First good news is that you've almost made it through the month of April, which means Summer is almost here! Second great news is that at the beginning of May, most people's pools open! Woo hoo! Here's to sharing sunshine and tan lines! :)
So this is another goal that's coming at y'all later in the month than planned but I've been on an incredible trip in Colorado and that's what gave me the idea to write. So this month and the goal for this last week leading up to May is Appreciation April!
Throughout the course of this month, and focusing on reveling in the little moments and memories of day do day life, I've began practicing trying to appreciate and give thanks for the things I get to experience in life, be it something great or something difficult.
The good things are easy to appreciate, though we often don't. Getting the sole opportunity to take off work at my leisure and take a trip to visit friends is something I am appreciative and thankful for. Being able to pull a card or cash out of my wallet and make a purchase on something is something I am appreciative and thankful for. Going into a grocery store with an endless selection of food, produce, meats, and beverages you could ever imagine, all in one place, is something I am appreciative and thankful for. These are all basic happenings that I don't often really think about how lucky I am to be able to experience some of the things I do, even just going into a grocery store and buying groceries. These are luxuries in life that not everyone has.
How do you find appreciation through pain or struggle? How can you appreciate something if it wasn't something that made you happy? These are the tougher things in life to appreciate, but that can be done. I've found appreciation lately in struggling through difficult life happenings and realizing that through these happenings, I become wiser of people and the world, and stronger for knowing I can get through and deal with situations I have. I appreciate what I am able to gain through pain, no matter how surface or how deep that pain is.
If you are constantly looking for ways to appreciate and give thanks for every situation in life that comes your way, you are constantly seeing the good sides of things, and always keeping your inner sunshine shining as bright as it can be!
As I said earlier, I've been in Colorado visiting friends. I was in Denver the first couple days of my trip, rented a car, and drove up to Aspen to see some other friends! Not only did I appreciate that I was upgraded at the car rental place (for no extra cost or effort on my behalf) to a brand new Mustang to drive, but I appreciated the sites I saw that I couldn't have imagined seeing.
The imagery is almost too poignant in my mind to put into words. But it was almost like driving into Narnia! It began with a lot of dry mountain rolls around, but slowly turned into snowflakes dancing across my windshield, as ice capped mountains greeted me ahead, while lush, pine covered mountain sides were traced with snow all over their grounds. It was a winter wonderland with the sun shining down through the brightest of blue skies. Literally y'all, skies are bluer and clearer out here. It's incredible. We also hiked up a mountain yesterday for one of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen as well, and rewarded ourselves after with some hot springs bathing!
But the thing was that it wasn't the issues or worries I have back at home that were on my mind, or the money I need to earn when I get back after a vacation like this, or things/brand names/nice dinners that I wanted, or the errands I have to get done when I get home, but it was that for that drive, for that hike, for that moment, I appreciated life for just what it was. The appreciation was as simple as being happy I was in a car with my girlfriends headed to go do something fun. I needed nothing more than that feeling of thanks or bliss to reach my utmost peak of happiness in that moment. There was no validation of my existence needed other than my own consciousness, and excitement for being exactly where I was in that time and moment.
So remember appreciation is a choice; weather appreciating good things as they come, or the growth through the challenging things that come.
Go forward into this week finding ways to appreciate life happenings, or the people that make your life happen. Whatever it may be, strive for it, seek for it, and once you find that sunshine, hold onto it with all you have! And of course, once it's within you, don't forget to share your sunshine with the world!!!
Goodness creates goodness,
Kindness inspires kindness,
Smiles ARE contagious,
And sunshine lives within ALL OF US!
So this is another goal that's coming at y'all later in the month than planned but I've been on an incredible trip in Colorado and that's what gave me the idea to write. So this month and the goal for this last week leading up to May is Appreciation April!
Throughout the course of this month, and focusing on reveling in the little moments and memories of day do day life, I've began practicing trying to appreciate and give thanks for the things I get to experience in life, be it something great or something difficult.
The good things are easy to appreciate, though we often don't. Getting the sole opportunity to take off work at my leisure and take a trip to visit friends is something I am appreciative and thankful for. Being able to pull a card or cash out of my wallet and make a purchase on something is something I am appreciative and thankful for. Going into a grocery store with an endless selection of food, produce, meats, and beverages you could ever imagine, all in one place, is something I am appreciative and thankful for. These are all basic happenings that I don't often really think about how lucky I am to be able to experience some of the things I do, even just going into a grocery store and buying groceries. These are luxuries in life that not everyone has.
How do you find appreciation through pain or struggle? How can you appreciate something if it wasn't something that made you happy? These are the tougher things in life to appreciate, but that can be done. I've found appreciation lately in struggling through difficult life happenings and realizing that through these happenings, I become wiser of people and the world, and stronger for knowing I can get through and deal with situations I have. I appreciate what I am able to gain through pain, no matter how surface or how deep that pain is.
If you are constantly looking for ways to appreciate and give thanks for every situation in life that comes your way, you are constantly seeing the good sides of things, and always keeping your inner sunshine shining as bright as it can be!
As I said earlier, I've been in Colorado visiting friends. I was in Denver the first couple days of my trip, rented a car, and drove up to Aspen to see some other friends! Not only did I appreciate that I was upgraded at the car rental place (for no extra cost or effort on my behalf) to a brand new Mustang to drive, but I appreciated the sites I saw that I couldn't have imagined seeing.
The imagery is almost too poignant in my mind to put into words. But it was almost like driving into Narnia! It began with a lot of dry mountain rolls around, but slowly turned into snowflakes dancing across my windshield, as ice capped mountains greeted me ahead, while lush, pine covered mountain sides were traced with snow all over their grounds. It was a winter wonderland with the sun shining down through the brightest of blue skies. Literally y'all, skies are bluer and clearer out here. It's incredible. We also hiked up a mountain yesterday for one of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen as well, and rewarded ourselves after with some hot springs bathing!
But the thing was that it wasn't the issues or worries I have back at home that were on my mind, or the money I need to earn when I get back after a vacation like this, or things/brand names/nice dinners that I wanted, or the errands I have to get done when I get home, but it was that for that drive, for that hike, for that moment, I appreciated life for just what it was. The appreciation was as simple as being happy I was in a car with my girlfriends headed to go do something fun. I needed nothing more than that feeling of thanks or bliss to reach my utmost peak of happiness in that moment. There was no validation of my existence needed other than my own consciousness, and excitement for being exactly where I was in that time and moment.
So remember appreciation is a choice; weather appreciating good things as they come, or the growth through the challenging things that come.
Go forward into this week finding ways to appreciate life happenings, or the people that make your life happen. Whatever it may be, strive for it, seek for it, and once you find that sunshine, hold onto it with all you have! And of course, once it's within you, don't forget to share your sunshine with the world!!!
Goodness creates goodness,
Kindness inspires kindness,
Smiles ARE contagious,
And sunshine lives within ALL OF US!
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