❀ The Good News ❀

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

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

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10 Undesirable Places That Have Been Made Beautiful

People all over the world are doing good and changing the world, volunteering and working along side their cities to rebuild places like landfills and abandoned railways into useable green places again. Click the link to check out 10 places that have been made beautiful again! :)

(Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/10-once-undesirable-places-worth-a-visit.html?page=1)

Australia to commit to fishing responsibly for canned tuna

Australia will soon become the second market in the world to commit to fishing responsibly for canned tuna thanks to GreenPeace's campaign and awesome people like you!

All-Vegan Grocery store opens third location in Germany

Awesome! 

Police Officer Uses Day Off to Save Old Stray Dog

A police officer and citizen spent their day tracking down a stray dog in an area where they'd seen it roaming the streets looking through dumpsters. They finally found and rescued the dog from the streets and brought it to a vet where the dog spent the next ten days being healed. The dog was 15 pounds underweight, had a nasty ear infection, an intestinal disorder, and severe bad teeth. His matted, oil-soaked coat, was beyond repair, and it had to be shaved off. But this dog was saved and given a good home thanks to ordinary people. 

(Read the whole heart-warming story here)

Duck Rescues

Everywhere people are helping ducks! 

In Bellevue, Washington, a parks worker came to the aid of a distressed mother duck, who had been hovering near a grate that her ducklings had fallen into.

Nine ducklings were rescued out of a fountain with too little water, thanks to some kind-hearted passerbys. 

A passerby and his daughter saw a mother duck and a dozen ducklings and realized that another was stuck in a storm drain. Firefighters from Mantua, New Jersey, came to the thirteenth duckling’s aid.

You don’t always need emergency personnel to make a duckling’s day. Ten baby ducks were safely brought out of a sewer drain in a California community by the residents.

Traffic in LA came to a halt so one little duckling could make its way to safety.

A flock of ducklings are able to make it onto the sidewalk after someone gives them a step up.

Sometimes mother duck doesn’t know best: after one led her eight duckling into rough waters in Sydney, Australia, all were rescued by a helpful human.

(Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/9-duckling-rescue-videos-thatll-warm-your-heart.html#ixzz2PVpuvHWZ)

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

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

Have a story you want to share? Email me at alter_eco@hotmail.com to submit your story (no matter how big or small).

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

♥ {this moment} ♥

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{this moment} - Joining Soule Mama, a Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

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

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

☺ Learning to not get Overwhelmed ☺

It's really quite easy to allow little problems in life to creep up on us and become overwhelming. This often happens before we can realize it too, and suddenly we are faced with all sorts of stresses that we never dealt with (because we kept pushing them aside) that all come back to make us feel flushed, stressed, and, well, overwhelmed. 

I know that getting overwhelmed too easily was one of my own continuing struggles as my life became what I wanted it to but certain areas still needed improvement. I tend to (I'm getting better at this) take on a lot at a time, which in turn becomes a pressuring feeling of being overwhelmed by the work load and time efficiency. I figure this is a subject that most others can relate to, whether it's from work, personal, or just plain life.

So what to do about it? 

Awareness, as with anything, is the first step. Recognize when you are taking on too much at one time, when relationships are draining you, and when life is becoming too much. 

Hit the Reset Button
There are lots of simple steps you can take that will make that overwhelmed feeling vanish quickly and your time spent with more ease. The biggest thing though is that you must, must, must give yourself a moment, just for you, to breathe and to think. It's like hitting the "reset" button on your mind so that you can go on with your day in a better mood and with a more efficient mindset. Once you are giving yourself a moment, let out any emotions that you may be bottling up. Remember "let emotions flow and then let them go." Feel better? Hopefully at least a little, and there may be times when this simple step is all you need to do to get back on track, to feel more focussed, and realize what you need to do for yourself. Other times it's not as easy, so on to the next steps…

Remind yourself of Positive Thinking. 
Force a smile and a laugh, remind yourself that you are in control of your mood and your life. Think Happy Happy Happy. Tell yourself you love life and love your Self. Remind yourself that nothing is worth stressing over. Whatever will be, will be. Go with the flow and remember that "stress happens when the mind resists what is" (~Way of the Peaceful Warrior) so stop resisting what Is and learn to accept what you are given and work with it instead of against it. 

Mantras!

