Happy New Year

Happy New Year

May 2010 bring you nothing but happiness, love and laughter

May the goals you set be easy to achieve

May you find more reasons to smile in each and every day

No matter when midnight strikes for you

May the following dawn be full of promise

Many hugs from Perth

xxx

Entering the New Decade

So only a few more days and another new decade begins, having been born right in the middle of the 50s there are quite a few already under my belt, I hope that I have many more to come.

I am not one to make New Year's resolutions, but way back in early December I decided that 2010 was my year, the year I turn my health issues around. I will lose weight in 2010 - I am not setting myself a goal, but weight will be lost. I will exercise more and eat well and stop drinking coke (my one weakness). This is the year my life change starts.

Have you decided to make some life changes in 2010? Are there things you are going to do that make your life better, happier, more fulfilled. Is this the year you are going to look at life as 'glass half full'? Let me know, for if I can encourage you in any way during the year I would love to do so.

Roll on 2010 - it is going to be a great year!!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

May 2010 bring you peace, love, laughter and happiness

Hugs from Perth xxx

The 12th Day of Christmas

2009 - the year that was, good, bad, painful, happy, sometimes joyous, often filled with laughter, sometimes with loss, new beginnings, sad goodbyes, days when my glass ran over, days when it was dry. But always filled with love - both given and received. So I don't think I could ask for anything more.

Bring on 2010 - a new decade, the year I turn 55, the year I lose weight (yes I am determined it will happen).

Wishing everyone a year ahead filled with love, laughter and happiness.

Hugs from Perth xxx

The 11th Day of Christmas

Well the 11th day of Christmas sees me busily wrapping Christmas presents and thinking, boy I have gone overboard again!!! Obviously still a lesson I need to learn and not taught in 2009 - but then again, while I can give I love doing so.

So what else can I share on this 11th day of Christmas? Well, 2009 saw me start this 2nd blog as a way to try and inspire others with my life philosophy. I had hoped that other bloggers might send me inspirational stories of their own that they would like to share. Initially I was a little disappointed that it didn't happen that way. But then I realised that it was unfair of me to have expectations of strangers and I should be happy that people come and visit and read and hopefully go away with something to think about, something that might help them in their life journey - and really that is enough.

And so I blog when I have time and have something to share, I no longer feel guilty if that is not every day or every week, for there should be no expectation by me on me either.

So I hope that you have found the odd thing here and there that has helped. 2010 may bring more, but only time will tell.

The 10th Day of Christmas

2009 has reaffirmed some things - I am not perfect, never will be, and don't really want to be - after all once you are perfect what is left for life to teach you.

I know that my heart is pure and strong, that I use it to love unconditionally, that it helps me care deeply for others not just family and friends, but the wider community.

I know that my friendship has helped others and that my friends have been there for me this year - they have lent me their shoulders to lean on - and I realise it is okay for me to take solace there.

I've learnt to be happy with my face, it may be a little worn with time, but the lines are mainly smile lines and my eyes still sparkle with the joy of life.

The 9th Day of Christmas

2009 has been a year of loss, we have lost some friends, some family and some old family friends (from when I was a child so more my Mum and Dad's friends but people I knew well). Some of the people who left us this year have had long and fruitful lives, they were aged and while none of us wants to see anyone die, for some it was a relief from suffering. We also lost some friends who were our age (hubby's and my age) - one from a heart attack, one by their own hand, a cousin of mine from cancer who was not much older than us.

So each and every day, I now appreciate even more than before, for no-one knows when the time will come for us to leave this earth, I hope it is a long time from now, but just in case it is not, I take the time to smell the roses, tell people I love them and enjoy the blessings that life is giving me (of which there are many).

Never get too busy to appreciate what you have, once you have gone it is too late.

The 8th Day of Christmas

2009 presented me with some new toys - a brand new iMac computer which this blog is written on, a new laptop so I can stay connected even when we travel and a brand new car. So I suppose you could say that I have been spoilt with material things in 2009. Each of these give me joy, I love driving my car - I could spend hours in it and never get tired of the pleasure of driving - I have loved driving since I was 15. My old computer was getting so slow that some days it drove me insane - so a new one was one the cards - and it has renewed my love of getting out there in cyberspace to see what is happening in the world - a chance to reconnect with some old friends and to meet new ones.

What this has also done is make me even more aware of how lucky I am, and so this year I have also given more than I normally do to a number of charities, for while I get joy from my new things, I am also acutely aware that others in the world - including Australia - are less fortunate.

