A Conscious Decision

 A Conscious Decision

“Your peace is worth more than their opinion.”

This quote is a powerful reminder that genuine contentment and well-being is more important than ‘societal approval’ or other people's opinions.

Wanting to be ‘accepted’ by others and allowing their ‘convictions’ to shape our lives leads to constant anxiety and stress because we are not being “ourselves.”

We want to control our own thinking and lives, ignoring other people's criticism.

Self-acceptance and inner conviction provides us with the lasting peace we crave for and need.

It is a conscious decision to distance ourselves from other peoples opinions, whilst respecting them, and believing in ourselves.

All of this proves that we have control of our own lives and thoughts.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Cleopatra VII

Let's Inspire Others

 Let’s Inspire Others

“Whoever is happy will make others happy.”

Looking at another person is like looking in a mirror — are we smiling?

It is an absolute truth that when we are happy in ourselves, we make others around us happy.

“Happiness” is ‘contagious,’ just like smiling is. 

When a person is genuinely happy, he or she wants to share their joy with others.

It is a sentiment which is deeply rooted in our human nature and mental understanding.

Emotions, like ripples in a pond, extend beyond the person.

Humans are sensitive and we ‘know’ when someone is happy or sad.

But also, when we are happy, we want to share our happiness and joy.

It is just in us to do this.

A happy person always wants to share their joy, and ‘shows’ this by smiling and having a positive frame of mind.

Let’s ‘inspire’ our fellow humans.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Stable, Steady And Secure

Stable, Steady And Secure

“Stay true to yourself and you will end up incredibly happy.”

Be who “you” want to be and stay there.

“Stay true to yourself!”

Have that unwavering commitment to be your genuine self and you will be a lot happier on your journey in life.

Only by embracing who we really are, with our unique values, passions and beliefs, can we cultivate that inner sense of fulfillment and harmony within ourselves.

Being true to ourselves shows that we respect and accept who we truly are.

This is important for our minds to be stable, which will help us to have a steady and secure and balanced way of life.

This does require courage because of the world we live in, which does its best to encourage us to ‘conform’ to a certain way of life.

This doesn't mean being different, just “ourselves.”

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Georgiana Cavendish 

 

Some Happy Memories

 Some Happy Memories

“When your heart is happy — everything is in harmony, everything is balanced.”

This is so true!

When we are feeling emotionally happy, life feels good.

Our minds are balanced and our lives seem harmonious.

Notice the connection between the heart and the mind.

When one is ‘happy,’ the other is ‘peaceful.’

When we experience joy and are content, our bodies release ‘neurochemicals’ such as endorphins and dopamine.

Endorphins act as natural painkillers and dopamine is associated with pleasure and reward.

It just makes sense to do our best to be and stay happy.

A happy heart will ‘influence’ our mental viewpoint, which will promote clarity and balance.

Our attention span will be stronger and we will have some happy memories to look back on.

LIVE AND LOVE LIVE!

Anne Boleyn

Our Individual Lives

 Our Individual Lives

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”

Our lives are our responsibility, so it is our responsibility to be strong and bring that positive attitude into our day.

We never know who we may meet and who may need help.

Let’s do our best to be positive and offer hope to anyone we meet during our day.

This is also a good way to get rid of negative thinking because we will be too busy.

New strength and hopeful thinking encourages kindness.

We know that every morning brings a new opportunity to ‘refresh and rejuvenate’ our lives, which is the beauty of living every day.

We can do so much when we are alive and ‘enjoying’ life.

Embracing this principle can renew our vigor and give us a more encouraging approach to our individual lives.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Elizabeth I

Meaningful Action

Meaningful Action

“Every sunrise is an invitation to rise and shine with purpose.”

The sun rises every morning with the purpose of giving us light and warmth.

In fact, we cannot imagine a life without the sun. Every single morning is a new day to ‘live with a purpose.’

A fresh ‘canvas’ to ‘paint’ on with meaningful action and contribution.

It is up to us to seize the opportunity of a new day to make a positive influence on the world we live in.

This starts in the mind.

Going to bed with a positive thought in our minds will help us to wake up in an optimistic frame of mind.

Over breakfast, have a ‘cup of positivity’ by reading, writing down or just thinking hopeful ideas and opinions and this will help to set a new day up in a confident and strong manner.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

 

Queen Victoria

Stop And Take Your Time

 Stop And Take Your Time

“Happiness is enjoying the little things in life.”

We know this well but are, very often, too busy to remember it.

Along with happiness is gratitude.