Having some key phrases or mantras to repeat to yourself is another very helpful trick, and will help you to do get back on track and reset those negative brain waves back onto positive ones. We all process things differently, so figure out what the best way of doing these affirmations is for you personally. Maybe it's just thinking or meditating. Maybe saying them out loud. Perhaps reading them. What I (personally) find most effective is to write them down. It helps to visually and mentally process the ideas and truly lets my mind reset. Even better, write them down and then repeat them out loud or in your head.

The point, in finding ways to cope, is to find ways in which to reset your mood and therefor allow yourself to get back on track, get on with your day, come back to the Here and Now, and be Happy. You know, opening up your heart and getting back to the loveliness that is life. And getting back on track to a positive mindset and being able to let silly stresses and ordeals go. You truly must really sit with your thoughts and allow yourself the time to reset, and to think straight so that resolutions may come more easily to you. Which brings me to the next step…

Take a Second Look. 

Once you've taken that step back and that moment to yourself, it's time to reassess your situation. If time or work is your issue then just take it one step at a time. Tell yourself that you have enough time to do everything that you need. Take a deep breath before getting back to your busy life. Tackle one task at a time. Looking too far ahead and getting overwhelmed by something that hasn't, or might not, happen is silly and self-defeating. Stay in the present moment, stay focussed on your task at hand, where you are at right Now. When you find yourself getting stressed out as your mind wanders back to deadlines or the future, stop, take a deep breath, and bring yourself back to the present moment. Solutions are always found and present themselves in the present moment. Have faith that everything will be okay and that all your problems will be resolved. 

Ask yourself; will it matter in a year from now? A month from now? A week from now? We tend to get stressed out for no good reason and one of my favourite little mantras and reminders to ground myself is saying just that; "will it matter in a year from now?" because chances are it won't. You won't remember how you were stressed out, why you were stressing, or that you felt down about a certain thing. Most of the time we feel silly afterwards for stressing because there really was no point. Chances are the sources of your overwhelmed feelings are simply bumps in the road that will pass you by and you'll never look back on ever again. Everything works out in the end, remember that. Just look at your life now. And if your life isn't what you want it to be, then start making changes so that it is. You have the power to be in control of your life, of your emotions, and your future. 

I won't lie to you, it can be tricky and it can take some practice, but keep at it and it becomes much easier and the bumps become fewer as well. And I'll say it again; you must take the time to be with yourself to truly reset. Giving yourself that time can totally transform the rest of your day so make it a habit. Not only will you feel better, but you'll feel more productive and clear-headed. So give that time to yourself. And remember that no solutions ever come from stressing out. 

Stay present, stay grounded, take a deep breath, and take things as they come.  

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

♥ Love Peace Vegan Giveaway!!! ♥

I am overly excited to share another lovely giveaway with all of you! This one is hosted by the positively inspiring Linh La of "Love Peace Vegan"! :) 

"This clothing line was created to raise awareness for those that cannot be heard, the health of humans, and our Mother Earth. Thank you for being veg, going green, 2 save the planet"

~Linh La of Love Peace Vegan

First off, I don't think I could possibly say enough good things about this amazing wonderful woman! She is a fellow kick-ass eco girl as well as a vegan. Her etsy shop is adorable and no two pieces are exactly the same. Her classic "Vegan" graphic is beautiful and classy with a modern touch that is perfect for anyone and everyone. Plus you can find anything from tops to pants to hoodies to dresses to adorable wristbands! 

As if this wonderful woman and her shop weren't amazing enough, her shop is not for profit purposes! The point of the shop is to help Earth and its fellow inhabitants with proceeds going to support several charities like Ocean Conservancy, Humane Society, Nature Conservancy, Savethechildren.org, and more!

Now, before I go on to my little interview with Linh La, I would like you to see for yourself just how fun and positive and inspiring this woman is! These two videos are a MUST watch and will guarantee a smile on your face! She is such a fun and inspiring person and I am so thrilled to be sharing her wonderful personality and work with you all! :)

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Tell us a bit about yourself.

LL: (Pause for 172.6 seconds) . . . 

Well. Type A Personality. Lover. Vegan. Cancer Sign. Designer. Ego-Slasher. Asian. Meditator. Traveler. ESFJ. Seeker. Sinner. Student.  Evolving Being.

Now, take a little bit of each, and you have me! Vwah-La! 

How did Love Peace Vegan come to be?

