The Heart and Soul of Spring Cleaning

“In three words I can sum up everything

I’ve learned about life:

it goes on.”

~ Robert Frost

Years ago, when I was a young girl, spring cleaning was a ritual not taken lightly in my mother’s home. Soon after the arrival of the first robins and crocus sprouts, I and my sisters, along with our mother, grandmothers, aunts and (female) cousins would don our work clothes and get about the business of sweeping out the heavy trappings of winter.  The dark, weighty slip covers where replaced with lighter, floral cottons (a decorating fashion of the times), drapes were removed, windows washed and flung open and jugs of pussy willows and lilacs filled the spaces previously occupied by, now tired and leggy, poinsettias.  In the meantime, Dad would be busy in the garage stowing away snow shovels and bags of rock salt to make room for rakes, hoes, grass seed and fertilizer. 

It was a full weekend’s undertaking. Yet, as we curled up on the sofa Sunday night thoroughly spent and bone weary, (eager to see where the brave and beautiful Lassie would take us this time) we were filled with a great sense of peace in our newly refreshed and airy home.

Spring is teasing us here in the mountains and I find myself reaching back to those old memories and the feelings of gratification they brought. I am not the homemaker my mother was.  Though I don’t own full sets of seasonal accouterments and am quite content with a cursory “shoveling out,” I still employ this “out with the old” ritual, but in a more internal way. 

Unlike in autumn, when I pull in, slow down and use the darker, fireside coziness to contemplate the workings of my life; in the springtime I want to shed the heavy skins of what’s no longer working and make room for a lighter and brighter existence. So this week, I’m going to fling open the windows of my heart and mind, toss out the old hurts – given and received – and plant seeds of forgiveness.  I’m going to clear the shelves of worn out stories and replace them with bouquets of happy endings.  I’m going sweep out the cobwebs of regret and make room for the tools of action. I’m going to paint the old, dark walls of fear with the bright promise of trust and courage. I’m going to tie my dreams to robin’s wings and let them nest in hope.

And, when I’m done, I’m going to sit out on my deck and listen to the birds and watch the bees and smell the rich, damp earth and send up a little prayer of thanks that life does, indeed, go on….as renewed, refreshed and meaningful as I chose to make it.

Namaste,

 Dorothy

Be sure to drop by our Facebook page this week (The 51%Project) and enjoy our inspirational offerings.  In the meantime, we send you our very best wishes for a Happy Easter and Passover.

What Would YOUR Top 1% Do?

A few months ago I found Alissa Finerman's book Living in your top 1%, and was inspired by her positive attitude and simple approach to making powerful life changes.  I hope you find inspiration in her recent blog post.  Thank you for sharing with us, Alissa!  

Susan

“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” – Naguib Mahfouz, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988

I often hear the question What would love do or What would kindness do? I love these questions because they help to guide us forward with compassion and truth. Let me add one more powerful question to the mix…

What Would YOUR Top 1% Do?

Perhaps this is not a question you are used to asking but why not? It’s all about conditioning our mind to reach our potential. Some people prefer to ask, why did this happen or why did that happen which puts you in a constant state of analyzing rather than moving forward.

Please note, your Top 1% represents potential and opportunity rather than how much money you have, your level of education, your title, or how many homes you own. It’s about being fulfilled, growing, and practicing rituals to share your best self with the world. Each of us can define what our personal Top 1% looks like.

Let’s take a look at three different areas in your life and ask…
What would YOUR Top 1% do?

1. Career: You are in an unfulfilling job 
Top 1% Question: What does it cost you on a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual level to not be engaged or fulfilled in your job?

Top 1%ers see the big picture and have the courage to take steps to change a reality that is not working. It may take time to change a situation but to live in your top 1% you need to take small steps forward and live your truth (ie, call a headhunter, fine-tune your resume, or have informational interviews to learn about a company).

2. Health: You keep talking about getting in shape but do not follow-through
Top 1% Question: Does being inconsistent with your thoughts and actions align with your goals and lead to the results you want?

Top 1%ers practice a high level of consistency and focus on core priorities. In this scenario, it’s essential to understand why working out is important and how it improves your life. If you don’t value health or care about working out, then it may not be the right goal or priority for your right now.

3. Relationships: You have a friend who drains your energy
Top 1% Question: What does your ideal Top 1% team look like and does this friend add to or detract from your team?

