Focus on the good . . . .

One of my all-time favorite quotes is "To experience true joy is to feel yourself smiling on inside." I love it because I feel it. (Not all the time, but often.) Do you ever feel it? It's a warm, sweet feeling of peace that will not only show on you, but it will look good on you! Really good! It's when you can put worries aside, let go of the fear, and feel simple gratitude. The tension melts, the resentful attitude fades, your face relaxes, and you feel your soul being nourished. Your soul is who you really are, so it deserves this kind of attention!

So let go (for just a minute) of your daily commitments, challenges and stressors. As your day unfolds today.......put your challenges aside, and take a minute to focus on the good! Fill your heart with gratitude, and begin to feel the fresh energy that will rush in. I promise, it will bring you greater clarity, and an awesome sense of absolute contentment. You deserve it! Take 10 minutes at the end of your day to calm your busy mind. Breathe. You'll feel better, you'll sleep better, and I guarantee, tomorrow will rock!

....breathe, 

and focus on the good.

Highlight of the day . . . .

I recently came across a article about a study revealing that people became gradually happier and happier over a six-month period, by simply writing down three good things that happened to them at the end of each day. When my kids were growing up, we did something very similar at the evening dinner table. We called it the "highlight of the day", and we would go around the table and take turns sharing one thing that we considered to be the best thing about our day. It allowed us to focus on the good, and to take a break from discussing our daily challenges. Yesterday, my 3 highlights were:

• Reconnected with a friend.
• Enjoyed a lovely dinner & conversation with my husband and my son.
• Won a game of tennis.

You can start writing down the good things that happen. A simple, small shift of focus towards gratefulness will bring great results and you can start it today.

What was your highlight?

Just try it . . . .

Are you constantly disappointed by others? Are your expectations so high that when they fail, you find yourself judging them? If you're slow to forgive and move on, you might need to disappear for a few days to reflect on the grace that's been extended to you. If you are finding that you can no longer extend grace to others, it's time for a break.


Learn to focus on the things you like and appreciate about your friends and family members instead of obsessing about the things that annoy or upset you, and you will be amazed at what your new focus reveals. 

Just try it.

Photo via The Steward

Try to focus . . . .

Photo via  .la douleur exquise.