Being Grateful & Embracing Positive Changes will Transform your Life!

The snow is blowing outside as I type this at my desk. It's not very cold but there are a few centimeters of snow forecasted over the next few days. The snowflakes are big and fluffy, they are beautiful!

I'm reflecting on the thoughts of being grateful and thankful for the everyday blessings in my life. From new and uplifting acquaintances and friends, to new business and work opportunities, to the personal changes I am making, I am incredibly grateful to have hit a turning point in my life so I can make the transition into a better life that I love.

It really is a blessing to be able to change. We so often sit in such negativity, thinking that we can't change our lives, but we CAN. Change is possible any time you make a choice. From going to McDonald's versus making a healthy meal at home, to picking up a coffee at Starbucks versus making it at home or not having one at all, we are constantly in the mode of making choices - every day, all day. If you find yourself complaining about your life, or being unhappy with it, perhaps it's time for a change? After all, your life will stay the same until you make changes.

I have been meeting some amazing new people, and being presented with wonderful opportunities and advice that will help me move forward and create a better life - because I'm drawing it to me and accepting it wholeheartedly. I want to change my life for the better so much that it consumes my thoughts - in a good way. I've been told many times that the changes you want have to consume you if you want to bring your dreams and desires to full fruition.

I have personally experienced this and can attest to the truth in this advice. I have been changing my life for the last 7 months, and it has brought me much happiness. I'm currently going to be planning out a success and financial plan to help me create goals and tasks that will get me closer to my dreams.

I am loving becoming a better person, for myself and those around me. The lives we want to have are possible, if we are willing to make the right choices!

Have a great day and let me know how you have changed your life for the better :)

Read more…

Turning self defeat into SUCESS

"The only place a self-defeating attitude will get you is a back row seat to watching others live the life you want to live, but don't have the courage for." 

I often hear people complaining about how 'life is too hard', or 'I don't have enough of this or that', or 'I'm just miserable'.  How can we ever get ahead if all we do is complain? Personally I've found it much more beneficial to try to maintain a positive and upbeat attitude. After all, feeling unhappy about things isn't going to make things better, is it? Not in my experience. A frown never cleaned my house or made me extra money. A smile on the other hand shows people that you are inviting and pleasant, and will be more likely to bring you positive experiences than a frown will.

I never received a new client for work by scowling at them, but I have by smiling and being kind. I dislike the way negative emotions make me feel, and I much prefer to stay positive. I constantly have positive experiences when I'm happy. Just the other day I got a referral from a friend who needed some help with work. I was really grateful and honored that she thought of me. I have always been very kind to her and I'm sure she wouldn't have sent a client my way if I was miserable to her.

Each day I try my best to be positive and happy. It really has made a huge difference in the last 6 months of my life. People ask me, 'how can you be so happy when you have debt to pay off?' My response is simple. Feeling miserable and angry about my circumstances won't help me fix it any faster. In fact, it's going to ruin my day feeling like that. Rather, I try to be as happy as possible because the sooner I can change things around, the sooner I'll have a better life. :)

Read more…

Today is the best day of my Life

I love waking up and feeling inspired.............Today is a great day! : )

It is Monday today, and usually I can say I have 'A Case of the Monday's', but today, I feel empowered. Today is the only day there is, and I want to enjoy it the best I can. I know what it's like to live with Anxiety and Depression, so one of my goals in life is to find ways to make happiness a habit, and love every day that I live.

I'm feeling inspired from this great song by American Authors - Best Day of my Life


Some of you may be thinking my goal is unrealistic, but working towards it truly is amazing, and has changed my life in so many positive ways. I'm more grateful, less annoyed and stressed, much much happier, and way more positive and hopeful. Grumpy people are affecting me less and less because I don't allow their anger into my life anymore. I get to choose who I spend my time with, and surrounding myself with positive and like-minded people has been an absolute blessing. I want to enjoy every single day I can because it's all I have. Each new day is 'today', and will be the best day of my life : )

Join me on this lovely Monday and tell me what you do that makes you happy : )

Read more…

Bringing Dreams to Life

Good Morning!

It is a beautiful day today. A little bit of fresh snow fell over night but it will warm up enough to hopefully melt that soon.