LL: I was scouring the internet for shirts with Vegan Graphics that matched my aesthetic and I could not find it. So finally, one day, I made one. I wore them everyday and a stranger of a lady suggested, I should sell them. LIGHT BULB! My friend Galaxie introduced me to Etsy and here it is! 

How long have you been vegan and what started your cruelty-free lifestyle? 

LL: I was Vegetarian for about 17 years and then Vegan for over 4 years now. My body told me to: I was 7 years old and my stomach suddenly had these major pains and I could not eat anything. I was in the hospital for 4 days and 3 nights. The funny thing is they could not find a reason. My mom was a vegetarian for about a month. When I came out of the hospital, I distinctly asked my mom to become a veg-head. I never turned back since. Even when I was starting to eat food as a baby, I would chew the meat forever and then spit it out. I don't think I was ever meant to eat it.  

What other projects are you currently working on or a part of? 

LL: I am the creative director of all the Loving Huts in the USA where I work with the interior and graphic design (www.lovinghut.us). 

I do freelance work and photography with "Linh La Design & Consultation". (www.linhla.com)

My mom and I own a Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant.

How do you spend your time when you're not saving the world?

LL: Relaxation. Meditation. Dance. Design. Laughing. Trying to find enlightenment in every corner. 

One thing you can't live without?

LL: Aw man. My computer. It connects me with the world-wide-web, allows me to design, and is just marvelous!

Best piece of advice for life in general?

 LL: My favorite quote that I am living by: "“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” Edward Everett

I think human beings are spectacular creations. We are so powerful, but I think we are afraid of that power or not willing to let it reach its full potential. With my eyes, hands, and feet, I will try to do everything that I am able to do. I am just one person, but my quality of a person will make a difference in this world as long as I am here! Let's save the world now, shall we?!

Join Linh La on Facebook for the latest updates! 

See customer pictures with charity activities!:  

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-Clothing-LOVE-PEACE-VEGAN/150994014989092 

Check out more from Love Peace Vegan at:

Website: http://linhla.com/

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lamotif01

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-Clothing-LOVE-PEACE-VEGAN/150994014989092

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VegGirl05

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***GIVEAWAY!!!*** 

Linh La is kindly offering a "Mysterious Pack of 3 wristbands"! 

There are lots of fun ways to enter this amazing giveaway! :) Super easy mandatory entry, and lots of fun ways to get extra entries! 

This contest will close on May 25th at 11:59 PM PST. A winner will be chosen through an online randomizer.

How to Enter:

*Required* Leave a comment on the blog with...

1. Visit Love Peace Vegan's Etsy Shop and leave a comment (*on this blog!*) with which item(s) is your favourite!

Easy peasy! 

Extra Entries: 

You Must post a separate comment for each extra entry in order for them to count! And you Must leave a comment in order for your entries to count!   

One Comment = One Entry! 

#2. On the Blog: 

- Follow this blog publicly – include your name in the comment for being an old or new follower of the blog. 

*please verify that you are publicly following as sometimes for whatever reason it doesn't show up. ;p

#3. On Facebook: 

- “LIKE” ReLove Planet on Facebook (www.facebook.com/reloveplanet)

- “LIKE” Love Peace Vegan on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-Clothing-LOVE-PEACE-VEGAN/150994014989092)

*must like both for an extra entry. Leave ONE comment and please include your Facebook name so I can verify. 

#4. On Facebook: Post a Facebook status update with a link to this giveaway.

*must (please) include the link to your post so that I can verify and so your entry can count. 

#5. On Twitter: 

- Follow ReLove Plan.et (www.twitter.come/reloveplanet)

- Follow Love Peace Vegan (https://twitter.com/VegGirl05)

*must follow both for an extra entry. Leave ONE comment and please include your Twitter name so I can verify. 

#6. On Twitter: 

- Tweet about this Giveaway from your Twitter. You must include these somewhere in the tweet for it to count: "RT @ReLovePlanet"  "@VegGirl05"

*must (please) include the link to your post so that I can verify and so your entry can count. 

Also, Please REMEMBER to leave your email in at least one of your comments so I can contact you if you’re the winner!!! ;)

Contest will close on May 25th at 11:59 PM PST. 

GOOD LUCK!!! And Please Share with everyone you know! ;)  

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! ☺

Ooooh another edition of Happy Happy Monday!!!! Hope you all treated your mother's loverly yesterday, and yourselves, and the world, and everyone around you! ;) Now let's get that happy contagious silly awesome mood rolling shall we? 

