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When Overcome by Tragedy

Tragedy.  Pain.  Terror.  Suffering.  Sadness.  Fear.  Injustice.  Evil. 

Are you feeling overcome by all the tragedy that’s going on in the world today?  I am.

As the death toll rises due to the horrific actions of a madman in Nice, France this week, I’m thinking of the individual lives that have been stolen away.  Who were they?  What did they dream about doing one day?  What made them laugh?  What were their hobbies?  Do they have siblings?  How did their family hear the news?  How will their family get through this?

I’ve thought about the driver/shooter too.  What took place in his life that would allow him to make the choice he did that day? Was he ever bullied?  Abused by his parents?  Was he innately evil?  Mentally ill?  Could someone have come alongside him in his life and have been a positive influence, so none of this would have happened?  How could this have been stopped??

We may never have answers to some of these questions, but I think it’s important to ask them.

Don’t allow the death toll numbers and multiple incidences of tragedy you hear on the news desensitize you to the individual lives and needs involved.   What most breaks your heart?  Is it the pain that these people’s families will experience?  Find out how you can serve people in your own community experiencing the pain of loss?  Is it that a child was orphaned?  Think about becoming a foster parent or an adoptive parent.  Is mental illness involved in a situation?  Find out how you can help.

Friends, instead of feeling overwhelmed, fear-filled, and sick from these senseless acts, use your heartache to help others.  Take action.  There are people out there, right in your own community, or maybe even across the world, that need you.

Thank you for taking this to heart and for being a source of good and light in this world.

Go and love.

Jill xx

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The Power of Love – 5 Ways to Spread Love Today

Have you ever seen something horrible take place and you feel like you–just one little person–have no way of making a difference that will matter? 

This feeling of powerlessness comes from a belief that you have no control over your environment.  Your environment including your own personal space, the space around your closest relationships, your neighborhood, your local, regional and state-wide community, your country, and the world as a whole.

The truth is we do have the power to take action and make a difference and it’s as simple as loving one another.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” —  Leo Buscaglia

Did you catch that last part?  The potential to turn a life around.  Through simple acts of love.

There’s nothing in Leo’s list that you and I don’t have the power to initiate today.

Here are five ideas to take action and begin spreading love today:

#RANDOMLOVELETTER: I recently came across an Instagram challenge called #randomloveletter.  The creators of this challenge asked participants to write a positive note and post it in a public place (power pole, library book, restaurant menu, park bench, waiting room) for someone to find.  No fancy stationary necessary.  Just write your note on a post-it, scratch pad paper, or the back of a recycled piece of paper.  Who knows how your written words will bless someone?

There’s an annual challenge that takes place in June every year in which you place your love letter somewhere, take a picture and tag it with #randomloveletter on Instagram and/or Twitter.  Click here for the 2016 challenge recap and to get some inspiration for your notes.  You may choose to participate in this challenge each year, but let’s agree to keep the love flowing throughout the year.  Is there such thing as too many random love letters?  I think not.

MORE LOVE LETTERS:  Hannah Brencher founded a movement whose mission is to “Make Love Famous”.  How awesome is that!! There are three ways to participate and help Hannah with her mission:

  1. Mail a letter to someone who is experiencing a tough spot in their lives.  The love letter recipients have been secretly nominated and will receive the surprise love letters from people like you and me from across the globe.  Their nomination stories appear right here.  Do you know someone who could use a good dose of love right now?  Click here to nominate them.
  2. Leave a letter.  Much like the #RandomLoveLetter, you write a lovely letter and leave it in a public place for someone to find.
  3. Know a college student?  Hannah has started a movement in which students can start a More Love Letters chapter on their campus.  This so would have been up my alley when I was in college!!

PAY IT FORWARD:  I’m sure you’ve heard of this idea…you respond to a person’s kindness to oneself by being kind to someone else. Maybe you buy a cup of coffee for the unsuspecting person behind you in line, or extend a wish of goodwill to a stranger you cross paths with, or call a helpful clerk’s supervisor to praise their excellent customer service.  All these gestures promote love and goodwill.

