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.

You've earned it . . . .

Take a deep breath. It's been a crazy week and we all need to decompress. Don't let the stresses of the week overpower you. It's the weekend, and it's time to make room for relaxation. If your passion and joy went by the wayside this week due to stress, you owe it to yourself to bring the pleasures and energies that feed your soul, back into your life. Do it for your own well-being......for health's sake! Learning how to relax is so important! It brings a balance in our life that allows us to be more productive, and helps to keep burn out, stress-related illness and insomnia at bay. I mentioned in an earlier post about how it's so easy for us to fill our free time with errands and busy work, so the first thing we need to do is recognize that we need to make time to relax. It's not always necessary to fill our time busying ourselves with things that can wait! If you don't make the time, it won't happen. I promise, Monday will show up soon enough.  C'mon.....you've earned it.  Take a few minutes to regain that sense of peace that you so deserve. Slow down. Restore your body with healthy choices. Feed your soul with the things that matter most to you. Take a long walk. Listen to your favorite music. Pamper yourself. Take a long, hot bath. Lose yourself in a good book.  Smile, or better yet, laugh! S-t-r-e-t-c-h. Find your personal paradise, and enjoy.

"Sometimes the most important thing 

in a whole day

 is the rest we take between breaths."

-Etty Hillesum

Happy Friday my friends.

Have a wonderful (and relaxing) weekend!

xo

Shhhhh . . . .

...... give yourself one minute to 

enjoy the beauty of silence.

What do I want to take home from my summer vacation? Time. The wonderful luxury of being at rest. The days when you shut down the mental machinery that keeps life on track and let life simply wander. The days when you stop planning, analyzing, thinking, and just are. Summer is my period of grace.

-Ellen Goodman

Got "perfect" plans? . . . .

It's Friday! What are your plans this weekend? Are you going to a neighborhood barbecue? Graduation party? Or are you hosting a dinner party of your own? Whatever the occasion, remind yourself to let go of the notion that everything has to be "perfect." If you embark upon any occasion with your expectations set too high, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. There are too many variables that are out of your control. Unfortunately, you cannot control the weather, the fact that the food is not being delivered in a perfectly timed matter, nor can you control family dynamics, such as the fact that your Uncle often drinks too much. Things happen, and if you go into it expecting everything to be perfect, you will be let down the very moment things don't go according to plan. If you expect life to be tailored to your specifications, you are inviting frustration. Try to remember why you are attending (or planning) this event in the first place. It was obviously to celebrate an occasion or to simply have some fun. Hang on to your sense of humor and remind yourself to be somewhat flexible. Don't let your hopes be shattered when things don't follow a "perfect plan." Relax. You'll have a great time. I promise.

"The best things in life are unexpected,

because there were no expectations."

-Eli Khamarov

Enjoy every moment . . . .

However you choose to spend your holiday weekend, whether you are  traveling or staying home, may you stay safe, find happiness & complete relaxation. If you are spending time with the people who mean the most to you, may you enjoy laughter, good conversation, and appreciate those memories for a long time to come. Whether you are cooking or making reservations, may you enjoy every bite. If you are making this a work weekend, may you be productive and feel the satisfaction of completion when it's all said & done. 

Change it up a bit! 

Shake up your routine! 

Replenish your soul.

"The best cure for an off day, is a day off."

-Frank Tyger

P.S. I am kicking off the summer 
by spending the weekend  

at my cottage in Michigan, 

and the weather forecast looks beautiful!

  

I'll be planting my flowers, 

and hanging out in my garden,

spending some time on Oval beach, 

and heading to The Red Dock to enjoy 

my first Rum Punch of the summer. 

 I plan on enjoying every meal outside, 

taking a ride on my new Vespa, 

and just hanging out with my husband.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

xo


Photo credits:
#1 Sunday in Bed
#2 Nick Vorderman
#3 myself
#4 Felicia Fairchild
#5 Google Images