To be happy and grateful for what and who we have in our lives means that we appreciate our lives.

This helps us to cultivate contentment within our lives.

Practicing mindfulness every day, by living in the moment, is a good way of being happy with the little things in our lives.

Take your time when having that hot drink to warm you up.

Enjoy the warmth, the smell and the taste.

A walk is a good way to exercise, not just the body but also the mind.

Listen to the sounds around you, the birds singing, the dog barking, a simple “Good Morning” when we pass someone.

These are small but normal things that tell us that life is good.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Anne Lister

To Have A Happy Life

To Have A Happy Life

“There is no road to happiness. Happiness is the path.”

This is important to remember.

The thought is, not to have happiness in your life, but ‘to have a happy life.’

This is something that every one of us wants.

Happiness is the road on our journey in life.

The thought that happiness is the path encourages us to shift our focus in life.

Regardless of our circumstances, happiness can be cultivated and experienced “now”, “today.”

When we live in the moment, we embrace happiness with both hands.

This means finding joy in our journey, recognizing that the present is a valuable part of our lives.

When we view happiness this way, the emphasis is on ourselves to think and to want to be happy.

This shows us that we can attain happiness today.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Rosa Lewis

 

We Are Helping Ourselves

We Are Helping Ourselves

“Happiness is a habit you create by focusing on the positive.”

It is interesting that “happiness” is looked at as a ‘skill’ by some, and not just a ‘fortunate outcome.’

This can become an everyday habit that is deliberately done.

This is a good way of looking at “happiness.”

Instead of just waiting to be happy, we can create, cultivate and actively construct our own happiness.

“Transforming happiness from a fleeting emotion into a deeply ingrained habit” is something that all of us can do for ourselves.

Focusing on the positive side of any situation, challenge and opportunity will foster happiness into our everyday lives.

When we do this, not only do we have control of our lives, but we are also building up our mental and emotional well-being.

We are helping ourselves.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Isadora Duncan

 

Smile In That Mirror

 Smile In That Mirror

“Some days the win is just that you didn’t quit. That counts more than you think.”

Some days seem really tough, and what we need to remember at the end of those days is that ‘we didn’t quit and we did our best.’

In times of hardship, we cannot always think clearly, we just carry on through our day.

At the end of the day, look in the mirror and smile at yourself.

Say out loud:

“You did it! You got through a difficult day, be proud of yourself!”

This will build up your confidence and make you ‘feel’ good.

This is so good for your mental and emotional well-being.

This message, that simply enduring through a difficult day is a “win”, strengthens our belief and our faith in ourselves.

Embracing this supports our hold on life.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Clara Bow

Acknowledge The Goodness

Acknowledge The Goodness

“Gratitude teaches us that life blooms beautifully when we water it with appreciation instead of worry.”

The practice of “gratitude” is a beacon of hope in the uncertain world we live in.

Our lives will flourish beautifully when we nurture, nourish and cultivate appreciation for the love, kindness and beauty that we experience every day.

Gratitude is defined as the acknowledgment of the goodness that is in our individual lives.

We need to practice this every day in our lives to avoid the worry and anxiety which can lead to depression.

The positive will always be stronger than the negative.

Gratitude focuses on the optimism in our lives, encouraging us to ‘live in the moment.’

All of this will cultivate in us that increased sense of purpose which we all want.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Bette Davis

 

Embrace The Beauty Of Life

Embrace The Beauty Of Life

“Happiness comes from appreciating the small moments that remind you life is still beautiful.”

We are all so very busy in our lives that it would do us good to just stop and ‘savour’ the small aspects of our lives.

Enjoy a warm drink.

Look at the sunset.

Embrace a loved one.

To appreciate these ‘small’ things in our lives reminds us that life is beautiful and good.

Our lives become ‘richer’ and more stable when we do this.

The fast-paced world we live in is dominated by technology, so any time we take to ‘go back to nature’ will only benefit us mentally, physically and emotionally.

There is beauty in every moment of our lives, we just need to “see” it and cherish it.

A child laughing.

A morning stroll.

A good home-made dinner.

All of these, when written down in a Gratitude Journal, reminds us that there is beauty in living everyday.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Mae West

 

Celebrate And Encourage

 Celebrate And Encourage

“A kind heart makes you a beautiful person, no matter what you look like.”

There is a growing school of thought that true beauty is determined by the virtues of kindness, compassion and empathy a person displays towards another person.

Regardless of a person’s ‘appearance’, their kind heart makes him or her “beautiful.”

