My Auntie Lil’ turned 100 years awesome this summer. Her secret to happiness is “Love Everyone!”

teaching

braids

frogs  desserts

 flowers from a friend

 

“My Happy Plan”

Keeping focused on positives throughout each day (I am taking pictures of some of the beauty around me to post to this blog and Facebook. Great way to appreciate our everyday miracles.)

Visualizing: to begin a day, to help with reducing a stressful moment such as doctor’s appointments, selling our previous home, keeping healthy, to name a few. 🙂

Affirmations:  repeated daily to help reach a goal, repeated to myself to push away negative thoughts, said together with my children to help them with “expected behavior” and for their “Happy Plan”.

Purposefully smiling and/or laughing (trying to make other people smile or laugh usually works well for this)

Being mindful (being present, focused, grateful, and noticing all the miracles happening around me)

Exercise (I am NOT an expert at this. I have been able to begin a habit of cardio, though and it has made an amazing difference.)

Spending time outside

Acts of Kindness (This gives me an excuse to share my cooking and practice hair tutorials….ha ha)

Showing thanks and being appreciative (saying it, writing it, showing it)

Forgiveness (ugh…this one is tough, but important for our well-being)

Doing your passion    For me this includes: helping others (especially children), cooking, this blog, family time, learning, and teaching

Build and nurture relationships ( I kept an open mind to making new friends and remembering to nurture my long time friendships that I have been so blessed to have in my life.  I have a wonderful, loving, supportive family and extended family as well) I found if I am a better listener (ears and heart), I improve my relationships.

Being unafraid to make mistakes.  Learning from them and not giving up.

Keeping a “Growth Mindset” for myself, my children and others

Mindfulness Practice! Woo woo! Completed Mindfulness Fundamentals through http://www.mindfulschools.org

NO excuses (I realize none of this works unless you give up your excuses!)