For many, Valentine’s Day means cards, chocolates, gifts, and romance. For others, it means that there’s a stinging memory of a broken heart, a lost loved one, or loneliness that leaves you feeling dark and empty inside. Shining the light on this polarized situation will allow everyone to feel dreamy during this Valentine’s Day.

Here’s 5 ways Valentine’s Day can mean love for you (no matter what)

Show Gratitude

When you express your gratitude to your partner (or yourself), you create the fertile soil from which the flowers of love and romance can grow and bloom.

Make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for.  If you’re with someone, give it to them or read it to them.  If you’re flying solo on Valentine’s Day, make the list of 5 and read it aloud.  Allow yourself to feel the emotion and excitement in your words.  No matter what your relationship status, gratitude will give you a loving and loveable attitude.

Be Passionate

Life is akin to a meteor hurtling through the night sky.  It doesn’t last too long, so you might as well leave behind you a streaking, white-hot trail.  And when it comes to love, there isn’t a moment to waste.  Show it to your partner as if you were on a first date or seeing them off on a long journey. If you’re going to love, you might as well love intensely.

If you’re without a significant other on Valentine’s Day, love yourself with as much energy as if you were giving it to someone else.  Allow that love to resonate, and affirm that passionate love will continue to radiate into and from your being.

Love Selflessly

Imagine the love of our creator – it’s a love that will continue to shine, regardless of return.  Love is an eternal light that pierces the darkest of nights.  When you shine your light of selfless love, you don’t have to expect a specific return but you can be assured that you’ll receive reciprocation.  Selfless love to your partner will show them that your love does not have prerequisites.

You can love selflessly without being in a relationship as well.  Enter your experiences with a love that has no attachment.  There, you’ll find a place of contentment, knowing that you are in control of your individual perspective and choosing to LOVE.

Find love outside of people

Love between people only represents a sliver of the total love available in the world.  It’s wonderful to love someone, but there is so much more that exists.  Whether you’re with someone or not, don’t limit it to roses, a hotel and a hot tub; take the time out to play in nature.  See the abundance of love in everything around you – spark your senses and appreciate the overflowing love that emanates from your environment.

Find the love within

The greatest love of all lies within.  Once you’ve discovered this powerful love, then you can begin to truly love others.  Whether you’re alone or with a significant other, take time to practice a heart-centered meditation that will open up your chakras and bring more love and abundance in your life.  This is not meant to be a selfish activity, but one that allows more love to flow to you and through you.

Allow yourself to be spoiled!

Whether by someone else or from yourself, this is one day every year that you should be pampered!  You don’t have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a spa day either; here’s how to make an easy homemade foot soak and scrub that will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed without the lightened wallet!

Foot Soak

Combine:
1 gallon of water
3 drops peppermint essential oil
1 drop eucalyptus essential oil
1 drop lemon essential oil.

Boil the water and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Pour it into a bowl or basin large enough for your feet. Add the oils and stir well. Soak your feet for as long as you like. This soak will leave your senses invigorated and your soul energized!

FOOT SCRUB

4 tablespoons ground coffee (fresh is best)
3 tablespoons cornmeal
4 tablespoons sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 drops lavender essential oil

Mix together and massage over your feet (or face) to exfoliate and enjoy a feeling of newness.

Use this as a reference to love and be loved Valentine’s Day, and EVERY day following.  And by the way, we LOVE you!

Attitude is everything! So if you have a good one, you can be sure that your positive thinking will lead to positive results in life. But how do you keep that positive attitude up at all times? Consider this cheat sheet a go-to resource to keep your psyche ship sailing straight!

“Thoughts Become Things… Choose The Good Ones!” – Mike Dooley

Anger

1. Find the why: If you’re experiencing a challenging situation,  ask yourself why this is happening.  From there, you’ll be able to figure out how to change your current course based on your actions up to this point.

2.  Plan the next step: After you find the why, look at the how and plan the next step to be sure that avoidable situations are prevented the future.

3.  Say Something Nice: Whether to a friend, family member, or random person in public, it’s surprising how much better you’ll feel when you say something nice to someone.  It’ll change their day and keep yours going the right way!