I woke up this morning feeling slightly refreshed. I stayed home last night to go to bed at a decent time as I have a lot of work to do this weekend. I like being able to 'sleep in', which for me is usually around 8am. Normally I wake up around 6am or 6:30am to get ready for work, so sleeping in until 8am is a luxury.

Today I'm considering the concept of Bringing Dreams to Life. I am trying to take better care of myself so that I can achieve more during the day. Part of this is going to bed early and getting a good sleep. After all, who is productive when they are half asleep? I can't personally work efficiently like that. I am eating better and spending my time on the things that matter to me, and the things that need to be done.

Focusing my attention on the positive changes I want to achieve in life has brought me to a new level of Happiness. Every day I feel grateful for the chance to be able to make my life the way I want it, and change it into something I am glad to wake up to every day. It's an amazing work in progress, and I'm glad to have you share my journey with me. :)

Read more…

Things I Love

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Why am I writing about things I love? Because the things we love feed our souls with happiness and joy. They make our lives a lot better, and give us something to look forward to. A life without joy is not one I want to live. Here are some things that bring me joy:

Dancing & Music - I love dancing and good music. Partner dances such as latin, swing, country and ballroom bring me such joy. I love being able to master steps and follow a lead without knowing what move will come next. I love feeling the music and having it move my body and soul. It transforms me

Animals - I love animals!! These creatures are pure and innocent, and give us a glimpse of a different way of living. I love the unconditional love that my pets give me. They are a constant source of love and comfort and I love giving them a great life. We have a lot to learn from their true nature

Reading - Something I have loved my whole life is reading novels. I love to escape into a good story line, and to be taken away to another world for a few minutes or hours. Reading is a great chance to let everyday stresses go and relax :)

Pinterest - I love pinterest because it's a place i can categorize and store my favorite pages for easy reading

Cotton Candy - I love cotton candy for the taste, texture, and lovely colors. I love the way I can peel it apart while it's fluffy and then it melts in my mouth. Mmmm

Lavender - I love lavender. I love the smell, the beautiful purple colors it blooms in, and the way a bouquet looks in a nice vase. One of my most favorite flowers

Tropical Beaches - I love tropical beaches!!! I love sitting on the sand in the warm sun, listening to the waves caress the shore. I love seeing shells and pebbles on the shore, and watching the fish swim in crystal clear water. What an experience

Flowing water - I love the sound of flowing water, it is very soothing and calming! Water is a source of life, and constantly flowing and accepting change as it comes. It simply forms around everything that comes it's way. We could learn a lot by embracing this kind of lifestyle

Walking in the forest - I love walking in a peaceful and quiet forest. I love to see the wild animals existing in nature, and listening to the rivers and streams flowing. Being in Nature is being close to one of the most pure things that still exists, it's a beautiful experience we are blessed to have

Cooking - I love cooking and creating meals. It's soothing and satisfying to create my own meal from scratch, rather than cook something from a box or can that most likely has a lot of preservatives. I love knowing what goes into my food, and where it comes from. I strive to eat well and am working towards a vegan diet which will benefit not only me, but animals and the earth as well.

Cleaning - I love cleaning my house. Living in a clean, minimalist home is a beautiful thing. I want to live only with what I need, and this will make it much easier to look after my home. Cleaning is soothing, and it's very satisfying to make my home look nicer. I strive to keep it clean all the time. It's better for my health too :)

Being Alive -  I saved the best for last. :) Every day I wake up I am grateful to be alive. What a blessing!

What things bring you joy and happiness? 
I would love to hear about the things you love :)

Read more…

Now is a great time

Do you ever think about making changes, and then find reasons not to do it NOW? I have been a procrastinator in the past, and it hasn't brought me any sense of achievement. 

These statements  get us nowhere. "I'm too tired", "I'll do it tomorrow", "This weekend I'll do it".

We all make excuses for not wanting to do things. And then we get annoyed with ourselves for putting these things off. How much more satisfying it is to finish your tasks and feel accomplished? It's very satisfying. Putting things off only causes more stress in our every day lives. There is always a feeling of weight on your shoulders from all the things that need to be done. Why not lift that weight and get things done instead of putting them off? 

