☺ How to Survive and Enjoy the Holidays! ☺

*Originally posted December 2013--coming back for some Holiday Cheer! ;)*

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Christmas, it's the most wonderful time of the year! Or at least… it's supposed to be. All in all, the holiday season can be a bit dodgy. If your family is dysfunctional then chances are that it gets brought out that much more during the holiday season. Then there's all the money being spent and presents to buy and plans to make that can cause some more stress. However, truthfully, stress is always there, it's whether or not we are choosing to draw it out or let it slide off our backs and keep smiling. I'm rooting for the latter. And in rooting for the latter, I propose…

Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season (with a great big smile on your face!)

☺ Remember to Breathe! 

Perhaps the most valuable and helpful thing you can do this chaotic time of year is to just simply take a step back and remember to breathe. Take a time out. Focus on your breath, clear your mind, and try smiling. Sometimes all you need is a couple of minutes to recuperate and find your centre, other times you may need a couple of hours; but however long it may be, take that for yourself, because things will flow a lot more smoothly when you centre and balance yourself. 

And be sure to brew a pot of herbal tea, sit down with a book or magazine and just take a break from the world every now and then. 

      

☺ Drop Expectations!

Despite what we may so desperately want to believe at times, christmas day and the holidays are never perfect. Not setting yourself up for disappointment is important. That being said, I'm not encouraging you to mope around and accept that the holidays suck and are joyless. No, no, no. Instead, enjoy what's in front of you and make the most and best of it all, just know that things can go wrong and things are never perfect; but those stresses and disappointments can vanish away when you focus on joy, and of being around loved ones. So that doesn't mean you can't still have a damn amazing christmas, it's all in your perception and being happy with what Is!

“Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance.” ~Unknown

☺ Choose to Enjoy the Holiday Season!

Reality is what we make it. Perception is everything. We may not have control over many things in life, but what we do have control over is how we deal with things. Be realistic and optimistic. For instance: it's a busy time of year, so know and prepare yourself that the stores are going to be busier and lineups may take longer; traffic may be slower; and other unexpected things can happen. But you can control your mood and decide your happiness. Set your mind on Enjoying the Holiday Season and you will! Look around and recognize the beauty around you. In family or other social gatherings, avoid the people you have a hard time with and spend more time with the people you like. Focus on joy and you will make it your experience. 

☺ (re)Read ReLove's post "Holiday Season; Stress, Family, & Bringing Back the Magic"!  

I wrote this post two years ago and I find it relevant every holiday season. Sadly, family can be such a stressor and this post addresses this and how you can get through the holiday season with more joy and realizing that no one's family is perfect, and that's okay. 

http://www.reloveplanet.com/2011/12/making-holidays-magical-stress-free.html   

☺ Take care of Yourself! 

I know it's the time of year when we tend to drink more, eat foods we shouldn't, splurge, and generally neglect actually caring for ourselves a bit (or a lot). I'm not saying don't enjoy those things, but remember to do everything in moderation and to take special care to balance things out when you do. Don't act like those things won't effect your health. 

I like to recommend taking these extra steps to maintain health of your body and your mind; exercise daily (even if its taking a walk), gets lots of rest and sleep, take a multi-vitamin (and/or a B-complex, Vitamin C & magnesium, and D Drops), drink Lots of water, smile lots (I call this smile therapy), and balance out your eating habits by consuming extra veggies, greens, healthy proteins, and fresh juice when you can.   

☺ Have a Healthy Christmas! 

Ah the Holiday season, time to stuff our faces full of sugar and bad-for-you food. Did I mention this already? Oh no, silly me. But! It needs emphasis! Now, I'm not saying it's not fun to indulge a little, but you Can enjoy the holiday season treats and still actually be healthy--who knew?! There are so many healthy and amazingly delicious recipe alternatives to butter and wheat and sugar filled crap that your body wants nothing to do with. Why sacrifice the love of your body and health when you don't have to? Try new recipes, try something different, and fall in love with healthy food--I promise you won't regret it! 

Replace gmo for organic. Replace the turkey for vegetarian and vegan alternatives--or if you're not going to replace the turkey, then offer more vegan alternatives for the health-conscious guests. Make your own egg nog! Replace refined sugar with organic cane sugar, stevia, agave, maple syrup, or anything other than refined sugar! 

Indulging is fun, and you can still do it by all means, but choose the healthier options, because they are still ridiculously delicious and your body and mind and health will thank you for it! 

     

☺ Exercise! 

