Live, Laugh, Love...

FRIENDSHIP is a wonderful experience in life. To me, they’re not the same and all unable to replace. Now, I am not saying they are not some that come and go, but the ones we treasure are the ones that stick it out forever. A dear friend of mine once said,"People are either in you life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime." This statement is so true. I have found that over my years of being an extrovert, I have some that remain in my heart and my thoughts forever, and some that chose to walk away and vise versa.

In any case, no experience in my opinion is wasted as long as you learn from it. I have learned that true friendship is not based on how many times you see these people, how close in contact you stay with each other, or who does more for who and when. NONE OF THESE THINGS VALIDATE LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP!!!  I am blessed that I have friends I don't speak a word to for days, months, or even years...but as soon as we do, there it is!!! The co nnection. We all have lives to live and hurdles to overcome. We are only cheating ourselves if we love with condition. I am lucky enough to have more friends than I can fit in one collage of pictures and even luckier that I don't have to dote on them or call them weekly or DO anything....we just ARE. I have a huge appreciation for that today and I don't think there is one person I could thank or do enough for any of them that could show the appreciation I feel.

You all know who you are and not a one of you expects "honorable mention". I just feel lucky that you KNOW we are friends. Thank you for being a part of my journey...We Still Have A Looooong Way To Go!!!

Choose Happy!

It's funny how there are days when I just don't want to get up and get moving. Some days I honestly am sick of looking at the positive and want to sit in my shit and feel sorry for myself. Each time I do this, I notice one word pops up...CHOICE, It is my choice to decide how my day goes. It is my choice on how I want to perceive things whether it be in an optimistic manner or a pessimistic one. I really have no one to run this ship I call my life except me.

 

The good news is....that makes me the "QUEEN BEE", or "HEAD VOYAGER"! I am responsible for my daily tasks, attitude and outcome. Therefore, if things are going crappy....it's up to me to change it around! It's not because of what my parents did or did not do. It is not because I have been handed a humbling disability, or because someone made fun of me in 3rd grade. Every day is a new start. Life is about 10 % of what happens to us and 90% of how we deal with it. If I lay around and play the victim and just give up, I will reap what I have sewn.

 

 

I have "tools" that I use when I have those "giving up" days. First, I realize...there are a lot of people out there far worse off than me! Next, I allow myself to walk through the sequence of events if I choose to be negative or positive. Usually about half way through the negative cycle, I snap out of it and pull myself together and head to what is positive. I change my attitude and take action! Some days are easier than others and there are days where most of it is spent "still deciding" on the choice of optimism or pessimism. It's up to me!

 

Do you struggle with the choice some days? What do you do to get yourself out of it?

 

Friends, today is a great day to choose HAPPY!!! No matter what the weather or circumstances are, or how much people seem out to "get you". It is up to YOU! Find your happy place and pass on the positive outlook to others. Let's make it CONTAGIOUS!

 

 

Super Powers....Activated!!!

  


The way I was raised was by no means normal but I was raised with a  lot of love, thought, and consideration for others (almost to a fault). I learned that no one owes you anything, you earn what you want, and kindness gets you further in life than anger or bitterness. Pretty much, everything I ever needed to know in life, I learned by the time I was out of kindergarten! It's what we do with these guidelines on a daily basis that matters.

I had the pleasure of witnessing an act of kindness. We woke up to about 3 inches of snow. While it has it's beauty, it also brings responsibility. I watched as this couple got out and not only plowed and shoveled their driveway and sidewalk. they did 4 other houses as well. It gave me the warm fuzzies inside. It made me start thinking about random acts of kindness and paying it forward. That kind of thing isn't just for the holiday season you know! It's not unusual to go to a grocery store and see perfectly able people ditching shopping carts, or the person who will treat someone they don't even know with little or no respect. I often wonder...is traditional customer service dead!  

The good news is...the answer is "NO"!!! We just have to open our eyes and look for it. There are people with morals and manners out there and they are exercising these deeds daily. It just depends on what we are looking for. What I am saying is, if we are focused on the negative...that's the view that will be most predominant to us. If we focus on what is positive, then we see it. I have am fortunate enough to have "positivity" as one of my characteristics ( I call it one of my SUPER POWERS). We all have them, it's a moment to moment choice whether we use these SUPER POWERS for good or evil. I can choose to be "snotty" to someone, or "selfish", and the list could go on but I do know when I use them for GOOD...the outcome is better. Not just for the one the power is used on.....but for myself as well. 

Be a good person today, focus on the good in the person that irritates you the most. It is an interesting experiment that has a POSITIVE result.