Happy 2014!

Here we are starting a wonderful New Year and I am sure that everyone has a dozen or so resolutions that they intend to work on regarding self improvement.

What if the first resolution made is “I am going to be the happiest I can possibly be this year.”

What if each of us took the time to do things that made us happy, that felt good, that brought laughter and joy into our lives on a constant basis.

We could start out by recapping all of the happy and good things that happened to us in 2013. Before we let go of the past year, we could reflect on the moments that brought joy our hearts, made us smile, and gave us a general sense of well being.

When this recap takes place and we remember the times that were special and happy there is a feeling that comes over us that is so amazing because we feel so darn good just reminiscing about being happy.

Since our resolution is about being happy all of the time, all else about last year slides out of our thoughts and we concentrate solely on the happiness of last year.

This should be the feeling that we bring forward into the 2014 and build on so that it becomes a constant in our lives.

When you are bringing up memories of happy times from last year, they do not have to be monumental instances. Remember the little things that make you feel good, that brighten your day that bring joy to you.

This brings energy to us that is very uplifting and consequently healthy because we are happy beings by nature and we know how to feel happy so by feeling this wonderful energy we bring to ourselves the feeling of well being that is so healthy for us.

Now make your resolution to be happy, one which states this is how you want to feel all of 2014. Here are some ways to start your day so that your thoughts of happiness become a habit.

• I will love myself for who I am because I am unique and special.
• I will notice things every day that make me feel positive.
• I will start my day with the thought that I am happy and I feel good.
• I will laugh more.
• I will enjoy life to the fullest.
• I will expect good things in my life every day.
• I will make the effort to surround myself with people who look at life with joy and love.

When we make the effort to tune into the things that feel good, that make us happy it changes the way that we feel mentally and physically.

The resolution to recognize the positive and happy things all around us and to feel good about ourselves and our life makes such a affirmative force around us and through us which then brings more and more well being into our lives.

What if you decided that 2014 was going to be the happiest year you have ever known?

What if each beautiful soul decided to be happy for one whole year, to see the good in everything and to make the effort to find a positive in all situations.

What if we depended only on ourselves for happiness, not another person, or place, or thing, just a feeling of joy that we continually hold on to.

Just for a moment imagine what our world would be like if each one of us took the responsibility for our own happiness, owned it and took care of it.

Would our planet be an incredible place or what?

May you all have the most amazingly happy and wonderful 2014!

Many blessings to all.

Sue

  

You are Divine!

This is the season of divinity isn't it? But the fact is it doesn't matter which higher power you believe in as long as you believe in yours.

We have such a divine spirit and we are constantly striving to find the best in life, the most fulfilling and prosperous way to live.

What if you tuned into your belief system, whatever it is, to its fullest and turned over what you are seeking to it. By this I mean giving over your thoughts and feelings about what you want in your life and trusting that what you believe in really works for you so that you have a knowing attitude that all things will work out for you in the way that you want them to.

This would mean of course to let go of all control and worry and fear and just allow yourself to be in tune with your higher power.

If you took a minute and just sat and let yourself become relaxed you would start to feel that very divinity within you become stronger and stronger.

You would feel this power and you would know that you are in fact a part of a wonderful source and you will feel so taken care of, so loved and so strong.

There are many of us that do believe in a higher power. Please know whatever you believe is just right for you, but you must practice this belief and trust that your higher power is there for you and will bring you the requests as long as you turn over all the control, worry and fear and allow the working part of the divine to do the job.

What is the point of having a belief this powerful if you do not practice it? What is it all about if you don’t trust that what you believe can work for you?

You must put your faith in what you believe and let the powers that be take care of you.

I am not speaking of one particular belief system here for there are so many in this world. But I am saying that whatever you believe practice the goodness and the power of it because being divine is a gift and if you use it on a daily basis you find that life is full of joy and goodness and you also find that things start to move in the directions you want them to go. You will find that answers are given and an ease of life becomes the norm.

If you want, sit down and really think about your belief system. What is it you truly believe and then start to practice it knowing that whatever you believe in becomes the strongest point of your attention to life and how it is going for you?

Trust that you are surrounded by the love and guidance of that belief system and that you are truly going to know a big difference because you are depending on a much higher power to bring things into your life that will make it the way you want it to be.

If you don’t have a particular belief system and you are interested in what is going on in the spiritual world do some research. You might be amazed at what turn spirituality has taken and how many different ways there are to get in tune with the Divine.

