☺ You Deserve to Be Happy! ☺

I have some good news for you: You Deserve to Be Happy! Yes, You! 

The bad (and sad) news is that most of us don't actually believe we deserve to be happy.

Our lack of this good feeling of deserving to be happy stops us from living life to it's fullest potential. When we feel like we don't deserve to be happy, we place barriers around ourselves that stop the good things from coming in. It makes us cause our relationships and any possible good things that do manage to sneak through to fall apart rather instantly. We start to look for things to go wrong, seeking them out, drawing them out, making them magically appear out of nowhere. It makes us pick fights and get into disagreements with the people we care about. It makes us feel depressed. It keeps us trapped in this terrible bubble that circles over and over until we can actually learn to love ourselves and accept that we do indeed deserve to be happy. 

The reason that most of us don't believe we deserve to be happy is thanks to our insecurities and our general lack of liking and loving ourselves. Society teaches us that to love ourselves is a show of vanity, of being conceded, and this is a bad attitude that needs to halt. Love starts with yourself, you must must must love yourself in order to be happy and in order to love the people and things around you. So, you don't just deserve to be happy, you also deeply greatly do deserve to be loved.

Happiness and love are really one in the same, and both of them start with You. You can't expect to have an abundance, or much at all, of either of these wonderful things if you can't work on yourself and place yourself into a mentality and openness to let them in. 

I don't care what you have been through in your life, I don't care what shitty circumstances might be going on around you, I don't care how badly another person has made you feel about yourself, because, you know what? You are awesome! Despite anything that has happened or will happen in your life, you are awesome! Yes, you! And the more that you believe that, the more you will love life, love yourself, and welcome goods things into your life. You will become an inspiration to those around you and you can fill others up with that same joy because that energy will become so contagious and spill over onto others.  

[photo courtesy: JessicaRoman]

The feeling of not deserving to be happy also comes from being entirely too hard on ourselves for past mistakes and for things that were quite often out of our control, but that we have taken the blame deeply upon ourselves. 

The past is the past, you can't change anything that happened, and the more you try to deny that the longer you will remain in this state of lovelessness. Things happen. To everyone! Taking on the blame doesn't change anything. Carrying that blame around with you will only serve as the chains to your depression and it makes things worse for the ones you love as well. If you want to help others, if you want to help yourself, then choose to be happy, and you do that by making changes and letting go of the past.    

What you need to realize is that almost everyone has gone through some shitty things in their lives. Everyone has done things that they regret, things that they don't feel so good about, things that they deem as "awful" and "unforgivable." So is that where we should stop? Just sit there and wallow in that negativity and just accept that we've done some shitty things, that "god" or the universe, or some holy power has deemed us unfixeable? Or, is it not better to get back up and try again? If you don't like who you are, change it! You get to choose who you are. You get to choose how you are going to live your life. You get to choose whether or not good things can enter your life or not. 

You deserve happiness. Maybe, sometimes life makes you feel like you don't. Maybe sometimes your headspace makes you feel like a bad person, and therefor undeserving of good things. That mentality is the only thing stopping those good things from coming into your life. If you don't open the door, they can't get in! You have to let them in! The door is your bad attitude, so learn to love yourself and then you'll be able to open the door again. Happiness IS within your reach. 

Okay, so maybe it's not as easy as waving a magic wand and going, "Tadaaaa! I love myself! I deserve happiness! Woot woot!" Because, maybe, you just can't let go of that nagging awful mentality that you simply don't deserve good things and that you're not a good person. I've been there, so I know the feeling. Here's the thing; I used to hate myself, I mean utterly despise myself. I was a suicidal, depressed, self-loathing mess for a long portion of my life. You know what changed? I woke up. I started working on myself every single day. I started getting help, reading books, and looking at myself differently. I realized that I could be a person that I was proud of and liked--and loved.  

If you don't feel good about yourself then that's something you must work on everyday. And I mean every day! Every day until life gets easier and you fall in love with your wonderful self (and even after that) you should be doing gratitude practices for yourself. A simple and amazing practice that I still do when life feels rough, and when I may not be feeling so good about myself, is this… get a pen and paper (or I highly recommend having a Happy Diary) and write down a list of all the things you love about yourself. Write down small things, big things, things that you want to be and write them down as if that's who you are already. Write and write until you feel that energy shift within yourself and you genuinely feel better about yourself. Again, you Do get to choose who you are, and if you want to change then this is a good practice to become the greatest version of yourself. Do this practice every morning and every night, or at the very least, once a day. 

You don't have to be miserable forever. You don't have to hate yourself. You have such amazing wonderful unlimited potential inside of yourself and your lack of self love is holding you back from living your life to the fullest and being the amazing person that, deep down inside, you always truly are. It's time to let go of those restricting thoughts and allow that wonderful person inside of yourself to come out and play and smile and be happy.  

So, one more time: You Deserve to Be Happy! 

