positivethinking

A gift-giving virtue is the highest virtue.
— Friedrich Nietzsche

The greatest blessing in my life is when I know I’ve given something special to others. It’s generally shown by the smile on a person’s face, or a hug that is given by a friend, or when notes of gratitude are shared. I keep these treasures in my heart. The notes, I have hanging up around my house as reminders of how a good deed, giving something simple to another person can make them feel special, can enlighten their day, and make the world a better place.

Gifts don’t have to cost anything, the spirit of sharing is free; and is opportune during any moment during the day. These small gestures provide so much to others, and truly are of high value to anyone that is exposed to them.

Letting people know that you value them in your life is extremely important. I’ve lost several people in my life and I regret not being able to tell them how much I appreciated their presence in my life, or how much I enjoyed specific things about them. I try to make it known to those around me what it is about them that I truly appreciate and value. These gestures of gratitude and love are never brushed off, but do help inspire someone, help them to feel better, and allow them to smile or laugh, at least one time that day.

So, spread your positive seeds unto others, and help them smile and laugh too. Chances are you will also benefit from these experiences as well.

I recently read of an interesting and encouraging story about a woman that grew up raising a tree in her yard. After watching this tree grow from a seedling, it is now twenty years older and shades the house that she lives in with her family. She related to the tree as it’s lowest branches touched the ground during heavy snow and ice storms; and related this to how she once felt when she allowed the weight of the world to be placed on her shoulders. She related to the grown tree, without the weight of ice and snow burying the lower branches as herself when she let the bitterness and hurt feelings melt away from her heart.

Animosity, bitterness, anger - any of these negative feelings hold our heart at arm’s legth. This pain and upset does cause us to feel heavier and more apt to feel as though we’re almost touching the ground, like the tree in winter.

We have to all release some negativity in our lives. It’s not an easy task to do - but it must happen for our health, well-being, and recuperation. Our lives are valuable vessels and we need to take the time to chip away at the negativity that keeps us from living more freely.

I admit that I fall into this boat as well, which is partly why this story inspired me to write about this topic. I have been trying to keep notes about how I feel and how I can resolve the issue. I also learned through family to look at how I am perceived by them as a strong indidivual. This helped me tremendously, because when I do feel weak, I can look at these remarkable words and really let them lift me up - usually with tears, but they do make me feel better about myself, and allow me to start making dents in the ice that has formed around my negative feelings.

I hope you all are able to find something in your lives that allow you to do this. We all deserve to be healthy.

“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. “
— Victor Hugo

Laughter is such an incredible tool that anyone can utilize in their lives - and for absolutely FREE. I absolutely love working with children. A philosophy in life that I carry with me is that if you’re not having fun, you’re doing something wrong. Now, it’s really hard to work with children, be around their influence, be silly with them - and not have fun AND to not laugh.

I think it is important for people to make sure they have pleasurable experiences every day and to just laugh. It’s really simple - and it affects your mind and body in such pleasureable ways.

You know that feeling when you’re down in the dumps, or just overly stressed, and something simple can really just make you laugh. The endorphins that are released in your body from simple laughter equate to a very similar number of endorphins released when you exercise.

Laughter feels good, is encouraging, is good hearted, and provides more benefit than a moment spent “laughing”.

I urge everyone to ensure that there is something in your life that you actively participate in that encourages laughter - if it’s playing games with your family, watching comedies, listening to comedy, reading funny stories, etc. Just do it. Get some laughter in. Even small doses are incredible to your spirit and your well-being.

“When I open my eyes and look at the wide world, I become great; when I close my eyes and look within, I become greater still. “
— Hazrat Inayat Khan

We are all great people. We all have the abilities to perform beyong measure, to give of ourselves as though we never thought we could, or with suprise to others.

I love the above quote. With an open door, we can see great opportunities around us. We can imagine ourselves interacting with people, and jumping right in to the excitement that the open door has to offer to us.

Yet, what is special to me about the quote, when I close my eyes and look within, I become greater still….. his shows that we are important to us, that no matter what door is open, we are still who we are, shaped as who we’ve become, and can be liberated knowing that we are who we are.

We all bring talents, special favors, and unique perspective to the world, and our lives are infinite blessings to more people than we will ever know. There is greatness within us, that if we don’t know is there, will start making an apperance, shining out to others and creating an explosion of impact.

Use your greatness today. Do you know what your special talents are?

I recently went and saw Joel Osteen and his family in Jacksonville, Florida. If you’ve never had the chance to see him, or hear him speak, he is an incredibly motivational speaker with a great deal of influence in the U.S. He resides in Texas with his family and has a church that was the establishment of his father.

His service was filled with intense worship, but the thing I received most from this time was the love shared between his family and those in attendance. I’ve never seen so many individuals yearning for positive influence and encouragement. Victoria Osteen spoke, Joel’s wife. Her message was to be an encourager to the individuals in your family and in your life, that your relationships can strenthen ten-fold when you are a positive relayer of information to those around you. Ironically, just before I left for the drive to Jacksonville, which is only about a few hours for me, I had requested her book from the library, entitled Love your Life Now. I had read reviews and felt it would be a great motivational book for me to read.