Believe, believe, believe and trust that you are on the right path from this moment on.

Many blessings to all and have a wonderful holiday season filled with love and laughter!

Sue

Un-cluttering your mind

This is the time of year that we think about organizing things as the holidays approach. As we go through our holiday things getting ready to gear up to decorate and be cheerful we also look around and think about how much we need to go through and get rid of.

Some of have stored so much over the years that we feel overwhelmed at the task of going through and freeing up space. Each of us knows the feeling of having too much stuff and what needs to be done to organize and get rid of what we don’t need or use anymore.

What if we did this with our thoughts?

What if we sifted through the unhappiness we have stored away inside of our hearts and minds and decided to get rid of things that are dragging us down?

We each have stacks of thoughts, just like we have stacks of things in our garage. What if we just took those stacks and looked at them and decided we don’t need them anymore because we want to feel the best we have ever felt about life and ourselves.

One of the stacks that we have stored memories is that of our childhood. What if we just decided to let go of what was at that time of our lives.

What if we told ourselves that we want to live in this moment, the present, from this point on we want to make the conscious choice to not go back and visit any unhappiness or negativity that might be in our thoughts anymore.

This is a choice that will clear so many bad and unhappy feelings from your heart and mind if you choose to do it.

If you choose to let go of what you felt was unhappy and if you should choose to start looking at life through the wise eyes of adults you then free yourself from that feeling of being overwhelmed by stacks and stacks of thoughts that are of no benefit to you and only bring on feelings that do you no good physically or mentally.

If you realize that this part of your life did not make up but a small part of your journey, that it was a blip on the screen of your life you can then go forward with the knowledge that you are in charge of the way that you think and feel and that from this moment on you have cleared your mind of anything in that part of your life that was unhappy and negative.

Take a look at what you have accomplished along the way but most importantly love who you are. Give yourself the appreciation and the acknowledgement of a job well done. Look at all that you are and say “Wow! What a ride and I am still going strong.”

Another stack in your mind would be holding grudges about what people have done to you over your lifetime. This is a stack that can grow beyond bounds because the more you think about it the more you remember slights of every kind, of every size, and of every subject.

What if you cleared that stack from your mind as well? What if you decided that you have stored these angry feelings long enough and it is time to let go and allow yourself the freedom of that space in your heart and mind to feel good and to be happy.

What is the purpose of holding on to these feelings anyway? We cannot undo the deed so what if we just  let it go, quit talking about it or thinking about it and instead just bring thoughts up that feel good and talk about what is right in our lives.

Take the space you have cleared and use it for yourself, enjoying all things around you and those who add to your life the joy that you have when they come to mind.

Another stack is that of what people haven’t done for you. What is that about anyway? Why do we want to carry around this bitter feeling when everyday is a blessing and the fact that something did not happen, which is in the past anyway, keep us from being as contented as we can be.

What if you choose to start seeing what has been done for you over your lifetime? What if you started seeing life as a gift and how many people have given you love and understanding and many other things in many different ways?

What if by getting rid of these stacks in your mind (just like clearing out your garage at home) you clear so much space that you start living for the moment you are in. You start to see the beauty and joy around you, you start feeling better physically, and you start having more energy.

Just by letting go and ridding yourself of negative thoughts that have been hanging around, dragging you down, and messing with your well being, you see a flow of goodness in your thoughts and feelings.

Of course this is about forgiving some, about changing attitudes and looking differently at certain situations. The question would be why not? What have you got to lose but some negativity and hardheartedness?  Why be angry and hateful when you can be joyful and peaceful.

Why not change your life for the greater good of who you really are, a special soul, and clear your mind so that every moment of every day is just the best that it could possibly be.

By doing this good things are just bound to flow.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and many many blessings!

Sue

Friendship

“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” 
― Aristotle

I am back from vacation and having spent time with old friends I would like to share some thoughts about friendships and how important they are to all of us.

I spent time with friends that I have known most of my life. These childhood friendships are just the most amazing because even though we lost touch over the years as we aged we reconnected and have found that these are some of the sweetest and most fulfilling relationships that we have.

It is so much fun to catch up with each other face to face and find out what we each have been up to. It is wonderful to hear about families and travels and general areas of interest that we are all a part of.

Most of all it is so great to sit with those that knew you when and still care about all that goes on in your life and what you have been up to and especially your general well being.

It is also terrific to have the technology now to stay in touch so easily that we are just one click away from a great conversation.