NOW is the perfect time to change your life and make things better. NOW is the perfect time to get those tasks done that have been gnawing on your mind for days, weeks, months etc. NOW is the perfect time to give yourself an amazing life. Why wait?

Not waiting for the new year to start fresh to positive changes is a great idea. You can make these changes any time, even now. Start improving life NOW and stop putting things off. You'll be amazed at the positive changes you will experience. I know I was :)

Read more…

14 Timeless Ways to Live a Happy Life

1. Notice What’s Right

Some of us see the glass as being half-full, while others see the glass as half-empty. The next time you are caught in traffic, begin thinking how nice it is to have a few moments to reflect on the day, focus on a problem you have been trying to solve, or brainstorm on your next big idea. The next time you get in the slow line at the grocery store, take the opportunity to pick up a tabloid magazine and do some “guilty pleasure” reading. Take all that life throws out you and reframe it with what’s right about the situation. At the end of the day, you will more content, at peace and happy. Take the time to begin to notice what’s right and see the world change in front of your eyes.

2. Be Grateful

How many times do you say the words “thank you,” in a day? How many times do you hear these same words? If you are doing the first thing, saying the “thank yous,” the latter will naturally happen. Learn to be grateful and you will be open to receive an abundance of joy and happiness.

3. Remember the Kid You Were

Do you remember how to play? I’m not referring to playing a round of golf or a set of tennis. I’m talking about playing like you did when you were a child – a game of tag; leap frog, or street baseball when the bat is a broken broom handle and the bases are the parked cars. One way to find or maintain your happiness is to remember the kid you were and play!

4. Be Kind

There is no question that by merely watching acts of kindness creates a significant elevation in our moods and increases the desire for us to perform good deeds as well. Kindness is indeed contagious and when we make a commitment to be kind to ourselves and to others we can experience new heights of joy, happiness and enthusiasm for our lives.

5. Spend Time with Your Friends

Although an abundant social and romantic life does not itself guarantee joy, it does have a huge impact on our happiness. Learn to spend time with your friends and make the friendships a priority in your life.

6. Savor Every Moment

To be in the moment is to live in the moment. Too often we are thinking ahead or looking ahead to the next event or circumstance in our lives, not appreciating the “here and now.” When we savor every moment, we are savoring the happiness in our lives.

7. Rest

There are times when we need the time to unwind, decompress, or to put it simply, just “to chill.” Life comes at all of us hard and fast. Time, as do the days on the calendar, keeps going forward at its own natural pace, which is not always the pace we would choose. Fatigue, stress and exhaustion may begin to settle in on us faster than we may think, or notice. The best remedy for this is indeed rest.

8. Move!

The expression a “runner’s high” does not infer an addiction, but a feeling or a state of mind – a state of euphoria. There is no question exercise, or any physical exertion, elevates your mood and enhances a more positive attitude as well as fosters better personal self-esteem and confidence. Indeed, one way to increase your happiness is to move!

9. Put on a Happy Face

Sometimes we have to fake it until we make it. I’m not suggesting that we not be honest, real or authentic, but I’m suggesting, sometimes, we just need to put on a happy face and keep moving forward. Researchers claim that smiling and looking like we are happy will indeed make us happier. Studies further show that if we act like we are happy then we can experience greater joy and happiness in our lives.

10. Pursue Your Goals

The absence of goals in our lives, or more specifically avoiding to pursue our goals, makes us feel like we are stuck and ineffective. The pursuit of goals in our personal lives, in our relationships, or with our careers, is the difference between having a mediocre life or a life full of passion and enthusiasm. pursue your goals and watch your happiness soar.

11. Finding Your Calling

Some find meaning in religion or spirituality while others find purpose in their work or relationships. Finding your calling may be much more than accomplishing one simple strategy for increasing your happiness, but having a sense of purpose – of feeling like you are here for a reason – can perhaps bring the greatest joy of all.

12. Get into the Flow

Flow is the form of joy, excitement and happiness that occurs when we are so absorbed in an activity we love that we can loose ourselves and time seems to stand still. What creates flow is unique to each one of us. To find and sustain true happiness in our lives, we must get off the sidelines and get into the flow.

13. Play to Your Strengths

One way to achieve flow is by understanding and identifying our strengths and core values, and then begin to use these every day. Once we aware of our strengths and we begin to play to your strengths we can better incorporate them in all aspects of our lives.