The 7th Day Of Christmas

The 7th thing 2009 has bought me is a renewed sense of looking at life with the glass half full.

I have had some ups and many downs this year - probably more than in any other year that I can think of. I have had more pain than ever before, I've been more lonely than ever before, I've felt sadder then I have in a lot of years. There were days and days of sadness, loneliness and pain - maybe even weeks. Some times I got bogged down in it, but always I tried to think of my glass as half full. For no matter how bad my pain was, someone somewhere is always worse, no matter how lonely I felt because my hubby was away - I had family and friends and knew he would be back - some people have no-one in their lives. No matter how sad I got, I only need to have my chicken (my eldest grand-daughter) ring me up and hearing her voice put a smile on my face, I only had to spend some time with my munchkin (my youngest grand-daughter) to have a happiness injection. And though it all, I had my sisters and my family loving me just because they can. So really my life is very blessed and I am so thankful to be walking this earth each and every day.

The 6th Day Of Christmas

One of the surprises of 2009 was my trip to Singapore, my daughter's blog Childhood 101 was nominated and then became a finalist of the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards for best parenting blog. She asked me if I was able to come to help with my youngest grand-daughter as her hubby was unable to take time off work.

While I initially said yes without even thinking, when I stopped and thought about it, it was a little daunting, see my menopausal mumma blog entry here for more info.

It ended up being an amazing journey, I really enjoyed spending time travelling with my daughter and my little munchkin. We met some amazing people, got to experience a different country and to top it off my daughter won the award.

Sometimes things are put before you, you can either choose to jump or stand back and not try - this time I chose to jump and free-falling was awesome.

We Interrupt This Transmission

Did you know the Salvation Army is having a Christmas Appeal. You can donate online here.

Any amount is worth heaps, it all adds up. I've donated for the past 2 years as I feel I am in a position to share with others less fortunate at Christmas time. Can you help to?

By the way, I don't work for or follow the Salvation Army, this is not sponsored in any way, I just wanted to remind people the Appeal was on. There are also many other worthwhile volunteer organisations that could use your help - whoever you prefer, please give something to one of them this Christmas - Let Share The Joy.

The 5th Day of Christmas

Well the 5th thing that 2009 has bought me is new cyberfriends - some are fellow bloggers and some are new FaceBook friends (with some connections to old friends once lost too).

There are some amazingly wonderful women out there blogging, for the most part they are honest to a tee, show an openness that sometimes astounds me, show support for each other - even though most have never met face to face. There are some wonderful young Mums and some wiser older women - all merrily blogging away, not worrying if they are followed or not (although most do have some). There are some mothers of sick children, using the blogging world as a sounding board, a place to voice their frustration and their confusion. There are women with amazing literary talent, all have stories to tell. Taking the time to visit their blogs makes me feel a connection I never thought possible.

So to all my new cyberfriends - thanks for sharing with me and supporting me through the ups and downs of my life.

If you are a lurker and do not have your own blog - go for it, it is a fun ride and opens a whole new universe.

The 4th Day of Christmas

The 4th thing 2009 provided me with was, something I didn't think possible, a deeper love and appreciation of and for my husband. For most of this year he was away in Adelaide working every week (only home on weekends), it caused its share of up and down moments for both of us. But we survived and are now closer and more in love than ever.

So I am thankful that the hardship of his travel came into my life, for after 32 years, while we still love each other and really are soul mates - we are human and took each other for granted somewhat.

I am also thankful that this travel is now over.

True love can endure and strengthen no matter what the obstacles.

3rd Day of Christmas

So what could be the 3rd thing that 2009 bought my way that I am grateful for.

The chance to cut my working hours down to 8 days per fortnight. Didn't know how we would cope money-wise or how I would cope doing 10 days in 8. I should not have worried. We have managed with less money and by re-scheduling and dividing the workload between my staff and I, probably as I should have been doing for a while now, we have had all bases covered.

Don't be afraid to take a chance, I arranged to do it on a 3 month trial basis first with the option of going back to full time if I felt I needed to. Sometimes all you need to do is admit you need a change and then have the courage to ask for it.

On The Second Day of Christmas

Further to yesterday's post, my strange bent on the 12 days of Christmas, here is the 2nd thing I am thankful for.

2009 gave me the chance to become closer to some great friends, started by sharing New Years Eve with them and finishing with celebrating New Years Eve this year too.