If you think about it …… friends are the family we get to choose. They are the people we want to laugh with and cry with and share with. Friends are really a soul connection and you will find that the older you get the more precious they are.

Whatever your age might be seek out and cultivate friendships. Some will grow with time and some may not but the time that you do enjoy them just adds to the essence of life. You will always gain something great through friendship.

We all have family members that are special to us and some are as close as our friends are but friendships have such a different way of being, as friends are those who did not grow up in our households but came into our lives because of a connection that was felt by both parties.

I stayed with one of my oldest and dearest friends when I was visiting and did we ever have a blast. We of course reassured each other that we still look good after all these years but most importantly we just talked and shared and became even closer than we were before. We were then joined by another friend who stayed with us for an evening and it just added more to what we three had growing up.

Isn't it really a miracle to have people who are so dear to you that they make your life shine just by being a part of it?

I also spent time with a dear friend who suffered a tragedy while I was on vacation. I was able to be with her at a time when she needed a very close friend and that too is such a wonder as it was so important to be able to be of comfort and support at a time when someone dear to you needed just that.

I would encourage everyone to strengthen the friendships that they have…..especially the ones that mean the most to you. If you have a friend you haven’t heard from in a while get in touch…..keep your bond strong for these are some very important people and they are a part of who you are …….part of the joy you have known in your life and part of the strength that they probably shared with you at a time you needed it.

Be sure to stay in contact and don’t let too much time go by. We never know what life has in store so make the time for these special people.

Keep your friendships going strong for there is love, laughter, joy, and happiness associated with them and they need to be nurtured and cared for as friends are gifts that cannot be substituted for anything else.

Many Blessings to All!

Sue

Love

Love is an amazing feeling. It runs through all of us for many different reasons and to many different degrees.

It makes us feel on top of the world, so very good that we just love to love.

We love other people, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, pets, and friends. We love music, food, vacations, and hobbies, in fact the list could go on and on.

What if we used this feeling as a gauge to make our lives better? What if we looked at all things through the eyes of love?

You may say it is not possible but I do not agree with that. If you are willing to hold on to the feeling that love brings you then when you look at all things and people around you at all times you will see the world in a whole new light.

Of course, this is a choice, a realization that we might have to change the way we are looking at life and the things that occur on a daily basis, but why not.

Wouldn't you feel better in your heart if you kept a wonderful feeling of love going and used it all day long?

I know that it would take practice as our habitual criticizing and complaining would have to stop, our finding fault with everyone and everything would have to shift to looking with love and compassion in our hearts and minds at every situation.

If you think about it for a moment, how do you feel when you are looking at things that are happening in your world or at the world in general in a negative way? I know I don't feel good if I am angry or unhappy.

I would much rather be in a happy loving state so that I feel the best I can feel physically, mentally and emotionally.

Try looking at the beauty around you, whether it is in nature or the people that you come in contact with. Look for things that are joyful such as laughter, music, great conversation, a child's smile, things that are uplifting.  They don't have to be big things, remember, a bunch of small things add up to something big if they make you feel good.

When you do this you start a routine of finding things that make you feel that love connection, when you feel good about things going on, then you know you are on the right track.

Feel love as much as you can, for yourself, for others, for everything in general.

Let's start a whole new trend of looking through the eyes of love and see how it changes things for us.

 

Visualization to Bring Up Love

Take several deep breaths, and when you find yourself relaxed as your breathing evens out and becomes very regular, think of a person, place or thing that brings up a feeling of love for you that is so strong that you can actually feel it move through your body.

Whatever or whoever you choose is just right for you. When you are feeling love very strongly just sit and enjoy it for a while, let thoughts of this love just come to you.

This is the feeling you want to use when you are shifting yourself towards feeling this way all of the time.

Just let this feeling flow all over you……… as it does you feel better and better…..you now know a great feeling of love and this will help you to bring it to yourself every day. Sit for a while and enjoy the feeling that you were born with, that is a part of you, and does help you feel very good.

When you are finished just go ahead and do what you need to do but know you have changed your feelings for the better, for your greater good.

If you would like to start your day doing this and you will find you will have a much brighter and happier way of life.

 

Many Blessings to All

Sue

The Past

 

 Definition:  No longer current; gone by; over

Never let your past experiences harm your future. Your past can't be altered and your future doesn't deserve the punishment. – Unknown

No matter what your age is, if you are carrying around your past in a way that makes you unhappy then it is time to let it go, unburden yourself and be free to live for the moment and for your greater good.

