Next time you're stressed . . . .

....take a step back, inhale and laugh.

Remember who you are and why you're here.

You're never given anything in this world

you can't handle.

Be strong, be flexible, love yourself,

and love others.

Always remember,

just keep moving forward.

Pass the good stuff on . . . .

Good morning, and happy Monday! Do you have a busy week planned? How about socially? Are you planning any get-togethers with friends? You do know that the people you spend your time with will change your life in one way or another, right? Are you hanging out with cynics who deflate all your hopeful aspirations? There's no question that they'll try to take you down with them. So why would you allow these people to drain all of your good energy? They'll stifle your optimism in no time! If you are choosing to hang out with people who continue to suck the good stuff right out of you, you can change that! Make a decision to be more careful about who you spend your time with. It's difficult enough already to deal with life's stressors, so choose to surround yourself with supportive people who encourage you. Leave the pessimists and doubters behind. You owe it to yourself to surround yourself with happy, successful people who want the same for you. You simply cannot replace the benefits that you'll receive. Then......please.....pass the good stuff on! Make a decision to do the same for someone else. 

"You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins."

-Jim Stovall

Sometimes when you've had a difficult day, met difficult people, been let down, disappointed, or heartbroken, it's easy to completely forget the most important thing of all.....you're alive.

You're alive, and you will be really happy again, (just in case you're wondering).

Who loves ya?

Have a great day, my friends.

Via Notes from The Universe

I do believe that if people would just start by saying

"it's fun," when it seems hard;

"I'm happy," when they seem sad;

and "I know," when it seems as if they don't,

they'd finally discover 

that it really is,

they really are,

and they always have.

Works for me,

The Universe

(The Universe really does rock!)

Whatcha thinking? . . . .

Someone once asked Marilyn vos Savant (who is known to have the highest IQ ever measured), what the relationship was between feeling and thinking. She said feeling is what you get for thinking the way you do. Fair enough, right? So why is it that so many people are miserable? Are we spending the majority of our time thinking miserable thoughts? And if so, how easy is it to turn our thoughts around so that we can begin to feel the happiness that we deserve? It's no secret that optimists tend to be happier people. However, pessimists do not have to live a life of misery. It's a choice. Begin to look at your daily stressors as a challenge, rather than a threat. Taking responsibility for those challenges will leave you feeling energized, rather than drained. Stop seeing yourself as the victim, and take control of the situation. And how cool is it that the result of that can lead to happiness? In my opinion, you don't need a high IQ for that!

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."

Got laundry? . . . .

The quote above, to me, is the only way to live your life. I'm sorry to tell you this, but laundry and daily chores are very much a part of life. What attitude are you sporting when it comes to daily chores? If you're living your life dreading your routine, grumbling about your daily chores, I promise you, you are making it harder on yourself than it needs to be. We really do have a choice! Your attitude will determine the way you perceive our world, and what life dishes out to you. And I'm sorry, but life dishes out laundry! The secret to enjoying a typical day is how you choose to approach it. If you are dreading your day-to-day duties, try a different approach! We know we can't change the fact that we have daily responsibilities, but we can certainly change the way we think about them. We can either begin by making ourselves miserable, or we can put on our favorite tunes, and dance our way through. The amount of work is the same.

"The world is a playground,

and life is pushing my swing."

-Natalie Kocsis


Photo by Katy Weaver

It's all how you look at life . . . .

There are several versions of the definition of optimism, my favorite being, "a tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things; to be hopeful and confident that all will work out for the best." Please don't confuse this sort of optimism with Pollyanna(ism), which means to be unreasonably or illogically optimistic. As much as I live the life of an optimist, I am also a realist, so I choose to take on the attitude that recognizes life's challenges, but simply choose to believe that all WILL work out for the best. I believe this with all my heart. People who are optimistic don't deny that problems exist; they learn how to adapt while searching for solutions. I know, I know, there are days when nothing seems to go right! Some days it's very difficult to see the silver lining in the clouds, but it's important that you do, especially for your physical and mental well-being! The staff at Mayo Clinic talks about how optimism can improve your health, so you might want to check that out here. And this one, by Web MD, will give you tips on how to become more optimistic.

Robert Brault once said that "an optimist is someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it's a cha-cha."  (I got a visual on that one, and it made me smile.) 

Optimism is a choice. It's all about how you look at life. Each day we can choose whether to live like Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh's chronically gloomy friend, or to rise above it. We can choose to see the good in front of us, even when faced with bad situations. Hanging outside Eeyore's front door is a sign that reads "Eeyore's Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad." Choose to hang a better sign on your door!

"The average pencil is seven inches long 

with just a half-inch eraser,

in case you thought optimism was dead."

-Robert Brault

Photo via lovelylivtyler