There’s an actual day to pay it forward too! Although I hope you won’t wait to pay it forward, the next official day is April 28, 2017.  While you’re paying it forward throughout the year, you could also be planning on a big push for that actual day with your friends, kids, church group, or school.  Get people excited and talking about it.  The creators of this day are hoping to inspire over 10 million acts of kindness around the world on April 28, 2017. Spread the love, friends!

The Pay It Forward Day website has some great resources and ideas on how to get involved for individuals, businesses, and schools.  Check that out here.

VIRTUALLY SHARE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS STORIES TO INSPIRE OTHERS:  Performing a random act of kindness is just like the pay it forward idea, but because we live in a digital age and so many of us spend heaps of time online, why not focus on spreading love virtually through inspiring stories of random acts of kindness.  The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a great website with a collection of these types of inspiring stories, videos, and quotes that you can share with others to light up their day.  Click here to be inspired and share away!

THE POWER OF PRAYER:  Lift your hearts and your voices in prayer, my friends.  My faith calls me to pray without ceasing and I’ve seen firsthand how prayer changes things.  God is LOVE and He is listening.

Friends, I hope you’ve been inspired to take action and love boldly today.

Here’s to changing the world with one act of love at a time!

With love,

Jill

P.S. Since we’re on the subject of love…did you know there’s a whole day committed to hugging?  For real!  National Hugging Day takes place every year on January 21st. Why wait though?  Let’s get some practice and go hug on someone today.

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The Value in Learning From The Young

When’s the last time you sat down and tried to learn something new from a young person?  A time in which you actually asked them to show you how to do something?  Whether it be how to draw a dinosaur from a 7-year-old, how to perform a dance move from a 10-year-old, or how to solve a math problem from a 15-year-old — youngsters are literally a treasure trove of knowledge and it’s our loss if we leave this resource untapped.

I think we adults have a tendency to slip into know-it-all mode–wanting to impart our vast and excellent knowledge on the young. Unfortunately, along the way, we miss out on some pretty great learning and relational opportunities.

This reminder to embrace what the young have to offer most recently came to me as my son, a 19-year-old college student living across the country, told me that my gift for mother’s day could either be 1.)  A custom-designed tee-shirt (he makes some really cool stuff!), or 2.) Five 1-hour guitar lessons (redeemable during his time home in the summer).

A little history… I’ve never played an instrument, and have shared with my son and husband over the years that I was probably one of those people that just doesn’t have the “music gene”.  I also was thinking that since my son had never been formally coached on guitar, that he might not be a great person for a beginner to learn from.

Well, in a moment of what I now see as brilliance, I chose his offer of guitar lessons.

Turns out he’s a really good teacher and I’m learning this beautiful Ben Harper song.  So, whether this is the only song I ever learn, or I continue on after he goes back to school, I wouldn’t trade in the experience to learn from this youngster.

So, how about you?  Will you join me this summer in asking a kid to teach you something?  Maybe you have kids at home, grand-kids, nieces/nephews, neighborhood kids, or kids at church.  It’s prime time to be intentional in engaging with these youngsters and learn something new.

Enjoy the fresh perspective!!

Jill xx

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Where is The Love?

Have you ever tried to say or do something and it feels like you have a golf ball stuck in your throat?  This is how I’ve felt as I’ve attempted to work through my feelings in order to write this post this week.

I’ve been thinking about love.  Brotherly love.

I’ve been thinking about heartache, pain and suffering.  The kind that people all over the world are experiencing.

I’ve been thinking about how great it is that the internet offers a place for people to share thoughts and ideas—support, understanding, oneness…love.

And then I think about how awful it is that the internet offers a place for people to share thoughts and ideas—ugliness, self-righteousness, hostility…hate.

Part of the golf ball stuck in my throat feeling is that as an optimist, I’m seeing things that are darkening the lens that I see and live my life through.

It came to me this morning that this darkness that has cast a shadow over our world provides us an opportunity to see the contrast.  To see where the cracks are.  To see where the voids are.  To see the places where we can step in and make a difference.  Through love.

The good news is that we’re all capable of being a loving force in this world.  No doctorate degree needed.