Oh dear, I mentioned this one already too, didn't I? Well! It's pretty easy to fall out of exercise habits during this time of year, and I'm not here to tell you not to take it easy, but, you should still put in some effort for your health--especially if you plan on stuffing yourself full of unhealthy food. Do some yoga sessions; this will also help to centre and calm your busy mind. Go for a twenty minute walk, that's all you really need. Get together with some friends and play ice hokey, go snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, ice skating. Dance around your living room while you crank terrible pop music and do some baking. ;) Just get at least a little active; again, your body And Mind will thank you!   

☺ Be a Kid! 

I think part of the magic of christmas is the nostalgia of childhood, and so what a perfect excuse to be a big kid! If you have younger siblings, or nieces or nephews, or grandkids, or kids of your own, then be a kid with them: be silly, be giddy, and laugh a lot. Personally, I plan on watching cartoons on christmas day with family, a little piece of my childhood--hoorah!    

☺ Be Giving!

Part of the joys of gifts around the holidays is the actual Giving. I love the giving far more than the receiving. But there are those that have a hard time during the holidays and don't get to take part in the love of receiving either. Do your soul some good and be a little extra giving. Buy gifts for unexpected strangers, or those you know need it; sponsor a family for christmas to buy their presents who can't afford it; volunteer at the soup kitchen; go out and give meals to the homeless; volunteer at an animal shelter. Do your part and spread a little extra joy!  

☺ Have a Green Christmas!

With climate change taunting us at every turn, I think it's important to consider being green this holiday season. I mean, egypt had snow for the first time in over 100 years! And all the madness we are seeing around the world should scream that action needs to be taken by each and every one of us. 

So! Check out ReLove's Holiday Green Tips! Simple and easy switches and things you can do to make your holiday season that much more respectful to mother earth and the animals that live here! ;) Every action counts! 

ReLove's Holiday Green Tips: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2011/12/be-change-holiday-season-green-tips.html

Also, consider Gifts that Give Back: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2010/11/wednesday-favorites-gifts-that-give.html

☺ Respect Your Self! 

I feel like this needs special emphasis at this time of year. Be kind and loving towards yourself. You are not here for people to walk all over you, know when to remove yourself from a situation or when someone has crossed the line with you. You can still respect and be kind to other people and still respect and be kind to yourself. Remember that.  

☺ Give out Free Hugs! 

Remember, because it's just that caring time of year. Spread love and joy onto others, it could remind them to smile and of the beauty that exists in the world. So go out and give out a few random hugs to strangers--and of course the people you love. 

☺ Don’t isolate yourself.  

Being an introvert myself, too many social events and busy busy go-go time can definitely overload the circuits. Which is why Point #1 of this post is so vital. That being said, for those feeling depressed or in grief, a sense of loneliness often becomes stronger during the holidays. That’s why it’s important to break out of any self-imposed exile. Accept invitations, do some volunteer work, call up good friends, Do socialize, and try not to spend too much time by yourself.

☺ Rely on YourSelf for Happiness! 

Remember that no one is responsible for your own happiness but You. Happiness is not something to chase after or that you "achieve." It is not something that can be bought, found in expensive "things" you don't need. And you certainly should not or cannot rely on another person for your Happiness. Only You are responsible for making yourself Happy, because Happiness comes from within. And because Happiness is a Choice. 

Wishing you all a magical and joyful Holiday Season! Keep those smiles brimming and joy spilling over to those around you! :)  

Much love from me to you! 

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☺ Applying a Positive Mental Attitude to Your Life ☺

No one gets out of this life without having to deal with stuff...great stuff, wonderful stuff, happy stuff, crappy stuff, sad stuff, tragic stuff....and sometimes you look at other people and think..Wow, they are soooo lucky, their life is sooooo good. That is perception, what you are witnessing is how each individual deals with the circumstances of their life...that is the MAGIC of LIFE...you always get to CHOOSE how you react to the circumstances...because everyone deals differently. You get to choose your reactions. If someone reacts positively ...then they are seen as LUCKY...well their attitude is lucky..but life is life is life for everyone.

Life is life is life. For everyone. 

The truth is that everyone has to deal with ups and downs with life. No one person is more gifted than the other--unless they happen to be using the power of the Law of Attraction to their advantage (which is still Them putting life into action), but even then, sh!t happens. Such is life. But how are some people always so happy and positive and seem to be unfazed by the dark messes of the world? 

Firstly: they're not. 