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{life reflections} ~ when life knocks you down ~

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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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This week has been filled with more tears and anxiety than I've felt in a long while. Boo hoo. Don't worry, I'm not going to write some miserable self-pitying post. I'm not that kind of person. I just wanted to share this with you to let you know that, despite all the positive tips and information I share on this blog, I too am human. Shocker I know. The truth is that I was indeed depressed for a good five years of my life and that takes some time to climb out of. There's a lot of old brain habits that need fixing and relearning. For the most part I am blissfully happy. For the most part I can easily pull myself out of a funk. But sometimes life throws curve balls, and those curve balls can right knock us on our asses and leave us in the dirt. But the funny thing about it is that when we fall down it's because life is trying to show us something. When we fall, it's because there is something we're meant to find down there. I truly believe and know this to be true. Again, you can find the positive in any situation, so why not do so? We wouldn't fall so hard either if there wasn't something still in our minds that we hadn't yet resolved. Sometimes we think we've got it all figured out, or at least mostly; we think we've settled our demons and moved forwards. Sometimes we have. Sometimes it may surprise us to learn that we haven't quite yet. This was my case this week. As it is with most people, there were some issues that I hadn't yet resolved. 

For some reason, perhaps through old habits, I have the suborn tendency to shut myself off, especially from my husband who is closest to me. Don't do this. I will tell you up front to never push people away or block yourself off, because it simply does more damage than good. I know this. I learned this the hard way. I still struggle with it--again, those old brain habits that like to make doing the right thing more difficult sometimes. But talking helps. I know that the Law of Attraction teaches us that the more we talk about our problems then the more we manifest them. While this is true, you also have to learn a balance. If you don't first talk about your problems then they will never get resolved, and if they never get resolved then you will not be able to move forward and use the Law of Attraction to attract positive things anyway. So talk. Talk, talk, talk. Through talking we have realizations--it helps to talk out loud because it gets our thoughts running and can help us realize many helpful things to move forwards. Again, though, learn balance. If you are constantly depressed and need someone to talk to then it is great to have a family member or friend to confide in, but realize that some things are best left to talk to a professional, because otherwise your relationship may become more about the negative than the positive and you don't want that either. I can't say enough about how much a councillor can help you. Seek one out. Talk their ear off. They have words of wisdom for you and they will help you learn about yourself and How to let go of your past. They are wonderful people who can help you, so don't overlook them. If you don't find a councillor you like at the first go of it, then find another one. Find one that you are compatible with and comfortable with. It helps. Trust me, because I've been there and mine helped me make one of the biggest leaps in my recovery. 

So, talk. When you get your thoughts out there you can reach some conclusions. Sit down with yourself as well and write out your thoughts. I always say writing is an amazing practice because it truly allows your thoughts to free flow, and when our thoughts free flow so do the realizations. I know, I'm being a bit repetitive, but bottling things up is counter-productive, don't just sweep your problems under a rug. You may be very good at keeping those problems safely concealed beneath that rug, but eventually the mess will come spilling out into your life and it may not be pretty when it all comes rushing out all at once as these things tend to do. When a problem arises, work through it. Make yourself reach some sort of positive conclusion and outlook that allows you to move forward. Chances are, it may resurface down the road. Again, these things can take time. Be patient, and realize that this too shall pass. At the end of the day, your attitude still counts for everything and you still always have a choice to be happy again. 

[photo credit: mcshredalot]

For myself? There are a few issues I am currently working on, and I plan to work through them every day until I feel better instead of sweeping them back under the rug. I plan to write down a new way of thinking to embed it into my mind until I can come to peace with certain things. Because I know it works and I know that I can heal as I have already done so much of. I plan to push myself into that unreasonable happy state by practicing all the lessons I've learned and generally focussing on that Positive Mental Attitude, reminding myself of Who I Am, and repeating every day that life is beautiful and full of happiness. 

It has also pushed me to finally finish that "Happiness Guide" that I've been working on and the "Happiness Bootcamp" zine, because what better time than to be able to practice it on myself as a guinea pig? ;) 

I wish you all a blissful weekend and all the love and happiness in the world. Remember that we all fall, we can all be vulnerable, but we all within us contain the remarkable ability to heal, to move forwards, and to smile in the face of anything. 

Much Love! 

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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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☺ True Beauty in Life is…  about living the life that you want and choose. It's about being free to be yourself, and being happy with yourself inside and out, and not worrying what others say or think of you. When you can reach this point your life will be effortless bliss.           

☺ Go for a walk outside! Every single day make a point to get outside and go for a brisk walk, even if it's just five minutes to your mailbox. As you walk, speak the words "thank you." Do this practice every day without fail, and do it multiple times whenever you are feeling your mood slip.  

☺ All Creatures are the Same. Our society teaches us to value the life of a dog over a pig, a cat over a cow, a guinea pig over a mouse. It's time to wake up and realize that they are all living, breathing, emotional creatures, all with the same capacities to experience joy and pain. I see it far too often, like the whole horse meat fiasco where people were outraged. If you're outraged by horse meat you should be equally outraged by all the chickens, cows, and pigs you're eating. In fact that pig is smarter than your dog and your 3-year-old child. Wake up and start the love for all creatures!   