A simple act of love can change things.  Love can heal…can change hearts…can bind us together.  Love is a force that is more powerful than hate.

Not sure how to begin or where to start?  Recently I wrote about just doing the next thing when you’re stuck or overwhelmed–that same concept works here.  Don’t overthink it–just go and love on someone.  Be nice to the person who is painfully slow in front of you at the grocery store.  Be kind to your significant other (yes, some of us just need to start at home).  Go and hang out with someone that’s different than you and love them by listening with an ear for understanding (Note: listening with an ear for understanding doesn’t mean you will agree, it just means you hear them).  Tell someone that you appreciate them and why.  Find out where you can spread love in your community through volunteerism.  Perform a random act of kindness in the name of love.

There are many small ways to begin, and these small ways, practiced on a consistent basis, will change the world, one act at a time.

We just need to act.

Starting today.

With love,

Jill xx

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Are You Making Decisions Based on Fear or Joy?

As summer rolls around, there will be lots of opportunities to do stuff.  It’s a nice feeling when we have time, choices, and a variety of opportunities in front of us, but just make sure you’re not making decisions based on the fear of missing out.

Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is when a person experiences anxiety at the thought of missing out on an exciting or interesting event.  Chances are, when people make decisions based on their fear of missing out, they aren’t thinking about how missing out might actually bring them joy.  Yes, there’s a term for that too!  JOMO = Joy of Missing Out.

Imagine on Friday night a bunch of your friends decide to get together at the new (and highly anticipated) restaurant in town.  You’ve heard the food is divine, and to top it off, this particular evening they have an award-winning cellist playing.  It all sounds great, but the reality is, you’ve worked hard all week and you’re dead-tired.  You have two choices.  Which wins?  FOMO or JOMO?  P.S. JOMO includes kicking up your feet in your favorite chair or couch, pajamas, and a good book or movie.  Unless you’re under the age of 35, I’m thinking most of us would seize the opportunity to embrace the joy of missing out.

Either way, a life in which we make decisions based on joy, as opposed to reacting to fear, is always a good choice.

So, as opportunities present themselves in the coming days, weeks, months, and years, try and run your decisions through your FOMO/JOMO filter.

The switch from FOMO to JOMO will be difficult for some, while others will find the transition easy and life-affirming.

One way to do this is learning to understand the underlying factors for your FOMO.  On the flip-side, it’s also important to understand what it is that brings you the most joy.

Following are a couple suggestions:

  1.  Make a list of likes/priorities and dislikes/unimportant  

You know I’m big on getting things out on paper.  Some of my best thinking comes from brain-dumping and mind-mapping.  There’s such power in emptying your mind of all thoughts on a certain topic and then seeing them there in front of you in black and white.

So, get your paper out and divide it into two columns.

On the left side, write out what activities (including doing nothing) you value and get the most out of.  On this same column write out who (by name) is most important to you.  For example, if one of the activities you include as a priority is building relationships, then make sure to be clear on who or what type of person you would like to invest your time in.  If you don’t narrow it down, you may find yourself saying yes to things and people that meet your goal of building relationships, but in reality you’re investing your time and energy into the wrong people.

On the right side of your paper, write out things you don’t consider a valuable investment of your time.  Include the things you have a tendency to get sucked into, but that aren’t necessarily important to you.  Think about the things that you say yes to because of your fear of missing out.  You’re going to have to be real honest with yourself here.

  1. Reflect on the causes for both your fears and joys.    

FEAR

Now that you’ve got this all down on paper, it’s time to understand what’s causing you fear of missing out on something.  Here are some possible reasons:

Fear of not being in the “know”.
Fear of not being invited again.
Fear of others experiencing things that you won’t.
Fear of being left out.
Fear of living a life that isn’t what people would expect from you.
Fear of disappointing others.  (Hand raised over here!  I’m a recovering people-pleaser and can attest to the hard work this takes to overcome.)

Whatever the reason for your fear of missing out, the key is to identify it and begin working toward eradicating it.  Sometimes all you’ll need is to identify the problem and make a decision to stop thinking or acting a certain way.  Other times, you’ll have to do some soul-searching and maybe even partake in counseling to overcome your fears.