Everyone has downs, everyone has a hard time with things from time to time, because no one is perfect and no one has perfect control over their emotions all the time. No one. Probably not even those wise old monks we hear so much about. Just because you don't see someone fall apart, doesn't mean they don't on the inside, or doesn't mean they don't go home with the need to unwind there instead. Everyone goes through things, everyone cries (in fact, crying is very helpful and healing and releasing), and everyone experiences the drops of their perfect moods. 

Everyone is human. Got it? Okay, let's move on. 

Secondly: Some people just know how to change Perspective.

Perspective is everything, and one of the most valuable and helpful lessons I ever learned was to change my attitude. As already mentioned, things happen to everyone, but the people who seem the happiest are the ones who know how to deal with their conflicts accordingly. This is when having a Positive Mental Attitude comes in. When shit hits the fan, you have two choices. One, you fall apart, get mad, get frustrated, and let it destroy your mood. Or two, (even if you have to first go through One) you pick up a smile and try looking at things from a different perspective. Perspective is Everything! No matter how bad a situation can be, there is always a bright side. Even if the bright side is that you get to learn a hard lesson that will make you a stronger person. 

It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you Deal With It that matters. Trust me. 

I have had happy times in my life where things were effortless and going right, and I've had times when I thought things couldn't get any worse. The irony is that during one of those periods of my life when things were falling apart, I was actually at my happiest--and it was all thanks to picking up an optimistic, Positive Attitude and putting things into perspective. That attitude saved me, absolutely and surely, because things at that point in my life were one of the worst points of my parent's messy divorce and custody battles of my younger siblings, and emotional traumas. That Positive Attitude allowed me to be resilient, allowed me to keep smiling, and made me more helpful to those around me as well. I took time to focus on the good things: the other great things I currently had in my life, as well as why the "bad" situation was a good thing--again, perception is everything. 

Put Things Into Perspective

Focussing on the outcome you desire is a good alternative to dwelling on the problem. If you can focus on the outcome, then your mind (or the universe) can help you get there much quicker and with much less heart-ache.  

Instead of allowing yourself to get overwhelmed and negative, take a step back. Try looking at things logically--which I understand isn't always easy when you're emotional, but take a few breaths, get out some paper (even if you're still crying when you start) and start scribbling down things that might be good about what's going on around you. There are always different angles that you can look at things from; if you don't believe me, just think about how one Same Situation can be perceived Completely differently by each individual involved. There are always different points of view. Your goal is to find the point of view that will help you. The Positive Side. The side that will get you through the mess and put a smile back on your face. 

Plus, if all else fails, remember: nothing is ever permanent, including emotions and feelings, and, after time, you Will feel better. 

Change Your Mind and you'll Change Your Life

If you can pick up this way of thinking then life will become much easier. Life is based on perception, therefore, if you can change your perception you will change your life. You have in your mind the power to do extraordinary things, and one of those extraordinary things is the capacity to change your life through simply Thinking. Think Happy, Think Positive. See what happens. It can really be quite magical and, well, life-changing. 

Practice makes perfect, and while this practice may feel hard at the start, the more you apply it, the easier it becomes. And it's always worth it. Simply taking a few minutes to sit down, jot down your thoughts, and find the positive means much less time wasted stressing yourself into sickness. 

Remember: your Attitude counts for everything. So work on that Positive Attitude at all times!  

A Personal Example:

Using one of my more recent experiences, I'd like to show you how changing your attitude can work… 

Just over a year ago, a flood rushed through our rental home. The entire basement was flooded in several feet of water, and the upstairs was washed over with grimy dirty pools and caked in stinky mud. It happened when I was up town (we live on a mountain and downtown is higher, while our apartment was at the bottom, very close to the lake). I came home to the mess and the mud washed right up to our front door--which was when the "no, no, no" panic began to set in. The entryway was a pool of murky muddy water, and, upon entering, most of our living room was in the same state, drifting down the hall and partly into our bedroom. 

Well, our landlord did nothing and was rather useless during this whole ordeal--we couldn't even get a hold of him for a day or two. So we began cleaning the mess ourselves--we didn't have a lot of options after all. Even after cleaning, the place Stank. The fire department was pumping the water out of the basement and the river that had taken over our backyard (not exaggerating here, it was a River!). After all of this was said and done, the basement was still so thick in mud that there was nothing that we could really do but to start salvaging the mess. All of my silkscreening gear (for my Job) was down in that basement, as well as our expensive camping gear, bikes, and the washer and dryer that we owned. 

