☺ I want to THRIVE not just SURVIVE! ☺

Life is about Happiness. It is about feeling Love for ourselves and everything around us. Sadly, most of us feel a lack of love and are not happy. You shouldn't be spending your life struggling or simply surviving. You should be THRIVING, Living life to the fullest, and experiencing the deepest levels of unreasonable happiness. 

Surviving is simply going through our days in and out in a mundane routine. This orderly fashion in which we stumble through the struggles, tripping over our own feet but continuing forth in a negative or lacklustre sort of mind-set. Our days are filled with pushing through work to get time off, to take weekends to buy material things in attempts to create happiness and to satisfy a bad mood, which means we have to work more and live less. Then we repeat this. Over and over. Our minds wander from the present moment as if it weren't even there, constantly worrying about the future, dwelling on the past, and trying to plan out our lives, placing Living always away on some distant horizon out of reach. 

It's time to wake up and realize that this simply isn't Living. If you're tired of feeling this way, of living this way, then I invite you to change your life, to change your attitude, and to change your destiny.  

ReLove Plan.et focusses a lot of time on our well-being, our state of happiness, of working through problems to live life openly and freely. This issue I want to talk about today is a habit, it's a way of living (or not living) that is so easy to fall into. We become perpetual zombies simply surviving. Sometimes barely. Why settle for this when you could be thriving? I want to motivate you today to Thrive and to get motivated to Be Happy. 

Thrive! 

Thriving is a state of being, and it does take practice. The good thing, however, is that you can start in any moment to Start thriving. Choosing to thrive will immediately set your Real Life into motion and begin the upward climb to this becoming a way of life and not just a daily practice. 

But let's start with daily practice. 

So, how does one thrive? 

The basic way in which to thrive is to catch yourself when you're feeling like a zombie, and to refocus your attention on feelings of joy and happiness and love. Thriving is about changing your attitude and realizing what's already in front of you. The truth is that reality is what you make it. You can choose to see the beauty all around you and Experience That, or you can choose to overlook it and continually see a boring, mundane life and Experience That. Your Choice. 

For the sake of this article, we're going to choose option one. ;) 

First, open your eyes. What do you see? Maybe you're surrounded by nature making this easy. In which case, appreciate all that nature does for you, for the life and beauty it so easily and readily provides. But perhaps you're somewhere less easy, like work. Maybe you're stuck in a tiny cubicle with man-made walls and computers and no windows. But maybe you have a photo of family or friends at your desk? If so, focus love and joy and appreciation onto that. Maybe you don't have a photo there or good relationships, for that matter, in your life. That's still okay, you can work with that. Make a paper airplane and throw it across the room. See if someone reciprocates. See, aren't we having fun already? Not so boring now is it? Maybe you're not allowed to have fun at work… well then you always have your handy imagination which brings me to the next step… 

Positive Affirmations. 

I wrote a full article on Positive Affirmations that I invite you to read. But, again for this article's sake… Positive Affirmations are words or phrases to repeat to yourself daily of what you want your life to be like and Who You Want to Be. This can be anything from motivating yourself to be happy, to being successful, or anything your heart desires. It doesn't have to be something that is technically "real" yet, but can be things you're working towards, but say them as if they Are Reality Now. Things like: "I am a Happy Person," "I love my life," "My life is Fun and full of Adventure!" Obviously, these Affirmations are to be Positive or we're missing the point. 

(Check out these Powerful Affirmations.) 

So, say you're stuck in that cubicle, what a perfect time to take a moment to repeat those affirmations in your head! The power of affirmations is amazing and can instantly lift you. The trick is to really Feel what you are saying, with conviction and joy. The more you say it, the more you'll believe it, and therefor the more it will be true. 

Enjoy Work/ Work Less

Thriving is more than your work. Life is beyond your work. This you Must understand. If you do not enjoy your work, however, do something about it. You Must do this. Must Must. You most likely spend far too much time at your job to waste that time Not Enjoying Life! So find ways to enjoy it. Make a new work friend. Make your work place full of joy and inspiration by sticking up motivational and inspiring photos that will give you joy. Repeat those Positive Affirmations. Take breaks to walk outside. Find joy in it! 

If you absolutely can't, then I suggest you find new work. Follow your passions and believe in yourself. Again, you spend entirely too much time at your job to not enjoy it. But you should start by finding joys in your work or you will most likely be unable to do so in any other job you find. Even if it's simply appreciating what that job does for you and your family, and that you even have a job and money coming in. Be Appreciative. Gratitude goes a long way. 

I also recommend you work less and fit in more time for play. Spend less money on material garbage you don't need so you have more time to actually Live and do the things you Enjoy. If you try to tell me (or yourself) that you can't work less because you Need the money, then I will tell you now that "Can't" is the first word you need to scrap from your language and start believing in yourself and life. Because anything is possible. Anything. 