If you think about it, your past can be like a large trunk that you are hauling around on your back. Depending on your life experiences it can be a pretty large trunk.

Can you see yourself under the weight of this, how bent over you are and how if you let go of it you could straighten up and feel light and free and able to move about without any limitation. Just imagine for a moment setting that trunk down and walking away from it. That should bring a spring to your step.

There are so many could haves, should haves along our life experience. There are so many issues that are not happy ones that we can hang on to if we choose to, but what is the point.

There is no going back and undoing or redoing so why not just allow them to be gone and concentrate on what you would like to accomplish from this point on with your life and your emotions.

How about we embrace our now, our present and live life to the fullest. Enjoy all that is good and right and let go of what is over and done with.

We have choice, that is one great thing about us. We can choose to let go and live, or we can choose to embrace what was and be miserable.

The choice is up to you, if you would like to feel better, see things brighter and know that you are on the way to being the best you can be then let go of all that was and hold close all that is right now.

Many Blessing to All!

Sue

What If?

 

What if we just appreciated all that we have and what surrounds us, what if our focus is solely on being happy and joyful for the whole day.

What if when we woke up we decided that we would feel happy and healthy, we would turn our thoughts to something that brings a feeling of goodness and joy, then take that and build on it all day long.

We could look out and appreciate nature, we could look around and appreciate all that we have, we could appreciate our family, our friends any relationship that brings a feeling of happiness to us.

What if you did not turn on the news, read a newspaper, or bring any outside influence into your morning routine?

What if you turned on some music, read a book, meditated, played with your children or your pets, use whatever there is in your home that relaxes you and makes you have a good feeling about yourself and all that is around you.

Our lives are about what makes us happy, we all want that because that is the way we are made. We search for it constantly, so what if we chose to make our thoughts only on what is right in our lives, what if you choose to look for happiness all around you, what if you make the effort not to complain about anything but to see what is right and good in your life.

What if you made the habit to look for only what is right everywhere you are? Instead of finding fault or being impatient, what about taking the time to see what is beautiful around you, what pleases you, then make the effort and enjoy wherever you are and see the good in every one you have contact with.

What if we each practiced this every day to the best of our ability? What kind of world do you suppose we could create?

By shifting your focus to the positive all around you, life becomes a more cheerful, happier experience.  

Here is a visual that you can do to start your day in a happy frame of mind.

Take a few deep breaths…..then close your eyes and bring up a thought, a memory that makes you happy. This can be anything you choose to think of, and then take the good feelings you have with this thought and concentrate on them until your whole body can feel the power it has by doing this.

When you open your eyes, you are feeling very good, happy and in charge of your own well being from the very beginning of the day. Throughout the day you can bring that feeling up if you want to or bring another one up just by using this visualization.

 When we choose positive feelings about our lives and ourselves we are on the way to feeling as good as we possibly can.

My challenge to you this week is to start your day out with the intent to be as happy and as positive as you can manage.

Many Blessings to All!

Sue

 

 

Happy Father's Day!

 

I wish all of you Dad's out there a wonderful Father's Day.

My dad passed away in 1990, he had four children and each one of us adored him. He was very much a family man; he cared for all of us the very best he could.

One of the things that he taught by example and with words was not to care what anybody else thought about you. He always said not everybody was going like you, and that was okay. You did not have to fit in or do everything everyone else did; the most important thing was that you were true to yourself.

He lived his life the way he thought was best for himself and his family, and never tried to be something he wasn't or please other people just to fit in. He loved his own company, he was quite the loner much of the time, enjoyed being with his children, and loved to have fun.

He had quite a few friends that he enjoyed being with when he chose to, had a good time having coffee with them and telling lots of tall tales which resulted in quite a bit of laughter,  most of all he just enjoyed life, doing what he chose to do for a living, and having the attitude don't sweat the small stuff.

It is important to please yourself before you please anybody else. If you are very busy worrying about what other people think you are going to be worried a lot. When you realize you stall your own happiness by trying to please others you can take a look at how you could change that to please yourself first. When you adapt the attitude that what you want is important, is valid, and is what makes you feel good, then you are on the path of becoming your own person.

Happiness is the state of mind, so how about everyone takes this week to not worry or care what everybody else thinks, just feel the freedom that this mind set brings you. Who knows, it could become a habit!

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”  ― William W. Purkey

 

Many Blessings to All!

Sue