Now, while our first reaction was indeed the panic and frustration of the whole mess and the ordeal to follow, we let it pass. We knew that stressing about it wasn't going to help or get us anywhere. 

So we started putting things into Perspective: 

First: it was the perfect incentive to Move the hell out of this place that we had been wanting to do for a while. 

Second: we started to list the things we were Grateful for: 

We had insurance coverage (which after some back and forth bickering and arguments, we were able to receive--bastard insurance companies trying to wiggle their way out of covering us--pfft), so anything that was damaged could be replaced. Our landlord couldn't say no to an early leave out of our lease because, well, our place was literally uninhabitable with the stench coming up from the basement of possible sewer water at that! My screens (for silkscreening) had at least been up somewhere where they remained undamaged by the water and my expensive inks were also still in tact--it was also summer still so I could silk screen outside (how delightful!). Our kitties were safe through everything, thank goodness! And so forth! 

So, with our gratitude and perspective in check, it was on to a Positive Solution: Moving! 

This was the biggest Positive Outlook out of the whole thing. We had a month to find a new place, no excuses allowed. And if it weren't for being armed with our Positive Attitudes and the Law of Attraction, we might have been screwed. My partner and I decided to write lists (things are twice as likely to come true when you write them down!) of what we wanted in our new home--after all, we were aiming for an upgrade and wouldn't settle for anything less. So we made our lists, and made sure they were in line with one another so that we were both manifesting the same thing. And we started looking. We looked at several places throughout the month, and even though it was a little discouraging at times, we didn't settle. And, guess what? We found our dream home. No joke. Pretty much everything that we'd written down on our lists we found--and if we didn't then we received variations! Our landlords are the nicest people we could ever ask for--for real, we adore them, they're the best! We even have a House to ourselves, in stead of some dingy duplex. We'd also made sure we wrote down how much we wanted to be paying for rent, and we even came within that range (which to the unbelieving, was an impossible find). 

So, moral of the story? 

Thanks to Perception, Positive Thinking, and Focussing on a Positive Outcome, our "Disaster" became a blessing in disguise. And this lesson applies to anything and everything in life. There is no point in stressing, there is only a point in turning your attitude around and Thinking Positive!

Give it a try, practice, practice, practice. Remember there is always a Positive Solution. Always.   

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☺ It's Okay Not to Be Okay ☺

Take all the time you need to heal emotionally. 

Moving on doesn't take a day. It takes a lot of little steps to be able to break free of your broken self. 

It's Okay not to Be Okay! This is such a vital lesson on the route to healing, and yet, I feel as if it is often overlooked or not addressed deeply enough. 

It's easy to feel discouraged when you experience the downward spiral. It's easy to forget about all the progress you've made when you are trapped in one of those circles of melancholy. It's natural. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up about not being okay--which is something we all too often do. 

The mentality comes from this: you've made all this progress, have had days that feel good, have been working on yourself tirelessly, trying really hard, feeling like you're getting better, and putting in all this effort. But then… it all spirals due to one event or just a bad reoccurring cycle. Because all of a sudden we feel badly, we feel as if something is wrong, that we're not doing it right, that we shouldn't feel this way because, well, look at all the hard work you've been doing! It doesn't seem fair. It doesn't seem right. You feel hopelessly at a loss and as if the world is against you. And you feel as if all that progress, all that hope, was all imaginary and that you are a lost cause and that you'll be this way forever…  

Sound familiar?

Chances are that it does. But, fret not! You are not alone! Not only are you not alone, but you are also still within the great reaches of love and help and happiness. Happiness IS still attainable. This too shall pass. 

I address this issue because I feel as if it is one of the often missed, but greatly deeply important, topics that are not spoken of enough. And I am guilty of this here at ReLove Plan.et: always focussing on the positive, smiling, telling you all to be happy. 

It gets really annoying when you're having a rough patch and everyone around you just keeps telling you to smile and "just be happy." As if it's that easy. As if there is something even more wrong with you if you cannot "just be happy." As if you can plaster a smile on your face and everything will be okay again. 

Sometimes this does work. Sometimes, it really doesn't. But when it doesn't: it's okay not to be okay. 

Some days are not that easy. Some periods of our lives are just not that easy. And that's okay! It's OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY! 