Beyond Work

Let's go beyond work. Because life shouldn't be all about work.

Chances are the zombie in you follows you long after your hours are clocked in at your job. *Huff* life is so boring. So we continue our boring mundane routine. 

Guess what? It's up to you to make it fun. 

Maybe there are things that you Need to get done, like groceries. Make it fun! Prance around the grocery store like a happy unicorn. Yes, I said Unicorn. Meet a stranger. Discover new food. Take a friend and make it an adventure. Find ways to make it fun. And Decide that it's going to be fun. It may sound silly, but simply Deciding something is going to be fun before you even do it places you in a different mind set and opens you up to the possibilities of magical wonderful things happening. 

How about house chores? Boohoo, don't we all have house chores to do? Have fun with it! Crank up your favourite tunes and dance around and sing as you go about your chores. Or maybe you can repeat your affirmations again? On top of that, remember that cleaning is Cleansing, not only your home but for you as well. So don't forget to take out the trash. ;)

You Decide

The truth of life is this: Life is what You Make It! You You You! Your attitude shapes everything around you. If you don't enjoy your life, if you're constantly running on empty zombie mode then it's up to you to change that. Surround yourself with bliss and positivity and inspiration. Give yourself motivation and inspiration Every-Single-Day! Choose to get excited! Choose to THRIVE! Choose Choose Choose. The power is within you, that reality already exists, you just have to choose to start living it. 

Get yourself inspired and excited. That's what this blog is here for, to give you tips every motivational monday and give you bigger boosts with articles like this throughout the week. I encourage you to read inspiring books and blogs (there are many many out there) to keep up that motivation and to change your mindset. 

Just remember that you deserve and Can Thrive. No more just surviving. Time to Thrive Thrive Thrive! Because Life is about LIVING! 

If you enjoyed this article and feel motivated to change then hang tight, my "Happiness Guide" and "Happy BootCamp" zines are coming soon as well. ;) 

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☺ Jump-start 2013 with Positive Change ☺

My first post of 2013! How exciting! ;)

Honestly, I've been a bit all over the place with how I wanted to express my feelings of the new year. Finally, after scribbling down notes and thinking to myself, and aimlessly writing, I came to my conclusion. Since ReLove Plan.et has always been a place to inspire, to kick on those happy shoes and dance around with silly bliss and motivation, I figured that's what this post needs to be about. I already wrote a rather forward "Motivational Mondays" Post that I wanted to kick the New Year off with, but here is a little extra positive re-enforcement… or a second wake up call for me to tell you to make this year fantastic. 

I'll start by mentioning what I've said before; I'm not too much for New Year's Resolutions--in fact I wrote a post about it last year. So, not to repeat myself too much, I am simply going to say that I am For "Self Resolutions." 

What is the point of resolutions if we are just going to break them after a few days, or weeks, or moments, or seconds? So many of us have all these great ideas and inspirations and then come the New Year… well, nothing has changed, because--as I've mentioned a few times now--the turning of the New Year doesn't magically make things change. You have to make things change. So why do resolutions fail when we have such good intentions? Maybe because they aren't completely heart-felt, after all, there's almost this obligation to make these resolutions in the first place, instead of them coming from a place of inner wanting and choosing, or, more importantly, Commitment. Another reason I think they fail is because the second that we feel We fail, or our Resolutions "fail" then that's it, it's done, no more. I'm talking about the first slip-up, the first bump in the road, the first incident that makes you throw your arms up in the air and go "nothing's changed!" "2013 sucks just like last year!" 

Whaaaaaat???

Is this not madness? I say it time and time again, never give up, always stay positive, focussed, and encouraged, no matter how many bumps, falls, scrapes, scars, and tumbles you have. If you don't climb back up then you are just dragging yourself through the mud collecting more scrapes and burns and dirt, whereas if you keep standing back up then you are slowly but surely going to stay standing. You may still stumble, but you can easily climb back up. So stand back up! Get back on your feet, dust yourself off, and keep going. 

To hell with resolutions, say Yes to Life! Because life truly starts Right Now! If you're having a bad day then you can Start Over right in that moment. You never ever ever have to stay down. Ever. Have I said that enough times yet? Start again, because you can and because you have the will to choose and Do. So Do. 

Doesn't it sound like a much better idea to put effort into Feeling Good, then to feeling Bad? It seems like such an obvious answer, yet we too often place far more energy into feeling bad. We do so by complaining about ourselves, about others, about our jobs, about money, about the things we don't have. We do so by slunking down in front of the television and watching mindless shows and movies with a shit-ton of subliminal messages meant to make you feel bad about yourself. We do so by moping, sulking, and feeling sorry for ourselves. Think about All that Time and Energy that you could be using to Feel Good instead! Seriously!!! Is it not worth it? 