JOY

Now, for the fun part!  Spend some time reflecting on what brings you joy.

Is it from spending time with people you love?  Your faith?  Wild experiences?  Helping others?  Spending time alone?  A hobby?  Your work?

You’ll find that when you frame your choices around doing that which brings you joy, any FOMO will be replaced with JOMO.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “For everything you have missed, you have gained something else.”

The key to JOMO is being selective with who, what, where, and when you spend your time and attention.  Yes, you miss out on things, but you won’t mind because you’re CHOOSING JOY!

Have you experienced FOMO?  Do you think framing your decisions with the idea of JOMO will help you?  Please leave  a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

Jill xx

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Now Is The Time To Get Out And Make Memories

Think back over your lifetime and recall your most delightful memories.  The ones that make you smile, laugh, give your heart an extra jump, or just sigh a breath of peace thinking about it.

Some of us will immediately jump back to childhood memories, others will recall times in their 20s–young and free, while others may need only look back a month or two to a trip taken to celebrate a wedding anniversary.  Depending on your personality, your favorite memories may involve daredevil type activities that provide adrenaline surges that will last for days, or for some, like me, the memory need only feature a beach, walking shoes, delicious food, and a good book.

Now I’m a huge believer in making sweet memories in your everyday life, from enjoying the beauty of your surroundings, to special moments with a loved one, to using your special dishes to serve yourself breakfast each morning, but I’m talking about getting out and making memories.  Memories that take a little work to plan and even pay for…the BIG memories.

Maybe it’s a trip to a faraway tropical place, a cross-country trip, stopping to visit all of the National Forests, travelling abroad, visits to historical sites, hikes that take you through multiple states, and so on.

I think we should place a little more effort into making big memories, before our opportunities slip away.

None of us are guaranteed another day here on this earth, so what are we waiting for?

Let’s all plan our next BIG adventure!

Of course, it’s wise to be smart about this.  I’m not proposing we all quit our jobs and go travel across Europe for the next six months, relying on the kindness of others to feed and house us.

Start the planning process now.  Even if you’re planning for something five years down the road (I hope you and I don’t have to wait that long), start dreaming now.  In case you missed it, check out my post about how half the fun of an event is the anticipation of it.

Here’s our mantra:

No more excuses.
Dream BIG.
Make a plan.
Go and do.
Repeat.

So, what do you think? What trip or epic experience is running through your mind right now?

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How Anticipating a Fun Future Event Will Bring You Happiness

What if I told you that there’s a way to bring happiness and excitement to your day, no matter how busy, stressed, or distracted you might feel?  Aaaand, it won’t cost you a thing.

Cue the dreamy music with you sitting with your head tilted, chin propped as you gaze wistfully to the heavens.

Now, answer these two questions:

First, is there something coming up in the next few weeks or months that you’re really looking forward to?

I’m guessing, with the summer months on the horizon, you might have some sort of trip planned, or better yet, for some, a stay-cation.  Maybe you have an old friend coming for a visit, a family reunion, or you’ve signed up for a fun class at your local community college.  Maybe it’s anything related to your favorite holiday that gets you excited.

Second question:  How often do you think about this future event?

If the last time you thought about it was a month ago when you booked your airfare, made your reservation, or made plans with a friend for a visit — or in the case of a holiday — you only begin thinking about it just a couple of weeks out, I’d like to suggest you think about, and eagerly anticipate, your fun future plans more.

Why?  Because I want you to experience Rosy Prospection, like I do.

Rosy prospection is when a person’s anticipation of a planned event is greater than the actual experience.  It’s when you get excited just thinking about the future event you’ll be embarking on.  Friends, anticipation is half the fun!

I got to thinking about this when a friend stopped by the other day and laughed when she saw that the only thing I had on my 12 month wall calendar was my vacation and a few other work obligations that I didn’t want to forget.  Might I add that the vacation notation was in fancy lettering with green ink and palm trees sketched in!

