It’s the little things

Right now, especially, we are all struggling to find a little bit of joy in our days. It seems as if we are stuck in a never-ending Groundhog Day. We have all reached our breaking point at least once during this pandemic and it’s hard.
 
I know, for me, it helps when I am having a bad day (which is quite often to be honest), to focus on the little things that make me happy. They seem to make the days more bearable and are a good reminder to be grateful for what I do have.
 
Happiness for me is…
 
A sugary cup of tea
Chocolate, of any kind
Painted toenails
A ripe, juicy nectarine
Sex (#notsorry)
Laughter, especially my husbands when he giggles like a little boy
All the people I love (it’s a long list ❤️)
The ocean
Dogs (especially G)
A new planner or water bottle (I have an addiction)
Being organized ( I feel so out of sorts if things are a mess)
Freshly laundered sheets
The smell of coffee (but NOT the taste)
Collecting shells
Yoga
Being outside in nature
Walks
Kisses
Singing at the top of my lungs when no one is around
Dancing
Books, real ones
My Mom’s shortbread
Tattoos
Flip flops
Puzzles
Manatees
LOVE
Children
Big earrings
My favorite music (which ranges from classical, to pop, to hip hop to everything in between LOL)
A ripe banana (don’t even try to give me a green one!)
Just shaven, silky smooth legs
A mason jar full of flowers
The way my husbands foot has to touch mine at night in bed
Pajamas
Cookies
Taking photographs (of anything and everything, yes, selfies included)
Funny autocorrects when I text
Cuddling, snuggling, hugging
Sunshine
 
I could probably go on for ages if I really took time to think about it and I think you’ll find if you start making a list of the things that make you smile, it will be a VERY long list. So…what makes you happy?! And when you’re feeling low, remember that there are so many little things to be grateful for xx

 

Speak It

Hey you! Yes, you! You are totally awesome and amazing! Just thought you should know that.

I am a true believer in sharing the love. It is so very important to let others around you know how you feel about them and celebrate their awesomeness! I always come back around to this quote because it really speaks to me. “If you see something beautiful in someone, speak it” Let them know. Don’t hold it back. You never know whose day you will change with a kind word. There is enough hatred and anger and meanness in the world. Why not be the one who spreads positivity, optimism, light and love instead? I know that’s what I would rather do.

So, you…yes, I’m still talking to you! You are perfect, just the way you are.

A Letter to my Younger Self

Dear one,

Be brave. Life is difficult and you will experience heartbreak and sorrow of unimaginable proportions …but you will survive. You are stronger than you think. Trust your gut. Don’t be so afraid of everything. Try new things, take risks, and don’t give up on yourself or dreams because things get hard. Keep trying. When one door closes, look for another one. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t let your heart be treated unkindly. You are amazing and kind and worthy of love. Always remember that.  Even when your heart is breaking into a million pieces, remember your worth. Shine bright and don’t let anyone dull your sparkle. You are one of a kind, be proud of who you are. Share your heart with the world and spread love everywhere you go. Stop doubting yourself. Be gentle with yourself. No one is perfect and everyone is different, that’s what makes the world so awesome. Believe in yourself and what you have to offer to the world. Love yourself, just as you are. Don’t regret the past, choose to learn from it. Cherish time with loved ones because life is short and there are no guarantees. Your life will be filled with so many amazing things, never forget to be grateful. Have fun. Laugh a lot. Always be kind.

Love,  Me xxx

Mirror Mirror

 

It’s so easy to look in the mirror and blame our bodies for not being what we want them to be. Too skinny, too fat, too short, too tall, too wrinkly, too whatever it may be. I am guilty of this almost everyday. Why can’t I be more like this or more like that?

Ugh, what a waste of energy and time. Life is WAY too short to use up our precious time wishing our lives away.

I hate my hands. They are ugly and misshapen and they remind me of a time when I was really sick and struggling to just survive each day. I am embarrassed by them. They make it hard to do certain yoga poses because they are short and they are often painful. I waste so much energy being angry about them and trying to hide them. It’s something that I have no control over and cannot change, no matter how much time I spend wishing they were different.

We ALL have things that we want to change about ourselves, that we wish were different. But what if we decided instead to embrace the skin we are in? To celebrate our strengths and honor what our bodies have done and continue to do for us? To take some time to appreciate the things that we DO like about ourselves rather than focusing on the things that we don’t.

Gratitude can change the way we see things. And the more gratitude we can extend to our own selves, the way we see and love ourselves drastically changes.

So here goes…

I appreciate my hands for allowing me to be able to hold my husbands hand, to be able to write and draw, for the giving me the ability to cook, to stroke my dog Goldies fur…my hands do so much for me every single day. Instead of hating them, I am embracing them.

I love my arms because they allow me to wrap my family and friends tight in a nice BIG hug. They hold me steady when I am in plank, although they shake and beg me for mercy. They are strong and allow me to carry way too many grocery bags into the house (because who wants to make more than one trip?!)

I am grateful for my strong legs that are able to carry and support me from one yoga pose to the next. They supported me when I ran a half marathon and did a mini triathlon (still not sure I actually did that!), they kick and help me swim in the ocean, and they hold me steady on my stand up paddle board, which is one of my favorite things to do. They allow me to take a walk with my husband every morning and they hold me up (or at least try to) on late nights dancing with friends. And to be honest, they look pretty good in a short skirt 😉

I appreciate the way my eyes twinkle when I laugh really hard.

I appreciate my loud, goofy, sometimes very embarrassing laugh (especially when I snort LOL)

I like my smile because when I smile, others smile too. It also reminds me a little of my Mums smile and boy could she light up a room with her smile!

I am grateful for my soft round tummy because who needs a 6 pack anyway?! Goldie thinks it’s an excellent resting place for her head when snuggling on the couch and without it I wouldn’t have a place for all my favorite chocolate to go.

The thing I am most grateful about myself for though, is my heart. I know it’s not something that’s visible on the outside of my body but that’s what makes it even more special. My heart beats strong. It beats strong to keep me alive but it also beats strong with love.

Because that’s what I am good at it. Love. Maybe sometimes I love too much but in the end, none of the other things will matter. I won’t care what my outside looked like. I won’t care about my wobbly bits or my scarred bits. I will care about the love I gave and received. The lives I touched, even just a tiny bit, with my heart. The people who love me and fill my heart SO full.

So, today, when you take a look at yourself in the mirror and you are prepared to sling some insults your own way, think again. Take a moment to appreciate and be grateful for the body you’re in. The body that allows you to live, think, dream and love. The one and only body we get, for our very short time here.

Empower and Inspire: Finding the Happiness Within

For a few years I had a little blog on blogger.com that I used to document my journey as a woman on a mission to spread peace, love and light by sharing my own experiences. I haven’t written on it for a few years and thought maybe I would bring the same concept over to my website here. Although I am a children’s yoga teacher on a mission to empower and inspire children to bloom and find their own voices…why can’t I use this space as a place for everyone, not just kids, to see a little bit of themselves and maybe find some inspiration to find their own happiness within?

I may occasionally recycle a post or two from my old blog because sometimes I think things that matter are worth repeating. Often times we can gain a different insight and perspective at certain times in our lives (and I know from my own personal experience that there are certain things I just need to hear over and over again to sink in)

So if you are here and reading this, let’s take this journey together and see if we can learn something about ourselves and each other along the way!