It may seem tedious at first because you're moving away from "comforts." But what you need to realize is that they are false comforts; they don't make you feel good, they're just comfortable. Step out of your comfort zone and do something different. Live your life differently. If you want to be happy then start to change the way you act, feel, and do. Change your habits. Change your attitude. It will all amount to transforming your life into this beautiful vibrant fantastic wonderful magical awesome world. 

So. It's 2013. Make your Resolution a lasting one and Change Your Self and Your Life. Make Happiness the air you breathe, every move you make, every word you speak, every thought you think. Make Happiness a Habit. 

I did it. And so can you. Don't be lazy, get up and shout out to the world how awesome your life is. Because it is. You just haven't noticed yet.  

I wish you all a very Happy Happy New Year! Much Love and Hugs and all that good stuff. ;) Keep smiling! 

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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

☺ Say "Thank You." Don't use the words "thank you" without giving them meaning. We too often do, from some sort of taught sense of manners when we were younger and from habits today. Say "thank you" more and say it with meaning. Give the words genuine love and attention. Not only will you fill someone else's day with genuine gratitude but you'll also welcome gratitude into your own life. 

☺ Do something for the first time! When was the last time you did something for the first time? Truth is, every day you are doing something for the first time because you've never lived this moment before. Har! However, I am referring to something beyond that. Seek out a new experience, a new activity, something you'll remember. Something that will make you go; Ha! I've never done this before! ;) 

☺ Look at the world with Love! There is beauty, love, and positivity to be found in anything and everything imaginable, all we have to do is choose to see it. The difference between a person living their life to the fullest joy, is that they are choosing to see what others fail to. Love. Choose to look at the world with eyes of love.  

☺ "I'm Perfect" or "Imperfect" I love how the word "imperfect" and the phrase "I'm perfect" are the same. Your imperfections are what make you perfect. Always remember you are lovely just the way you are. ♥

☺ Find ten things you love about your workday. Yeah, yeah, going to work is no fun. Mondays suck because it's back to the work week. Work sucks. Obviously work is going to suck if you go in every Monday with this awful attitude. Switch it around. Nothing is going to change the fact you have to go log in your hours, so make the best of being there. Throughout your day, list in your head all the things you love about your job, your work, your day. If you can't list ten then you're not trying hard enough and you're not seeking out the gratitude. It's easy once you get rolling. So enjoy your day! 

☺ Have a Good Laugh! Find something that will make you laugh so hard you'll cry! Like "My Paradox the Dog." (http://theoatmeal.com/comics/dog_paradox) I saw this yesterday and, yeah, I already shared it on my Facebook wall, but I want to share it again because I thought it was hilarious and who doesn't want to have a good laugh? Laughter is fantastic for the soul, so find as many things as possible this week to make you laugh, even if they are ridiculous. :) 

☺ "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." ~Helen Keller. You only live this moment once, why compare it to a past experience? Truth is that if you had an awesome month, year, or day, it does not benefit you to continually be comparing every other day of your life to that moment of happiness. Yes, it may have been awesome, but you will never experience that exact same moment again, and that is a good thing. You have a new day and a new opportunity to experience something brand new and that can be just as awesome in its own way. So stop comparing your present to your past or you'll miss out on the happiness right before your nose.  

[Photo Credit: http://www.smaracuja.de ]

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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☺ Are You Happy? ☺

Are you Happy? The dreaded question. The ignored question. The question swept under the waves of life. Most people will respond "yes" without giving it much thought. But…  

Are YOU Happy?

We should all be able to say yes, but most of us, when being completely honest with ourselves, sadly can't. 

I'm not talking about a happy moment. We all have happy moments. A smile, a laugh, a fond memory, or moment with friends. But when the dust settles and you are sitting there by yourself, Are You Happy? Do you feel that inner bliss inside of you that is indescribable? Do you have that feeling of overwhelming joy, of peace of mind, of calm, and of Knowing, not just guessing, that you are indeed Happy? 

Unreasonable Happiness is what I am talking about, the happiness that is always there inside, even when life gets rough and jolts you around. That happiness you can return to after the storm. That happiness that you Feel and Know. That Happiness that makes you smile out of nowhere because you feel so appreciative of life and joy.  

Can you go out without drinking and still have a good time? Can you sit still in silence and still enjoy yourself? Can you do simple tasks and still enjoy those? Running around from one thing to the next is not happiness, it's one of many distractions. Being unable to sit still is that restlessness inside of you that doesn't know what to do with yourself because you haven't found that peace, that unreasonable happiness, and so you are constantly seeking it out--whether this is at a subconscious or conscious level.  