☺ BE the Love in your life! If you feel like there's a lack of love and if you're not seeing the love in your life, then lead by example by Being the love in your life! It's so easy to enrich your life with positivity and it all starts with your decision to be all that you can be. I've said before that Love is the answer to everything. So choose to Be Love and you will welcome more love to come into your life. 

☺ Rar rah rah! Hear me Roar! Learn to stick up for yourself! There's a large line that we usually see as a thin line between being nice and allowing others to walk all over you. Don't be a push over, don't let people treat you badly. You deserve all the love and respect in the world, so learn to stick up for yourself and be true to yourself. Sticking up for yourself is just one more way in which you show care for yourself and love for yourself and respect. And love is always the answer. ;) Rah rah rah! 

☺ Explore your city! It's amazing how many cool things can be hiding where you live that you never even knew existed. Go exploring this week! Check out the back streets, the cute little alleys, the parks, a new part of town you've never been before. Take lots of pictures and have fun (and safe ;p)! 

☺ Get Balanced! In all aspects of your life! We often forget that balance is important so this week I want you to pay extra attention to this and make sure that you balance out all aspects of your life. Balance out your time with work, play, "you" time, and relaxing. Balance out what you eat; are you eating lots of fruits and veggies, getting enough of what you need or eating excess amounts of one particular food? Stress is an easy way to tell when balance in your life is off, so pay attention and get balanced! 

☺ Star Gaze! Choose a nice clear night and spend some time simply looking up at the stars. Feel the energy of the universe around you and say a great big "thank you" for all that it brings you. Take time to connect, with yourself and everything outside yourself. Feel the incredible power of the stars and the moon and the flow of the universe.      

☺ Let Fun be the Reason! You don't always need a reason for doing everything in your life. Your reason is allowed to just be "because it's fun!" Do it because it makes you happy, because you enjoy it and because you want to. You don't need to "accomplish" or "receive" something from everything that you do, and you don't need to explain yourself to others. Just let fun be your reason. 

☺ "Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance." ~ Unknown. I've talked before about having expectations (if you haven't read the article then give it a read here). Surrender yourself this week to accepting what comes instead of holding onto expectations. 

Have a beautiful day, week, life! 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! ☺

Ah crap! It's Monday. Doesn't that suck? Hmm, well what to do about that?…

How about mope about it for the rest of the day? Complaining would be a good idea. Seeing everything negatively around you sounds marvellous! Frowning followed by more pouting will definitely help. Hmm, what else?... Talking about how much life sucks and what sucky things are going on right now. Yup, that sounds like a good one. Feeling sorry for yourself perhaps? Definitely talk about how much you hate your job, I hear that one is super duper helpful. Getting frustrated and agitated also sounds like it could be fun. Oh wait, don't forget to complain that it's Monday!

We could do all of that or…  

☺ Prepare Yourself…  You never know what the day will hold but if you start off your day by dreading it then chances are you are going to have a tremendously terrible day. When you wake up in the morning, take a moment and arm yourself with positivity. Announce and thank the Universe (or God, or fairies, or whatever you feel like) for a fantastic day and feel as genuinely grateful as possible, as if your day has already ended and you are thanking the Universe for that amazing day you just had. You'll be surprised by what sneaky little wonders may magically pop into your day. 

☺ Choose Happy Motions… I hear that smiling is really helpful. And laughing. Oh yes indeed. You should do both of those as much as possible at all times. Even if people look at you weird, at least you'll be the one having fun. ;) 

☺ Enjoy the Moment! You will never get this moment of your life back ever again, so don't you think it's worth taking a step back and truly appreciating it instead of taking it for granted? 

☺ Count Your Rainbows, Not Your Thunderstorms! Stop complaining, stop complaining, stop complaining! Yes, life isn't always butterflies and rainbows, but do you know why? It's because of your stinky attitude and your choice not to acknowledge all the beauty that exists around you. It's far too automatic for us to complain about the things in our life rather than give thanks and see how truly blessed we are. So I'm going to say it again and again until it starts to stick in your head: give thanks instead of complaining! There is always always always things to be grateful for. Remember all the amazing things currently in your life and talk about those instead. (See "The Power of Gratitude" for more). 