4.  Choose LOVE: If you’re receiving negative energy from someone, it does not mean you have to reciprocate.  So send them blessings, say a prayer for them, or help them escape their funk by simply choosing to show love.

5.  Laugh: When caught up in a tense or negative situation, one of the quickest ways to diffuse the energy is to have a good laugh.  Stop right in the middle of the mayhem and tell a good joke or plain out start laughing!  Let the good vibes rush through your body and to those around you – you deserve it.

Sadness

6. Pray: Whether it’s through prayer, meditation, or chanting, the positive energy created by getting in touch with your spirit is momentous.  You can often receive answers to your questions and solutions to your problems when you just take a moment to listen to what the divine in you has to say.

7. Find gratitude:  If something not going your way, one of the first things you can do is think of all the things you are grateful for.  Surely you have got it better than many, regardless of your situation.  And if you can’t think of anything right away, just be grateful to be alive!

8. Vision Board: When going through a rough patch, refer to your vision board and remind yourself why you’ve decided to be a positive person.  You have goals and want them to be met – the journey toward success is much greater enjoyed when you’re happy about it.

9. Remember the positive:  Although sad times occur, it doesn’t mean you have to stay depressed.  Think of all of the good times you had, and where you would want to be today had the sadness never occured.

10. Get Happy:  It may sound cliche, but keeping sadness at bay is much more doable when allowing yourself to get happy daily.  Follow the Power of Positivity on Facebook for daily “get happy” moments to keep your happy meter fully charged!

11. Avoid the blame game:  Your thoughts and choices affect your life.  If you’ve overreacted, that’s not someone else’s fault.  You are a mirror; what you say to others, you say to yourself.

Worry

12. Stay in control:  Just because you may not be where you want to be, the finish line may be right around the bend.  You’ve got this!

13. Maintain a high level of emotional intelligence: Keep a strong awareness about how you feel in situations, and allow yourself to control how you react through self-realization.  There is a lot of strength in stepping outside your own box to learn how you act and react.  In other words, keep calm and carry on!

14. Be the victor, not the victim: Choose what you want to become, not what happened to you.  You may have been affected, but it’s in the past now and you can make a decision to do what you can, where you are, with what you have!

15. Embrace Adversity: Believe that you are a STRONG person who can handle anything that is thrown your way.  Affirm that adversity is easily overcome through my positive thinking mindset and welcome the challenges that arise.

16. Seek opportunity: Every problem has a positive opportunity ingrained deep inside it.  There’s always a certain amount of value in any situation, and it’s your choice to learn from it and GROW

17. Focus on Solutions: “Followers focus on problems.  Leaders focus on solutions.”  If life goes array, there’s nothing you can do about what has already happened.  Look ahead to the solution, and how you can get there.

18. Read scripture: Regardless of religion, many positive principles remain the same throughout the world’s sacred books of knowledge  Whatever book or teacher you prefer, study it often.  It will wire your brain to follow positive thinking principles and deliver success!

19. Personal Development: With the wide range of personal development products available, many avenues exist to attain a steady state of positive thinking.  Pick yourself up a book or DVD (The Magic is a great example) and prepare to start making positive thinking a staple in your daily routine!

20. Recall achievements: If everything goes wrong, look at what went right!  Sometimes one of the best things you can do to bolster self-esteem is to remember how far you’ve come to get to where you are now!

Stress

21. Eliminate all-or-nothing thinking: Positive thinking involves a lot of gray areas.  It’s not all or nothing in life, and sometimes you’ll take one step forward to find yourself being knocked two steps back.  It takes a large spectrum of experience to get to where you’re going – allow all situations to propel you!

22. Affirmations: The importance of positive affirmations will always be the main ingredient to attracting more health and abundance into your life.

23. Breathe: Practicing breathing can provide many positive benefits, especially when bothered.  Prana breathing is especially effective when feeling stressed or anxious. A count of four during the inhale, and a count of eight on the exhale repeated for a few minutes will surprisingly bring you calm and relaxation by slowing your heart rate and allowing your brain to process more fully.

24. Stay around positive energy:  Neurons that fire together wire together, so it is important that you flood yourself with positive energy sources.  So please take a moment to consider your daily habits. Are they helping you along your journey, or are they stressing you out?  If not, find ways to integrate more positive ways of living into your daily routine

25. Avoid alcohol: Many people like to have a few drinks now and then, but it’s not great to overdo it.  The bad decisions, headaches, and health problems that follow will cause more problems than it’s worth.  If you need a fix, find a holistic alternative and allow your body to thrive naturally.