P & J, I have really appreciated the time we have spent together this year, the 4 of us always have a blast and your cooking P is to die for - glad we are going to get fit together in 2010 - then I can eat more of the cherry tart and not worry about my expanding waistline - LOL.

Finding time to spend with friends is always uplifting and well worth the effort in our busy lives.

The 12 Days Of Christmas

A new bent on the old favourite. I am going to list 12 uplifting things over the next 12 days that 2009 has sent my way. I would love you to join in by leaving a comment and letting me know what has happened in your life over the last 12 months. After all it is only 1 thing per month.

In the first month - the world gave to me - my Sydney family moving back to Perth - yippee.

Oh and I am also having a new layout just for Christmas. Do you love cherries too - head over to Childhood 101 they are giving you the chance to win a cherry red iPod Nano courtesy of Cherry Growers of Australia. Just look under the Sponsors Section. There is also a week's worth of Glamour for Mums posts - just the thing to make you feel better about yourself.

Hugs from Perth xxx

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

Most of my family are huge Monty Python fans ... I on the other hand only enjoy bits and pieces ... but these few verses from the Life of Brian (he is not the messiah he is just a naughty boy) always bring a smile to my face. Remember - if you take yourself too seriously you might begin to loose the ability to laugh. Enjoy.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (from Monty Python)

words and music by Eric Idle

Some things in life are bad


They can really make you mad


Other things just make you swear and curse.


When you're chewing on life's gristle


Don't grumble, give a whistle


And this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

If life seems jolly rotten


There's something you've forgotten


And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.


When you're feeling in the dumps


Don't be silly chumps


Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

WANT A LAUGH?

If this doesn't make you smile, then I don't know what will - enjoy.

Hugs from Perth xxx

Living Life To The Fullest

Feel like you are not getting anywhere, stuck in a rut, think the grass is greener on the other side? We have all done it, I recently had a period of finding it very hard to see my glass as half full, some of the following inspirational quotes gave me cause to reassess - may they help you to by allowing you to put on some other glasses when viewing your world and life. If there are some inspiration quotes that you use in your life, I would love for you to share them here.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle ... Albert Einstein.

A bird does not sing because it has an answer; it sings because it has a song ... Chinese proverb

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you deal with it is what makes the difference ... Virginia Satir

Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent ... Marilyn vos Savant

Hugs from Perth xxx

The Simple Things

Do you find pleasure in the simple things of life - or do you overlook these striving for the dream. Don't ever stop striving - but sometimes take time to smell the roses - or watch a butterfly as it soars around the garden - or listen to a bird sing - or enjoy the sunshine.

Take time to appreciate the wonder of a sunset or sunrise, marvel at a rainbow, enjoy the laughter of a child, a smile of a stranger.

To often we are so caught up in following that dream that the small simple pleasures of life pass us by.


Today I am marvelling at the small spiderweb of rainbows that the prism on my window sill is spinning across my desk. The sun has gone behind the trees as it moves towards the end of its daytime journey here, and just the littlest amount is catching my prism, so rather than rainbows dashing around my room, there is a spiderweb of small interconnecting rainbows patterning - smaller and smaller as the breeze rustles the trees.

Hope you find time this weekend to leave the big stuff behind, relax and enjoy some of the small things that we can so often fail to see.

Taking The Time

Today my hubby and I caught up for lunch with some good friends of ours - we spent a few hours, eating, talking, joking and watching the wind, waves and rain out of the windows of the restaurant. We were lucky enough to be at a restaurant right on the beach.

It is so easy when you work as hard as we do, to not take the time to just do something as relaxing as sharing some time with friends.

Normally Sunday is my washing day - and today was no different, but I hung it up (under the patio) and just left it there to dry - tomorrow is soon enough to bring it in, today was about enjoyment and friendship.

I encourage you to make a point of not getting so busy just doing that you forget to enjoy the life you live. I need to remind myself of this more often as well. Time is fleeting.

My Room Is Full Of Rainbows

Are you lucky enough to have a room full of rainbows? I am.

Last week one of my sisters (see this post on my other blog) gave me a prismed glass paperweight and with it came this note "To my beautiful friend, I couldn't resist this reflection of what a wonderful person you are. Angels bless"

I knew just where to put it - on the windowsill in my study - and so here it sits today, catching the sunlight on this cold blustery Spring day - casting rainbows all around my room.