☺ Be the Optimist! Be the one around the swarm of frowns that is smiling. Just because you may be surrounded by unpleasant people or be in a not particularly thrilling situation is no reason not to still be optimistic and smiling. You get a choice. Always. By choosing to be the one that is smiling and laughing and being happy then you will draw more positive people and experiences into your day. It all starts with a choice to smile! 

☺ Cue the Happy Tune! Decide on a fun little hum, phrase, or little song that you can start singing in your head (or out loud) whenever you start to feel the Monday blues creeping upon you. Let it be your reminder to smile. This tune or phrase in itself should invoke a smile, so choose something silly and positive that will automatically swell you up with happiness and cause that smile to return. 

☺ Be extra Silly! Just because! Also because it's fun, will make you smile, will make others smile, and will make your day far more interesting and pleasant. Make boring situations fun by any (positive) means necessary. Get creative, open your mind, choose to have Fun! 

Or you could go back to what I said at the beginning of today's post. The choice is yours. 

Me? I'm going to Create a Nice Day and I hope that you do too!  

p.s. sorry for the sarcasm. ;) 

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! ☺

How was everyone's weekends? I hope they were splendidly exciting and fantabulous! Keep the good energy flowing into the week? Yes please! Who cares if it's Monday! Exciting stuff I tell you, let's set the tone for the week! 

☺ Think for yourself. Renew your mind and question your beliefs on a regular basis. Many of the thoughts we think are not actually our own. These thoughts are the insecure or fearful thoughts of others and of the world around us, projected upon us and absorbed without a second thought. These thoughts become a part of who we are as they are reinforced from the outside world continuously and consistently so that we don't even realize we are being hypnotized. But things aren't usually as they seem so it's good to question, everything! You know, keep that childlike questioning wonder. Don't allow yourself to be brainwashed by keep your mind active and questioning and learning to form your own thoughts and opinions.  

☺ Participate in Earth Hour… and go beyond it! March 31st is Earth Hour! Do your part for the global movement and turn off all the lights, power, and have one hour (that's all!!) of no electronics. Bust out board games, have a candlelit bath, take a walk under the starry night, plan a event with your friends! Have fun with it! See how long you can keep the lights out for! And remember to keep the kindness towards Earth going long beyond this one hour. :)

☺ Plant Something!  Indoors that is. Indoor plants are great for cleaning the air around us and adding energy to our surroundings--especially if we spend a lot of time inside (like in Winter). Take extra care of your new plant and send it love--it will feel it, I promise. Bamboo or Reed Palm are great and easy to take care of (don't need too much watering), or English Ivy is another lovely option that is great for sucking up the chemicals in your home. 

☺ Complain less, be Thankful more! It's so easy to complain, and we do it far too readily. Whenever you're about to complain, catch yourself, and instead say something you're grateful for instead. Gratitude works much nicer with the Law of Attraction too and chances are people will enjoy your company that much more. ;) 

☺ Send yourself a letter in the mail! Write yourself a letter, filled with all the things you love about yourself, your life, and the things you are proud of. Write about how much you love life, about your positive journey and the strength you are finding along the way. Now mail it off so that you will not receive it back for some time. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find it in your mailbox one day and will serve as a lovely reminder of how beautiful your life is--manifest for it to return to you when you need it most. 

☺ Sit still! Or in other words, take a f*#king breather! ;) I'm not talking about "you" time--creative time doing things you enjoy--I'm talking about actually just being still. Literally, doing Nothing. Chill out, sit still, meditate, or take a bath, but whatever you do, do absolutely nothing. Be alone with your thoughts. This is truly important time that we do not take enough of. Be still for at least an hour, focussing on thoughts of love towards yourself and your life. Try to practice this at least once a week if not daily. 

☺ "Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile." ♥ 

If anyone has any suggestions on how to send a letter to yourself without receiving it right away, I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'm still figuring out that one exactly. ;) Perhaps sending it to a friend or family member and telling them to mail it out some day. 

Have a beautiful day, week, life! 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.

☺ "This is the Best Day of your Life!" ☺

You hear the expression often enough, especially on birthdays; "hope it's the best birthday ever!"

This got me thinking, Every Day should be the best day ever! 

And why not? Going back to the "Here & Now" mentality, the present moment is all we really have, so make the best of it. There shouldn't be one single day that you can relate to as being the "best day of your life." They all should be wonderful and amazing. I'm a deep believer in having no regrets in life--and that means not regretting any of your decisions in life either--so you should be able to look back at your life and say "this is the Best Life ever!" And remember that if it doesn't feel that way then it is up to you to make it so.  