26. Do a good deed: Performing a good deed or random act of kindness is a great way to switch into a positive mindset.  First, you’re thinking of doing something good for another person, place, or thing – then you’re carrying it out and seeing a positive energy that it spreads, making you feel good.  Double win!

27. Know that your source of positive power is bigger: If you’re dealing with struggles, remember that the positive source of power is far greater than any problem can ever pose.  You can choose to become what you desire. So don’t let what happened to you in the past hold you back.

28. Align your beliefs with your feelings: Your feelings directly represent your beliefs about the person or situation. Ask yourself, “why do I believe this to be true?”, then connect the dots and discover what’s true for you!

Remorse

29. Forgive someone: Sometimes, there are memories or experience that may gnaw away at you and hinder your positive thinking. So get in touch with that person you need to forgive and let it happen.  Let them know that you understand and forgive them the way God (Universe, Flying Spaghetti Monster, etc.) would.  When you forgive others, it’s a gift you truly give to yourself!

30. Ask for forgiveness: Sometimes, you’re on the other side of the spectrum, and you’re the one who needs forgiveness from someone else.  Ask for it – you’ll be surprised at the positive response.  As explained above, they’re not only forgiving you but let go of trapped negative energy in their own body, which is truly a gift to themselves.

31. Write: When feeling down, pick a pen up!  Writing and expressing your emotions on paper can release the negative energy you’ve been holding and help you understand how writing positive messages to yourself can bring you benefits in many areas.

32. Write a thank you note: Tell someone thanks you in a note.  It will surely brighten their day and make you feel like you’ve rippled some positive energy (because you will have!)

Fatigue

33. Exercise: Exercise helps the body produce and distribute endorphins. In fact, you know exactly what I’m talking about if you ever had a “runners high.” When you exercise, you’re not only taking your mind off of the negative situation but also enjoying the intrinsic benefit of getting fit and looking great!

34. Get Outside: Nature is a sanctuary of its very own.  When you find a quiet place in nature, everything buzzing around in your mind stops and allows you to tap back into a positive thinking mindset without resistance

35. Get excited: Everything is energy, and there is an unlimited amount of it all around you.  Turn up the radio, give your partner a passionate kiss, jump around, or even scream out loud!  Don’t be afraid to give yourself goosebumps – it will take you to a higher level you never knew possible!

36. Eat more raw, plant-based food: Raw, plant-based foods contain energy that is not found in any other processed or cooked food.  There is a much higher level of light energy in these foods and your body will know it when you’re taking them in.  You won’t feel sluggish, tired, or full. Instead, you’ll feel energetic, revitalized, and satisfied!

37. Have a success partner: It is very important to have someone you can share goals with, review periodically, and set new ones.  Find a successful person, or people, to be around and you’ll quickly learn that energetic synergy can be created to achieve maximum results.

Bad Mood

38. Put on Music:  A study proved that favorite music can help you become more positive. When feeling blue, get that positive thinking in check with one of your favorite happy songs!  Think of any song that lifts you up; some examples are Roar by Katy Perry, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, and Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby Darin. Of course, those are just a few.  Share your own favorites in the discussion below!

39. Sing: When that favorite song comes on to prime your positive thinking, sing along to improve your mood.  Singing expresses emotion, releases endorphins and oxytocin, and also creates sound vibrations that move through you to change your emotional landscape.  And don’t be afraid to sing like you’re in the shower!

40. Turn off the TV: Television programs do exactly what they say they’re doing – programming… YOU. Therefore, you’re likely to be upset about tragic stories if you watch too much. As a result, the negative energy of a scary movie or story will transfer to you.  Time spent in front of the TV also leaves your mind idle, rather than engaged in positive thinking.

41. Dance: The energy created when you start moving to a familiar beat or slow dancing with your partner is tremendous.  You can feel the energy flowing through you.  Turn on the audio and dance like no one’s watching!