☺ Become aware of what makes you Sparkle! There are certain things in life that may zap away your sparkle. You may not realize that you've even lost that sparkle until you get it back--via ridding yourself of whatever it was that was hindering it. Toxic relationships are a huge culprit. Unresolved issues, your own attitude, and a number of other things may also get in the way. Pay attention to whether or not your sparkle has been zapped and if it's gone work on removing the toxicity from your life. If you have it, be grateful and pay attention to anything that may try to take it away and steer clear. Now sparkle sparkle! 

☺ Take some You Time. Take some time this week to turn off the electronics, to get away from responsibilities, work, and obligations. Take time out of your day to practice some deep breathing, to relax, and to ease any tension in your body. Practice smiling and laughing. Cleanse your body and mind with some uninhibited time to yourself and nothing else. It's silly that it's so hard for us to dedicate this sort of time to ourselves in our busy busy lives, but do it--your body, mind, and soul will thank you for it. Centerrrr!

☺ Brim with Happiness! Happiness is the ultimate goal in life. Happiness is the meaning, the journey, it is everything. Your job in life is to be Happy. Your goal in life should be to pass that joy and love and positivity onto others. Your task is to fill yourself with so much happiness that it can't help spill over onto others. Become a wave of happiness to those around you and it will maintain your own happiness as well. Win win win.      

☺ “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who are alive.” – Howard Thurman.

Don't forget to get out there and Create a Nice Day!! 

Much Love from me to you! 

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

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

. . . . . . . . . .

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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☺ Change ahead! "When a big change comes in your life, you have to adjust to the new path and the new direction, which requires new qualities and strengths. These qualities are always exactly what we need to acquire in order to accomplish the great things ahead in our life!" From The Secret Daily Teachings by Rhonda Byrne. 

☺ Start Eating Healthy! I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend! That being said, I'm sure you stuffed your faces with chocolate and other not-so-great-for-you foods. Don't spiral by feeling guilty over this. It's just one weekend. But now is a good time to brush it off and get back to eating healthy. If you didn't eat all that well to begin with then now is a great time to start since spring is a cleansing period and perfect for change.  

☺ Give yourself a Pep Talk!! This isn't a new tip, I've mentioned this one before here but it's such an amazing motivator to turn your day around. It's easy to wake up and feel grouchy and therefor start your day off all wrong and set yourself up for the rest of the day being the same way. Change that first thing in the morning or whenever you feel your mood drop. Stand in front of your mirror and tell yourself that you are amazing that life is amazing and that all is good. Do a little dance, jump up and down and repeat "I love my life, I love my life" while smiling and your mood will magically change I promise. ;)                  

☺ Go on an Adventure! I don't know what your weather has been like but ours feels like summer. I went for my first hike of the year the other day with my friend and it was so much fun! We got outside in the sunshine and in nature, got some exercise, and shared some laughs. So get outside and go on adventure, no matter how big or small! 

☺ Ground Yourself…  This one isn't a mentality thing, this tip is literally to ground yourself to the earth. Why? We are surrounded by positive ions (those are the bad ones that cause cancer, illness, imbalance in the body and mind, and so forth) and we don't get nearly enough negative ions (those are the good ones). Those positive ions fill up our bodies and stay there because they have no exit, which is usually our feet. We wear shoes and walk on concrete, things that separate us from the ground beneath us. So one of the best ways to release those positive ions and refill on the negative ions is to have your feet bare on the earth. Go outside, in your garden, the sand, grass, anywhere in nature and connect your feet to the earth. You'll Feel the difference, if you have a headache or a stomach ache or anything like that you'll start to feel it go away. It's amazing!  

☺ Remember to Laugh! Laughter attracts joy, releases negativity, makes you feel good, and can miraculously heal your body and soul.    

☺ "“You're alive. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you can change the world, the world will change." ~Neil Gaiman. Remember that attitude is everything and that you can Do anything. Start by changing yourself first, that is the way you will change your world. 

Happy Fertility Pagan Zombie Jesus Easter Bunny Weekend! ;) 

Don't forget to get out there and Create a Nice Day!! 

Much Love from me to you! 

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☆ The Strongest Full Moon of 2013 ☆

The strongest, most intense full moon of 2013 is tonight!

We all know how full moons can make us restless and crazy, right? Well this one will be a big one. We watched it last night and it was enormous! Full moons are transitional phases, especially in this lovely spring energy. So what does this moon mean? Well, it's time to clean up your life! 

The Libra Full Moon brings forth powerful life-changes and awareness, and a reminder to practice conscious awareness in our lives. It is a time when we need to surrender and keep in mind that change is our friend so not to resist it. 

