Life is Good.

She cautiously steps out of the vehicle, warily gazing upon her new surroundings. Her life has been good – no, great – for the most part, and she anxiously walked about. The house was quiet and was situated on four acres of sprawling green grass. With not another soul in sight, she set out to explore.

A little creek was nestled at the edge of the property, and she dipped first her left foot into then, then the right. Before she knew it she was splashing around and became reminiscent of times past.

The creek was splendid, but the feeling of the grass between her toes made her shiver with delight. She found that the faster she walked, the faster she wanted to walk. Before she knew it, her snow white hair was cascading down her back and behind her, and she was running towards the house.

It was apparently close to meal time, because her food was set out for her when she arrived back at the house. Appreciating such a glorious day, she ate her food, found a nice shady spot of grass under a tree, and laid down for a long afternoon nap.

“Life is good”, she thought.

Not all of us may have the luxury of playing in creek beds, running through acres of green grass, or taking a nap under a tree, but we all have the choice to think, “Life is good”.

Did you wake up this morning? Life is good.

Did you take a hot shower? Life is good.

Did your car start today? Life is good.

Did you receive a hug from a child today? Life is good.

Have you had a cup of coffee today? Life is good.

Do you have loved ones in your life? Life is good.

Turn on some music, draw a bubble bath, light some candles, and pour some wine. Life is good.

Even in times when things are hard… Life is good.

So You Had A Bad Day...

Striving for daily positivity can sometimes be a challenge. Not that it can’t be accomplished, but some days are harder than others. Let’s face it, some days you may be overwhelmed with the amount of things you must get done, coworkers or family members may disappoint or irritate you, or you may just wake up on the bitchy side of bed. I have found that for every negative thought I have, I must counteract it with a positive thought or endeavor.

One of the things that I have found to work well in order to pursue daily positivity includes cleaning. I know that sounds a little obsessive compulsive (and it quite possibly could be!), but a little hard work scrubbing your bathtub allows your hands to be busy, mind be distracted, and the instant gratification of a clean tub helps too!

Another thing that I have found to help the mind stay positive is exercise. I have noticed in my personal life that when I have had a stressful or overly-busy day that an hour of yoga will give me a calm energy for the rest of the night. Not only will exercise release endorphins (a natural chemical in your body that reduces stress and tension) but the long term effect of muscle strengthening paired with flexibility is a positive choice in the right direction!

Being creative is another avenue I travel in having an “off” day. Rearrange a piece of furniture, paint a piece of pottery, choreograph a dance in your living room, or go take some pictures. Using the right side of the brain will help you to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal communication skills, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.

Use your time wisely, my friends! Remember that no one will make you happy – that is YOUR job! Take time out for yourself, and keep yourself healthy by instituting positive thinking in every aspect of your life; and don’t give up!

The Power of Positive Living

The more I delve into the different areas of holistic healing and natural medicines, the more I learn how closely affected our physical bodies are to our emotional and psychological bodies. Take stress, for instance. For some people when they are stressed or anxious, knots can form in the back or neck. For others, stomach issues can arise; and again, for others, migraines take over their bodies and even immune systems can drop so the common head and chest colds gain control over day to day living.

While some of these issues are truly medical concerns, a lot of these concerns can be initially eliminated by taking several minutes out a day for yourself. I will attempt to lay out a simple plan that has worked for me, and I am hoping will work for you as well!

1. Before you even get out of bed in the morning, mentally list all things you are grateful for. My list will sound something like this:

* I woke up to a brand new day! A brand new day means a brand new page of my life's book. What shall we write in it today?

* I have a hubby who adores me, and who also is adored by me. Whether I have a busy day or nothing to do, I have a cheerleader and support system already rooting for me before I even open my eyes!

* I will get puppy kisses today.

* I have the energy and passion to accomplish __________ today!

 2. Take five minutes to do several yoga poses and stretches. This gets your blood moving in the morning, and in the process of basic "exercise" you are able to mentally program your thought process for the day. Some different thoughts that I will think during my five minutes of yoga are:

- Breathe in alertness, breathe out sleep. Breathe in awakeness, breathe out sleep.

- Breathe in strength, breathe out weakness. Breathe in peace, breathe out anxiety.

- Breathe in the positive, breathe out the negative.

 3. Remember that in all instances, in every minute of your day, you are responsible for the way you perceive all things. If someone is ugly to you, your response is your decision.

"How people treat you is their karma... How you react is your own"

Taking ten minutes out of your day for yourself is a lot less strenuous and way more beneficial than taking trips to your chiropractor or having a label slapped on your for having IBS. These small things have helped slow me down, has relieved years worth of back pain and has all in all given me the power to positively change my day. The power of positive thinking leads to the power of positive living.

Namaste.