Embrace each moment, grasp every opportunity. Enjoy it! Live the life you dream. Live the life that makes You Happy. Take each and every day and make it the Best one. There is no single greatest moment, life is a collection of all those moments that make up your life, and they are special and wonderful in their own unique way. We don't live so we can have One great day. We live so that we can have one great Life! Every Day!

Remember, we choose Who we are and we choose what our lives are. Don't limit yourself. Don't put things off for another day or time. Be. And grasp each day. Don't allow yourself to have an entirely "off day." Yes, absolutely allow yourself to feel sadness or anger if you need to, but let it go instead of carrying out through the rest of your day. Pick up that positive attitude and make the rest of the day amazing. Make it the best damn day ever! Make each day memorable and grand. Because they are, in their own special unique way. Events and feelings in our lives lead us up to other things, winding the fabric of your life, intertwining it with all the other vibrations and events of the world. You just have to learn to love, embrace, and appreciate all the simple things around you, big or small. Appreciate them and you will learn to see beauty and wonder in every day life. Learn to see how beautiful each moment, event, and feeling can be. Allow these things to enhance your life and your every day experiences. 

Every morning, we wake up and start our day anew. Every day is like a restart button in which you can do all the things you want to do. Every day, even every moment, can be a second chance, a new breath, a new outlook, a new experience. 

So enjoy it all. And make every day the best of your 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! ☺

I hope your New Year is off to a beautiful and magical start! If it's not then make it so! :) You can start with this week's Motivational Monday!!!! Woooo!

☺ Create a Nice Day! I recently heard this from one of the "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" books (by Dan Millman) and I thought it was the perfect thing to share. Instead of telling people "Have a Nice Day" try "Create a Nice day!" Why? Because "create" gives you no doubts about the fact the day you experience is created by yourself. If you want to Have a nice day then you damn well better Create one! So, go ahead, Create a Nice Day! ;)

☺ Get a Jumpstart! I know you love the work I do here at ReLove Plan.et, or else you wouldn't be reading this now would you? ;) Or perhaps you are brand new, in which case Hellllloooo! And welcome and I hope you enjoy and stick around for more! In any case, what I aim for is to inspire and to make your day a little brighter, happier, and teach you how to apply positivity. I have been finding new ways to do this and there are now three fantastic additions to the Positivity Team that you can keep at home with you. The 365 Day Bucket List (which if you especially love these Motivational Mondays posts then you will love this!), the Happy Kit, and the Vegan Kit. Again, if you love my work, you will love all three of these and so my advice to you, go pick up at least one (if not all three! ;)).

☺ Respect Where You Are and how You Feel… I try to emphasize this whenever I can (more articles coming soon!!), but we really tend to neglect our emotions and beings. There are times when we are uppity and enthusiastic and ready to seize every day to it's fullest. But there are also days where all we want to do is curl up on the couch and be lazy. Respect when it is time to play, and when it is time to rest. Rest is good too, there is a time and place for both. Make sure you are being respectful and aware of when you need each one.

☺ Pick up old Hobbies! When I was a child I used to draw and write my own little fantasy stories all the time. I Loved it! Yes, I was a bit of a loner child so these hobbies filled up most of my time, but what I didn't realize was that when my life did become social I ended up neglecting these things completely. I didn't write or draw for Years. But these were things that I did actually enjoy, so recently I picked them up again. And I love them! Don't neglect the hobbies you enjoy doing, there is still room for them in your busy blissful life. Remember, balance! ;)

☺ Dance around in a circle… Right now! Yeah, you heard me, right now! I want you to stand up, spin around, spread your arms like an airplane, jump around, and do a little groovy dance. I don't care if you're at work or under the watchful eyes of your cats at home. Do it. Have you done it yet? I bet you feel silly don't you? I bet you also feel smug and happy. Do that more often, it brightens the boring into something fun and spontaneous at any time of day.

☺ Changing your thoughts can change your life! That is all… and everything! ;) 

Hope you have a nice…. umm, I mean… CREATE A NICE DAY!!!! Much love and Positivity!! :)

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☺ Release the Past to Live in the Present ☺

Don't Neglect the Past. 

We can use the past absolutely to our advantage, however we often misuse it completely by either getting stuck in it, or by trying to neglect it. 

