How the ABC's of Happy came about and what it really is.

Hi, my name is Kate. I’m a yoga therapist and the creator of the ABC’s of Happy mindfulness practice. Don’t let the name confuse you, it’s not a quick fix guide to happiness. The ABC’s of Happy is about intention and practice. It is a tool to help you become more mindful in everyday life. It will create opportunities for you to shine the light of awareness into places that might be stealing the happiness you already have. Through personally practicing mindfulness, self-reflection, and yoga for the last 12 years, I’ve learned that happiness is not found outside of yourself.

 Let me give you a little more background on how the ABC’s of Happy came about. I had been teaching yoga classes at surrounding studios in Nashville TN for almost 10 years. One day my students began asking me to remind them of things I would say during yoga or meditation class. I started getting inquiries like, ‘Hey Kate what’s that thing you say about breathing?’ or ‘Kate, how did you tell us to notice our thoughts instead of getting caught in them?’ I guess because I was in the moment when I said such things I didn’t remember what I’d said. These types of questions kept coming at me week after week without me having the ability to really answer them. Then, one night about 4 years ago I had a dream and the ABC’s of Happy was born! I normally don’t remember my dreams but I had enough sense to take some notes in my phone before I went back to sleep. The next morning I had a slight recollection of writing something down in my phone and there was the outlined idea for the ABC’s of Happy! It actually took me 9 months to write and create the practice because I had to get over my fears of doing so. But I did it, and here we are 4 years later spreading happy all over the country!

 I believe mindfulness is meant to be a part of our everyday lives. I have seen it’s many benefits in my life. From noticing my reactions instead of simply reacting, to learning how to separate myself from my thoughts and emotions and stay present. The practice of mindfulness is invaluable, but I believe magic happens when you combine intention and mindfulness together. This is what the ABC’s of Happy is all about.

Each practice comes with a set of instructions that outlines how I intended the practice to be used, but over the years people have created their own methods and used more of an intuitive approach. Both ways are wonderful options to practice. Whether you choose to work from A-Z, or you pick a card at random, that letter, word, and mindful prompt will guide you to become intentionally mindful. It will help you to practice one new positive mental habit at a time. This will create deep and lasting change and will help you find happiness within.

Researchers who have been studying the brain in the last decade or so have found that neuroplasticity means we can change old habits and patterns. The way we do this is through repetition. We must practice new thought patterns in order to change old ones. We must practice and repeatedly practice new habits so they become stronger than the old habits. The ABC’s of Happy is based on the principle from neuroscience that says, ‘neurons that fire together wire together.’ Basically, mindful practice with intention is a game changer. Each letter of the ABC’s of Happy alphabet is an opportunity to make one small yet powerful change at a time. This is the path to happiness. It comes from the inside out so that no matter what happens in life and even when circumstances are not ideal, you can remain steady and continue to practice happy.

Thank you for taking the time to read about this practice. I hope you find it helpful on your life journey. I’ll leave you with our motto which is:  PRACTICE HAPPY LIVE HAPPY SPREAD HAPPY