42. Live in the now: Remember that you’re in the present moment, at all times.  Everything that has happened can not be changed, but your perception of it can change.  Therefore, you don’t have to feel remorse if you’re no longer in that individual moment.  There may be a door that just opened next to the closed one you’ve been staring at all this time.

BONUS: 43. Bookmark this cheat sheet for positive thinking and refer to it regularly.

Here’s to maintaining that mindset!  Share your favorite tips to help maintain positive thinking in the discussion below!

From hydration to preventing and healing viral infection, oranges are truly amazing food!  They are good for lymphatic flow and that in the white part just under the skin you find a plethora of bioflavonoids and other anti-cancer agents.

I’ve always thought they looked like a woman’s breasts on the inside, as well as the outside.

Could oranges and the citrus family play a role in preventing breast cancer?

Considering that an orange packs over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids. And many of those have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and blood clot inhibiting properties. Additionally, they offer strong anti-oxidant effects. I think anyone wanting to prevent or even put cancer into remission could benefit!

I personally love oranges and orange juice. They just taste amazing and are a lot of fun I think to peel and eat. I will go through 3-4 of them with my little girl Seaenah. Indeed, there’s something about the anticipation of getting into an orange that gets your taste buds excited and saliva flowing.  I love knowing the health benefits that are coming into our bodies while we’re enjoying them.

Regularly consuming vitamin C in oranges retards the development of hardening of the arteries. So, you won’t have to worry about arteriosclerosis.  Also, a compound in oranges called liminoid has been shown to prevent cancer of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach, and colon.

It’s Alkaline, Not Acidic

You would think an orange is acidic but it actually has an alkaline effect in the digestive system. And, it helps stimulate the digestive juices, relieving constipation.

 If that’s not enough already, drinking orange juice daily can significantly reduce the formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidney!

Oranges are also a great food to eat as a natural sunblock.  They’re loaded with antioxidants and will protect your skin from sun damage.  On top of all that, it’s an abundance of polyphenols have been shown to provide protection against viral infections.

The iron and Vitamin B6 in oranges increase the oxygen carrying capacity and also purifies the blood.  The calcium  helps keep your bones and teeth strong.

All around Oranges are superb food and will always have their place in my kitchen. So, juice it up, make a fruit salad, get creative or just peel and eat. :0)

A guaranteed part of living in the northeastern U.S. is facing the chill of Winter, affectionately known to me as “Old Man Winter”. Today we had the option of either staying inside and talking about the cold dreary weather, or putting on boots, jumping in the snow and LIVING.  Instead of grumping about the cold, we decided to enjoy this storm and take a sled ride!

 

As the cold front swept across the east coast of the U.S., the snow fell inch after inch. The moment I stepped outside and felt the heavy wet snow, I knew that it could only mean one thing – it was a perfect day for a sled ride.

It’s been at least 15 years since my last traditional sledding experience. Even though it’s been over a decade, that rectangular piece of orange plastic felt all too familiar, only this time it was my wife and I sharing our two-year-old daughter’s first powdery plunge. We drove to a nearby park, got out and ran to the first hill we could find near the closed boathouse. I ran up to the top of a 10-foot slope and rode back down – the sledding track was made and we were ready.

The Sled Ride

The three of us eagerly climbed the hill. Our daughter was so ecstatic to be running through the snow and throwing snowballs. In fact, she almost forgot the reason we’re near freezing. With our two year old held in front of me, we both sat down as rehearsed and 1…2…3, we were off to the bottom! A run to the top and second round of sledding immediately commenced with Mom. Suddenly, two little girls were adventuring to the bottom.  Our smiles were so big at that moment that no temperature could chill us on the inside.

While walking back to the car, we threw another dozen snowballs, made a half dozen snow angels, and quacked at the ducks on the lake. Most importantly, we took one more ride down a small hill. Now home and cuddled with hot chocolate in hand, I think to myself. This was the best sled ride ever.

 

 

“When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or go sledding.” ~ Author Unknown

Instead of turning our back on old man winter, we decided to embrace and enjoy the hidden gifts this foe of many had to bear. Is there a storm in your life right now? Can you make a decision to dance in the rain or even go for a sled ride?

 

Self-sabotage occurs when you wittingly or unwittingly become your own worst enemy. As your own worst enemy, you tend to do the opposite of what would make you happy and successful.