People who want to live in their top 1% understand the importance of having people in their life (aka a Top 1% team) who enhance their life rather than drain their energy. You only have so much time and energy so don’t be afraid to honor yourself. As Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

TOP 1% BOTTOM LINE: At every step, you have the option to go for good or great. You can condition your mind to quickly align choices, goals, and actions by asking better questions. Asking the right questions will help you gain clarity and, ultimately, make better decisions. If you can make better decisions, you can position yourself for success by sharing YOUR Top 1% with the world.

Life is a series of choices. It’s a process, not magic.

About Alissa
Alissa Finerman, is a Business/Life Coach, motivational speaker, and author of the book, “Living in Your Top 1%: Nine Essential Rituals to Achieve Your Ultimate Life Goals” which is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. To learn more please visit, AlissaFinerman.com and Facebook.com/AlissaFinermantop1.com. 

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S & D

Rest, SWEET, Rest

“The faster I go, the behinder I get.”

              ~ Lewis Carroll

How easy it is for us to get caught up in the idea of our own grandiosity and forget that the world, and our lives, will, indeed, go on even with a temporary lull in our attention!  So often we push on, to the point of exhaustion, believing that our needs are secondary to our bosses, our spouses, our children, our parents, our friends, our places of worship, our communities, the committees we serve on, the pets we care for, the garden, the laundry, the shopping, the, the, the……And then wonder why we left that important graph out of the report, left the shopping list on the counter, scorched our child’s school uniform, lost the directions to the new meeting place….A weary mind will find a million ways to tell you to STOP! Hopefully, it won’t be the broadside of a truck, after running a red light that finally makes you get this!

Here’s the truth:  YOU are the most important being in your universe. Without the necessary care required to keep YOU nourished, fed, exercised and rested, all the other people and things in your life will suffer in one-way or another.  A body and soul receiving only part of what they need, can only give part of what they have to others. It’s a lose, lose equation!

Economists and financial advisers will tell you that you cannot have a realistic and workable budget if you don’t pay yourself first. Take what you need for savings, expenses right off the top.  So it is with your time and life budget….you have to pay yourself first if there’s to be anything left for the rest.

Like everything you do, say, think – good self-care is a choice. So, whether you spend your day at an office or in your home, make and take a time out (or two) everyday. Turn off your phone, TV, computer, Ipad/pod, Kindle, Nook, voices in your head and go sit in a park, your car, on your front porch…and REST. 

Your business will not shut its doors because of your twenty-minute absence, REALLY.

Your family will live to see another day if dinner is fifteen minutes late, REALLY.

The school bake sale will still go on even if you don’t get the brownies there by 10 am, REALLY. 

You and every one you love, and all the things you do, will be better for your few minutes of nothingness, REALLY!

PUT YOUR FEET UP!

Dorothy

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Turning Points

Life is always at some turning point. - Irwin Edman

I’m surprised to say this, but I can’t believe it’s only the first weekend of 2012.  I feel like I’m fully integrated into this new year, having taken no pause for reflection, nor for gingerly sticking my toe in to test the waters.  Boom!  I’m living fully in 2012.  

This week we began reaching out to you in a new way.   We’re sharing what has peaked our interest in daily comments on our Facebook page, The 51% Project.  We hope you’ve found us there and that you’re enjoying the more concise posts.

As promised, if you’re not a Facebook fan, we’re going to include all of those posts in our weekly wrap-up as our blog on Saturdays.  Here is what we were inspired by this week:

New Year’s day is everyone’s birthday! Let’s celebrate!

Your spark can become a flame and change everything. -E.D. Nixon

I’ve learned that you’ll never be disappointed if you always keep an eye on uncharted territory, where you’ll be challenged and growing and having fun.  -Kristie Alley

The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mood of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form ... happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up.- Charles L. Morgan

When you come right down to it,

the secret of having it all is loving it all.  -Dr. Joyce  Brothers

The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own.  No apologies or excuses.  No one to lean on, rely on or blame.  The gift of life is yours; it is an amazing journey; and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. - Dan Zadra

We hope you find inspiration in at least one of these quotes, and that the inspiration helps you take one more step in creating the joy filled life you desire.

Have a wonderful week!

Gifts from the Sea

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious,

too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open,

choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

There is something about being near the sea that changes me. The juxtaposition of fury and serenity settles beneath my skin to my cells and soul, helping me to renew my acceptance of the ebb and flow of life. I am always changed and better for the experience.

Recently I had the great pleasure of spending three weeks by the sea, up the coasts of New Hampshire and Maine, and around the Canadian Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It was an awesome, incredible, breathtaking and jaw-dropping journey. But, in spite of the excitement and joy that comes with great adventures, I also carried with me a deep sadness and great concern as some people I love were experiencing great loss and difficult challenges in their lives at the time of my departure.