14. Don’t Overdo It

Know when to say when. What gives you joy and happiness the first time may not work the second time. Too much of a good thing may begin not to feel as good if the “thing” becomes more of a routine, or an expectation. Set healthy and reasonable boundaries for yourself and don’t overdo it.

This article was written by Alex Blackwell from http://www.thebridgemaker.com/

Read more…

The Quest for Positive Changes.

Today I watched a thought provoking show on netflix that describes where our "supermarket foods" come from, how they are grown and how they get there. I found this very disturbing. We really have no idea how food companies produce our foods, and what they use to grow them - or at least I don't.

Today I decided I want to find out. I'm making it a new mission of mine to discover where my food comes from, and how it's made/grown.

Why would I want to eat processed or genetically modified food? I don't, but yet I eat at McDonalds sometimes. Having seen today what it's like for some animals to be in dark buildings with no light or fresh air, I feel disgusted that I would even eat an animal that came from a "plant" like this. On the flip side, I saw farmers raising animals in fields of wheat and grass, where they had room to eat, and play, and stretch out to sleep - in the sun or rain - and of course this is a life that animals should be having. Yes, I know, some people will say that who cares where they live if they are destined for slaughter? Well I do!! Who wants to eat meat from an animal that lives in 6 inches of its own feces, and has to push it's neighbor out of the way so it can do something as simple as turn around? I don't - because this means that these animals are probably being fed growth hormones so they grow faster, which costs the farmer less money. Ok, but this doesn't produce healthy meat from a healthy animal. It's quite the opposite actually. So I am further disgusted by this.

Where my fruits and vegetables come from is a whole other story. Do we ever take the time to find out which fruits and veggies are in season? Probably not. I know now that eggplant is out of season. Yet most supermarkets still stock it. So, it's been altered with chemicals so it grows off season, or it's been shipped from some other coutry and sprayed with chemicals so it lasts longer and doesn't go bad. Appealing? Not in the least. Why not just get veggies from the farmer's market (having done your research on the companies and farms of course) and get food that is in season so as not to injest all of the harmful products used to keep things longer?

This has been a very thought provoking day. I find I need days like this to help me stay positive, and have a plan for life that I can follow. 

~L~

Read more…

Stay Positive

Good morning!

I wanted to write a little note to share one thing I have practiced for the last few days, and it has made a lovely difference in my life. I have practiced staying positive, and stopping negative thoughts from running wild in my mind.

Normally, I have negative thoughts every day, and they run wild in my head, creating all sorts of negative stories. It's not a pleasant experience. Making an effort to stop these thoughts when they pop into my head stops them from being able to take control of my day, and it really is a wonderful thing.

I started reading a book called Paving It Forward by Elisabeth Fayt. She talks about creating positive statements that are actions or beliefs, which become methods of conscious creation. This tells the universe what you want, and helps you shape and mold your life to be positive and fulfilling.

Give it a try for a few days, try to stay positive, and when you have a negative thought, replace it with a positive one. Let me know how it goes for you! I would love to hear your feedback and positive experiences!!

Have a happy and balanced day!!

~L~

Read more…

What are you Grateful for?

Life shows us so many little miracles that we overlook daily. For instance: While driving to work today I noticed the Hoar Frost on the trees, and how beautiful it was. Normally I don't get to see this because when I drive to and from work it's usually in the dark. Today I was delighted to drive during daylight, and I was very grateful to see the beautiful trees.

How many of  you stop to look at Nature daily? Perhaps it's a little family of ducklings swimming on a pond, or the crickets and frogs singing at night, or a beautiful sunset or sunrise. These things are all around us on a daily basis. Even if it's raining there could be a beautiful rainbow after....even a double rainbow. These things are spectacular and are a chance to make our life more positive and happy, if only we take some time to enjoy them.

I know some of you will say you don't have time to do this. But you do. You can look out the window while you wash dishes or brush your teeth. You can enjoy the sounds of nature while walking outside, even if only to and from your vehicle at home, or going to the grocery store. You can watch the sun rise while driving to work.......We all have the time to make life better and enjoy Nature........

Take the time today to be Mindful and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you in life, it's worth noticing.
Let it bring you Inner Peace.