Making a fun reminder on a visible calendar was just a small part of rosy prospecting for this eagerly anticipated future trip.   Other things I did in anticipation, other than the typical planning and organizing for the trip, was checking the weather of the place I’d be visiting, looking at pictures on Instagram that other people posted, researching restaurants, hikes and other fun stuff to do in the area, and most fun of all, talking about the upcoming trip with my husband.  Doing these things basically stretched out my vacation experience from the actual one week of vacation to several months of fun anticipation.

Maybe you don’t have anything big, like a trip, coming up.  That’s OK!  It’s fun to utilize rosy prospection for daily and weekly events too.

My husband thinks this is crazy, but I eagerly anticipate what’s for dinner while I’m eating breakfast!  Don’t let this make you think I’m an expert meal planner either.  I just love food, so I enjoy thinking about my forthcoming meals.

During certain times of the year, a friend and I go walking at the beautiful Biltmore Estate.  This is a weekly event that I eagerly anticipate in the days leading up to it.

Friends, sometimes we can get bogged down in the everyday routine of life, and I guarantee that if you add a little rosy prospection to your days, you will receive a nice boost of happiness and excitement.

Here’s to all of us enjoying the anticipation of fun future events!

Jill xx

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How To Stop Stressing Over Things Beyond Your Control

How much time would you say you spend worrying or stressing over things you have no control over?

You know, worrying about these types of things:

  • How people will perceive you.
  • How people will react to you.
  • The type of upbringing you had, and all the complications that came from it.
  • The illness that may cripple you or your loved ones.
  • A financial disaster that drains your savings account or puts you in major debt.
  • Betrayal of a friend.
  • If your husband decides to cheat on you.
  • Whether your kids will apply themselves in school.
  • The state of the housing and stock markets.
  • The decisions someone else makes.
  • When your loved ones will die.
  • How long you will have a certain job.
  • The weather.
  • Who your children pick as friends.
  • The exact route your life will take.

Yes, it would be nice if we had more control over these things, but the reality is, we don’t.

One thing we do have control over in these situations, is how we react.

I’ve found that there are some simple things each of us can do to help ourselves to be better reactors through the various situations we experience.  It’s the old M.B.S. technique!  Have you heard of it?

M.B.S. = Mind. Body. Soul.

If you focus your attention on developing and maintaining these three areas in your life, I dare say, you are guaranteed to better handle (react to) the things that come your way that you have little to no control over.

Mind. You’ve heard the saying, “Trash in, trash out.”  You have control over what goes in your mind, and in turn, what comes out.  What are you filling your mind with?  Good books?  Inspiring music?  The voices of positive people?  Truth?
Maybe you lean a little more to the side of: Crap TV.  Negative people’s voices. Your own negative voice. Getting stuck in the comparison trap.  Listening to lies.  When posing questions like these, it’s good to think about them from an objective (or outsider’s) perspective if you can.  Sometimes we can be more honest with ourselves this way.  Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see where you can make some adjustments.

A strong, focused, happy mind will aid you in making good decisions through good and bad times.

Click here to read my article on how to create healthy boundaries with toxic people.

Body.  I am positive I handle stress better when I exercise.  This has been tested, so why is it that I haven’t been regular about getting my walks in?!?  Ugh.  That’s another blog altogether!  Studies show that exercise reduces stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.  It fights disease, helps manage pain, and improves your sleep.  It also helps you focus and improves overall mental function.  Just getting up and walking twice a day for 15 minutes will bring about huge benefits.

Just as important as moving your body is what you put in your body.  Remember the saying, “You are what you eat”?  Whenever I hear this, I picture two people walking down the street together, one is basically a greasy cheeseburger with legs and french fry hair, and the other is a carrot with legs, sporting a pair of running shoes.  Since I love greasy cheeseburgers, I take the moderation route with food.  I enjoy my greasy cheeseburger from time to time, but also make sure to pack carrots in my lunch and drink lots of water.  Just remember, if you’re only eating fatty, processed foods, you aren’t loving your body the way you should, and there’s a good chance you’ll experience health setbacks.