Then one evening, on the shore of Peggy’s Cove, on the Southern coast of Nova Scotia, the waves wild in the wake of hurricane Lee, I saw that even after being tossed and tumbled by the fierceness and rage of an angry sea, the beach and shells and rocks and bits of washed up glass had come to rest at last; glistening in the sun, rough edges smoothed, beautiful in a new and triumphant way. And I knew that my loved ones though tossed and tumbled by the harsh, tumultuous occurrences currently in their life, would one day also be glistening in the sun, softened and peaceful again. I was filled with joy and gratitude.

Beyond the heart and head filling memories and images gathered along the way of my travels, I have returned with something else: a gift from the sea – the gift of hope and peace, and a renewal of faith that life, like the sea, will be full of highs and lows, of rage and stillness but if we lay ourselves open to its cycles, trusting that calm will come after the storm, we will arrive on shores worth reaching.

In the vastness of our surroundings there is always something that can show us the way to a deeper knowing.  Whether a small shell or a great ocean, there are truths and wisdom to be learned from nature.  Take the time to see and listen – you’ll be grateful for the gifts.

Happy Trails,

D

 Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

Dorothy  There were other gifts along the way as well:  The comfort and joy of spending time with dear and special friends, the rekindling of long ago friendships with people who still have the power to make me a better person, and the companionship of the quintessential traveling buddy; an extraordinary women with whom I look forward to always taking the scenic route, on the road and in life.

Susan  I'm in one of the "calm water" segments of life.  But, that doesn't mean I don't have concerns, or trials every day.  Despite some random uneasiness, I'm enjoying the respite this calm brings, because I've been here before and know that the one constant in life is change. Change comes in many forms but, I believe it shines light on something that needs to be reviewed, therefore, it's productive and helps me better myself.

In Praise of Farmers

In Praise of Farmers

Up at dawn, 

to bed at dusk,

Tending every seed
and husk,

In sun, and rain,
and wind, and snow,

It matters not,
for they must go,

Through bugs and beasts
and floods and drought,

They cannot stop,
they must not doubt.

For the rich, the poor
on them depend,

The war on hunger
they must defend.
And to our tables 

comes their bounty,
To every town and 

state and county,

But those of us who
share their gifts,

Think little of their
daily risks,

The toil and hardship
they must face,

To bring the feast that
earns our Grace.

So, with each bite you next should savor,

Do not forget the farmer’s labor,

That brought these gifts from farms to stands,

And praise the farmer’s loving hands.

DM

8/2011

Dorothy and Susan:   This week let's all acknowledge the great abundance that surrounds us...visit your local Farmers' Market, pick-your-own berries, buy or pick a bunch of flowers and bring them to your neighbor and do what you can to otherwise support your local farmers, to share the harvest and to savor the banquet of life.

(the photos above were snapped at the Boise, ID Farmers' Market - one of the nation's best!  Thank you for the opportunity Chris and Kristi)

Mind Over Chatter

All that we are is the result of what we have thought.

The mind is everything. What we think we become.”

                     The Buddha

I talk to myself.  A lot.  I know that certain categories of “head-talk” can raise legitimate concerns about mental illness, but I’m thinking mine is pretty much a run-of-the-mill, “normal thing."  Right??? (RIGHT???)

My mind chatters in several different ways; it carries on conversations I plan to have – or wish I had had, reminds me of things I need to do, and spends time telling me how good or BAD something, someone – usually myself – is. For example: The other day a friend asked if I’d gotten her phone message. “Yes,” I said, “didn’t you get mine?”  She hadn’t, because as it turned out, the reply I thought I sent had never left my head – (again).  I do this often; have running conversations with family and friends, (foes, politicians, authors, store managers, people in the supermarket line, etc.) and of course, myself.  Just your usual, run-of-the-mill, silent mind talk. 

It can be useful. Like when I play out a potentially prickly conversation in my head, it gives me an opportunity to sort out my thoughts.  I can take an honest look at my agenda, discard any judgments I may hold, put my ego on the sideline and then approach the actual dialogue without predetermined outcomes and an open mind. In this case talking to myself is helpful.

Talking to myself is also useful when I have a lot on my to-do list, or need to remember to take something out for dinner or pick up the dry cleaning.  Mentally reciting lists, calendars, and schedules helps me to keep on track during busy or stressful times.  The mental chatter reinforces my memory, keeps the notion (idea, thought, concept) active until it is accomplished - a good thing, right?

