{life reflections}

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{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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Wow! What a crazy last several weeks! I feel that my blogging has been severely lacking--and so has my introverted personal time that I so desperately require to recharge, which I have been able to gain this past week with a much deserved couple of days off. The lows and highs of my life are extreme at this time, but I am glad to at least be experiencing both, as the highs make the lows so much more bearable and passable. The truth is, I feel incredibly blessed for my life at the moment, despite the whirlwind around me. Sales have been fantastic, which has been quite a turn from last year's holiday season. It seems at least this area of my life I am feeling the abundance of the Law of Attraction and the welcoming of money once more into my life. Other areas… not so much. But that's okay. Ups and downs are a part of life, and I know that it's just a matter of time before I reach better places in those areas as well, learning and growing from the lessons and moving forward.

My husband is becoming a nutritionist and with all the schooling and homework he's been doing, he's also been feeding me some incredible information. I already considered the both of us extremely healthy, but it's such a vast topic and it seems there is always Something you could be doing better for your health. That being said, I have also learned the importance of balance. Stressing about your health and what you're eating will eliminate all the good you do your body with a healthy diet and exercise. Because stress… well, stress is the devil. Truly truly. This aside, I have been on new supplements, checking up on my health, taking HCL and enzymes and doing a few various helpful cleanses to improve the drop in health I was struggling with the last couple months (thanks to stress from my past which caused food intolerances, hormone imbalance, low stomach acid, and so forth). With cleansing has come those extreme lows and highs with body and mind, but the end result will be fantastic! 

It might not be so bad, but life has a funny way of pouring when it decides to rain, and I know most of you will know the feeling. This end of year has been a very bumpy road, on an emotional and physical level, and it is why there has been a definite lack of new content on the blog due to the need to seek focus and find balance in those aspects of my life. Truth be told, it still amazes me the sorts of spirals life can dish out all at once. I had a health scare when I received an abnormal pap test back with possible low squamous cells--I had to book a special appointment with a specialist an hour away to find out for sure. I just received the news two days ago that everything is clear, whatever they had thought might be there isn't. What a relief! But, again, a bumpy ride: it was a reminder of the IUD experience I had two years ago, which, as it turns out, was actually quite a traumatic event for me which, this new year, I will be seeking out some resources to get past. Too personal? I feel like I share a lot of myself on here, and so, I like to share experiences as well. The whole experience was actually another reminder to myself to get my hormones back in balance and to really focus on my relationships and body that need healing due to that feminine energy. Women's health is a topic that I feel is so important, being a woman in a vastly uneducated society when it comes to women's health, and so this new year I intend to spread more information on these topics, because it is so important and I really wish more women knew about their bodies and the beauty that comes from within. 

That being said, the emotional roller coaster is forever moving. At first, I wondered if I was the only one going bonkers, but then I noticed more and more people around me going through extreme highs and lows. Of course, the obvious answer to me is the holiday season. If you have a dysfunctional family then attention tends to be drawn to it at this time of year--especially if your parents are divorced and your family is split. But I feel perhaps it's more than that, a cleansing, perhaps, before the new year; drawing out unresolved issues to move forwards into more evolved and whole, loving beings. At least, that's what I'm seeking to gain from it all. 

What an end of year! I can't say it enough, my mind is still in tangles of this web. Christmas day was… a fail in my books. I feel like there is so much pressure on this one day of the year. For me, it's often a reminder of the dysfunctionality and brokenness of my family. I don't expect a perfect family anymore, it's been a very long time since I have expected this, but somehow, still, when the holiday season comes around it's a sharp reminder which, this year, was a bit more of a struggle. Maybe with too much other issues piling up (ones more personal I choose to omit instead of sharing all the private and inner workings of my life and relationships) it just became a bit much and I honestly just wanted the holidays to be over with. To top it all off, I spent three hours at the hospital last night after my husband got into a skateboarding accident. See? When it rains it pours. All things considered, he had the best possible outcome, but will be needing lots of love and care for a recovery that looks like it will be speedy--thank goodness! 