I can not help but smile every time I catch one out of the corner of my eye. I hope you find your rainbow today and that it leads you to the pot of gold that is a true and lasting friendship.

Thank you so much JB you mean the world to me as well. xxx

Inspiration

Where do you find your inspiration - I would love you share that with me here.

I find mine from nature - the ever changing seasons bring so much into our lives, in each day there is something that can be found that if you look closely enough you can find a parallel in your life - black rainy days are followed by sunshine - or maybe just a little bit of sun shining through to let you know there is light ahead.


Rainbows show you the beauty in a stormy day. Thunder and lightning is followed by peace - it is so quiet when it all finishes.


Spring days bring you sunshine and bird song - if you stop and make the time to listen. New growth all around you.


Autumn brings falling leaves and a time of change.


Summer is hot but often brings balmy evenings when you can lay outside and look up at the stars and marvel at the universe above you.


Babies and toddlers are also inspirational - the sense of wonder you see in their faces as they discover new things around them, the way they laugh so easily - without stopping to worry about what other people think, they way they cry and then put the hurt behind so them quickly - not holding on to it all.

If we could find that wonder in every day, laugh when the feeling overtook us, leave behind the hurt - how much happier we would all be.

Spring is Just Around the Corner

For all of us that live in Australia, Spring is just around the corner. Blue sky days, gentle breezes, flowers blooming, gentle Spring showers, warm sunshine on your back as you work in the garden.

Spring a time of rebirth, of new beginnings - if you have had a winter of discontent - my wish for you is that you will embrace the Spring change - that the universe will bring you contentment and good fortune.

Here are some Spring quotes to inspire us all:

An optimist is the human personification of Spring - Susan J Bissonette

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams

In Spring time, loved is carried on the breeze. Watch out for flying passion or kisses whizzing by your head - Emma Racine deFleur & my addition - why not catch a few as they whizz past!!

May this Spring bring you all of the good things that life can bring - embrace all that life offers you for you never know what may bloom - Karen Shaddock

A Fun Way of Starting Married Life

Celebrate - thanks to Melissa for finding this and sharing on her blog.

Have You Checked Your Happiness Lately

Here is a happiness health check - food for thought at least. "Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections"

Do you judge your happiness on everything being perfect in your life - if you do are you denying yourself happiness - lets face it nothing is perfect and does it really have to be, is not choosing perfection as a benchmark making a rod for your back - as you will always be striving for something that may not be possible? This doesn't mean you should accept second best but be realistic in your expectations.

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognising and appreciating what we do have." - Frederick Keonig

Do you constantly crave what is unachievable - like thinking you would be happier if you won the lottery or had a different job. There are no guarantees that achieving these things would make you happier - they might, but they also may bring other pressure and hardships you don't expect. If you seriously look at what you do have in your life - is it really that bad?

"Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul." - Democritus and "Happiness is not having what you want. It is wanting what you have"

It is easy for us to get caught up in our struggles, my hope is that you find the time to find your inner peace and to be happy within yourself - that really is the only thing we have control over.

My life, like everyone elses has its ups and downs, sometimes like now there seem to be more downs than ups - I give myself permission to be sad and angry, but above all I give myself permission to rise above and see the world in a different light.

If your life is full of serious troubles, please don't think I am making light or saying it is easy for you - I am only writing from my place of thought.

LIfe - A Journey Not A Race

Life is not a race
But a journey to be savoured
Each step of the way
Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift

Do not fret over what has passed it can not be undone
Remember tomorrow always becomes today
So cherish the moments that today has bought

And above all - Take time to smell the roses

Life Is LIke A Winter's Day

I was sitting at my desk this morning, looking out at the climbing rose, admiring how much it is flourishing under the blue winter sky - no clouds, just fresh winter sun. Thinking to myself how funny it is that a plant could reaffirm to me so many life lessons.

I then got busy on my computer and in my study - still sorting out stuff - my life seems full of stuff.

The next time I looked out the window I was surprised to see a grey sky instead of blue - no real clouds (obviously high ones that blended together to make the grey) but not stormy at all just grey. Probably only 15-20 mins had passed and yet the day took on a totally different hue.


This got me to thinking about how life is like a winter's day - one minute sunny and one minute grey. But rather than let the grey get me down, I gave thanks that more rain was on the way, we so desperately need it here in Perth. It is also warmer when there is cloud cover and we have been having some cold nights that play havoc with my old bones. But I also looked forward to knowing that the blue will come back, something to look forward to. A bit like eating the veggies you don't like knowing that you are saving the good part of your dinner for last.