It can be.  But my mind’s capacity to reinforce my memory – to burn thoughts and ideas into its consciousness - is not discriminating. It holds all things I feed it, including the not so nice conversations I have with it.  Like the judgments, criticisms, and labels I bestow upon myself regularly and the reminders of my past mistakes and poor choices. 

More sages than I can list have reminded us that we are what we think. When we choose positive self-talk we become positive people. The same goes for negative self-talk.  My mind goes into accomplishment mode, no matter what’s on the list. When I go to the store and say to myself: broccoli, broccoli, broccoli; I get broccoli.  When I drop the milk carton on the floor and say to myself: stupid, stupid, stupid; I get stupid. 

Luckily, though a very powerful thing, the mind is also very compliant and can be easily tricked!  As Fatima Doman of the Franklin Covey Leadership Organization points out in her enlightening 7 Points to a Positive Outlook presentation, we CAN change our minds!  “ It takes about a second for a negative thought to trigger the release of stress hormones, so make a habit of disputing negative thoughts immediately.”  We can shut down the negative chatter without too much effort.  Here are a few of her useful suggestions:

Dispute negative self-talk – ask yourself for evidence that this thought is accurate.   Does spilling the milk really make me stupid?

Dispute all or nothing thinking – have you exaggerated the issue? Do I really always spill the milk?  Will I really never stop spilling the milk?

Use an affirming touchstone/mantra (rubber band?) – when negative chatter boils up in your mind – put your mind somewhere else, and let the negative thought go.

Practice affirming self-talk – when STUPID is the label you or someone else puts on you, immediately counter with: “NO!  I am NOT stupid; I am bright, creative, resourceful and……………….”

Work to immerse yourself in positivity – surround yourself with positive people, watch uplifting movies, listen to cheerful music, walk in the forest – (studies show that time spent in nature releases endorphins, sharpens our mental attitude, and decreases stress).  Choosing to live in a positive way will quiet your inner critic, too!

Remember, “Every time you judge yourself, you break your own heart.” (Swami Kripalu). So, above all, treat yourself with the same kindness you show to others! 

Peace,

Dorothy

Dorothy: Travel, good company, outstanding cuisine and extraordinary sights (have you been to the farmers market lately?) and sounds (AMAZING free concerts here in Mountain Town!) have kept my inner critic at bay this week, but a very full TO-DO list hides in the shadows, so I must, MUST remember to put Fatima's helpful ideas to practice.  I am calm, I am efficient, I am productive, I am, I Am, I AM!

Susan:  It’s been a tremendously chaotic week for me with lots of work to accomplish, appointments to keep, a small renovation project at home, an office move, people in and out of the house, and the telephones (land and cell lines) ringing continually.  As the hours evaporated I found myself running these words through my head repeatedly...”I’m so busy, I’ll never get it all done in time”!  My stress levels went through the roof ... what a surprise!  Because of wonderful teachers like Dorothy and Fatima I was able to bridge the negative self talk with some positivity and complete everything on my to-do list.  I feel accomplished.   Whew!  I’m ready for a weekend and maybe a leisurely cup of tea.


Thanks as always for your continued support and inspiration! Have a wonderful week!

Starving at the Banquet of Life

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters

Compared to what lies within us.

                         - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I was sitting in the sun at the park with a friend I had, admittedly, and guiltily, chosen not to spend time with in quite awhile.  Mother Nature was doing a fabulous job making amends for the extremely long winter she had dealt us. What remained of the 45-foot snow pack frosted the surrounding mountains, which looked three dimensional against the bluest BLUE BIRD sky of the season. The melt off had produced trees and grass in shades of green I’m not even sure there are words for.  Birds sang, dogs barked, children laughed.  It was a perfect moment in time.  But lost in her litany of could’ves and should’ves, wrong doings and if onlys, my friend was missing it all.  Suddenly I realized what had kept me so distant from her these past months:  I could no longer bare the pain of watching this beautiful, talented, good woman starving at the banquet of life.

Sadly, this is a way of life for my friend, but haven’t we all, at one time or another, been stuck in the planning and recalling that life insists on; our senses momentarily blurred to the life going on around us?  There are bills to pay, leaky faucets to fix, music lessons and football games to get to, obligations and responsibilities to juggle. It seems often that something or someone has us looking ahead. And, too, don’t we sometimes need to look back on our yesterdays, calling on the lessons learned and the wonderful, and also the difficult, memories of the past to remind us how to be and who we are today?  