Okay, so having said all that, I'm not sharing any of this from some tragic stand point, merely from an observing point. The truth is, despite the ups and downs, generally, overall, I feel quite spectacular. And I intend to feed the good vibes with more good vibes. Gratitude is so important and it has been my largest focus through it all--that and focussing on the positive, always and foremost. I look to this New Year with so much hope and joy. A fresh start! That's always what a new year feels like, but unless you set your foot down and make it happen then nothing will change. I will be making changes where they are needed: focussing on health, seeking out resolution in unresolved past issues and relationships, and making more awesomeness happen. Truly, I feel like 2014 is going to be an amazing year for everyone. A year of enlightenment, love, joy, health, wealth, and abundance in all areas of life. Our New Year even starts on a New Moon, which is a period to clean the slate, set intentions, and start anew. It's been 19 years since the last New Moon on a New Year! 

Hope. Hope is alive in all of us. Hope is the fire that burns through our souls and allows us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It makes me sad when people can lose that fire, and lose sight of that light that is almost within their reach. If nothing else, I just want to remind you all, that everything is going to be Okay, and the light is always there for you. Keep hope alive. Because goodness is there waiting for you, I promise! 

Here's to the happiest of New Years and a wonderful new chapter for each our beautiful, amazing lives! 

   

So Much Love from my heart and soul to yours!     

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♥ ReLove Plan.et's Boxing Day Sale! ♥

Hope you're all having a happy holiday season and a wonderful day in general! I wasn't going to do a sale but then, I figured, why not. ;)

• Spend $40.00 and get a free surprise decal and art print.  
• Spend $100.00 and get a free necklace (of your choice! Let me know your selection in the "notes to seller", or if you'd like a surprise leave it blank ~_^) and other extra goodies!
• And make any purchase in the shop and I'll include extra little goodies ;) 

*Sale is for Boxing Day (December 26th) Only! Don't miss out!

ReLove Plan.et Etsy Shop! Get Shopping! ~_^ 

Happy Holidays!! ♥♥

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

❀ The Good News ❀

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Stop watching the News on T.V. filled with lies, propaganda, and made to make you feel helpless and afraid.

With all the negative news in the world, it's time to give you hope and inspiration. It's time to the weekly Good News! 

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Cruel Badger Cull Meets Embarrassing End

Two controversial badger culls have been labeled as failures and have finally been stopped after it became clear that those going after them wouldn’t be able to kill enough badgers to meet their targets. While this has led to relief among animal advocates, it also raises concerns that what was done will make things worse.

The pilot programs were run in Gloustershire and Somerset in an effort to stop the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) among cattle, but killing badgers to solve the problem has caused controversy among scientists, farmers, the government and animal advocates.

The programs were designed to see whether or not shooting free-running badgers at night, as opposed to trapping them, would help stop the spread of bTB. Scientists and animal advocacy groups — including the Badger Trust, Humane Society International/UK, RSPCA, League Against Cruel Sports and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, among others — have all come out strongly opposing using badgers as scapegoats for a problem affecting cattle.

(Read more) 

Animal Welfare Movement is Growing Fast in China

Chinese animal lovers are banding together to lobby their government for laws that protect animals. The growing number of animal advocates is chipping away at the country’s image as a hotbed of indifference to animal suffering.

The New York Times reports that revulsion at animal abuse is growing among the Chinese. Citizens have been taking matters into their own hands, rescuing cats and dogs headed to restaurants to be slaughtered and served to customers.

They are also pressing the government to take systemic action. No law protects animals from cruelty in China, except for endangered species and animal husbandry situations. Animal advocates have been working for years to change that. In 2009, with the help of sympathetic law professors, activists submitted proposed animal welfare legislation to the National People’s Congress.

(Read more) 

Victory! EU’s Seal Product Ban Upheld by World Trade Organization

In a landmark victory for seals, the World Trade Organization ruled on Monday to uphold the European Union’s (EU) ban on imported seal products over ethical concerns.

In 2010, the EU enacted a ban on seal products, with exceptions for Inuit and other indigenous communities and for products that were derived for non-commercial purposes as a result of managing marine resources. The move was challenged by Canada and Norway, which both argued that the embargo violated global trade rules and that the hunts are humane and sustainable, despite evidence to the contrary.

The WTO pointed out inconsistencies and problems with trade agreements, but ruled in the end that the ban was valid because it fills “the objective of addressing EU public moral concerns on seal welfare to a certain extent, and no alternative measure was demonstrated to make an equivalent or greater contribution to the fulfillment of the objective.”

Conservationists and animal advocacy groups are celebrating the victory, not only because it’s a big one for seals, but because it’s a big one for global animal welfare issues in general. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which has been campaigning against the hunt for decades, noted that the WTO’s recognition of our right to oppose products that we believe are cruel and unsustainable is cause for celebration.

