Things I know: Little Surprises

Things I know: Little Surprises: My friend, Linda, inadvertently stumbled upon a great thing.  She put a picture of me laughing as my contact picture on her cell phone.  It&...

Little Surprises

My friend, Linda, inadvertently stumbled upon a great thing.  She put a picture of me laughing as my contact picture on her cell phone.  It's a full face shot, so every time I call her, I fill up her screen, laughing.  Every time she sees it, it makes her laugh...so every time I call her, I am greeted with laughter.  It's the nicest thing!  Imagine if all your favorite people were greeted with laughter every time they called! How wonderful would it be to call you?  How wonderful would it be for all your phone conversations to start with a smile?  I LOVE this!  

So that got me thinking...what other little happy surprises can I leave myself?  What can I do to brighten my day, and the day of those around me, even if just for a moment?  Happy screen savers?  Sign up for a joke of the day email?  I'm at a loss.  So I turn to you...my faithful readers.  This is an interactive posting...I want ideas!  I will share them in a future post, but PLEASE help me.  

So please comment with your ideas...and in the meantime, those of you in my contacts beware...I will be snapping happy, laughing pictures of you, and answering your calls with laughter.

Things I know: Embrace the Want

Things I know: Embrace the Want: Do you have everything you want?  That's kind of a trick question, isn't it?  The truth is, we will never have everything we want be...

Embrace the Want

Do you have everything you want?  That's kind of a trick question, isn't it?  The truth is, we will never have everything we want because as soon as we get the things in life we were yearning for, we start to want something else...and that's not such a bad thing.  If we suddenly had everything we have ever dreamed of, what would be left to strive for?  What would be left to live for?  I believe it's the want that makes the world go round.  

I can remember, when I was a young adult, wanting a home, a family, a career...all of which I now have.  It seems natural...these things happen to many people, buying a house, starting a family...but at the time, it seemed huge to me.  At the time, I could never imagine having enough money to buy a house.  But in time, I did.  My point is, those things you are wanting right now may seem insurmountable, but as you move closer to accomplishing them, they will seem achievable and there will be new wants on the horizon.  So many times we look at want as lack, but want is what keeps us alive!  Want is what keeps us moving forward, keeps us growing...frankly, is what fuels innovation and advancement throughout the world!  Think about where we would be if Thomas Edison didn't want light!

So how do you look at want?  Do you view your wants as negatives that you don't have or as fuel for your growth?  Embrace the want....you would be no where without it!

Things I know: As Seen Through Their Eyes

Things I know: As Seen Through Their Eyes: It's so easy to get annoyed or mad at someone else, isn't it?  A driver that cuts you off, a rude store clerk or patron, your cowork...

As Seen Through Their Eyes

It's so easy to get annoyed or mad at someone else, isn't it?  A driver that cuts you off, a rude store clerk or patron, your coworker that snaps at you.  But lets pretend, for just a moment, that you could see through their eyes...walk in their shoes...feel what they are feeling.  Lets pretend that at the moment you began to feel annoyed, you had insight into the world of that person.  Maybe that rude store clerk has a sick child at home, hardly sleeps at night caring for her and is working in this store to keep a roof over their head.  Would you still feel annoyed at this clerk?  It changes things, doesn't it?

I was in the car with someone the other day and another car cut us off.  Our immediate response, both of us, was to call the other driver a jerk.  But for some reason, I said "we'll, maybe his wife is having a baby and he's trying to get there on time". My colleague then said something equally as understanding and soon it became sort of a game.  The truth is, it doesn't even matter what is really going on in the other person's life.  If seeing through their eyes makes you a better person, that will spread.  If seeing through their eyes makes you treat people in a kinder way, they and others that observe you will be kinder.  Think about it, you know it's true...  So lets all try this today... See through their eyes.  It just may make the world a better place (at least for us) :-)

Things I know: This very moment...

Things I know: This very moment...: Some time ago I was transferred to a new office to manage.  It was like a clean slate...a new chance to make a difference.  Well, the truth ...

This very moment...

Some time ago I was transferred to a new office to manage.  It was like a clean slate...a new chance to make a difference.  Well, the truth is, every day is really like a new beginning...filled with new opportunities...new challenges.  When I open my eyes in the morning, before starting my day, I ask myself..."what new joys are in store for me today?"  The key here is to start the day focusing on the positive things ahead of me.  You see, every moment has a positive and negative side.  The question is, which way do you choose to focus on?  I've found that there really is not a "wrong side of the bed" but rather a wrong direction to focus on.  On a busy, stressful day, do you think about how hard the day is for you or how nice it will be when the day is done?  These differences seem minor, but the effect on your day is huge!

I went on vacation with a group of friends.  It was a wonderful vacation, filled with laughter and fun.  There was a big group of us, so there were many personalities.  I noticed that my friends that focused on how few days we had left in paradise were having less fun.  Every moment of every day is an opportunity to paint the picture we want it to be.

Now, changing your outlook on life is a tall order.  Changing your world seems insurmountable. But what about this very moment?  Can you find the positive thing to focus on right now?  Don't worry about changing your life, just change this moment.  Throughout your day, whenever you think of it, stop for a moment and focus on the happy, the joy, something that makes you smile.  I promise you, the more you do, the more natural it will become to you.  This very moment is an opportunity!  How great is that!?

Things I know: Sun, Air, Earth, Water

Things I know: Sun, Air, Earth, Water: When you think of a great vacation, what do you think of? Sitting by a pool or on a beach? Maybe skiing some great trail...perhaps a cabin...

Sun, Air, Earth, Water

When you think of a great vacation, what do you think of? Sitting by a pool or on a beach? Maybe skiing some great trail...perhaps a cabin by the lake? Wherever it is, chances are it is somewhere where you can spend time outdoors. A friend of mine received some troubling news the other day and upon hearing it, she immediately wanted to go outside for air. Why is it we prefer sunny days to rainy ones? The truth is, we feel better outside. Sun, air, earth and water... So here's another secret to being happy...get outside as often as possible. Simple, I know, but often overlooked.

Studies show that the sun boosts your mood, improves sleep and increases Vitamin D production. The natural sounds produced by bodies of water are soothing and calming, not to mention the benefits of drinking plenty of water... I read an article recently about the physical and mental health benefits of just five minutes a day of outdoor exercise.

So many of us spend our entire day indoors. Some days, the only time I spend outdoors is going from the car to the door. So here's a challenge... For the next two weeks, make sure you spend at least fifteen minutes straight outside. Rain or shine, warm or cold. For two weeks, spend time outside. Take note of your mood...take note of how you feel physically. I guarantee you, once you get into the habit of spending time outside, you'll be hooked!