I really want this to settle into your deepest darkest thoughts, because it is comforting to know that this is okay; that you don't have to be smiling all the time, that you shouldn't feel good all the time. Life is about ups and downs. We all fall down, but it's whether or not we climb back up; or whether we allow ourselves to get so discouraged that we give up on climbing back up. I don't want you to give up, because you really have made so much progress, despite what the negative voices in your head may tell you. Every step is vital and important and has a deep impact upon your mind and well-being; even if those steps may feel insignificant at the time. Never forget the importance of every little step. Truly truly. 

I want you to know that there is Nothing Wrong with You!   

I want to share a little story of what brought me to this topic today, because I think it will inspire you--or at least that's my hope; to make you realize that you are not at all alone.

I was in the middle of one of my own downward spirals (I'm human, you know), and it was getting to the point where I was feeling really terribly frustrated. I was at the point of beating myself up over not being able to get out of this spiral, of dwelling in the negative emotions of helplessness and feeling as if I was simply a lost cause. I still tried; I continued to surround myself with as much positivity and inspiration as possible, but it just wasn't helping. 

Now, I know why: because I was still beating myself up so badly over not feeling okay that it simply wasn't plausible for me to climb back up at that time. The thought of negativity towards myself, of feeling like I was unfixable, and that my entire life was going to contain these awful spirals of depression, was just too much for my happy mind to pull me out of. Even while I was trying; because negativity was still winning the day and I wasn't resolving or addressing that problem. 

I remember along this spiral, my marriage was struggling: because I felt like I was always the problem. I was the one screwing up; I was the one always struggling; I was the one who was always moody and stressed and depressed. And, somehow, my husband was just okay and fine, and just plain peachy through it all. I felt like a burden. And it bothered me that he seemed so okay. Why was I the one that was so messed up? It's terrible, but it really really bothered me how happy he seemed to be. Funny how that works? 

Two things later came into play here. 

One: my husband was still human, and despite seeming outwardly okay, he was still struggling with this own demons as every person does. So my jealousy and envy were misplaced from the start, all because I was so wrapped up in my own depressive state that I was magnifying this illusion that everyone else was okay, and I was the only one who was a problem. Classic "poor me" syndrome that makes climbing back to happiness all the more difficult. 

Two: I had the realization that the way I was viewing my husband was the way that my readers might view me. And I didn't want that. The irony was that I always do my best to show everyone my smiling self, my positive self, so that no one would even guess that I still struggled beneath the surface. I felt as if I could Only show the happy me, because to show any other side might discourage you into thinking you might not be happy. But I have come to realize the importance and value of the ups and downs in our lives and that everyone should know that everyone is human and that we all experience such highs and lows. And that's okay! 

To be clear: the happy smiling me isn't fake. But, was I always okay? No. I focussed on the positive and smile as often as I can, and writing all the content of my blog makes me genuinely happy. When I write on the blog, it IS the happy, positive self that I love. It's not fake. But! That's not me all the time. And I think that it's equally important for people to know that, because, well: It's Okay Not to Be Okay! When I realized what I might be doing to the people I want to help by always showing the happy me, I realized that, perhaps, that illusion would become frustrating and garner the same feelings of being "unfixable." I don't want that for you. At all! I want to continue to give you help, advice, and lessons that will help your journey; and this is one of those important lessons. That it's okay and normal to be Human, and you can still move forward and be happy when the spiral ends. 

Life is still rainbows and sunshine, and I am still smiling and happy most of the time. But storms still blow in. Such is life. And sometimes I get stuck in those storms, sailing in circles, until I can find my way again. And sometimes the ship falls apart altogether and I'm left to pick up the pieces, build a stronger boat, and sail back out into the sunshine where I will be better prepared, and sturdier, for the next storm. That is life! The downward slopes are there to teach us, they truly really truly are! We do have a choice what we do with our melancholy, and, so, no matter how Not Okay you may feel, you Can feel Okay again! Just keep up the good fight and know that you are not alone.

These are the things to remember:

You are Human! And it is Normal to feel angry, sad, happy, and all the ups and downs in between. No one should ever make you feel badly for being human. Ever! That is not the sort of support you need or deserve. You are Human! It is okay to feel fan-freakin-tastic! And it's okay to not feel okay too! 

Drop the Guilt! The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up about not being okay.

This Too Shall Pass. When things are bad, no matter how bad, remember that it Will Pass. Find comfort in that. But, just as importantly, when things are great, remember that it too shall pass; so take the time to appreciate and be grateful when things are great. 

