The ripple effect of a smile

When I smile, my spirit soars. There is a message that goes out into the universe and announces happiness.  It says that life is good. It shows people that no matter what, I've got it together. A smile is the spark that makes your whole being shine. It is also a spark that gets passed on from person to person. 

A smile is like a beam of light that brightly shines from within and disperses to those around. Although the best smiles are those that happen automatically, it is an act that we can help by practicing gratitude. It becomes easier to smile when you're open to the wonders of life. 

We owe it to ourselves and to the world to illuminate our surroundings with a smile. A smile helps us, by subconsciously affirming to ourselves that we are experiencing a positive moment. A smile aids others too, it is a contagious act. We usually can't help but to smile back at someone that smiles at us. So let's all make an effort to find something in our everyday lives to smile about, and set the ripple effect of positivity that only a smile can create. 

Daily gratitude habit

Practice gratitude every day. Gratitude opens the door to seeing all of the multiple positive aspects in our lives.  You will begin to see and notice more good occasions in your life. Living with gratitude is more challenging than it seems, because it takes no effort to take life for granted. We don't even realize when, but at some point we get caught up with the every day ups and downs of living. And then one day life turns into one big oblivious blur. That's when the little things begin to escape us. The beautiful sunrise, the bird outside your window happily chirping, a clear blue sky, those moments of lifes' little miracles just tend to disappear when we are on survival mode and numb to life. 

Take the time to notice that life is actually good. Beginning a practice of daily gratitude takes effort and thought. Make a commitment to start little by little, first maybe just in the morning, then build it up to at night, and you will see that the more you do it, the easier it gets.  By being consciously grateful daily, and really making it a habit, it becomes easier and we begin to randomly do it throughout the day. It's amazing how with a little bit of work, our perspective changes. This new outlook on life allows us to notice how the little things in life actually make a big difference. The beautiful white clouds, the wonderful red and yellow of a sunset, or the glistening full moon in the dark of night. We begin to appreciate those sporadic small details of life and that is when our everyday living begins to improve. 

There is a wonderful bonus of living with gratitude, good moments begin to pick up momentum.  As they become more abundant, there is a shift that happens.  We begin to feel a balance of harmony in our lives.  When we practice gratitude, it opens our eyes to see how great life is and with this new positive perspective, multiple opportunities begin to be attracted into our lives. Before you know it, you realize that even on a mediocre day,  life is good!

Life is a miracle

Life  is a mystery but also a miracle. Sometimes success appears so far away. It seems as far away as a mountain top, it seems impossible to climb a steep rocky mountain, when you're in a valley below looking up. But what would life be if there were not any challenges?  In reality, we have everything that we need within us. We have been given an innate knowledge and marvelous physical abilities which were automatically born within us - all ready to emerge when needed. That formidable mountain is there for us to climb throughout our lives, because it is life's challenges that allow our true potential to be uncovered and put to use. 

So next time that life springs you with unexpected surprises, realize that they are needed for us to become who we were meant to be. The full potential within us has to be tapped in someway, and it is by the wonderful surprises and challenges that life brings that we get to encounter and discover our true selves. 

Take time everyday to appreciate the challenges, and know that we are given just enough to let us stretch so that we can reach our own true greatness. Let's remember that life is a miracle that needs to be treasured moment by moment. Let's take a conscious effort to see the miracles of the big mountains that appear in our path.  Achieving those climbs and overcoming the challenges, no matter how difficult, is what really makes life a success. 

Today is a new day

Another day, a new opportunity awaits. Today starts just like every other day, but is it really the same as yesterday?  It's hard to get away from the humdrum of the auto pilot that we have going on life. But really,  we can take advantage of a new day, to take it by the horns and ever so slightly change our usual route.  At least we can begin the planting of new seeds of opportunity. New plans can begin to sprout. After all, today is ours to treasure and unlock new possibilities. 

It does not mean that some gigantic over the top step needs to happen, but small steps can be taken to go towards what we want. At least to begin looking at a new direction. 

As soon as we open our minds to the possibilities of what is really in our hearts, then small miracles begin to happen. It's just a matter of trust - which is easier said than done! We just have to allow and acknowledge these miracles with gratitude. 

So today, I am going to lay the foundation for new opportunity. New opportunity that begins with gratitude, the gratitude of being just who I am:

I am good

I am spiritual

I am unique

I am special  

I am inspired

I am intentional

I am God's child

I am resilient 

I am loved

I am grateful 

I just am!

The gratitude of the heart

I begin each day with a grateful heart. I smile & take a deep breath. 

-Thank your heart for beating. How many times have we woken up in the morning and have taken for granted how this great body that we have is just steadily working for us? Today I am thanking my heart for doing such a good job. I am taking a deep breath and putting a smile on my face and filling my heart with gratitude. Gratitude does the heart good. 

When I am grateful I tend to see the good things in my life and the goodness in other people. My perspective is better, and I am also more resilient. I am more open to the peace and the love that surround me every day. The love that comes from the heart is the shield that I choose to protect me from the realities of life. 

I choose to love every day because love is amazing, love is everlasting, and it is love that makes the world of this girl go around.