Many today champion this thought that a kind heart and empathy towards others is a principle for true beauty.

This kindness contributes to a person’s happiness and a smile always makes anybody look beautiful.

Embracing kindness as the foundation to true beauty is intense and deep.

This reflects the character of a person and not just their physical appearance.

It is important to celebrate and encourage kindness, which is beautiful.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Anne Lister

You Are Both

 You Are Both

“The fact that you’re still trying is proof of your strength.”

I love this quote.

It is something positive that we should keep in our minds every single day of our lives.

The world we live in presents us with challenges throughout our lives, which do test our determination and resilience

As we learn from each struggle, turning it into an opportunity, our hold on life itself becomes stronger.

We must also remember our Mental Health.

It takes trust and strength to ask for help, and it proves to everyone how much you love life and want to be happy.

Continuous effort, in the face of obstacles, shows our strength of character.

Life is a series of ups and downs, even as the seasons change the scenery of the Earth.

This is beauty and strength in everyday life 

—

And you are both!

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Rosa Lewis

Foster Unity And Peace

Foster Unity And Peace

“The kindness you give today may become the hope someone carries tomorrow.”

None of us know what the other is going through, which is why we should always be kind to each other.

The world we live in is ‘characterized’ by the struggles and challenges we face every day, but the power of kindness is a beacon of hope.

Being kind to a complete stranger can lift his or her spirit, possibly during a dark time in their lives.

Even Martin Luther King Jr. appreciated the ‘reality’ of kindness when he said:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

This reminds us that kindness eclipses hate and despair, fostering unity and peace.

Cultivating kindness as an individual means cultivating kindness as a society.

Let’s embrace the power of kindness as it inspires peace.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 

Why Wait?

 Why Wait?

“Rain never asks the flowers if they’re ready. Growth doesn’t wait for perfect timing.”

“Life” is relentless in its pursuit to grow.

It doesn't care if it’s raining, snowing or sunny, nothing stops “Life” from moving forwards and growing.

We are a part of this “Life” and should be the same.

There really is no such thing as ‘perfect timing’.

The ‘perfect time’ is “now” because we are alive, breathing and can do anything today.

This encourages us to have control of our lives.

Embracing life, with all of its challenges and opportunities inspires us to flourish in our individual lives.

To learn from every challenge and understand every opportunity.

Rain waters flowers and they grow into beautiful blooms of different colours and perfumes.

Let’s ‘water’ our minds and our lives now, and find peace and happiness today.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Nellie Bly

Look After Your Future

Look After Your Future

“Protect your mind. It’s the home your future has to live in.”

The one part of our body which will ‘control’ our whole lives is our “minds”.

The mind controls what we remember, believe, aspire to, dream, how we live, as well as the physical functions of our bodies.

Along with the heart, the mind is the most important ‘organ’ of our bodies.

“It’s the home your future has to live in.”

We need to protect our minds!

We will be laying a strong foundation for our future success and, more importantly, our future happiness.

Today, mental health is very much in the forefront of medicine.

In many cases, ‘fix’ the mind and you can fix the person.

This starts within ourselves and within our homes.

When we prioritize our own mental health, we are looking after our own futures.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Mary Shelley

 

Move Forwards In Happiness

Move Forwards In Happiness

“You know you’re on the right track when you’re not interested in looking back.”

This reflects a mindset which is focused on growth and progression.

Embracing the future while letting go of past burdens is vital for personal, as well as societal, advancement.

Very often, the only way to progress is to let go of ‘old ideas’.

For example, in the past it was believed that the Earth was flat.

We now know that our planet is round and this is what is taught in schools.

Our own individual lives are no different.

When we start to think of today and look forward to the future, we know that we have let go of the past, and that the past no longer has that hold on us.

We need to do this if we want to move forward in our happiness in our lives.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

 

Jane Austen

A Tranquil Mind

A Tranquil Mind

“The calmer you are, the clearer you think. Let your decisions come from a place of peace, not reaction.”

The calmer we are, the healthier we are!

Our blood pressure stays where it should be and our minds are clear, so we can think better.

This is the place we need to make our decisions from, because then we will make the right decisions for us personally.

In today’s world, emotions very often ‘dictate’ how we do things.

However, a tranquil mind will lead to better decision-making and problem-solving skills.

It is important to remain calm when facing challenges, for both our mental and physical health.

Decisions rooted in peace can transform society.

Society starts with the individual.

When we are all trying to do this, our neighbourhoods become happier and safer places to live.

LIVE AND LOVE LIFE!

Angela Burdett-Coutts