Expect some emotional power struggles, and an awareness to the people around you. You may have noticed a lot of relationships falling apart and/or rebuilding recently (I know I have), it's all part of this spring cleaning, of moving into a better space in your life. Again, it's important not to resist and to be honest and open with yourself and your heart. Remember that the mind can complicate things. Chances are life is giving you a nudge, removing people from your life that are not serving you in a positive way or are restricting your personal growth. Trust life, know that everything happens for a reason and that, if you let it, it will help you out and guide you in the right direction. Pay attention so that you can cleanse and remove these negative people from your life, and so that it can make room for new relationships to emerge. We are moving from breakdown to breakthrough in this moon phase. 

“Remember that, these planets only take that which is obsolete. They will not take what you need for your personal evolution.  In fact, the main purpose of the Libra Full Moon and the Sun/Pluto transit is to empower you. So that you are ready to receive the positive creative changes that can take place now.”

Full moons are wonderful, enlightening experiences, so treat them as such. Since the full moons are active for four days before and after, make this a full moon week to work on yourself. Take some time to prepare yourself, to work on yourself and your life, and to do some personal spring cleaning. 

Work through any of those situations or areas of your life that need healing, things that still have not been addressed and have been left open. Get into a good creative "Self" space as well. Take some time to do yoga (under the moonlight would be even better!), rest lots and get some good sleep, pamper yourself with a bubble bath, meditate in a sacred space, finish up that spring cleaning in your home by clearing out any unused junk, and spend some time being creative with art or music. Dance around and enjoy being You. Be creative, be relaxed, and find your inner peace. Take care of your mind, body, and soul. 

And if you can, find an outdoor space, away from city lights, where you can truly enjoy the light and beauty of the full moon--it will do you good. 

This is a good time for self-reflection, to release self-limiting beliefs, negative thought patterns and attitudes, and to get yourself back on track to a happy life. Remember that your attitude shapes everything else around you. Come from a place of love and not fear. Release and let go. 

So, what do you want to create? Take charge of your mind and life.

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

{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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The sun is shining, the weather is warming up, and I've had a rather social week. Life feels good. 

It's interesting though, the ups and downs, the struggles, the rush of emotions, and the releases and surprises. Life is unpredictable, that is for sure. But it's a good thing. 

I'm trying to remind myself (and others) that life is a constant wave, but, no matter where you are, you can benefit from your position. Life puts you where you need to be in order to learn something, to increase your personal growth. It's just that we don't always see that, and when we fail to see that we tend to fall into negative habits and emotions and miss the lessons altogether. Then the spiral can happen which we get stuck in until we finally stand up and say "no!" But we can't walk away from what life is trying to teach us until we learn the lesson, otherwise we may feel as if we're getting ahead only to end up back in that same situation or place in life over and over again. It repeats until we can learn what we were meant to learn. Sometimes the lessons are concealed, sometimes they're subtle, and sometimes we really have to dig deep to get there, but the lesson is always there, one way or another. Or multiple ways. We can learn so much from a single experience or a single ordeal in our lives. Again, we just have to choose to see this. Life is all about attitude, or at least the state and condition of your Self within that life is all about attitude. It's a lesson that I still practice, that still takes work, and that can still be improved upon, but it is one solid message I remind myself of and carry with me at all times. It's the light switch that tells me everything is going to be alright, that I have a Choice in the way my life is going to be (in the future and, more importantly, in this very moment). It's all about my own attitude. I can choose to be Happy or I can choose to be sad. My choice. No one else's. Not life's circumstances or troubles can change that, attitude is up to me alone. And our lives then reflect whatever attitude we choose to pick up. That is why attitude is so important, why staying positive is so important, why reminding yourself to see the lessons and to smile in the face of troubles is so important. Why "I can't" or "that's impossible" are not words that should be in your vocabulary. Attitude will shape your life. 

I get it though, it's easy to get discouraged, especially if you feel stuck in one spot, in one lesson that you just can't get past. But discouragement and feeling frustrated are not beneficial emotions. It's important to remember that life is beautiful at all times when our eyes are open to it, and it's also important to remember that nothing is permanent. We can't get too attached to feeling down, but it's just as important not to get too attached to feeling too high either. Happiness is a state of being. We may experience extreme highs, but if we get attached to that high then we feel disappointed at the downward swings. Hold everything with passing release. Go with the flow. Everything in life changes, nothing is permanent. And there's beauty and comfort in that, again, if we so choose to see it. 

What am I trying to say? Life is beautiful! Your Attitude will make it so. Don't get discouraged ever ever. Stay Positive. And remember that life is a journey not a destination, so learn to enjoy the ride, to go with the flow, and to laugh and smile all day long. 

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☺ Valentines Edition; Part Two: Loving Yourself! ☺

Okay, so now that I've covered some of the Relationship bumps in Part One of my Valentine's Edition, moving on to the second reason that I say screw-it to Valentine's Day…

First I'll say, no, I'm not some lonely girl moping around hating on Love (although you probably know this by now unless you are new here). I am happily married with an amazing husband. In fact, I promote love in all forms at any chance I get. So why am I writing about this anti-Valentine's day stuff? Short answer; because it does not promote real Love. There are several negative mentalities this day entails and crams into people's minds, and it's also just another silly holiday that tells you how to act and think (buy things! Conform damn you! Conform!). 