If you were to look closely, you’d likely discover that many failed goals, relationships, businesses, and dreams have strong roots in self-sabotage. We tend to get in our own way – and do it consistently.  What if we didn’t, though?

What if you eradicated self-sabotage from your life? Wouldn’t that be transformational?

You’d immediately begin to reap the following 7 benefits.

1. Better Decisions

Poor, impulsive decisions are often the gateway to failure. When you make a self-sabotaging decision, you have to get very lucky in order for things to work out. Here are some examples:

• Saying yes to marriage when you have serious doubts about the person you are with.
• Starting a business without experience, funds or a plan.
• Making purchases that you cannot afford.
• Confiding in someone with a history of gossip.
• Doing something with your life for the sole purpose of pleasing someone else.
• Saying yes even though you mean no.

Essentially, self-sabotaging decisions overlook all the red flags, good advice and sound logic that lead to happiness and success.  If you had no self-sabotaging tendencies, you’d make much better, more mature decisions. Decisions would be patient, timely, set up for success and aligned with who you are.

2. More Self-Discipline

A lack of self-discipline leads to emptiness and misery. When you don’t control your eating, spending, study habits, time, excessive behaviors and emotions, you lose a grip on life.  If you had no self-sabotaging tendencies however, you’d follow through with your plans, exercise even when feel down or lazy, be strict with what goes into your body, honor your commitments and motivate yourself even when it is difficult to do so.

Self-sabotage encourages you to take the easy way out, but that is a self-deception. The easy way out is often the path that challenges you to become your best self, not run from it.

3. Better Relationships

Relationships are perhaps the ultimate test of maturity. Can you speak your mind, be flexible, take the other’s point of view, make sacrifices and be true to your word?  Can you balance respectfully your needs with the needs of your partner? Most of all, can you do what you know in your heart is right and take feedback with an open mind? In the absence of self-sabotage, yes you can!

Self-sabotage would have you choose wrong relationship partners, and then have you justify your poor choices. You’ll choose people who control, reject and deprive you of what you need to be happy.

4. Vitality and Health

“There is no greater peace than to know that you are 100% invested in fulfilling your purpose in life to the best of your ability.”

Lots of energy and vitality are not difficult to acquire. You just need to eat right, exercise and supplement any nutritional deficiencies over time. This requires lots of study and experimentation. Most of all, it requires sticking to a conscious plan consistently.

In the absence of self-sabotage, you absolutely can achieve a wonderful and fulfilling state of physical and mental health. Just do the research and stick to the plan. You want to treat your mind and body respectfully, because they are your vehicles to peace and happiness. It’s obvious! Why would you ever mistreat yourself? You would because self-sabotage will encourage you to give up and throw your health out the window. In some cases, people are willing to shave decades off their life as part of their cycle of self-sabotage.

5. Peace of Mind

There is no greater peace than to know that you are 100% invested in fulfilling your purpose in life to the best of your ability. Peace of mind comes from acting in the way that you know is right, working hard and accepting your limitations.  Self-sabotage is the ultimate destroyer of inner peace. Self-sabotage is that voice in your mind that tells you to give up, that you can’t do it, that it’s not worth it. If this voice is more powerful than you, then you’ll probably believe it and not put forth your best effort. No peace in this!

6. Greater Emotional Resources

Most people have tremendous emotional resilience and resources. Within you lies the courage, patience, drive and the will to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. That is, until self-sabotage convinces you otherwise. Again, that voice in your head that criticizes your efforts would have you give in to despair and helplessness.  When you give power to your self-sabotaging tendencies, you give in to pessimism and failure – and lose access to your emotional strength.

7. Stuff Just Works!

The bottom line, whatever you set out to do will be as successful as it can be if you stay out of your own way. And when you put forth your best effort only to meet failure, you’ll still be pleased with yourself; accept the defeat and begin to make new plans, incorporating what you have learned.

Here’s a bizarre, challenging self-sabotage experiment:

If you have a pattern of failure in any area of your life, try the following experiment.
Warning: This may seem crazy, but if you do it, you may blow your own mind.