(Read more) 

Breaking News: Elephants out of India's Circuses‏

Earlier this year, PETA India and Animal Rahat released the results of a shocking nine-month undercover investigation of more than a dozen circuses that travelled across India. The investigation – authorised by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) – documented heartbreaking cruelty to elephants.

Now – little more than two months after this groundbreaking investigation rocked India and made headlines around the world – the AWBI has confirmed in just-released notes that it has "decided to stop registration of elephants for performance … in view of huge cruelties and abuse suffered by them ," a move that will effectively mean an end to the captivity of elephants in India's circuses. The AWBI is also preparing to seize elderly and injured elephants named in PETA India's report so they may be rehabilitated. While the board hasn't yet done so formally, its notes also indicate support for an eventual ban on the use of all animals in circuses in India.

(Read more) 

Success! No Amur Falcons Murdered This Year

Just about a year ago a Care2 writer wrote about 14,000 migrating Amur Falcons that were being murdered every day in the Indian state of Nagaland, a stopover in their migration from Siberia to Africa.

Now, as a result of action from Care2 and other groups, as well as three Indian villages, no birds have been massacred this year. Almost 9,000 Care2 activists signed our petition to save the Amur Falcons.

Thank you, Care2 activists!

(Read more) 

Groundbreaking Lawsuit Says Chimps Are Literally People, Too

This week, efforts that have been years in the works have finally made their debut with the filing of the first of many lawsuits seeking to demolish the legal wall that separates humans from nonhuman animals.

Unbeknownst to Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee, the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) filed a lawsuit this week in New York state under the writ of habeus corpus seeking to have him released to a sanctuary that is part of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA).

(Read more) 

Good News for African Elephants

Representatives from 30 countries came together to discuss the poaching crisis and potential measures to save Africa’s elephants at the African Elephant Summit. 

The African Elephant Summit finally brought key nations together to focus on the entire trade chain and address problems from where elephants live to where ivory ends up. 

They agreed on 14 Urgent Measures that will take a zero-tolerance approach to poaching and will hopefully protect elephants from further suffering. A few of the measures include working with local communities on conservation efforts and campaigning to end the demand for ivory to increasing on-the-ground efforts that will give local law enforcement and wildlife protection agencies the means to deal with powerfully armed poaching syndicates and strengthen cooperation between agencies. One measure also includes creating a network of forensic labs that will be able to determine where ivory came from and provide evidence that can be used in court.

Probably the most important measure is the agreement to classify wildlife trafficking as a “serious crime,” which will “effectively unlock international law enforcement cooperation provided under the United Nationals Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, including mutual legal assistance, asset seizure and forfeiture, extradition, and other tools to hold criminals accountable for wildlife crime.”

(Read more) 

Good News for Rabbits: Angora Update: H&M, New Look and Esprit Listened‏

Following the viral success of  PETA's video exposing how rabbits are treated on Chinese angora farms as well as actions by hundreds of thousands of concerned people, some of the UK's favourite brands have suspended angora production!

H&M, New Look, Esprit and ACNE are among the companies that have stopped manufacturing angora products because of animal welfare concerns. The combined impact of their decision is huge and will potentially spare hundreds of thousands of rabbits being imprisoned, manhandled and plucked alive. We're now hoping these companies will take the next step and banish angora from their stores permanently

People power made this possible, so thank you for being a part of this campaign. 

Fur Free Friday 2013 a Huge Success

Fur Free Friday just celebrated its twenty-seventh year and it is still going strong! Coast to coast across the United States and in cities around the world, activists took time out of their holiday weekend to speak up for the fifty million animals slaughtered each year for their fur. We encouraged consumers to shop cruelty-free this holiday season by avoiding fur and fur-trimmed items.

IDA coordinated demos in forty cities for the Fur Free Friday event this year, which is almost double the number of cities that participated last year! Our movement is definitely growing! And thanks to caring people like you, thousands of people now know the truth behind the egregiously cruel fur industry.

Waitress Turns Anti-LGBT Discrimination into Something Awesome

This story is a heart-warming one of human kindness, in reaction to human ignorance. Dayna Morales, an ex-Marine and now server at the Gallop Asian Bistro in Bridgewater, New Jersey, went to pick up the $93.55 bill from a family she had been serving that night, she was affronted to find a note scribbled on the receipt saying she would be getting no tip. The note read: “I’m sorry but I cannot tip because I do not agree with your lifestyle and how you live your life.”