You cannot buy love, yet what Valentine's Day suggests is, not only that you can, but that you should. It also gauges your self-worth in a few ways; that you are a bad date if you don't buy presents for each other, or that you are worthless if no one buys you a present or sends you a Valentine's Day card. It also makes you feel (falsely) good or, more commonly, bad about yourself depending on how many cards or flowers you get, and whether or not you have a date. Suddenly our worth becomes based on the attention (I say attention because it is certainly not love) coming in from other people, instead of actual values, morals, and your own Self. Suddenly Love is measured by material objects and the false pretence of others--instead of where Love actually comes from; the Self. Hopefully you can see how incredibly self-destructive all of this is, how it does not actually promote Love, and how incredibly silly it all is at the end of it all. 

Sadly, most of us have been there at least once in our lives when we were a lonely teenager feeling sorry for ourselves come Valentine's Day and we didn't have a date. Hopefully you can realize that this is not a healthy mentality to have, and unfortunately too many of us have it. And what usually starts in school often carries on into adulthood, planting those negative seeds early to allow them to stick for longer. Why do we do this to ourselves? Set ourselves up for disappointment like that? Get our hopes all high and allow ourselves to be disappointed if we don't magically have a date on one day of the year? It makes no sense in reality. And so many people end up settling for some crappy date just so they are not alone. Or send flowers to yourself (which is actually not a bad thing, but I'll get to that later) in attempt to make it seem as if someone else did. 

So, entering Valentine's Day survival mode… it doesn't have to be a negative day at all, let's get on with some Real Love! 

Part Two; Choose Self Love instead!

Most of our problems don't come from others or our environments or circumstances, it comes from a lack of self love. 

No one can wager your self-worth but yourself. Seeking out the love and attention from other people means that you are not satisfying your own needs from your own self. You're not starving for love from another being, your starving for love from yourself. Sadly, we often look for it in other people though--especially because we are taught early on (as said above) that love is measured by others and not from ourselves. We need to know others think we are worthy before we can accept that we are for ourselves. And even that is often not good enough so we'll continue to degrade ourselves, be disrespectful to our emotions, and be generally self-destructive with put-downs and feelings of lack of self-worth. It's not your fault (but it is your responsibility to change it) and you are not alone if you feel this way. Our environments growing up can be pretty hostile and we learn early on to not feel good about ourselves--because others do not feel good about themselves and take it out on other people. It's a terrible cycle that has continued forever and most people don't know how to break it. It's not as hard as you think though, it just takes some time and patience and loving attention towards your self. Whenever someone is making another feel bad, it's a reflection of how they feel about themselves--the reason they give is just an excuse. So stop allowing others to make you feel bad and realize that it's not You, it's Them--or if you're the one delivering the put-downs, realize that is Is You, Not Them. No one can make you feel bad about yourself without your consent. Brush them off. No one can make you feel good about yourself either without your consent. No one can make you happy and loved except for yourself. You have to be willing to let love into your life. And you have to be willing to Love your Self.  

Stop relying on your happiness coming from another and realize that it actually comes from within yourself. You Choose if you are going to be Happy. You Choose whether or not to experience Love in your life. Love comes from within your Self. How can you expect anyone else to love you if You don't love you? And how can you expect to love anything outside of your Self if you don't love your Self? I'm not sorry to say this, because it's true, and realizing this will help you love yourself and your life. It's time for some self-love, Gorgeous! Know that you are beautiful, that you are fantastic, fun, and fabulous! Appreciate yourself so that others will do the same. And stop looking for others to tell you how amazing you are. You do not need their approval, you only need your own. Stop feeling insecure about yourself and start loving yourself! 

This Valentine's Day, instead of allowing yourself to get all self-pitying and wallowing in a box of chocolates and some sappy chick flick that will only make you feel worse, throw it all down and declare that you are SUPER! Yeah, that's right, declare your independence, and declare your love for yourself. Remind yourself that no one else can make you happy but yourself. That you don't Need another person to make you feel loved and special and wonderful. You should be able to do that for yourself. Because you are wonderful, if only you choose to see that within yourself. You are who you want to be. Your attitude is something you can choose. Your life is something you can choose. You may be stuck with yourself, but that doesn't mean you can't change and be the real you, the happy you, the you you want to be. Go ahead, choose it. Choose to be happy and to be loved. Choose to Love You. 

Again, this is simple Law of Attraction stuff. Feel love and you will allow more love to enter into your life. Appreciate yourself and you will allow others to appreciate you as well. 

Wallowing in a shameful box of chocolates upset that you didn't get roses is not empowering. It's goddamn deconstructive. Take that energy and turn it into something positive. Go out on the night if you choose, but do it for You and plan to go home alone instead of giving into the Valentine's Day crap that you need to be in another's arms that night. You don't. Be in your own loving arms. Empower yourself! Don't hate on Love, love Love. Be Positive and Loving. More negativity only breeds further negativity, towards yourself and towards others. So be Loving, all around. 