Life is like that - one minute good things are happening, the next some more difficult one may appear, but the difficult ones can allow you to achieve things you didn't think you could, and for most of us there is light at the end of the tunnel - your blue sky so to speak.

Who would have thought that moving my study into a new room would give me the opportunity to become so philosophical on such a regular basis.

My wish for you is that I hope your life is giving you a good balance of fresh blue winter skies to outweigh the grey ones.

xxx

Looking For Your Feedback And/Or Posts

As mentioned in the header to the blog, I would love people to share stories, or quotes or anything that inspires them - it might be a web address or even another blog (I'm not going to get upset by that).

So if you would like me to post here on your behalf, just email it to me and let me know if you want to tell the world your name, or keep it anonymous - I don't mind either way, but I would love this to be more than my thoughts - after all maybe only I find them inspirational.

Or maybe you just want to tell me "I dreaming" (quote from the Aussie movie 'The Castle' - now that will give you a laugh, well it will if you are an Aussie).

Be assured that I won't be discouraged if I don't get any response for there is more that I want to share but I want to make sure you all know that I would love you to be part of this blog journey as well.

Inner Strength & Endurance

It is a little over a week since I wrote my Giving Thanks post. As I look out of my study window this morning, my climbing rose is lush and green, shading my study window from the sun. Even those branches that I thought had no hope of recovering from my neglect are now sprouting green leaves. Two honeyeaters are busily feeding off the various insects and sipping water droplets of the leaves left from the last shower.

I know that this is a plant and not a person, but this plant did not give up, I had - I thought it was dead. But it found inner strength to thrive.

So perhaps there is another lesson this rose can teach us - even when others have given up on you, you can find your inner strength and show them what you are made of. Don't let others take away your hope.

As Christopher Reeve said after his accident

"Once you choose hope, anything is possible".

If you are feeling down and hopeless, I hope this may help, please believe that there is always hope, there is always a way forward - you just need to find your inner strength and choose to thrive.

Focus

One of the blogs I follow - My Charming Kids - had a post by McMama about Focus - and I have borrowed from it as it rang true to me and I feel it is something I would like to share here. Among other things, McMama was talking about when her marriage was going through some tough times how her focus became on the faults of her husband, but how the following words inspired her to change her focus so that now by focusing on what is good, rather than what is bad, even though the bad things may still be there they don't dominate. I have paraphrased somewhat here and so If you would like to read all her post so that it is in her words not mine - here is the link

Her inspiration came from the most read book in the world, the Bible,

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Philippians 4:8

If we are honest with ourselves, I think we would agree that it is easy to focus on the negative things that happen in our lives and if we are not careful they then dominate. My philosophy of living the 'the half full glass' life is while I don't bury my head in the sand, that even on the hardest day - maybe a day of pain from my arthritis, or feeling sad when my hubby flies off to Adelaide yet again, I acknowledge that is how I am feeling, but once it is acknowledged then I put it behind and find the good in what else is to come or what else surrounds me.

So my challenge to you for this week is to take the time to find the good and to embrace and celebrate it. I hope you will accept.

Giving Thanks - A Timely Reminder

Now I'm not sure if anyone is even reading this blog of mine, but somewhere, sometime, I hope that someone comes across this and what I write gives them some hope or inspiration or even just a good laugh at my naivety.


So this morning I am sitting at my desk looking out the window at a climbing rose that I was given by a dear friend probably 10+ years ago. This beautiful rose gets very little love and yet it has grown and thrived until this past long hot summer and suddenly one day it looked very dead. It seemed to happen overnight - although obviously that is not true - but we took it for granted and loved its beauty and the shade it gave (it is big) and admired the little pink roses, masses of them every flowering - and then suddenly one day I really looked at it and it seemed dead - brown leaves and worse still in spots leafless dry brittle stems pointing jaggedly at the sky - a little like accusing bony fingers pointing at me and scolding me for its neglect. I mourned the loss and did indeed scold myself for not making sure it had water, for not caring - I know I am busy but I neglected this beautiful plant, I took the pleasure I got from it for granted and I thought it would always be there - it has been for over 10+ years so why would it not for another 10.