In it are incredible stories about how people encouraged others, and how she has encouraged others with so little effort. It really is a matter of attitude.

After I left the service (again, not having yet received the book) I added to my list of yearly goals that I wanted to ensure I was an encourager to my family and those within my power of influence. I thought hard on the way home about how I could make this a part of my every day routine, so that it wouldn’t be lacking. I want my children to really reap the benefits of this positive message, and they are truly valuable to me. If this simple act can make a difference in my relationships with them, then it is my responsibility to make sure it gets done more often.

I’ve started to take note of some of the little things in my children already. Things that I knew were there, but perhaps out of exhaustion or a busy day, didn’t comment on. I realize these were such missed opportunities. I don’t want to miss any more opportunities with them. Life goes by too quickly, and I want them to know how special and important they are in my life. I want them to realize their full potential and know that I was a strong figure in their lives to help them to feel as though they could achieve their goals.

I hope that you are also an encourager to someone in your life. It really makes someone beam when you tell them how special they are, and give them a reason, an example. It’s not difficult to do. It takes little effort, but the praise will go a long way.
So, be an encourager today.

So many of us stay away from silence. It can be a catalyst for thinking, allowing us to ponder beyond our daily thoughts. We use the television, radio, and other outside noise as distraction in our lives. Do we hide behind the noise? Can we find peace in silence?

I understand what it’s like to not want to have silence surround me. I felt intimidated, alone, and insecure. I didn’t want to be alone with only my thoughts to entertain me. I found refuge in the television, or the radio. Company, even resolved in the noise.

I realize now that this was not really the healthiest reaction to my despair, sadness, and loneliness. I now enjoy the moments of silence I can get. My day is filled with noise, and I delight in the sounds, but can also find refuge and peace in the silence.

What changed? I became secure in myself. I realized that my thoughts are only mine. I can deal with the thoughts, emotions, and walk away unscathed. I can write down my hurts, joys, and confide in these feelings that are independently mine. I can walk knowing that I have genuine feelings, and that I don’t need to hide from them, since they comprise who I am as an individual. At the end of the day, I know I’m comfortable with myself, and enjoy the peace of silence.
How about you? Have you felt too alone in the silence? Do you thrive in silence?

“Many of your greatest blessings can stay buried for years under layers of comfort and complacency. Often, you realize the full value of those blessings only when difficulties come along.” - Ralph Marston

This statement caught my attention this morning. As I sit and ponder my goals for 2009, I realize that I did hide previous goals, desires, and hopes for another day. It happens to all of us. We make decisions for ourselves and our families that we believe is in everyone’s best interest, to find out later how much we missed our goals that did get buried and disguised in comfort and complacency.

Ultimately, the benefactor of our goals, our lives, our decisions is us. Last year I was confronted with a difficult decision. I’m not an impulsive person, yet I knew which route that was my calling to take, and I took a leap of faith. It was incredibly hard to do, I was out of my comfort zone, but I knew that it was the only way for me to act. I didn’t think of the negative consequnce that could have become my reality. I just did as my heart instructed, and now I have what it was I was seeking, and made my way to the top.

I know because of this situation that the above statement is true, that often our greatests blessings are hiding, waiting for the day when they can be freely utilized. Consider what dreams you’ve put on hold for yourself or for the benefit of others. Are your dreams still prevelent? Do you feel as though you’re missing out by not completing them? You can reevaluate your life, and make room for the disguised blessings ion 2009. Make room for your dreams. You deserve it.

All grown-ups were once children. (But few of them remember it.)
— Antoine de Saint-Exupery

We all had moments as children where we just wanted to be more grown up, bigger, to feel as though the life an adult was the pivotal escape of the doom that made us young, innocent, and a child. Yet, as an adult, we would give almost anything to go back to a specific time in our youth, when we felt good, innocent, and didn’t have so much responsibility that burdened our hearts.

The above quote is so true, many of us don’t remember a lot of our childhoods, the good moments that helped to shape us into the adults we are today. I have several memories in my childhood that I can go back to and feel as though I’m completely there once again, through a photograph or a memory, or even a video recording. Do you have moments that encapsulate your childhood in the even that you want to reminisce, or revisit your childhood? Don’t allow yourself to forget the good moments of youth, that made you feel compelled to do something, or things in your life that helped you to become who you are today.

The truth is we all grow up too fast. As a kid, we didn’t feel that way, but as adults we have a better understanding. You can cherish moments in your life that make you want to provide that for your own family and/or children. Time is probably the greatest gift that we have. We can experience youthful moments and have fun with our families and rekindle those innocent moments now, every day.

There’s a quote that I love, “Wise are the children who know.” This concept of having fun and loving life without abandon is so child-like. Adults spend too much time burdened by worry. But, children are the wise, since they know how to let loose, have fun, and treasure the simplest things.

Try to live your life through the eyes of a child, even if for ten minutes. You will probably be surprised at how much you’ve missed the twinkle.