Okay, so here's what I'd like you to do on Valentine's Day…

Take the day for yourself! Buy yourself a box of chocolates (vegan and fair-trade of course ;))--not because you are trying to make it look as if someone else bought you chocolates, but because you deserve them and if anyone is getting you chocolates that day it should be You getting them for the love of your Self. :) Pamper yourself, relax, do some of the things you enjoy. Have a warm candlelit bubble bath, a cup of tea in hand and those chocolates, and soak in the joy of being you. Write yourself a love note as well, listing all the things that you Love about You--there better be at least a page full! Dance around your living room a little. Spend the evening with yourself. Cuddle up in a blanket and watch your favourite feel-good movie. Read a fantastic book. Meditate on Love. Do whatever your heart desires. Take time to love You. Because you deserve that love. And again I come back to; if you can't love yourself, how can you expect to love anything else in the world, or for others to love you?

Self-love is one of the most important things to have in your life. So learn to Love and appreciate You!

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☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

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

***********************

☺ Appreciate your strengths and accept your limitations. Have them work For you instead of Against you. We all have things that we excel in and things that are harder for us. There's nothing wrong with this and there is nothing wrong with trying new things and/or giving things you're not good at a try. However, it is good to Accept your limitations so that you can use them to your advantage instead of having them debilitate you. We all have strengths and weaknesses and there is nothing wrong with that. The sooner we can accept that and stop beating ourselves up the better we will feel about ourselves and life, and the sooner we can excel in all other areas of our lives and activities. (I'll be writing more about this topic this week!)   

☺ Have Faith… I know it's not always easy, but you must have faith in the Universe that everything will work out for the best. If you can keep your mind on the positive and have faith that everything happens for a reason then you will get through the tough times much faster and more easily. Remember it's like going With the waves instead of Against them; you can either enjoy the ride and have faith that the wave will carry you back to shore, or you can push against the massive crashing waves and get no where. All good will come to you if you simply allow it to.  

☺ Add a new Memory! If you haven't yet, you really should get your 2013 Jar of Happiness going! This week, I want you to get out there and add a new fantastic note to your jar! Go on an adventure, try something new, make a new memory that you will cherish forever! Get Out There and Make Life Happen!  

☺ Don't take Life so Seriously! Need a full refresher? Read up on This Post. Need a quick reminder? Well here it is! Stop taking life so seriously! Life is meant to be enjoyed, not frowned upon. Life isn't a serious matter, it is something to Live and Enjoy and make the most of. Laugh at everything and laugh at yourself. A frown and getting all fussy all the time does not serve you or your cause. Take the best and run with it. No positive changes ever came from negative minds. Look at things differently, loosen up, and smile!   

☺ Forgive someone and Move Forward. I've talked before about cutting people out of your life if the relationship is damaging, and I still stand by this--it's very important for your happiness and personal growth. This is also important for the relationships around you. However, if you still hold onto negative feelings towards another person, if you still hold a grudge, then you're not healing, and it will Damage your current relationships or any future relationships you may have. Work through those relationships that may not be perfect by making a list of things you're grateful for because of that relationship. Do this every single day until there are no bad feelings left over. You still don't need to have that person in your life, but you should have better feelings once you at least forgive them.   

☺ Attitude Matters! Life has bumps, "unfavourable" things can happen, and we all make mistakes. The difference between a happy person and a non-happy person is that no matter what happens they will look at things with a good attitude. When they make mistakes, the happy person will try again and learn from their mistakes. The happy person will always see the positive and they will always be persistent. So be persistent and keep smiling and have a kick-ass Attitude! ;) 

☺ "Wherever you go, whoever you meet, and whatever you do, give love and appreciation, because that is your true nature. How do you know it is your true nature? You feel so good when you are giving it!" ~ Rhonda Byrne!  

Much Love from me to you! Now get out there and Create the Best Damn Day ever! 

Love Love! xo

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

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

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

☺ Think Positive = Receive Positive. Think Negative = Receive Negative. I've been seeing a ton of negative and frustrated statuses on Facebook and social networking sites lately. It makes me a sad panda. :( Remember that focussing on those negatives and getting frustrated only welcomes more of it into your life. Always focus on the positive, no matter how things get. If you want love then think thoughts of love, and remember to be patient (not frustrated and give up). Happiness and love are all around you, but you must be open to receiving it, and you can't do that with a bad attitude. Think Positive!  

☺ Surround yourself with Good News! The news on television is just plain depressing. It's intentionally so, to make us fearful, to feel powerless and helpless. It's propaganda. Don't watch it. This is what the wonderful world of the internet exists for (and why governments keep coming out with things like SOPA). Read up on things if you're unsure. Question everything (in a good healthy way, not an obsessive way that will make you crazy ;p). And, more than anything, surround yourself with good news. There are so many amazing inspiring stories going on all over the world, stories that fill you with hope and joy. Pay attention to those kinds of stories instead of the negative news projected by mainstream media. 

