10 Ways to Health and Happiness

1 Delight yourself.

If you were to improve your health and happiness doing ONLY thing that you enjoyed how would you do it? From ditching the rice cakes and eating only things that taste great (but don't make you feel guilty) to booking a flotation tank and watching your stress float into oblivion, make a commitment to ONLY doing things that delight you. Banish all shoulds, oughts or musts. Apply delicious lotions and potions, play soothing music, eat cake in the bath, indulge.

2 Create a diet-free 'Nourish-me zone'

burn your diet books, put your scales in the attic and focus all your energy on the word 'nourishment'. Ask yourself if I could improve my well-being by nourishing my mind, body and soul how would I do that? From indulging in a healthy, occasional treat to switching off the news in the morning and listening to fantastic, dance-inducing music instead?

3 Get more than you need in every area of your life.

What do you need more of in your life? Time, space, money, energy, love? Figure out what you need to feel truly happy with your life, then double it. Then plan a way of getting it whether that be sitting down your loved ones and asking for support or scheduling in three nights a week where you do nothing but lie in bed and sleep.

4 Get rid of all clothes

that you're waiting to slim into and buy some clothes that make you feel great right now.

5 Hang out with the people you love.

What three steps can you take which will allow you to spend time with people who delight you? If this means cancelling all the appointments you have with the people who drain you, waste your time and energy so be it. Basking in negative energy will get you more of the same so hang out with the people who want nothing more than to love you.

6 Notice what is wonderful about you

instead of what's wrong about you. List 20 things you like about yourself and then add five more qualities to this list every day. What you focus on expands.

7 Improve your cake of life.

Draw yourself a circle that represents your 'cake of life' separate it into 8 slices of cake and name each piece of cake with these eight labels: relationship, health, money, environment, friends, work, me-time and family. Score yourself out of 10 for each piece of cake. Start with the piece of cake with the lowest score and for 7 days concentrate on raising your score by 2 points. E.g if you need to spend more time with your partner, book a date night. Or if you need to look at your cash, book an appointment with a financial advisor. Once one week is over choose the next piece of cake with a low score and spend the next 7 days focusing on that piece. Keep working on your cake until each slice has a score of 8/10 or over.

8 Delight is in the small things.

Stop focusing on the big picture and start cleaning up the details of your life. Details generally occur in the present and you can do something about them without being paralysed with fear. Take 3 actions right now that will improve your life instantly from booking to have your hair cut to doing the washing up.

9 Focus on what you do have, rather than what you don't and be grateful.

By sitting down once a week and counting your blessings, a scientific study at University of California at Riverside, found that subjects not only boosted their mood, but improved their physical health, energy levels and actually relieved pain and fatigue too.

10 Identify what you're good at

and do more of it. Self-esteem is closely connected with happiness and scientific surveys show that success is one of the commonest sources of joy.

Suzy Greaves is talking about her book Making the Big Leap in the Book Barn at Wealden Times' Midsummer Fair on 12 June. Suzy is running a Big Peace retreat on 15th and 16th May at the Horsted Country House, near Lewes. For more details www.bigpeaceretreat.co.uk For a free online 90 day coaching programme, log on to www.thebigpeace.com