Living in the now is a concept most of us get intellectually, but enter reality and things can get a little murky! Everyday we have 31,536,000 NOWs in which to be the best versions of ourselves. Some of those nows require planning and remembering, dreaming and hoping.  But when we allow ourselves to get swept up in the folly of regret, worry and projection, we, too, can find ourselves starving at the banquet of life. 

When we spend our time regretting what was, we waste the moment that is.  There are no do-overs in life. Mistakes, missed opportunities, harsh words or actions cannot be taken back.  But, they can be great reminders to make better choices. They can be turning points from which to go forward and grow.  They can be opportunities from which to learn the power of acceptance, of forgiveness, of peace. Remembering should not be confused with regret.

When we spend our time worrying about what will be, we waste the moment that is.  Leo Buscalia, author of Because I’m Human and other notable books, once wrote, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” We cannot create outcomes from worry.  We cannot shape the future through projection.  That is not to say, our deeds and thoughts and words do not affect our tomorrows, they do.  Living an authentic, thoughtful, kindhearted life will surely bring you better tomorrows.  And, maybe more importantly, will provide you with the strength, courage and support you may need should tomorrow present a challenge.  But we must not confuse hope with worry, or planning with projection.

To most of us, these are not great and startling revelations!  Most of us have been there and done that before.  The question then, is how to stop these time wasting, futile forays into the past and future? 

A method I have found helpful over the years is what I call “rubber band reality!” It’s a simple, yet effective way to remind myself that where my head is taking me is not where I am, or want to be. It works like this:  Whenever I find myself getting stuck in a cycle of pointless, torturous, regret and worry mind games, I get a wide rubber band and slip it on my wrist. Then, the next time I find myself unable to resist stepping back to things I can’t change, or forward to things I can’t control, I give that rubber band a BIG snap. The sting acts as a wake up call to STOP and a reminder to look around and note that in the here and now, I am safe and living exactly the life I am intended to live!  For me, it works every time. Could it work for you, too?

Life is not a flash in the pan, but rather a rich, slow-cooked stew of moments in time. It should be flavored with love and joy, not soured with regret and worry. So, whether you choose to engage the rubber band of reality or another method, or mantra, to shake you from your trance of THEN; practice leaving your regrets and worries at the doorstep, or better yet, in the trash bin, and belly on up to the table to eat heartily at the beautiful, wonderful, delicious feast that awaits you NOW!

Bon Appetite,

Dorothy

Dorothy:  I will be spending the next week with my beloved ‘other’ family at Foothill Farm in western MT, where my belly will be filled with farm raised, organic food, my eyes will be filled with the magnificence of Big Sky Country and my heart will be filled with joy!  There will not be a second to waste on THEN! 

Susan:  May we all live today as the best you possible, think gently and patiently of tomorrow, and kindly of yesterday.    

We'd love to hear you thoughts and stories - please add a comment here, or join us on Facebook and post a comment there (and a LIKE:-) - just search for The 51% Project. We thank you, as always, for your continued support and acknowledgment!

Your Dreams Can Come True!

All our dreams can come true,
If we have the courage to pursue them!
Walt Disney

During the mid ninety’s I decided that living in a great little ski town near my home in the valley would be a dream come true. I couldn’t see anyway it would be possible financially or logistically. Still, I let that dream bloom in my heart because I loved thinking about it. In January of 2003, the dream came true! My husband and I moved into a great little house with a gorgeous view in Park City.

Dreams are fun, exciting, and add spice to our lives. And the achievement of even the smallest dream reminds us that dreams really can come true. But dreams don’t come true without being courageous and taking the first few steps toward the belief that we can achieve anything we put our minds to.

I find that when I’m most content and peaceful, elaborating on my dreams comes easily to me. I love to daydream and catch myself thinking “wouldn’t it be wonderful if …”. I believe that this is the beginning of the creative process so I try to find ways to get myself into that peaceful, happy state of mind. Here are a few tricks I use to help make my dreams come true.