Morales sent a picture of the receipt complete with the note scribbled on it to the “Have a Gay Day” Facebook page. The Internet, in that way it sometimes does, then took over.

The post quickly garnered thousands of shares and hundreds of comments. Gradually, an idea formed: to donate $1 to Dayna to make up for the money she lost out on. Dayna has now received more than $2000, but she’s not keeping all of it. Instead, she has pledged to donate a portion to the Wounded Warriors Project which helps to rehabilitate and empower wounded veterans.

(Read the full story) 

12-Year-Old Girl Fights for Her Right to Wrestle on the Boys Team

Twelve-year-old Audrianna Beattie has been a wrestler since the third grade. But when she moved from Iowa to rural Pennsylvania she found that she couldn’t compete against the boys.

I don’t mean that in a “she’s not good enough” kind of way. Last year she competed against boys, and her record was 5-3. No, what I mean is that at her new school she isn’t allowed to compete with boys. It’s against the rules.

She’s not taking this lying down. She’s literally making a federal case of it. Last week she testified for 40 minutes in front of a federal judge for her right to compete with the boys. Audrianna’s parents believe that their daughter’s ineligibility violates the federal equal protection clause and the state constitution’s equal rights amendment.

(Read more) 

4 Countries That Got Rid of McDonald’s

While McDonald’s currently has restaurants in 118 countries, here are four countries that managed to get the company to close shop: Iceland, Bolivia, Macedonia, Bermuda.

Hopefully this will spread!  

(Read more)

Flame retardant debate burns out for good in California

Last week the State of California officially passed a long-awaited fire safety standard that means furniture products sold in the state will no longer need to be treated with toxic flame retardants.

(Read more) 

World’s Largest Landfill Will Soon Power Parts of New York City

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that Freshkills Park on Staten Island, once the world’s largest landfill, will soon be converted into the city’s largest solar energy facility. Once completed, the plant will produce up to 10 megawatts of power — five times more than any solar energy system in the city and enough to power approximately 2,000 homes.

(Read more) 

Ending the Use of Triclosan

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under a court agreement signed recently, will end decades of delay and decide how to protect consumers from triclosan, a suspected endocrine disruptor linked to reproductive and developmental harm in laboratory studies.

The FDA first proposed in 1978 to remove triclosan from certain consumer products. But because it took no further action, the chemical has been widely used in antimicrobial soaps sold in the U.S.

In 2010, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) sued the FDA in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to force the agency to issue a final rule. The parties reached a settlement and, under a consent decree signed by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, the agency committed to taking final action on triclosan used in consumer hand soaps by 2016.

(Read more) 

6 Awesome Celebrities Share Their Thoughts on Being a Feminist

It’s crazy that even to this day the word feminist in many circles, even among women, is considered negative and dirty. Why does believing in equality conjure up such negative reactions?

Probably because the word is incredibly misunderstood. That’s why it’s so important to proudly share your feminist identity with anyone who will listen. 

Check out these 6 kickass female celebrities who proudly claim that yes they are feminists, too:

Read them Here!

Heroes in Brown: 7 UPS Drivers Who Stepped Up to Save Animals

United Parcel Service (UPS) drivers sometimes are doing much more than dropping off boxes. Some of them are saving animals’ lives.

Check out these seven stories of UPS drivers who saw animals in trouble and did something about it, even when it would have been easier to simply return to their routes:

Read them Here!

10 Random Acts of Kindness That Will Make You Smile

Lastly, check out these 10 random acts of kindness! :)

Read them Here!

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Thanks for reading this week's "Good News!" Join us every week and feel inspired! 

Be sure to sign up for Care2's newsletter for some real news around the globe, to make a change, and to open up your mind to the Real World!

See that your actions count and get out there and do good! Be the Change! 

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☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

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We're taking back Mondays!!!

"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 

Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)

It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo

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☺ Law of Attraction tip: Remember whatever you think about most is what you are attracting into your life. This means, if you are focussing too much on the problems in your life then you will be attracting more of that to you. Always focus on what you DO want, not on what you Don't want!       