Today as I look out, there are new green shoots appearing on many of what I thought were dead branches, and so I give thanks for the small amount of rain we have had, to nature for the strength of this neglected beauty, to my friend for sharing this plant with us. This weekend we will prune back those branches which are no longer viable and then I will continue to enjoy and give thanks as I watch it come back to life.

I wonder if there are other things or people in our lives we take for granted, that we don't give thanks for, and then suddenly they are gone. If it is people - unlike this beautiful rose - they can not come back from the dead. Take time in each day to give thanks for those you love and take the time to tell them of your love - don't take it for granted that they know.

Belief

I believe ...

that all good things are possible

that you deserve all the good things that come into your life, they are sent to you for a reason

that everyone has the potential to see the glass as half full, you just need to give yourself permission

that everyone deserves to be cherished in some way

that every new day has the potential to be the best of your life if you let it

that even the bad things can be lessons for us to grow if we give ourselves permission to see it as so

that all the people who come into my life are sent for a reason, but that some will only stay for a short time, while others are mine to keep forever

What do you believe?

Thankfulness Quotes For Your Consideration

These quotes have touched my heart this week - may they also touch yours, or at least give you something to ponder.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit - Albert Schweitzer.

Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart - Sarah Ban Breathnach

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life; and thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greater part of life is sunshine - Thomas Jefferson

A Good New Story

One of my girlfriends has been out of work for about 8 months and has been looking hard for work. In one week alone she sent off 20+ applications. A lot of the time she hasn't even managed to get an interview and she was understandably getting disheartened and disillusioned.

She did a couple of months contract work with me, but I had no more money to keep her on contract, even though she did a fantastic job and was a joy to have working with our team.

We had discussed the fact that there was a job out there somewhere, it would come and find her, she just had to be patient.

Well - it found her yesterday - she didn't apply, she didn't even know it was on offer. It found her anyway. So if you are out there looking for work, keep positive and believe. I know it is easy for me to say, I am not in your shoes. But keep your confidence and self belief as I am sure you can be just a lucky.

Happiness - Some Quotes to Contemplate

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want" - Margaret Young

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have" - Frederick Keonig

"Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued is always beyond our grasp, but, if you sit down quietly, may alight on you" - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Random Acts

In a world that is full of stress and negativity is taking the time to smile at someone too much effort? I sort of hope that for every smile I give someone they might pass it on to someone else because just maybe it makes them feel better. I'm probably being really naive but wouldn't it be nice to have a smile chain-letter (so to speak). A bit like the ripple effect before you know it there is a tidal wave of smiling people - could it be that easy?

So I am setting a weekly challenge to anyone who wants to accept it, how about you pass on a random act of kindness, friendship or caring or even something as simple as a smile to a stranger this week.

It may be just complimenting someone else on their smile, or their service to you, or may be how a certain colour they are wearing suits them and makes their eyes sparkle.

Just some small thing that you normally wouldn't do on a daily basis.

I would love to know how it makes you feel and what sort of response you get from the person you shared this random act with.

We all get so caught up in our own journeys that the blinkers are on and we fail to see what it around us, sometimes the simple act of acknowledging someone else can make not only our life journey better but theirs as well.

Will you take on the challenge?

The Half Full Glass

There is a philosophy on how people look at life - the glass half full or the glass half empty. The first supposedly means you see life more optimistically than the second which is viewing the world more pessimistically.

For those of you who may have read my other blog (menopausalmumma) you would hopefully know that I try to see the glass as half full all the time, don't always succeed, but certainly try.

I have for a while been thinking about having a blog that shares a positive view on life and helps us focus on things that can inspire us and brings us joy. I very rarely watch the news anymore or read the paper as I find they are mostly full of stories without hope - and I believe in these time of struggle we all need hope in our lives. Hence the name of this blog and the intent behind it - to bring some fun and positive inspiration to others to help everyone see the glass as being half full. It just needs to start with one person feeling happy and they can ripple it on to others. If 100 people feel good it can ripple out to thousands.

So if you have something in your life or something you do that inspires you or makes you feel good, or you come across a story that makes you feel there is hope in this world, you can email it to me at thehalffullglass@amnet.net.au and I will happily post it here so that together we can inspire others. I may also just have links to other people's blogs if they have a post that I find inspiring, uplifting, funny or zany.

I really feel that if we can try and see the good in all things - even if we have been hurt or disappointed badly there is a lesson that life can teach us - we can survive or we can choose to let life victimise us - what will your choice be? I choose to be a survivor because I deserve to have a life full of good things and I believe that you do too.