HAPPY New Year

Okay... it's been awhile. I've just been trying to recover from the holidays, school break and then getting back into the swing of work in a new year! You? Christmas holidays always wear me out - I'm no Martha Stewart and all that cooking and decorating and shopping are just not my thing!!! I really wish I were more like my mom when the holidays come around - she had such fun with it all and did it all with a smile on her face. Amazing woman! I was blessed!

Guess it would make sense to talk about New Year's Resolutions, but I really never make them. Actually, I think the best thing to resolve to do is simply be happy and peaceful within yourself... that's where world peace will come from, ya know. When we each find that peace in our own lives, the world will be at peace. I think war and greed and problems really come from unhappiness with ourselves. When we are unhappy, we try to find happiness outside of ourselves and so we think we have to have more stuff and the pursuit of more stuff makes for crime and greed and turmoil. Call me simplistic, but I really do think the answer is a simple one... not easy, just simple: practice gratitude. When a person is grateful for all the blessings in their lives, they are just naturally happy. Even when things look bleak, there is always something to be grateful for... do you have people to love and that love you? do you have a place to live? clothes to wear? food to eat? do you appreciate a beautiful day? do you have your health? do you have friends? There are just so many things that we all take for granted and if we were to consciously notice and appreciate the good in our lives, we'd find so much more to be grateful for. I feel like gratitude is simply like Miracle Gro... it makes good things grow and mulitply.

So... here's a daily thing that I do that has made the biggest change in my life... a gratitude journal. It's simple and it works! Every night before I go to sleep, I write down 5 things that I am grateful for... sometimes big things, mostly just "small" things, but I make a point to notice and appreciate the good in my life. It has made the difference between surviving and thriving... and it has brought me much happiness. If you're lacking in happiness or peace, I invite you to just try it for a couple months. Then let me know what YOU think.

Have a MOST Happy New Year!