The past holds many answers to our current behaviours, attitudes, and habits. Neglecting the past won't help you move forwards. If you want to let the past go then you need to go back and come to terms with it. If you can do this then you will actually be able to let it go and live in the present moment and be able to direct your future. Otherwise, the past will keep coming up with a negative attitude to rain on your parade. You don't want to live in the past, you want to live in the present, and if you want to do that then you need to let go of whatever haunts you from that past. If you don't find resolution with the past then you will, at an unaware level, still be living in it because you allow it to shape your every day attitudes and actions.

Bad habits and attitudes are usually a result of your previous experiences, from behaviours or attitudes you've picked up along your journey. Do yourself a favour and the next time you turn to a bad habit or have a negative attitude towards something or someone, try to consciously be aware of the trigger. If that isn't clear to you right away then just continue to pay attention and eventually you'll be able to connect the dots. Once you've figured out why and where these things come from then you'll be able to address them appropriately and change your attitude and actions. 

Understand that the past isn't a bad thing. Those experiences needed to happen in order for you to be who you are today. However, those bad attitudes learned from our pasts are often deeply routed. We were either too young or in a negative situation so were unable to see those experiences as lessons to build character and strength and instead allow them to consume us in the present. But you have the ability Now, with a new awareness, to revisit those experiences and draw out the positive so that you can come to peace with it and move forwards. And this is the point that I am going to recommend getting help from a good councillor, therapist, psychiatrist, or whatever feels in line with you. But I highly recommend seeking out this help outside of yourself. It's not a shameful, embarrassing, or self-defeating thing to seek out help from another. People are all around us to help us along our journeys, we cannot, and are not meant to, go on this journey completely alone. Be willing to seek out help so that you may move forward, learn something deeper about yourself, and live a better present and future. 

I finally gained the courage to call a councillor a few years ago. Best choice I could have made. I was very resistant to it, as most are, but finally hit a breaking point and decided I had nothing to lose. By going, I was able to heal and move forwards and come to terms with my past with peace, understanding, wisdom, and forgiveness. I truly believe if I hadn't got that help then I wouldn't be where I am today. My councillor recommended doing what's called an "EMDR" session with me after a few visits and this in particular was what helped me accept the past and see it with new eyes and a new attitude. Most of my problems, like most people, stemmed from things that had happened in my past, and therefor it was essential for me to revisit those experiences in order to gain a new perspective and to gain control of my life today. If I hadn't gone then my life today could still be a mess and run amuck because I wouldn't have an understanding of those negative emotions and reactions and been able to release them. 

Again, the past is not a bad thing, those experiences were not bad experiences, they were building blocks for our lives today. And perhaps you're wondering; what if you don't like your life today? Then you have the power to change that too. In fact, chances are, if you haven't come to peace with your past yet, that's exactly why you're unable to enjoy your life today. But it doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be that way at all. You have the power already inside yourself to seek out the lessons and the positive, to see those building blocks and rebuild a happy and positive life. You can build the life you've always dream of. But you must release the past. And releasing the past doesn't happen by neglecting it. It happens by coming to terms with it, from making peace with it. And then it can lay peacefully where it belongs, in the past, while your life today blossoms into a more wonderful direction, enriched by those experiences but gets to be where it should be--in the present. The past will always be there, in memory and as a source that shaped you today. What you walk away with is up to you. You get to choose. But you must address the issues instead of sweeping them under the carpet and ignoring them, because they will always, and most likely consistently, remain to harass you until you do.  

You won't change anything in your life or about yourself until you seek out that change within yourself. Everyone has things from their past that effect them today. If people didn't then you wouldn't have grown, learned, evolved, or changed. It's your choice to use the past as a constructive tool to enrich your life today instead of getting trapped in those past experiences. Come to peace with your past, let it go, apply the lessons you learned today, and live in the moment so that you can love and enjoy it all. 

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☺ Dear Life ☺

Dear Life,

You may not always seem kind, 

Because we don't see the beauty you provide.

You send us where we need to be, 

To find the lessons for us to feel free. 

The paths we endure, both high and low,

Take us on a journey through life's shadow. 

You give us smiles, happiness, and light, 

So why only see the darkness, sadness, and fight?

Life, you are beautiful, wonderful, and kind, 

But that is our choice to walk through life blind. 

