A blog and a brand that promotes health and mental wellness with the goal of empowering you to awaken your best self, via motivational posts, mindset, frequency nutrition, overall holistic health solutions, that connects personal growth with collective impact, strengthening mind, body, and soul to inspire happiness, empathy, and positive change in ourselves and the world. Helping you to find the POWER to be Happy and Healthy: Mind, Body & Soul and LOVE YOURSELF authentically! #tptbh
Are you tired of everyone telling you what you should do? Whether it is how you should do your work, or where you should work, or how you should parent or what you should eat and not eat or how you should live. Well, Enough!
Stop being a passenger in someone else’s “life car!”Ā Grab that proverbial “steering wheel of life” and drive your own vehicle right to where YOU want to be. Do not let anyone else dictate what is good for you or what you should do. Create your OWN path.
It is understandable that your friends and family have your best interest at heart, but I am talking about those of you who are always listening to everyone telling you what to do or those of you always trying to please someone else and putting your own dreams and wishes on the back burner.Ā Well, the time has come for you to focus on yourself!
You have been through a lot, so now it’s time to do what you want. Think about what that something is and go make yourself happy!Ā Explore what it is that brings a smile to your face.Ā What your passion is?Ā What makes you want to wake up every morning? What do you absolutely love to do or wish you could do?
When you find the answers to those questions, you can begin to create your own path, whether it is on a personal level or in a career path.
The time is now to create the life you want, to the a road of happiness.
Some people think that because someone is a “loner” and in their “own world” that they are unhappy. This is not the case. There are many people who are very happy and very comfortable in their own skin, who have chosen to not deal with the day-to-day idiosyncrasies of life and the multitude of ignorant behavior in the world and are in search of a higher meaning and more profound relationships.
Do not criticize or ostracize friends or family, who are like this. It is not necessary for them to be surrounded by tons of people all the time. In Spanish there is a saying that goes, “Es mejor estar solo que mal acompaƱado. (It is better to be alone than in poor company.)
I heard some great advice from the best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert, when she appeared on daytime talk show. She suggested keeping a “happiness journal.”Ā Remember when you were growing up, you probably had a diary or a journal or knew someone who did? Most of us wrote in it religiously about what happened or just complained about what happened to us or didn’t happen to us each day. Well, with a happiness journal, it is a conscious effort to write down yourHAPPY moments daily.Ā It may seem silly, but it helps to point out how fortunate you are and teaches us all to be more grateful!
Sure, there are days that are not going to be so good, but if you really pay attention, there is something (even if it’s a small something) in every day, that can make you happy or at least makes you smile.
Whether it is watching your kids play, walking your dog, going out to a nice dinner or lunch (even if you just take yourself,) spending quality time with a friend or loved one or maybe even just walking outside and enjoying the sunshine, there is always something to be grateful for.Ā Even if someone tells you how nice you look or that they appreciate you, it is worth noting.
Pay attention to the little things in life and in nature and you will begin to notice how blessed and happy your life really is.
You never really appreciate things and people until they’re gone. Do not wait for that to happen!
You can help yourself by raising your vibration and frequency. The state you are in, (whether sad, happy etc…) is what you will attract. The state you are in (your vibration) draws to you, situations and people that are on the same frequency. This is the law of attraction and the law of resonance. Whether you stay in a low state or go to a higher, happier state of being is up to YOU!
How do I do that you ask? You can help yourself by the use of empowering routines and powerful affirmations on a daily basis. You can write down affirmations, and things you are grateful for or simply read them aloud. You can also do visualization exercises, journaling, such as using a productivity planner or an actual law of attraction planner to help organize your thoughts andĀ I invite you to take the “Happiest Moment” Challenge and start your journal/note taking today!
All you have to do is get a notebook, or if you have a real diary or journal even better and begin writing today one thing that made you happy for the day. And if you don’t want to deal with writing in a journal, attached is pdf file that contains blank work sheets for you to print and fill out your 30-Day Happiest Moments Challenge.Ā
Make this your happy challenge for the next 30 days and see how it affects your life.