☺ Dance in the car! This tip is thanks to a lovely reader of mine. :) So, I always talk about dancing in the living room to your favourite music to boost that good mood and for fun exercise. Welll, my lovely reader pointed out that not everyone has much time at home but lots do spend a fair bit of time commuting. So, dance in the car! Turn up the radio and sing and dance to put yourself in a great mood! Flail those arms around, sing at the top of your lungs, smile from cheek to cheek! Of course road safety comes first, but have fun. ;) 

☺ Life is a roller coaster… even if you are the happiest person and are on top of the world, there are still bumps. But the bumps are okay, they're a part of the learning process, for growth, and personal evolvement, the problem is the way we deal with those bumps. Learn to go with the flow and not let a bump knock you off the boat. Climb back up and keep going, don't resist, and make the best of it. Life is a beautiful roller coaster if you choose for it to be. ;) 

☺ Survive the Holidays! I wrote up a post last year around the holiday season and the stresses it tends to bring. It's quite moronic when it's meant to be a time spent spreading kindness and joy and time spent with loved ones, when instead we're running around from store to store, stressing over presents and money and plans, and ending up having very little time for ourselves and those loved ones. Tune it down a notch and spend more time on people instead of more money on artificial things. And read up my post from last year for a mood booster (Click HERE!). 

☺ Do 5 Good Deeds! Tis the season! So spread some extra kindness around and do some good deeds around town, for your friends and/or family. Volunteer at your local animal shelter, support a good cause, give a stranger a hug, buy coffee for the person behind you in line, donate to the food bank, leave "loves notes" on people's cars, help someone with their groceries, anything you can think of! Try to encourage others to join you in this. ♥

☺ “That's the best revenge of all: happiness. Nothing drives people crazier than seeing someone having a good fucking laugh.” ~ Chuck Palahniuk. I do believe I have posted this before but I simply must again. ;) I just posted a new video blog about dealing with people bashing and this quote comes to mind. Don't sink down to other people's negative levels, just keep smiling and having a damn good laugh. Who do you think is going to come out ahead? ;) 

Hope you are all making the most of the Holiday season and keeping smiles on your faces--and if not hopefully today's Motivational Monday tips will help. ;) 

Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

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

☺ Law of Attraction tip: Like Attracts Like. It's taken me a while to remember this and I get the questions all the time; "but I never Thought so-and-such would happen, and it did, how does that work?" The Law of Attraction brings to you what you are thinking about, but it also attracts "Like" thoughts. Meaning, if you are feeling fantastic and on an awesome frequency then you will attract more things that will make you Feel Good. On the flip side, if you are on a negative frequency then you are going to keep attracting things on that frequency; things that will make you not feel good. Get it? If not I'll be writing up a more in-depth article on this this week. ;)  

☺ Think Twice! About everything. Before you eat; think twice. Where did your food come from? Was it alive, happy, emotional? Is it ethical? What is it supporting? How will it affect your health and mood? When you buy something; where did it come from? Who had to suffer in order for you to have said-item? Is it worth it? Before you make assumptions about another person; think twice! Do you Really Know them? Who are you to judge? Have you been in their shoes? We too easily do without thinking, so this week, try Thinking Twice. ;) 

☺ There are no Right or Wrong Answers! Or decisions. We tend to be so afraid of making a decision or change in our lives because we are afraid that it is going to be the "wrong" one. But there are no "right" or "wrong" decisions or answers. You choose your life and it is up to you to put your heart into whatever choices you make. But also know that if something is meant to be then it will be regardless of what choices you make, the Universe will draw it together. 

☺ Be Nice and Talk to People! Man are people ever funny! I feel like I see a lot of it where I live; people being "clicky" like in high-school, not wanting to talk to certain people or judging and staying inside their little "groups" because they somehow think it makes them "cooler." We judge so easily and separate ourselves from others because of assumptions and not giving people a chance. The truth is that there are so many wonderful people with huge hearts but we judge outwardly instead of just being Nice to one another. You're not "better" than anyone, and they aren't "better" than you. So Talk! Talk to strangers and new acquaintances, really give them a chance and get to know them. You may not have much in common, and that's fine, no one said you have to become best friends, but that doesn't mean you can't still be nice and have a conversation with someone. Being a snob is just plain silly and limiting for yourself and others. Stop caring what your friends think if you talk to someone either. Just talk, be nice, and get along. 

☺ Try try again! Falling down is just part of the process. You can't be successful at anything without first stumbling, "failing," and falling. It's how we learn. So don't beat yourself up, stand back up every time you fall and try try again. Remember that you Can! Never give up, never get discouraged. Just accept that it's part of the process, learn from the fall and you'll stand that much taller.  