1. Consider the failure – where are you struggling to succeed?

2. When failure happens, how do you feel? Humiliated, rejected, empty, out-of-control, helpless, lonely, worthless?

3. Pretend that some part of you is so used to feeling this feeling that it actually seeks out opportunities to feel that way again. In other words, this negative feeling is seeking to be expressed, over and over. And your unwitting failures are the perfect opportunity. Therefore, in a strange way, you are actually motivated to fail!

4. Now, catch yourself setting yourself up for failure. How do your decisions and actions lead directly into these old, familiar negative feelings? Once you understand the process, you are on the way to letting go and living up to your potential.

To learn more about how self-sabotage works, and a simple process to move beyond it, watch this free video.

 

 

Sometimes living a positive life in a world with challenges seems difficult. It can be if you don’t equip your mind, body, and soul with the simple yet powerful tools necessary to embrace the lifestyle of positive thinking. Once implemented regularly, daily and weekly habits for positive living will propel your life forward and switch the positive thinking light on more automatically.

“We become what we repeatedly do.” – Stephen Covey

101 Habits for Positive Living:

1. Smile all throughout the day.
2. Get in the sunshine, when possible, at least 15 minutes per day.
3. Surround yourself with loving, positive people – both in person and online.
4. Connect with Mother Earth – Disconnect to Reconnect
5. Talk with God / The Universe / Angels / Your Guides / Your Intuition (whatever name you relate to)

6. Read something that inspires you and teaches you something new.

7. Stay Active Daily

8. Do something for yourself that you truly enjoy
9. Look in the mirror and compliment yourself. Take it further – do Mirror Work.
10. Take a relaxing Epsom Salt Bath (lavender is our favorite)
11. Laugh A LOT!! We’re talking 100-200 laughs till your belly hurts. 😉
12. Help someone in need
13. Throw away worry
14. **Dream more**
15. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable sometimes
16. Check at least one thing off of your “To DONE List” every day

17. Focus on what makes you happy

18. Say “Good Morning” to anyone you pass (in the AM of course 😉
19. Cuddle with a pet or bond with an animal
20. Reflect on what you’re grateful for and appreciate often
21. Get enough sleep and take a good nap when you need it
22. Exercise MORE!!!
23. Believe in YOURSELF!
24. Achieve a goal, go after another.

25. Keep your Morals

26. Get/Give at least 5 BIG hugs a day – 10 is even better!
27. Focus, Focus, Focus!
28. Eat two Brazil Nuts for Selenium Benefits – good health and happiness.
29. Wake up and drink a BIG glass of filtered lemon water

“Everything you are used to, once done long enough, starts to seem natural, even though it might not be.” – Julien Smith

30. Listen to / Sing your favorite song
31. Recall a fond memory
32. Have more SEX! 😉
33. Eat whole foods and eat your way to happiness
34. Learn something N-E-W!
35. Write and practice powerful “I AM” Affirmation Statements

36. LOVE YOURSELF MORE!

37. Close your eyes and visualize your dreams and goals
38. Use Power Thought Cards
39. Give genuine compliments often
40. Smudge and Add Positive Energy to your Home
41. Be enthusiastic and FUN to be around. 🙂
42. Challenge yourself, take a risk

43. Practice Yoga

44. Value your ambitions, and work on them daily
45. Positively reward yourself for your hard work
46. Do something exciting; go on an adventure!!
47. Visit the Power of Positivity daily.
Hey, you can even Subscribe to our Feed and be the first to read what we publish.
48. – BE HONEST –
49. Enjoy Chocolate, just a little 😉 Raw is best!
50. Write a Gratitude List and/or Journal
51. Drink 64+ ounces of filtered water every day!

52. Try a Mood Booster

53. Practice Deep Breathing
54. Spend time with family and/or good friends
55. Learn from your Elders
56. Forgive Yourself, or as I like to say, ForGIFT Yourself!
57. Listen to your favorite motivational speaker – like Joel Osteen, Louise Hay, & Tony Robbins
58. Appreciate the small things

“Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.” – Mark Twain

59. Allow yourself to Relax
60. Work hard and be okay with mistakes; that’s how you learn and grow.
61. Expand your vocabulary. Learn a word and its meaning, then use it in a sentence.
62. Learn from others
63. Release problems, embrace solutions
64. Drink a Green Smoothie
65. Let go of Anger, it doesn’t serve you

66. Take more pictures 🙂 (CHHEEEZE!)

67. Communicate your feelings to others
68. Overcome a FEAR, and then tell someone about it!
69. Find out who you truly are and express it every day. Love your unique attributes!
70. Plan a Vacation!! (YOU DESERVE IT!)
71. Take time to listen to others
72. Take a walk or go for a run. Get F-R-E-S-H air!
73. Read inspiring quote posters daily on our Power of Positivity facebook page
74. Read a self help book, and then implement what you learned.