☺ Watch the Snow Fall…  because there is something so calming and simple about it… and you know, you should be enjoying what's in front of you. ;) 

☺ Find the Motivation to Have Fun!  Maybe it's just and some of the friends I've been around lately, and maybe it has something to do with winter, but motivation  has been in short supply as of late. It's hard to feel motivated to do anything other than stay warm and cozy inside with a book or drawing pad (or maybe it's just the introvert in me as well). But fun is fun is fun, so find the motivation to get out of the house, see some friends, and do something exciting and out of the ordinary. Which brings me to my next point…    

☺ Get Pumped!!! If motivation Is in short supply, or even if it isn't, learn to Get Pumped! About life, about mundane activities, about absolutely anything! Life doesn't have to be boring (even when doing simple chores). Life is and should be exciting and thrilling, and the only thing that's stopping it from being so is your lack of energy to make it so. The funny thing is that it's Easy to get pumped, to get yourself excited and motivated. All you have to do is Feel it! My favourite way of doing this is to blast terrible music and dance around--it's hard not to feel better after doing this. ;)     

☺ Remember you are not the only one Searching. This concept was a real wake up for me and it profoundly reminded me of this valuable fact… As much as You are Searching for someone, or something (whether it be your life partner, your best friend, the perfect job, etc.), They are also searching for You! So stay positive and optimistic, they (or it) are on their way!        

☺ Reflect what You Want. People outside of you aren't going to see your flaws unless you are dwelling on them and projecting them out into the world. Likewise, if you are projecting the wonderful side of yourself (which Everyone has inside of them) then that is what others will see. Perception is everything, and everyone will perceive you differently, but if you are projecting positivity and awesomeness then the only people that will miss it are the ones that can only see the negativity within their own selves. So be lovely and positive and the world will shine around you and you will attract more positivity and like-minded people.   

☺ “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Nelson Mandela 

Create a great day! 

Much love from me to you! 

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{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

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"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

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{this moment}

{Lyla has become quite the cuddly kitty--this is how I spend most my mornings}

{Smile Up}:

☺ Vegan Potlucks!

☺ Meeting new people.

☺ Pretty Snow. ♥

☺ Manifesting wonderful things! 

☺ Getting back to using my Vision Board on a regular basis!

☺ Tons of kitty cuddles! And first ever Buster coming to me for cuddles! 

☺ Helping others.

☺ Art, art, art!

☺ Tea Dates.

☺ Feeling Inspired!

☺ Meditation.

☺ Exercise and Yoga.

☺ Sharing, Giving, and Accepting.

☺ Sharing Laughter! Laugher is the best!  

☺ Learning, remembering lessons, being in touch with lessons. 

☺ Christmas Lights. 

☺ Cozy evenings hermiting. 

☺ Gifts to make me smile on rough days. 

☺ Being surrounded by amazing, loving, wondering people who lift me higher. 

☺ Remembering to Stay Positive.

☺ Being busy with etsy sales! ^_^

☺ Making the top 5s shortlist of the 2013 Canadian Weblog Awards (in the "Life" category!) ^_^ 

Loving: Manifesting • Vision Board • Drawing • Writing • Kitty Cuddles • Leggings • Slippers •  Handmade anything! • Oversized Sweaters •  Love • Dance Breaks • Personal Space • Camilla d'Errico •

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: "Black Spring" by Alison Croggon. "D.Gray Man" Manga Comics. 

✯  Current Anime shows: "Black Butler"

✯  TV Shows: How I met Your Mother. Sons of Anarchy. Wilfred.

♫ Music Playlist: Shuffle on my iPhone ;)   ♫

✯ Food Faves: Chocolate Mousse ♥ Oatmeal ♥ Cauliflower ♥ Apple Pie Smoothies ♥ Mountain Magic Cookies ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

 To have fun no matter what you're doing! ☀ "There are other people out there who are looking for you!" I loved this reminder this week, because I've been seeking out new friends and people in my life and it's easy to feel discouraged. Then, I heard this, and it was a fantastic reminder that as much as I am searching, they are searching for me too. ^_^ ☀ Learning to be an Introvert in an Extroverted Society. (I foresee a blog post coming…) ☀ Dance Breaks are so fantastic for the soul and keep you positive during a mundane or busy day! ☀ Remembering to Give and to Share--using the Law of Attraction, we learn that giving is as important as receiving. ☀ Taking charge of your Happiness--being honest with yourself about what works, what doesn't, and what needs changing. ☀ Hope! Dream Big! All things are possible, always remember this! ☀

Needing rather badly to get back into the swing of the blog, but I have been rather busy with etsy orders, so my apologies! I hope you are all enjoying a snowy holiday season and remembering to smile and look for the positive every single day!  

Tell me about your lovely week and what you're grateful for in this moment! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :)  ♥

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.