☺ Choose to Smile! We all have moment of feeling not so good, but this is when you need to shift that energy into something that makes you smile. The power of a smile is tremendous! So! If you are feeling down, turn to something that will make you smile or laugh, like a song, a funny youtube video, a comic off the Oatmeal, pictures of cute puppies and kitties. Whatever it is you need to do, Do it! Stop sulking and turn that frown upside down, spend that energy on Feeling Good! It's in your grasp! ♥

☺ “You have a clean slate every day you wake up. You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be. You just have to decide to do it. Decide today's the day. Say it; This is going to be my day.” ~ Brendon Burchard

Sorry for the crickets here at ReLove this week, I've been busy with Holiday Craft Fairs but will be back to blogging regularly. ;)

I hope you all had a fantabulous weekend and are ready to pull that positive energy into this brand new wonderful week! :) 

Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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

☺ Remember To Smile: Life Lesson Reminders ☺

With the busy-ness of every day life, we can easily get lost, and when we get lost we tend to forget those important life lessons that we've learned. So, time to take a breather and a refresher course and keep these in mind. :)

Life Lesson Reminders 

• Remember to Smile
• Remember to Laugh!
• Remember to feel, be, and express Love
• Remember to be Yourself
• Remember to be the best version of yourself.
• Remember that you can choose Who you Are. 
• Remember to go with the flow
• Remember to stop looking at the time and be in the present moment.
• Remember to see the beauty around you
• Remember to see good in everything
• Remember to breathe
• Remember to relax
• Remember to play
• Remember Balance
• Remember to express and feel Gratitude
• Remember to Be Positive
• Remember to Dance
• Remember to use your imagination for desirable outlooks (instead of stressing)
• Remember to expect the best, but to release attachment to outcomes; accept whatever comes your way
• Remember to enjoy yourself
• Remember to not get lost in the past, but to appreciate the lessons it gave you
• Remember to do good deeds
• Remember to eat healthy
• Remember to exercise
• Remember to be gentle with yourself, not be down on yourself, uplift yourself instead
• Remember to embrace Change (instead of resisting it)
• Remember mistakes are not mistakes, they are lessons
• Remember there are no right or wrong answers
• Remember to think outside the box
• Remember to take time for joy and the things you love
• Remember to spend time with positive people
• Remember to be in Nature, outside, connected with the earth.
• Remember to be kind 
• Remember to listen
• Remember to speak
• Remember to allow your emotions to flow and then let them go
• Remember to say "Yes!"
• Remember "Life Begins at the end of your Comfort Zone" so be spontaneous, adventurous
• Remember that you are Amazing and Beautiful and Wonderful and Perfect
• Remember Happiness is Now. 
• Remember that Life is what you make it, so have an awesome freakin Life! 

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

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

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

☺ Law of Attraction tip: Visualize! Remember when you are working on manifesting things in your life to take the time to visualize the end result. This is a powerful practice because you place yourself at the point of already having it, imagining that it's already done, that it is already yours. You are visualizing and feeling what it is you're manifesting, and therefore, bringing yourself to a place of believing it right Now. And once you believe, you will receive. 

☺ Don't place limitations on yourself… it's all in your head. There is a difference between saying you can't do something/placing limitations on yourself, and knowing your own abilities and strengths and working With them instead of against them. You can choose to know yourself and work with things instead of against them. Don't make them limiting, make them your power, your strength, your courage, your brilliance, and shine!!

☺ Take a Day Off! In case you missed it, I wrote up an article to convince you to actually take time off, so if you still need convincing, go read it. Now be sure to take at least one day, but preferably more days off this week! 

☺ Drink more tea! It's good for you! Especially to coffee drinkers, time to change some dirty habits and make the switch. Green tea or matcha tea is a great way to ditch the need for coffee, from there you'll get rid of the caffeine addiction and then drink all the lovely beneficial teas available instead of that turribly bad for you coffee. If you need coffee to get up in the morning, if you can't function without it, you're doing something seriously wrong. 

☺ Remember that you are never alone!  Sometimes it's easy to feel that you are, especially when life gets tough and the world feels like it's against you. But you are never alone. Ever. There is a big huge world of support out there, of people you can relate to, talk to, and be friends with. Thanks to the big internet world that has made things so much easier as well to actually get in touch with those people. So don't alienate yourself, open yourself up to all the possible people that could be in your life, whether it's right at home or across the world. ♥  

☺ Take part in Meatleass Mondays! Hopefully you're already vegan or vegetarian, but if you're not then I don't think it's asking for much to sacrifice one day of the week to say no to meat (especially considering how many animals have sacrificed their lives to be on your dinner plate). You'll feel better. Promise. Vegetarians, this would be a good day for you to cut out other animal products instead. ;) 

☺ "She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails." ~Elizabeth Edwards. This is one of the points I try to teach people the most; go with the flow! Whatever life brings you, be flexible, bendable, changeable, adjust and just go with it. The Universe knows what it's doing, have faith and trust to adjust your sails and let it guide you. The ride will be much smoother than going against the current.    

Now go ahead and have the best damn week ever! Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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