We could open our eyes, let light shine, 

And embrace the wonders that could be mine.  

To make sure we endure, persevere, and learn, 

You lead us on bridges that we must ourselves burn. 

Laughter is on our tongues, bliss in our hearts, 

For us to grasp and to hold, and let the darkness depart.  

Thank you life for being hard,

And helping us to live and grow through scars, 

Like a mother, you know what's best, 

to help us gain knowledge and love through tests. 

You are not evil, miserable, or unkind, 

These are simply passages to life that we must find.  

Engaging our minds, creating mysteries for us to discern, 

You make life fun, adventurous, challenging for us to learn.

Dear Life, Thank you for all that you give, 

I know now to be grateful, to love and to live.   

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☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

Tis the season to be jolly! Falalalala lalalala...

One week until Christmas!!! Who's excited? ;) Well it has come to my attention that, really, Christmas is just one day, a day like any other… or at least it should be. Every day should feel like Christmas. Every day should be filled with joy and kindness and giving. Every day should be magical!

Here are some ways to add a little extra magic to your week! xo

☺ Be a Kid! Because it's fun to act your shoe size for a change and do fun "kid" things. My recommendations for the week? Get out some paper that needs to be recycled and make pretty snowflakes like when you were a kid and hang them all over your home! Make and decorate (vegan) cookies with icing and sprinkles and cut them out in cute holiday shapes! Then give those cookies out to your friends and neighbours! And, hey, while you're at it, be sure to have those cute Holiday cartoons playing the background. ;)

☺ Make New Mistakes… because, really, there is no such thing as a "mistake," they are just experiences. Without mistakes we don't grow and learn. Doing something and getting it wrong is far more productive than doing nothing at all. Remember; every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. Plus, you end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did. So make new mistakes, or at the very least, don't inhibit doing something because you're afraid of making a mistake.    

☺ Give Strangers Gifts! I keep hearing about these wonderful stories of strangers handing out money to those who need it, paying off layaway accounts, and more inspiring stories. So give to those in need. Whether you can afford to handout hundred dollar bills, be a secret santa, or give old toys and items to those less fortunate. Give a little and warm some hearts.  

☺ Have a Solstice Party! December 22nd is the shortest day of the year, but it is also the Winter Solstice. Celebrate life and light with a Solstice Party, respecting each other and nature and the natural cycles of life and the world. Have a vegan potluck, a bonfire, get outside and enjoy the starry night. Play in the snow if you have some. And, taking my sister's words for the Solstice party she's hosting; "winter solstice is the shortest day of the year so we are celebrating by adding light into our lives (each other!)" 

☺ Make Presents! If you're still not sure what you're making people for gifts this year then time to get creative and get "hands-on!" This is easier on the pockets and far more thoughtful. Nothing is more special than a present that you personally made for someone. Even if you make something small, like a cute handmade card, there's care, thought, time, and love that goes into it, and there's nothing more special than that. 

☺ 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), take a multi-vitamin (extra attention to Vitamin D and B Vitamins), drink Lots of water, smile lots (I call this smile therapy, more on this later ;)), and balance out your eating habits by consuming extra veggies, greens, healthy proteins, and fresh juice when you can. 

☺ 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. 

Have a beautiful wonderful magical week! And remember to smile and laugh every single day! 

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☺ Inspirational: A Positive Mind is a Positive Life ☺

As much as we are what we eat, we are equally, if not more, what we Think. 

We cannot control the events that occur in our lives, but we can control how we act and react to things. We can choose to have a Positive Attitude to everything and take things as they come. 

No dwelling on Negativity. This only becomes a snowball effect of pessimistic disaster that becomes hard to break. 

Smile. Look optimistically at life. Remind yourself that nothing is set in stone, Change is only natural so don't resist it, and life goes on. 

Embrace every incident and ever Moment. Remember that each of those moments you won't ever experience again so truly appreciate and embrace them. This Moment is all you have. 

Look around with a Smile. Positive Thinking and a Positive Outlook are the key to Happiness and an all-around Positive Life. 

Positivity breeds more Positivity, becoming a Good circle. Don't waste your time on Negativity. Tell yourself that there is no place for it in your life. Catch yourself before the snowball effect has a chance to come into motion and set your Mind back on track. 

♥ Positive Mental Attitude = Happiness. ♥ 

Smile, Laugh, Love, Be Happy, Be Positive. 

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca   

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