You've probably heard it before; you can't chase happiness. Happiness just Is. It's not something you find in other things or people. It's not something you can chase after. It's not something you can achieve through life goals and future plans. It's not something you place into the future as something you'll feel "some day." Happiness Is. Happiness is Now. And Happiness is something that you must feel, because it is already within you, at all times, you just have to choose to draw it out. 

When people begin "spiritual" journeys, of enlightenment and self-discovery, of bettering themselves and their lives, then they are on the road to unreasonable Happiness. And that is the Meaning of Life-- to Be Happy. On this self-journey, people will begin to feel the highs and lows, often quite extreme because in the process of burying happiness somewhere inside of you, you have also buried any number of other problems. They are all shut out. Once you try to draw out happiness you can't draw it out without also drawing out those buried problems. Those buried problems are one of the blockers to unreasonable happiness, so you must work through them. Don't get part way and say you're alright because you are starting to feel happy more frequently--work through those problems! Make Bliss your Life. Make Happiness your Life, not just a passing moment. 

If you want to live your life with scattered happy moments, then continue doing what you're doing. If you want your life and yourself to be Unreasonably Happy all the time, then learn to feel it, to draw it out, and to not go chasing it in other places, people, or things. Choose to Be it, choose to work on yourself, choose to embrace life instead of shying away. 

The point of this post is not to make you feel discouraged or uneasy about your life. If that is the way you do feel after reading this then it's because you're being honest with yourself and realizing your life isn't everything you wanted it to be. But remember that You are the source of your Happiness, the fountain of joy and bliss is from You, not from material items or gains. If you want to be happy, live simpler, free your mind, and spend time on yourself every single day. Focus on the positive, smile as much as possible, and work on yourself every single day. Spend time on joy, surround yourself with good things, and spend time on yourself every single day. ;) Happiness will flow naturally and easily the more you work on yourself. There is always room for improvement and there is always room for more joy. 

So… Are You Happy? 

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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

☺ Believe in Manifesting! Remember not to doubt, not to get discouraged, and to always keep your mind on what you want. Believe me when I say that if you ask the Universe, and believe, and stay positive, then you will receive, no matter how unlikely the idea may seem to the normal. I'll be sharing my greatest manifesting story soon, so stay tuned! ;)  

☺ Love your Body! Go on a "media cleanse" and avoid magazines, ads, television, anything that portrays the typical one body type. Find images of women/men of all shapes and sizes and post them all over your bathroom, or an area you frequent often. Begin to shift what society deems "beautiful" and create your own beautiful standards where all people are beautiful. You can also read up on my "Being Body Positive" article. :)  

☺ Spend time on Joy! I know I know, I'm repeating, but be sure to make time for the activities that you love and enjoy! It's important and there's always time, you just have to believe there is and sometimes work things around your schedule. But the happier you are the smoother life will flow and the easier it will be to achieve all the things you want. Remember that there should always be a balance between work, play, socializing, and down time.  

☺ Create your own Luck! Start Telling yourself you have Luck! I hear it far too often, and I was definitely guilty of the phrase as well; "I have no luck, I never win anything." *insert sad face here* Well, no, if you keep saying that then you will never win anything. I had this mentality forever! Finally, I won something that I really really wanted and was determined to win. I was using the Law of Attraction without even knowing it and I won. It changed my attitude completely. Later, after learning all about the wonderfulness of the Law of Attraction, I now win things all the time. If I'm super set on winning something it will be mine. It's really quite fantastic. So remember that you create your own luck, so start saying you are lucky and win things and you will! 

☺ Get some fresh air! Take a break from work, or whatever it is you might be doing just to have a little walk outside, or even just to step outside for a moment and take in a deep breath. We coop ourselves up far too easily with workdays and lazy nights in front of TVs, so make a habit of getting outside at every chance you get! 

☺ Worry is a misuse of the Imagination! Stress and worry are created when our minds refuse to remain in the present moment, when our minds run amuck and won't stand still. When unfavourable things happen and we begin to worry then we create a negative experience, when we could instead be focussing our imaginations on an ideal outcome and staying positive. Our imaginations are very powerful tools, and when used correctly have unseen power to bring about good things and miraculous solutions. So stop worrying and start using that imagination for greater good--like solutions to those problems. ;) 

☺ "When you blame others, you give up your power to change."- Dr. Robert Anthony

 I've written up an article on this subject before and it's always a good reminder; take responsibility of your life, of your attitude, of your Self! Instead of misplacing blame, take responsibility and you give yourself the power to change everything. 

Have a beautiful day, week, life! Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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