controlling you, then you are free to choose your destiny. But, many of us spend years living as if life just happens to us. We live on autopilot, going through the motions without examining if how we live is truly how we want to live, if who we are is who we want to be. Let's talk about how to start to live your purpose

If you practice appreciation you can increase life satisfaction. When you practice appreciation, you are acknowledging the worth and significance of someone or something. The act of appreciating enhances positive emotions (The Magic of Appreciation). So, if you want to improve your own emotional wellbeing and live a more blissful life, start practicing appreciation. 

There is a lack of connection between people in spite of the fact that unity over division can lead to a blissful life. There is a pervasive mentality of “us” versus “them.” Despite the fact that we know social connection makes us happier, we tend to dehumanize others. We pit ourselves against those who are different from us, acting apathetic at best and cruel at worst. I'm sure I don’t need to tell you that indifference and cruelty are not traits that will help you live a blissful life. In fact, they may actually prevent it. To break down the walls we erect that keep us separate, we need to learn how to humanize others and foster unity over division to live blissfully.

If you find yourself hating the holidays, don’t worry you are not alone in your hatred for this time of year (Ideas for Managing Depression Over the Holidays). The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is supposed to be warm, fuzzy, and happy but for many of us, it’s not. Many of us actually hate the holidays.

The world can be a nasty place, but it’s much happier when you find your kindness. Lately, I’ve realized that the best thing I can do to improve my happiness is to be kind. This starts by being kind to myself.

Responding wisely isn't easy until you get control of your emotions. Eliminate problems before they arise rather than reacting to them once they crop up. When you learn to get control of your emotions, you can respond wisely in any situation.