75. Share with others

76. Practice positive thinking everyday
77. Download Personal Development Apps on your phone
78. MEDITATE
79. Gain more self confidence
80. Expand your mind – take a class, learn something new.
81. Release unhealthy habits
82. Create a 5 person Mastermind group
83. Speak Positive, Remind Yourself of these 5 Easy Ways to Practice the Art of Positivity

84. Motivate someone else

85. Stop Procrastinating. Just do it!
86. Teach someone how to do something
87. Spring Clean Early: Clean out your home and give away items you don’t use. Physical clutter resembles mental clutter.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
– Jim Rohn

88. Release the need to complain. Choose happy thoughts.
89. Dance and sing like no one’s watching!
90. Release lack and negative thoughts around Money. Money is energy and your thoughts create your relationship with it.
91. Balance your Mind, Body and Soul (WINK: This Celebration of Illumination can help!)
92. Spend a little time alone, in peace and quiet.
93. Master The Power of Now
94. Be successful, even on the weekends. Here’s what Successful People Do on the Weekends.
95. Throw or attend a party!
96. Be loving and romantic–one of the best habits for positive living!
97. Start a new habit, a good one!
98. Write custom affirmations for yourself.
99. Try Brain Games like Lumosity.
100. Devote a whole day to the family!
101. Get up with the Sun! 🙂
102. BONUS: Cleanse, Detoxify, and Drink Fresh Juice
103. EXTRA POSITIVE LIVING BONUS: Get inspired daily by following us on Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 😉

Final Thoughts on Trying Out These New Habits for Positive Living

I hope you enjoy these little gems of daily living wisdom as much as I have continued to.  Be sure to add to the list and keep it growing with your own healthy, happy life habits and develop habits for positive living. Shine ON!

It can be laborious for me to stay positive at times, especially when things take a slight turn away from how we imagine our plans should turn out. But what really matters is staying positive most of the time, not letting the fears of what ‘might’ happen control you into getting worked up and stressed out. Incorporating positivity into your life has many benefits some you probably didn’t even know about!

“It makes a big difference in your life when you stay positive.” Ellen DeGeneres

For me when I was younger (late teens, early twenties) you could say I was a positive thinking person to the point where people used to ask me whenever a crisis occurred, what are you going to do? Aren’t you worried?

I always stayed positive and knew the outcome would be ok, but as I got older this wasn’t the case with more responsibilities to take on at work and home and becoming uncertain about my future my fears took over leaving me not knowing what to do until I remembered how I used to deal with this kind of circumstances. That was to stay positive, no matter what. You can too by following the ‘5 ways to stay positive’ revealed within this guide as well as exploring the benefits of being a positive person. While some people are more positive than others you can become a more positive person even if you think this is not true.

Why Should I Bother?

Why shouldn’t you! For a start research shows you can live longer just by being a positive thinker as well as a smaller chance of becoming depressed or distressed and not to mention, you’re less likely to catch a cold. Overall positive people are happier and healthier. Learning to become more positive will also allow you to cope better in stressful times.

5 Ways to Practice the Art of Positivity

1. Affirmations

Which are known as positive statements, let’s try some out:

*I am so happy and grateful for _______ (fill in the blank)

* It’s so wonderful to ________

The truth is that every day, people subconsciously or even consciously make thousands of negative statements about ourselves or about the circumstances in our life. So in order to stay positive, we must consciously make positive statements that also use words that have an emotion like ‘happy’ or ‘grateful’ as I used in the example affirmations above. The key is to try and ‘feel’ the emotion of the words used.

2. Expect The Best

What is the outcome you want? This question relates to a goal, your day or your life. Do you always expect the worst and then get it? Begin now to expect the best by focusing SOLELY on the outcome you want.  Use positivity. NO. MATTER. WHAT.