My big problem was that I was so attached to how amazing my life was one summer, when it felt like I was walking on clouds, that I became jaded by it. It was such a state of bliss that when I lost it, I struggled rather badly to get happy again because I was so attached to that state of bliss that nothing else satisfied me. This is why it's equally important to let go of the good as much as the bad. Let life flow and then you will allow the richness to enter your life! 

Look at all the progress you've made! No matter how rough things are, no matter how helpless and unfixable you feel, just stop and look back at where you were however long ago when you started this journey. 

For example; even when I feel down and depressed again, I can stop and look back to where I started: I used to cut myself and I used to have suicidal thoughts daily. I don't have those anymore. So, no matter how down you may feel, even it's small progress, look back and smile and be fuckin proud of where you are now and that you are trying at all! 

Healing takes time, so be patient with yourself. Especially when we have been depressed for years, our serotonin, endorphins, and all the stuff that makes our brains pump out happy thoughts are depleted. It takes time to build that back up again. It takes time to effortlessly feel happy. We are rewiring our brains, re-training it to be happy and to feel good on its own. So…

Work on Yourself! Take the time to work on yourself. It may seem tedious sometimes. Some days you may just not really "feel like" putting forth the effort to smile and be happy. So have a day to be down. But, don't get trapped in the negative mindset, because it's easy to just give up and not try. Do try. I promise you, every book or article you read, every inspirational movie you watch, every lover letter you write yourself, every entry into your Happy Diary, every practice of gratitude, is absolutely 100% worth your time and effort. Because you Will feel good! And every day will get easier, even when the chart of your life may go up and down, it is still heading in an upward slope.

Just do your Best! Take it one Step at a time and never get discouraged! When you're experiencing one of those spirals, just remember to start with one small positive thought in the morning. Just start there; it can set the tone for your entire day. Even if that is the only positive part of your day, you placed yourself into a position of control over your mood and happiness. And every step counts towards the bigger picture, remember? So, Just do your Best! 

Remember how far you've come, no matter how far the road ahead may feel. Every step counts. Every smile counts. Every moment that you feel Good counts. All these little steps are deeply meaningful, so keep these with you, no matter how dark life can feel, and no matter how many downs you experience along your bumpy road. Remember that it's always worth it, and that every struggle is bringing you closer towards effortless happiness. It's always worth it. 

You are human, and you are so amazingly wonderful! Hold onto that! It gets better! I promise that it does! 

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☺ 10 Tips to Accept Yourself and Others ☺

It can be tough dealing with people. It can be difficult to see eye to eye, and it can be difficult not to take on the negative energy of other people. People are so complex and so amazing. When we learn to appreciate such things then we can learn to understand others and learn to all get along.  

These tips are useful tools to turn back to and keep with you throughout your day to keep calm, collected, and unfazed by people or situations you may find yourself in. It's all about balance, acceptance, and release; so that you can be happy and bad-ass all day long! 

It's okay to be Selfish. Take care of yourself first, first and foremost. If you don't take care of your own needs and happiness first then you will always be in second place in your heart and life, and that is not a happy place to live. You are awesome, and it's not only okay to think so but should also be encouraged! When you start taking care of yourself first then you will become happy with yourself, and when you become happy with yourself you become of use and help to others. So start with yourself.  

You can't please everyone. Some people are stubborn, some people are unappreciative, and some people just plain won't like you. It is not your job to please others. Your value is not based on someone else's opinion of you. As long as you are true to yourself and be the person you want to be then that is more than enough; and the people who truly matter will never ask you to compromise who you are, your values, or anything else about yourself. 

Not every person you meet is going to like you.  It doesn't matter who you are, there will always be people who absolutely adore you, and people that absolutely dislike you. Take any superhero for example; no matter how much good they did there is always someone who distrusts or dislikes them. Such is life. As already mentioned, it is not your job to please everyone around you. Let go of the notion that everyone should like you, because they won't. Just be yourself and you'll attract people into your life who love you, the rest are just shadows that don't matter in your life.  

Don't take thing personally. Most of the time people don't like others out of jealousy and unhappiness with themselves which in turn gets projected onto you. It may not be much fun sometimes being on the receiving end, but it's something that you are going to need to learn to deal with and let go of. It's not you, it's them. Keep doing your own thing and distance yourself from people who treat you poorly. 

Only you control your destiny. Your life is not dependent on others; your path is Your path and no one else's. No one can walk your path for you, though many will walk beside you, none will be the legs that make you walk. So walk your own path, seek your own destiny and don't rely on others. You control your life, your path, and therefor, your destiny! 

