Choose Joy
There are days when things just seem to be crumbling around you-bills need to be paid, house needs to be cleaned, kids are hungry and complaining, you lack sleep, car needs servicing (or replacing), marriage is struggling, there's not much food in the house, depression is trying to take over, job isn't going well or you may not even have one, relationships fall apart, friends move away, you are being accused of something you didn't do....need I say more?
How do you go on? How do you keep moving forward when life just keeps pushing back? It just seems that today we are so focused on everything that is going bad. The news, the paper, magazines, social media--all point to the things that are just messed up. But you know what? There are things that ARE GOOD. There are businesses that still care (like the one I just bought my rolling pin from), people who still go out of there way to help out. Why don't we hear about them? GREAT question. Hopefully one you can each answer because ultimately it's up to each of us to change it.
So, here are a few things to help focus on the good...
1. Birds-sit and watch them.
2. Clouds-you are NEVER to old to find shapes in the clouds
3. Ladybugs & butterflies-I know, girly, but still pretty amazing to watch. And for that matter---
4. Ants-consider them. Watch them. They are pretty fascinating.
5. Stars-watch them turn on at night, especially with kids.
6. Music-take some time to listen to music, not the noisy stuff, but the quiet stuff.
7. Sunsets or sunrises-watch them, enjoy them.
8. Art-paint or color something, who cares if you are not an artist-besides, who says you aren't??
9. Go up an escalator, then down, then repeat. Seriously.
10. Get outside.
11. Create your own positive list.
The point is we each have to choose to focus on what is good, especially in the middle of the mess. If we don't, all we can see is what's wrong. Make a choice today to focus on what is good, you may have to start small, but pretty soon you will see more and more of what is good. Keep a list handy, put it where you can see it and add to it often. Through it all...
...Choose joy.
How do you go on? How do you keep moving forward when life just keeps pushing back? It just seems that today we are so focused on everything that is going bad. The news, the paper, magazines, social media--all point to the things that are just messed up. But you know what? There are things that ARE GOOD. There are businesses that still care (like the one I just bought my rolling pin from), people who still go out of there way to help out. Why don't we hear about them? GREAT question. Hopefully one you can each answer because ultimately it's up to each of us to change it.
So, here are a few things to help focus on the good...
1. Birds-sit and watch them.
2. Clouds-you are NEVER to old to find shapes in the clouds
3. Ladybugs & butterflies-I know, girly, but still pretty amazing to watch. And for that matter---
4. Ants-consider them. Watch them. They are pretty fascinating.
5. Stars-watch them turn on at night, especially with kids.
6. Music-take some time to listen to music, not the noisy stuff, but the quiet stuff.
7. Sunsets or sunrises-watch them, enjoy them.
8. Art-paint or color something, who cares if you are not an artist-besides, who says you aren't??
9. Go up an escalator, then down, then repeat. Seriously.
10. Get outside.
11. Create your own positive list.
The point is we each have to choose to focus on what is good, especially in the middle of the mess. If we don't, all we can see is what's wrong. Make a choice today to focus on what is good, you may have to start small, but pretty soon you will see more and more of what is good. Keep a list handy, put it where you can see it and add to it often. Through it all...
...Choose joy.
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