Remember that mindset is everything! Hopefully, you will begin to notice the little things in life that make a difference and express more gratitude for what you have in your life.
Are you doing all the right things but you are still not succeeding at what you want? Remember, that YOU are the vehicle to take you to where you want to be.
Work on yourself first before you attempt anything else.
Have an open-mind and an open-heart. Be honest with what you really want (whatever that may be) and be ready to go after it!
Remember to get what you want:
You have to have the right vehicle at the right time
How many days do you wake up feeling so inspired like you can conquer the world and go after all your dreams? But then…something happens to burst your bubble and someone “empty’s your bucket?” You feel deflated and you get down again?Ā Well, I am here to tell you, you are not alone!
There are many people who feel this way.Ā The key is to NOT give up, to keep coming back for more motivation, to seek out positive messages.
It isn’t easy when you have a tendency to let other people take away your power to make you happy. What you must concentrate on, is YOU – on getting yourself focused on what you want and going after it, no matter who or what stands in your way!
You are smart. You can do this! You do have the drive deep own to fulfill your dreams. Do not let anyone take that drive away from you! You have the power to be happy!
I absolutely love this particular city’s idea of helping with the homeless situation! In Oregon, the city of Eugene has created,Ā Opportunity Village Eugene,which is a nonprofit organization based in that city, that has a great plan to end homelessness.Ā They are building tiny homes and using donations to raise funds to help build each one of these homes.
I think every city should learn from this project and help do something about the homeless situation, especially in today’s economy, where it is not too-far fetched to have so many homeless people.Ā This project does not mean it is a permanent solution, but as the article below explains, it is a stepping-stone for those who need help “getting on their feet” again!
I am sure this concept has not only provided shelter for those who desperately need it, but has made many people happy and given them a new lease on life, so to speak!
This City Is Defeating Homelessness With Tiny Homes, But They Need Our Help!
Source:Ā Higher Perspective
April 27, 2015
Ā
On any given night in the central Oregon city of Eugene, there are about 3,000 people who donāt have a home to return to.Ā Opportunity Village Eugene,Ā a nonprofit organization based in that city, has a big plan to end it.
Tiny houses.
The mission of Opportunity Village Eugene is simple but impactful: they want to create small, self-managed communities of low-cost tiny houses for those who lack homes. Opportunity Village isnāt a permanent housing arrangement for the cityās homeless. Rather, itās a stepping stone to transitioning back into society and having a home themselves.Ā āAfter only a fewĀ monthsĀ of living thereĀ my girlfriend and I now are living a life where we are able to sustainĀ a homeĀ on our ownĀ after being homelessĀ for 2 years.ā says Sam Johns on the organizationās website.
Opportunity Village is a rather bare bones operation. The homes serve as shelter and a safe place to store belongings and not much more. The tiny homes are at most 60 square feet and are not equipped with running water, plumbing or electricity. Some residents have been able to get their hands on donated solar panels to power small devices like cell phones and small appliances.
But now, Opportunity Village Eugene is raising $15,000 to establish Emerald Village, a 15-home community thatās fully equipped with electricity, running water, outdoor fathering area, laundry facility, food pantry, walking paths, and a parking area. Each of the homes will be 128 to 250 square feet, a big improvement from the powerless, waterless 60 square foot homes.
Members of Emerald Village will make monthly payments toward operational costs of the cooperative and will share in the ownership of it. Each monthly payment will be at most $250 and will go toward utilities and a share of the village, earning the lower-income residents equity. Emerald Village will also be self-governed Democracy Style by the residents who live there.
As of this writing, Emerald city is $7,419 of the way to their $15,000 goal. They also have a matching grant for $50,000 in place right now too, so every dollar donatedĀ is doubled.
Itās a small step in countering a huge problem, but I get the feeling itās going to be one of many.