Let it go. Don't carry arguments or misunderstandings with you. Don't hold onto the negativity of others. Don't dwell on things that don't matter or that don't immediately affect your life. You don't need to hold the weight of others, or the world, on your shoulders, so don't. Let it go. Breathe out negativity so you can breathe in happiness and light. 

It's not always worth it to get the last word. Disagreements with others are inevitable; everyone has different perceptions, opinions, and values that will affect the way any situation or conversation is received. You are not always right. Even when you are actually right, you gain nothing from forcing it down someone else's throat, because if they don't want to hear it then they won't. It's not worth an argument, resentment, or negativity. Learn when to walk away. 

Don't waste your energy on negative people or situations. Again, you don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. So don't. You don't have to carry the negativity from others with you. You don't have to waste your time on any of it. This is something else you need to learn to walk away from. Distance yourself from negative people as much as you can, and if you are around them learn not to take on their negativity. Don't go looking for a fight or drama. 

You can only help people who are open to being helped. Trying to please everyone will not only completely exhaust you, but your efforts will not always be met with gratitude. Some people would rather stay miserable. That's not your problem. Help those who want to be helped; always have an open heart; let people know your door is always open; understand that not everyone is ready to be helped; and stop feeling the need to help everyone around you. 

Appreciate and respect differences in others. People are so multi-faceted and different and amazing. You are one of those amazing people. And so is everyone else. You are not always right, you are not always going to get along with certain people, you are not always going to have things in common with everyone. Respect and appreciate how different people are instead of feeling anything negative. The more you learn to practice this the more others will respect and appreciate your differences as well. 

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☆ Cancer: What are Cancer Cells and how to Prevent it. ☆

Hi Loves, this is a post not written by myself but a subject I have long been wanting to address. I came across this on Facebook yesterday and wanted to share. This is a really interesting, informative, and helpful article regarding cancer and what you can do to prevent it. The reason I am sharing this particular article is because, really, it addresses everything that you need to know, including why alternative treatment is important, and how and why preventative measures are the best thing you can do in the first place. It places the importance on diet and lifestyle changes, which will always be the most important thing you can do. Let's make the world cancer free with proper education, shall we? :) 

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

LATEST CANCER INFORMATION

from Johns Hopkins

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY …

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to STARVE the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiple.

What cancer cells feed on:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Note: Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells will starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes t o nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water--best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines will become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.

Anger, unforgiving and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

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☺ Holiday Season; Stress, Family, & Bringing Back the Magic! ☺

We're one and a half weeks away from Christmas! If that isn't exciting I don't know what is! It's a special time of year when things are a little more magical, people are extra happy, and everyone is a little kinder to one another… or at least that's how it should be. I know that, sadly, the reality is often the opposite. The holiday season has its own load of stress to unleash. Money is tight and yet we run around spending it all on material presents. Parents fight with each other in toy stores over getting the latest must-have gifts for their children. Families stress over making a big huge family dinner. There are presents to think of, find, and buy. There are christmas parties to attend, errands to run, shopping to do. And if your family is like most then it is dysfunctional and untamed and can draw out unresolved issues, emotions, and stresses. Not to mention it's the beginning of the winter so many of us feel the effects of the lack of sun and therefor Vitamin D.

But worry not! I'm not trying to paint an unhappy picture for you only to say, "now have fun with all that hectic stress! See ya!" No, no, no. I am here to bring attention to what you may already be aware of (and if you're not, draw your awareness to it so that it can be remedied--should it need remedying) and remind us all that the holiday season doesn't have to be stressful. Remember that you get to choose after all what you want in your life, how you are going to react, and what you are choosing to do. 

I want to place emphasis once more on the family issues, because I feel like this is the time of year when things can get especially dramatic and draw out those family issues and problems we have within ourselves. I know, personally, and from hearing the stories of many others, family is a tricky topic. Many families have divorced parents, abusive characters, are dysfunctional, or in other cases are just plain bonkers. But I want to say very firmly, you are not alone! Families are not perfect, because people are not perfect. We are all on a journey trying to learn more about ourselves and life, how to behave, how to grow, and how to be human. Everyone stumbles, has issues, and has trouble in their various relationships. And that's okay. So if it distresses you to feel like your family is not "normal" and happy and enjoying the "perfect" holiday season, then know that this is not ideal, normal, or probably common. And, again, that's okay. Think about it, even in all those magical sappy movies there is always a problem that needs resolving before everyone can be happy and enjoy each others company and life. In that sense, the movies actually aren't too far off, because, such is life. There are problems and issues that need resolving in order for peace and love to shine brighter. And if you want a happy ending then it's up to You to choose it. You write your own story! You get to choose the ending.