Soul.  Do you know the old hymn, It Is Well With My Soul?  Horatio Spafford wrote this popular hymn after several years of great loss:  his two year old son died, he experienced huge personal and business financial losses, and he then lost four daughters in a ship wreck.  He wrote the hymn while traveling by sea near where his daughters had perished.  It nearly seems impossible, doesn’t it?  To come to a place where, after tragedy piled upon tragedy, you can say, “It is well with my soul.”  Horatio drew his strength from his relationship with God.  Is it well with your soul?  Where do you draw your strength from?  We can learn from Horatio that spending time in “soul work” is critical for times when we are smacked with a situation we  have little to no control over.

Friends, if you focus on these three areas — mind, body, and soul — you’ll feel good and be better equipped to handle the difficult situations that come your way.

Here’s to developing and maintaining the good health of your mind, body, and soul.

With love,

Jill xx

 

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29 Ways to Love Yourself

Remember the song, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover?  In this week’s post, I’m sharing 29 ways to love yourself.  Sounds a little more upbeat, don’t ya think?

Why 29?

Because I thought we should celebrate the fact that it’s a leap year — a year that only comes along once every four years, and includes an extra day.  That extra day is February 29.  Crazy cool fact: Both my sister-in-law and her first daughter were born on leap year…there’s only a 1 in 2-million chance of that happening!  I think there’s at least a 4 in 2-million chance of seeing a unicorn!

Since February is a month symbolizing and celebrating love, I thought we’d look inward and focus on ways to practice self-love.

Now, when I suggest we turn inward and focus on self-love, that’s a good thing and shouldn’t be confused with being self-centered or narcissistic.  Self-love is critical to maintaining a healthy, happy, and balanced life.  When we love ourselves well, we are more loveable to others too, so you can’t go wrong.

Loving yourself shouldn’t be complicated, but it can take intention and effort.  I’ve listed out 29 ways to show love to yourself. These suggestions are ones that I, personally, use or that may be beneficial to you.  Of course, there may be things that would better show love to yourself that aren’t on this list–focus on what will serve you best.

Some of the ideas below are easier and take less time than others–great!  Others will take some reflection, some soul-searching, and maybe some accountability or support in other ways.

Here’s how I suggest you use the list:

1.  Either print this post or get a notebook out to write down the items in step #3.

2.  Read through the list and place a check-mark next to the areas where you feel like you’re already showing yourself love in those ways.  Good job on those, by the way!

3.   Now go back through the list and circle 1-3 of the actions you’ll commit to working on throughout the next month.

4.  At the end of the month, review the 1-3 actions you’ve been working on and, if you’ve noticed great improvement, place a check-mark next to the item.  If you haven’t noticed great improvement, continue working on your love goal.