The hardest time to be positive and happy is when you feel your life is “falling apart!”Ā Sometimes we feel this way because our career may not be headed where we think it should be, or sometimes, there are marital issues or sometimes even worse, it could be financial problems.Ā Sure, it is easy to be happy when everything is going well, but when things are going in the wrong direction, well, that’s when you need all your strength to come in.Ā This is why it is so important to keep reading positive messages, books, blog posts, articles, quotes, anything to keep you motivated and surrounded by people who will lift your spirits, not bring you down.Ā It is very difficult to maintain a positive attitude if you have lost a job, a loved one, or if you are going though an emotional roller coaster because of a relationship.
āLife has many ways of testing a personās will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once.ā ā Paulo Coelho
This sometimes tends to be the case, as they say, “when it rains it pours,” and everything happens to you at once, or so you feel.Ā It is in moments like this that you must gather up all of your courage and strength, put your big boy or girl pants on, and keep moving forward!
Remember that even when things seem grim, there is always a silver lining.Ā One door closing, usually means something better awaits you!Ā Learn to live your life to be happy and everything else will follow!Ā It is how we view things that affects our reaction to it.Ā Even if something bad happens to us or around us, knowing that it will eventually get better, will help you move on.Ā There is always sunshine after a storm. It may take a while, but it will shine again and so will you!
TIPS TO STAY POSITIVE WHEN THINGS AROUND YOU ARE NOT:
Surround yourself with positive people
Read books, messages, quotes that will motivate and inspire you
Volunteer at an organization or find someone to help or mentor
Try not to complain for one week (or one day at a time)
If you want to be inspired, inspire someone else
āIf you can dream it, then you can achieve it.Ā You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.ā ā Zig Ziglar
Do you need some motivation to get you going every day? I know I do!Ā Remember, “You become what you think!” So, why not think happy & positive thoughts every day?
A good way to help you do this is by creating a “vision board,” which is a trending topic in success and entrepreneur blogs lately. It is as simple as putting pictures together of things/people that motivate you, a collage of sorts.Ā You can be as creative and fancy as you want or just keep it simple by cutting and pasting pictures together on a poster board. The point it not about the artwork, per se, it is about the motivation factor and about visualizing what you want in your life.Ā It is about YOUR dreams, your goals, your desires, your joys.Ā It is a “board” to look at that is visually appealing to you. It is not about making it attractive for someone else, it is about seeing pictures of what is going to motivate you on a daily basis. When you are done with it, you can place it in your office, kitchen, bedroom, wherever you are going to see it often, so that it serves as a reminder and motivator.
I made my “Happy Vision Board” online using pictures of people I love, and quotes that inspire me! Ā This particular board is more of a personal one but you can make one for business or for the goals you want to achieve.Ā Remember, the mind is everything. “What you think you become.” ~Buddha
AuthorĀ of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield says, “An inspirational vision board vision should depict the future you wish to create.”
For my particular board, I used an app called, Pic Monkey, and simply chose the collage feature and placed the pictures I wanted in the open slots.Ā It is so simple, it even gives you the option to choose your layout and the number of pictures you can use.Ā Remember, if you do not want to get technical on the computer, simply paste some of your favorite pictures on a canvas or poster board.Ā Ā I have chosen this online method and now I can use mine as my background screensaver, as well as print it for visual motivation.
Whatever way you choose to create your vision board, it will be fun and it will serve as a daily reminder of what you should be grateful for and for the things you are striving for.
Here are some ideas for pictures:
Pictures of your kids or grand kids;
Vacation spot;
Car or dream house;
Dream job
Pictures of your “skinny” self
Ā Pictures of people who inspire you
Simply cut out inspiring pictures or quotes from your favorite magazine.
And here are some ideas of what your Vision Board can look like:
Now go get yourself a bulletin board or poster board and get started on your Vision Board to hang at your desk, your workspace, kitchen or a place where you will be inspired every time you look at it. Grab some magazines or get yourself a ready-made vision board bookĀ and aim for a few images that speak to you!