I remember a perfect conversation with a friend, one where I knew I was “heard” and left the conversation believing unequivocally in myself. It’s a terrific feeling, and makes me feel happy and energized.
If I’m dreaming about my career, I imagine the perfect work environment and remember a day that I interacted with my clients with grace, ease, and diplomacy.
Visualizing our favorite vacation spot and the fun and closeness my husband and I enjoy while there, takes me back to that relaxed state of mind.
Some of my best thinking time is while I’m driving to work in the mornings. Everything is fresh and green this time of year and I love seeing the wildflowers bloom on the hillsides. Taking in all of the surrounding beauty allows me to feel happy and excited about being able to enjoy all of it. The gratitude I feel opens the door for enhanced dreaming.
I don’t want to forget my dreams, and want to elaborate on them, so when I feel especially brave I pull out my watercolors and paint something simple and write the word “dream” on it and then write my dream over the watercolor. Finding the perfect picture in a magazine and using it as the background for writing out my dream works great, too. I put it on my bathroom mirror so I see it every time I look in the mirror.

I’m very grateful to have dreams come true and amazed to realize that pieces of my dreams are already part of my life. Dreams are fun; they give us a mental and energetic break and help us clear out the cobwebs in our mind so we can light sparks of brilliance every day.

We wish you big dreams, extravagant dreams! May we all be brave enough to pursue our dreams.

Susan

Susan: I have spent the week noticing and being grateful for all of the wonderful people who are in my life and for all of the circumstances that have made my life amazing. I’m very grateful for all of the good in my life … I’m so fortunate. I believe that my dreams have come true and now it’s time to dream more … and bigger.

Dorothy: After a very challenging winter, Mother Nature has graced us with an extraordinary summer here in the Wasatch Mountains! It’s been impossible for me to stay indoors, and it hasn’t taken much encouragement for me to leave dust, laundry, and bills behind to head to the trails for the day! Living in a town that offers so much entertainment and outdoor recreation, is truly a blessing. I am soaking up every opportunity to hear great music, eat fabulous food, walk amazing trails, and just sit in the sun and dream!!!!! I hope you too are surrounded by lovely sights and have many wonderful opportunities to enjoy the season, wherever you may be!!!!

Thank you all for returning here each week.  We are grateful for your support and encouragement!

What Makes You Happiest?

We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
- Charles Kingsley

The 51% Project is all about finding joy and happiness in our lives, and passing on those gifts to everyone we meet. Making the choice to be happy is a personal choice, but so very important.

When I was talking about The 51% Project with some friends this past weekend, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a another friend recently. As I explained the concept of changing your perspective to think positively just 1% more than you did yesterday, my friend exclaimed “Oh! Of course, you just need to choose to put forward 1% more effort to be happier. Happiness is a choice.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, thank you Pat!

Being in a happy frame of mind helps me simplify my thinking and, therefore, my life. I find that it’s very helpful to make lists of the things that make me happy. Creating the lists, and referring to them later, makes me feel wonderful. To get started, I like to sit quietly, breath deeply and then begin writing as things that make me happy come to mind. I carry a small notebook with me so I can make these lists wherever I happen to be.

Here are some of things on my happiness list. What Makes You Happy?

Watching the sunrise when the sky is pink and the breeze is soft
Walking in the forest hearing the leaves crunch beneath my feet
Playing with my cats
Skiing with friends
Laughing with friends
Enjoying a wonderful meal with family and friends
Driving through a beautiful landscape on a bright, sunny day
Trying a new flavor or ice cream
Finding the perfect pair of shoes
Finding the perfect outfit to go with the perfect shoes
Sitting on a beach laughing with friends
Skiing in soft snow on a blue bird day
Making lists of things that make me happy
Being in love
Being with good friends and people who live happy lives
Exploring new places
Feeling the warm breeze on my skin
Beautiful flowers
Happy conversations
Coffee with friends
Writing in my intention journal
Getting to know new people
Hearing about their interesting lives
Walking into a just cleaned house
The smell of pine trees in the forest

Writing these lists is a wonderful exercise that never fails to make me feel happy and inspired, grateful for all of the goodness in my life. We encourage you to try making your own lists and hope that they inspire you as well. We wish you all a wonderful week full of inspiration and joyful encounters.

Susan and Dorothy

Susan: I’ve been spending time getting our outdoor furniture spruced up for summer and have found that the repetitive nature of sanding, staining, and painting has given me clear space to clean out the cobwebs in my mind, reminding myself to keep what feels good and discard what isn’t useful. I’m clearing the clutter of my mind and it is enriching.

Dorothy: Here are some things from my happiness list:

My grandson’s face
My family around the dinner table
Friends who still matter, in spite of the years and miles that separate us
Petting the soft part of a dog’s ear
Mountain Bluebirds
The smell of the ocean
Children singing
Remembering my parents’ voices
The desert after a rainstorm
The words “I love you”

Thank you for your support and encouragement, we truly appreciate your comments! Join us on The 51% Project Facebook page.