All the people and events in our lives shape us, make us who we are, provide us with lessons, and make us richer people. Your family may not be perfect, but if you are fortunate enough to enjoy the holiday season with even one special person in your life then be grateful and happy and enjoy every second if it. Don't focus attention on the things you don't have, instead enjoy the things that you do have. Be grateful and mindful of all the things you have in your life. Don't spend so much attention on the negativities within your family or your life, it does you nor them any good. People don't change overnight. Some people don't change much at all. But You can choose to be the person you want to be. You can choose to be happy, joyous, caring, giving, and jolly. You can choose to surround yourself with the people that genuinely care about you and love you and with whom you receive an equally beneficial relationship with. Your family is not just your parents and siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Your family is made up of the people who enrich your life; your friends, significant others, acquaintances, pets, and so on. So spend your holiday season with the people you love and enjoy, and embrace and be grateful for their company and that sense of community. Cherish what you have. And that is how you can bring that magic back to the holiday season. Be extra kind to your direct family as well, forgive and be easy on them, even if sometimes it feels like they don't deserve it. But you don't have to spend the entire day with them, be respectful of your own needs and happiness. Enjoy their company when you are with them, and then move on without carrying that extra baggage with you when you depart. Resolve conflicts that need to be resolved. Self-reflect if you need to self-reflect and realize what within your family still upsets you. I've said it before, but you must help yourself first in order to be of good to others. In truth, the holiday season may draw out family drama, but if it does then it should be a sign to you that there are still some things that need to be worked on. And this shouldn't stress you out. Take it with a deep calming breath, accept it, remember it is there to make you a stronger person, and figure out what you need to do to deal with it. If that isn't immediately clear to you, that's okay too. The path will become clear, just don't carry the negative baggage around with you to dampen your mood. 

Enjoy the holiday season because you can choose to. Choose to be kind and happy. Choose to be giving and caring. Choose to carry around that extra bit of magic and holiday spirit with you and pass it on to others. Make your life and the holiday season as brilliant and vibrant as you are. Remember, you choose. So choose to enjoy the magic and childlike wonder of this time of year. Make it magical and wonderful. After all, how ever you choose to celebrate it, it is a pretty fantastic time of year when we let it be.

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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

☺ How are you feeling? Pay attention to how you are feeling, this will always be a good indicator about what you are Thinking, and therefor about what you are attracting into your life. If you look inward and notice that you are not feeling so great then work on switching your mood, do whatever it takes to make yourself Feel Good, and then you'll watch your day and life change. :)

☺ Acknowledge that you are Amazing! We all need to spend more time acknowledging that we are amazing. Because we are. And when we live in a society that tries to tear down at our self-esteem on a daily basis, it's important to counter that with thoughts of love. You are amazing, we are all amazing. Give yourself and others compliments. ♥

☺ Make Friends! When you encounter a stranger, stop thinking of them as a stranger, but as another soul for you to befriend, learn from, and connect with. 

☺ Love More, Judge Less. Judging is terrible, I wrote an article about it before that is worth reading or a re-read. When we judge others it's really just a reflection of our own insecurities, so it's a good thing to pay attention to; you'll learn something about yourself. Ask, why do you feel the need to judge this person? What problem do you have with yourself and/or your life that is causing you to do this? Love is the best and only answer to a positive life. If you want to be happy then start by expressing more love and quitting the bad habit of judging others. 

☺ Remember remember the 5th of November… and watch "V for Vendetta" cuz it's a hella awesome movie, and because it's always a good nudge in the brain cells to stick up for our rights and responsibilities to action as people instead of allowing our governments to corrupt and control everything. ;) 

☺ Stop worrying about the Future! Truth is, nobody ever really knows what the future holds. How many times have you envisioned and worried about something that had not happened yet? How many times did things actually go the way you worried about? Sometimes yes, because the Law of Attraction picks up on those negative thoughts, but on the flip side, life can be unpredictable and we can never truly know what is actually going to happen. Remember that everything happens for a reason, so there's no point in fretting over things. We can't predict the future and it's a waste of your energy to get stressed about it. Go with the flow and enjoy the ride, accept whatever life hands you and make the best of it. And stay in the moment, the Now. ;)

☺ "Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right." ~ Henry Ford.   

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

Create a Nice Day! xo

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