29 Ways to Love on Yourself 

  1. Surround yourself with people that lift you, inspire you, and make you feel good.
  2. Get rid of toxic people in your life.
  3. Speak kindly to yourself.  Don’t say things to yourself that you wouldn’t say to someone you respected or loved.
  4. Laugh often.  Laughter is salve for the soul.
  5. Take walks, on a regular basis, with no other goal but to notice the beauty around you.
  6. Sleep at least 7 hours every night.  The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7+ hours/night for adults.
  7. Exercise.  30-minutes per day is ideal.
  8. Stretch your body.  There’s a reason cats seem so content…they stretch a lot. Click here for 10 simple stretches to try today.
  9. Eat well.  Maybe this just means to add a salad to your diet every day.  Maybe it means consuming less sugar.  Maybe it means drink more milk.  Check out this book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, that’ll help you to choose foods that agree with you based on your blood type.
  10. Don’t compare yourself to others.  Focus on, and celebrate, your own special gifts and abilities.
  11. Read books that you enjoy or make you feel good.
  12. Say “no” more often.  Saying no to someone or something is not bad.  Saying no leaves you open to really good yes’s.
  13. Write a letter to God and pour your heart out.
  14. Spend five minutes writing down what your perfect day would look like.  Now, plan to make it happen.
  15. Skip the doughnut…start your day with a healthy, delicious green smoothie.  Try this one with only four ingredients.
  16. Write in a gratitude journal daily.  I have a bunch of journaling ideas here.
  17. Take a 24-hour social media break.  Better yet, take a week or a month away from all the screens that suck up time.
  18. Do more of what you love.  If you love to play cards, but rarely play, schedule a weekly or monthly card night.
  19. Learn something that you’ve always wanted to.  Take a class, teach yourself, or learn online.  Just Google, “How to (put a word(s) for whatever it is you want to learn here)” and see what strikes your fancy.
  20. Write a list of things other people say you do well, or they like about you.  Keep that list handy for when you need encouragement.
  21. Let go of a grudge you’ve held for far too long.  Releasing the grudge = your freedom and peace.
  22. Cut yourself some slack.  Have you noticed, we can be our own worst critic?  Just treat yourself fairly.
  23. Being an adult can be exhausting, so spend more time acting like a kid. Need some ideas on how? I wrote about it here.
  24. Accept who you are.  Change what you can and want to, and accept the rest.
  25. Go on a personal retreat where you will come away rested, renewed, re-energized, inspired, and clear on “stuff”.
  26. Be a blessing to someone else.  Funny thing is, you will be blessed yourself by this action.
  27. Keep a happiness jar (aka: blessing box & gratitude jar).  Just write down things you are thankful for, that make you happy or make you laugh, etc. on a little piece of paper and store them in a jar.  Pull them out and read when you need some encouragement.  Here’s a cute DIY Happiness Jar with step-by-step instructions.
  28. Invest in yourself.  This ties in to some of the earlier items on the list like taking a class, going on a retreat, etc.  It may be that you finally buy that Kitchen Aide mixer you’ve always dreamed of to start your cupcake business.  Maybe you’ve wanted to attend a conference, spend time learning something new, or buy a good camera to develop your photography hobby.
  29. Believe in yourself.  This will come more naturally the more you love yourself, but if you’re not there yet, try and be your own cheerleader.  If you’ve ever been an encouragement to someone else, then remember what that was like and do the same for yourself…you deserve it.

Here’s to loving ourselves and others!

Love,

Jill xx

 

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Here’s How You Can Change The World

Having just commemorated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I’ve reflected on the good Dr. King did in his lifetime and the example and legacy he left us with.  As the “holiday” passes by, I don’t want us to miss and to truly believe how the heart and actions of one person can change the world.

While some of us are destined to create monumental change in the world like Dr. King, others of us–no less important–have the opportunity to create change in smaller ways in our corner of the world.

Read this part slowly: Every single one of us (that’s you!) has the potential to make a significant impact in the world.  Some of you reading this may not believe you can make a difference.  You may think that in order to make a difference you need to have more money, more time, a different job, know more people, live somewhere else.  Not true.

As with Dr. King’s example, great impact happens when we take efforts to protect someone or something.

Dr. King took a stand to protect the rights and freedoms of others…he took intentional steps and created a movement of change.

You and I have the ability to create change, too.  One way is to take steps to protect others.

We can begin by thinking about and responding to Dr. King’s statement and question here: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: “What are you doing for others?”

Who or what needs protecting in your corner of the world?  

  • Your family…your children, your spouse–your marriage.
  • Your friends.
  • Your community.
  • The homeless.
  • The abused.
  • The nation.
  • Your students.
  • Your neighbors.
  • The young.
  • The elderly.
  • The earth.

How can these people and these things be protected?

By taking intentional steps to:

  • Act in love.
  • Be respectful.
  • Be diligent.
  • Be kind.
  • Set healthy boundaries.
  • Be present.
  • Learn more.
  • Act with compassion.
  • Find out how you can help someone.
  • Remind someone of their worth.
  • Be a shoulder to cry on.
  • Do something that needs to be done that no one else wants to do.
  • Have eyes of awareness and hands of action.
  • Educate others.
  • Take a stand.

Did you notice that the list includes things each and every one of us can do?  Today!  No one needs to wait on getting their doctorate degree, or to obtain a high-level executive job, or to accumulate gobs of money.

What action will you take today?  Will you start with your family, your neighborhood, your community, your place of work, the world at large?

Thank you, in advance, for your part in making this world a beautiful place.

Jill xx

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