Here is a heart-warming story I read on the blog, She Knows.Ā It isĀ about a mom who just wanted to make her little girl’s birthday wish come true.Ā What a happy ending! Mom surprises daughter with 300 birthday guests when friends don’t show
by Bethany Ramos
Here’s what happened when none of her friends RSVP’ed to her birthday party.
This is the stuff movies are made of:Ā That painful moment when no one shows up at a child’s birthday party because they’re “different.”
For 10-year-old Mackenzie Moretter, of Shakopee, Minnesota, this scene played out in real life as she celebrated her birthday last Tuesday. Mackenzie, diagnosed with a rare disorder called Sotos Syndrome when she was just 1 year old, was turned down by every friend she invited to her birthday party. Mackenzie’s dad, Matthew Moretter, said that her condition has made it difficult for her to make friends.
Moretter tells USA Today that Mackenzie’s genetic disorder was originally discovered when a tumor fused to her spine as a baby. He explains, “It causes gigantism where kids grow at a faster pace. So Mackenzie is a lot taller than other classmates. Kids are friendly to her, but she doesn’t have friends. No one calls and talks to her. I’ll show up at her school and she will be playing alone.”
Mackenzie was sad that none of the kids she invited wanted to come to her party. Then her mom, Jenny Moretter, took to Facebook, asking her own friends to bring their daughters to the party.
Her Facebook post stated, “Hello moms. I’m writing because I have a beautiful daughter named Mackenzie who is turning 10. I recently invited several girls to her birthday party this Saturday. Ā Ā (Photo credit: USA Today)Ā I got cancellations or no calls at all saying whether they’re coming or not. My daughter has Soto’s Syndrome which means she has development delays such as speech and learning. At school she struggles and is often alone on the playground.”
“As a mother, it is heartbreaking being you want your children to be happy. I’m reaching out to moms who have daughters between the age of 9-11 that would love to come to a birthday party tomorrow from 11-1:30. You don’t have to bring gifts or stay long, just stop by and wish her a happy birthday. As of now, I have two girls coming which is family (sic). She would be so surprised to have other girls just show up. If you are interested please send me a pm and I’ll give you my address. Thank you all for reading a mother’s wish!”
This heartfelt Facebook plea went viral. Though none of Mackenzie’s classmates could be bothered to attend, the 300-person all-star guest list more than made up for it, with celeb attendees like Charles Johnson of the Minnesota Vikings and his family and Elsa from Frozen. Mayor Brad Tabke of Shakopee even declared April 18, 2015, to be “Mackenzie Moretter Day.” Not bad for an epic birthday bash that came together in just 12 hours.
Hearing a story like this is the happy ending most parents need when we think of our kids facing the cruel world out there. But there’s another important lesson we can take from this story: What about the kids who chose not to come? What about their parents?
I get that schedule conflicts and life get in the way, and kids can’t attend every birthday party. But there’s something seriously wrong with the fact that not one child RSVPed to Mackenzie’s birthday party. Parents, the next time your kid brings a birthday party invitation home from school, give it a closer look. Birthday parties are not a popularity contest. Every kid deserves to be celebrated on their special day. If your child goes to just one birthday party of a classmate who isn’t their “friend,” maybe a heartbreaking story like this could be prevented in the first place.
We never get a second chance to make a first impression. Therefore, every interaction is an important one.
Remember these 5 tips as you encounter people on a daily basis:
5 TIPS FOR POSITIVE & HAPPY DAILY INTERACTIONS
1. Do not let personal or professional stressors affect your communication with others, especially in the work place.
2. Demonstrate a caring attitude by treating others as you wish to be treated.
3. Acknowledge people immediately even if you have to stop what you’re doing.
4. When you meet someone for the first time: Smile, make eye contact, and introduce yourself.Ā It is amazing the difference it makes when someone looks you in the eye when they are speaking to you.
5. Rudeness is never appropriate. Make an effort, at all times to treat others with courtesy and respect.
The POWER to be HAPPY š 