3. Surround Yourself With The Right People

“We are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with” – Jim Rohn

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said “we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with”. Think about it, how you feel, what you say and what you think depends on who you are with most of the time. When I spend my time around happy and positive people I feel energized. I am also a lot more optimistic about my future.

4. Make a Good Start to The Day

“The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

According to research (and experience) how you start your day determines the rest of it. Do you dread what lies ahead or do you wake up thankful and excited?

Make a good start to the day by first by giving thanks to see another day, second for the bed you slept in! Then think about all the great possibilities your day could bring. Don’t just take my word for it, try it.

5. Gratitude

Gratitude will keep your mind on all the good things in your life so you don’t have time to think about the negative. Be grateful for everything, not just saying the words but feeling them too. As you can see ‘The art of staying positive’ could be life-changing, all that is required is some time to make it a habit and best of all the benefits are worth the effort!

Will you make the necessary changes towards positivity today?

 

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we wish to reflect on the inspiring quotes and memorable words that have kept his spirit flame illuminating the world ever since that fateful day in April of 1968.

Here are 11 of our favorite inspiring quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that have become life lessons for many of us:

1. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”
2. “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
3. “The time is always right to do what is right.”
4. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
5. “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
6. “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”
7. “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”
8. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
9. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
10. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
11. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act.  It is a permanent attitude.”

And of course, we can’t leave out the “I Have a Dream” speech that still echoes through our hearts today.  Here it is:

Martin Luther King, Jr. will always be remembered for his role in the civil rights movement, the fearlessness in his eyes during the million person march on Washington, and the message of love and oneness that came directly from his heart. May we always remember Dr. King, and all of the amazing people who have come before us to help mold the world into a more peaceful, loving, positive place.

Please share to help spread these important life lessons from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Restorative yoga is a passive style of yoga where each pose  (asana) is supported by props—bolsters, straps, blankets, blocks, chair, or wall. This support enables the practitioner to comfortably sink into a pose and hold it for  5 to 10 minutes. And that allows them to let go, be present, and completely relax in the moment.  As with any type of exercise, it’s vital that we work within our own range of limits and abilities.

“A mind free from all disturbances is Yoga “ Patanjali

Although it’s deceptively easy in appearance, Staff Pose is an intense posture. Not only does it build strength in the stomach and upper back, but it also opens the chest making it easier to take deep, healthy breaths.

Because this basic pose provides the structural basis for many seated postures—including twists—so it’s important to include it in our daily practice.

Here’s How It’s Done

• Sit on your mat with your back upright forming a 90-degree angle with your legs.
• Adjust the flesh of each buttock so that your sit bones rest on the mat—distribute your weight
  evenly between both sides.
• Extended in front of your body, legs should be together.
• Slightly rotate your legs inward and engage your thigh muscles, pressing them firmly into the
  mat.
• Push out through your heels as you point your toes to the ceiling—keep your feet and knees
  together.
• Press your palms flat on the mat alongside each hip, fingers pointing forward.
• Draw your belly button in toward your spine, hold your chin parallel to the floor, and gaze
  straight ahead
•  Anchor your body through your tailbone as you sit tall—stretching the top of your head toward
  the ceiling, while drawing your shoulders away from your ears.
• Imagine your spine as a “staff”—focus on maintaining the 90-degree angle alignment of your
  body.

My shoulders are wide and my chest is open, allowing me to draw in deep, nourishing breaths.

Modification

Sit on your mat with your back against a wall—your sacrum and shoulder blades should touch the wall, while leaving a space between the wall and your head and your lower
back.

Most restorative yoga poses are held for between 5 and 10 minutes. As mentioned, this posture is deceptively easy in appearance. Try to maintain the Staff Pose for 1 minute or longer.

The Benefits

• Effective for improved posture
• Sciatica relief
• Diminishing the symptoms of asthma.

This asana also works to calm the chaos that some of us entertain in our minds, and can help to improve concentration.

Inhale. And Then Exhale. Let your heart gently ride the waves of each breath. Restorative yoga makes my body feel easy to wear, and comfortably at home. This is one of my favorite poses. Besides that, I love how I feel when I mentally affirm, “My shoulders are wide and my chest is open, allowing me to draw in deep, nourishing breaths.”
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