Have a Beautiful day :)

~L~

Read more…

Make Happiness a habit

"HAPPINESS IS A HABIT - CULTIVATE IT." 

Very wise words from Elbert Hubbard.

I have a notepad on my fridge that has this quote on it. Every time I read it it inspires me.

This morning I look at my life, and what happiness means to me. I look at how I interact with other people, and how this affects my happiness. For me personally, my relationships with other people affect my happiness quite a bit. I've made a new friend recently. She's a nice person, although she seems quite negative and pushy. This has affected me for a few weeks now and I finally see it. Having this relationship affect me has affected my relationships with other people as well - it's a vicious circle. 

How do your relationships with other people affect you? Comment and let me know. 

Have any of your noticed that technology affects relationships as well? When we communicate over text message or email (or anything similar), sometimes it's really easy to misunderstand what the other person is saying, because the tone of voice is missing. Also we can't hear a laugh through a text message, or an angry tone. So, sometimes meanings are misunderstood, and we react based on what we understand which isn't always accurate. This reaction causes further issues, and the whole thing ends up being a miscommunication. How can you avoid this? Perhaps make you are very clear in your message, or just avoid the message all together and speak in person or over the phone. 

How do you think this type of situation could be better handled?

One thing that I have done that has helped me make my day better is to be mindful, and aware of how I'm acting. Also, making a phrase, like a motto, that I can say to myself when I feel myself getting angry or sad has been helpful to pull me out of those situations. My motto is this:

"I'm going to have a peaceful and happy day."

Here's to having a good day.

~L~

Read more…

Living Simply and Intentionally

I've been doing some reading over the last week. I've had a few bad days and a few good days recently, so to lessen the bad days i've been researching 'simple living' and 'living with intention'. It's quite fascinating how some people live, and i am working on changing my own lifestyle over to a similar style.

Simple living - living within my own means and not indulging or spending if I don't need to is something I think could really change my life in a good way. This is the total opposite of how I have lived my life and honestly I regret not listening to my mom and living this way my whole life. Mom you would be so proud to read this - YOU WERE RIGHT!! :-)

It's now my new goal.....it's never too late right? I am working on a strict budget so I can pay off debt and save and invest for my future. I have a new envelope budget app on my phone too, so that i can set budgets for variable bills like groceries and gas, and can now monitor how much I have spent so I can stay on track better. I only have to remember to enter the receipts on my phone so I can properly monitor my spending. It's very handy to have this app on my phone, it's quite useful.

Living with intention is also high on my list. I want to create positive days and accomplish more in a day. De-cluttering my house will help, and this task is proving long and tedious. I am relearning how to think so I can reprogram my brain to get rid of these negative habits and thoughts. Reading a bit every day about creating the life I want is helping me stay positive. I guess it is true that you need more positive influences in your life if you are going to change your own. It certainly is a much nicer way to live.

Read more…

Changing Habits

It certainly is a task to change habits. I'm sure that they can be changed if someone worked diligently at it for months. I have found that if i don't focus on improving myself that i fall back into old habits. I've also been watching a lot of netflix because i injured my tailbone. Instead, i could be using this time to work on myself. So i have decided to redirect my energy once again into reading and learning how to be more positive and to stop watching tv. Im spending a lot of time laying on my stomach, and i'm not sure to what extent my tailbone is injured because i decided not to get xrays. I feel like this is valuable time i could be using to retrain my brain to think positively. I would like to hear from other people who are doing the same, and perhaps we could share experiences and helpful tips. :-)

Read more…

Setting Goals

I've found it very positive and grounding recently to set some goals. I have started lists for 1 year & 5 year goals to help me gain some perspective on where my life is headed and how I will get there. I also just had a really lovely and sad weekend visiting family and a close friend. I had a really great experience which i will write about and post pictures. I had a few great moments last week that just made my day so good, I will expand on those also. Today worked well but I felt rushed. I got home earlier than planned because I changed flights and I wish I had booked an earlier one to begin with. Lesson learned. I couldn't be happier to see my dogs and cat and horses....i missed them a lot. The road to my house is flooded which is just too weird......I expect it will get worse with the forcasted rain this week.....oh dear.

Read more…