Shine Today

Saw someone post and thought I'd share "Some days are hard. Some days it's difficult to find the joy. But then someone offers to take your cart for you, not to use, but to actually put away for you. And then sometimes you run into a friend you haven't seen in years and you get to hug each other and smile, those are the days to hold onto those are the days that you pause and look and remember the joy you found. The point is, life isn't easy but the days don't wait for them to get better. At the end of your day, think about things that went right or made you smile. It may be the sun, or the full moon, or a child's laugh, or a good cup of coffee. Hold on to that. Write it down and post it somewhere you can see to help remind you. Keep a list. My list? It even has pineapple on it because I like pineapple." I hope this post helps, it helped me.

NO, this is not a post about footwear. It's a post about why we don't do things sometimes simply because we have a pre-conceived idea on what the outcome will be. For example, why ask a friend out for coffee, they will just say they don't have time. Or why bother writing a letter to an official about a concern, they will just ignore it.  Why do we do that? Why is it when we have a passionate or strong opinion about something we avoid telling people? Fear of rejection? Fear of not being heard? Both? I say DO IT ANYWAY. What if you have an idea about something you think would improve the way things are done? What if you have an idea that will bring change to a situation? If you don't speak up, 100% guarantee nothing will happen. BUT, if you do say something, there is a chance you can make a difference. So, write the letter. Speak up (politely of course). Go ahead and put your idea, or suggestion, or thought out there. Do the hard things. Research what you are passionate a...

Sometimes it really just takes a kind gesture. In one case, it was a chair. They didn't have to move it for me, but they did.  And as I sat in it listening to the birds and watching a few butterflies flutter by, I couldn't help but smile. In another case it was staying with someone who had an incident in a parking lot. There were a few of us, her dad went to get her car and we stayed with her until he came over with it.  One other one was very simple, someone complimented my eyes. My first thought was I don't even have any make up on. But I replied with a smile and a thank you. Kindness goes a long way. And there are many ways to be kind-a smile, an encouraging word, holding the door for someone, bringing someone cookies or "extra" food, the list goes on but the point is this - choose to be kind.