No matter how heavy life gets, make time to stop, put it all down, and have some fun. Be silly, blow bubbles, snuggle your fur babies, laugh, splash in puddles, run into the waves, walk in the forest, jump on the trampoline, dig in the garden, ride your bike, dance to your tunes or dance in the rain, but, get out there and play.
It’s these lighthearted moments that relieve the pressure, clear the mind, move the body and give us a reprieve from the heavy and painful parts of life. Play time is important no matter how old we are.
So dig out and dust off your play clothes, and go get your “play” on.
We all have bad days, days we mess up and nothing goes according to plan. Days we’re late for work, hairs a mess, shirts inside-out, we spill our coffee, burn the toast, lose a shoe, car won’t start, miss the bus, forget our password, forget to feed the cat or water the plants…….you get it.
These chaotic, confusing, muddled days, are an important part of the journey, they teach us resilience, patience, adaptability, coping skills, humility and foster introspection.
The messy days also gift us with an opportunity to reflect, reset and, most importantly, they pass.
Our bad days are the fuel on which we learn and grow. They remind us that we can’t control everything, so relax and stop trying.
And hey, you’ve survived every messy day you’ve ever had! That makes you a bit of a rock star! (and rock stars get pretty messy)
So pick your amazing, messy self up, inhale the learning, turn your shirt around, feed the cat, get another coffee and start over, knowing you’re awesome and there’s purpose in those challenging, mixed-up, messy days.
Clearly, adulting is not working,(anywhere in the world).
So let’s put it all down, stop talking and start laughing, stop listening to the news and instead, take time to listen to birds chirping, children playing, rain falling, rivers flowing or waves crashing. Stop scrolling, and take a break from the noise, the politics, the anger, the chaos; and, pull out some crayons, Lego, or play-dough, or go outside and make a tree-fort or make some mud, blow some bubbles, or watch bugs do bug stuff, and remember what it’s like to be playful, creative, happy, connected and alive.
Let’s all just take a break from whatever “This” is.
YOU’RE NOT SELFISH. You’re allowed to say no, not just when you’re too busy, but, when what’s being asked of you; ~ is unrealistic, ~ violates your core values, ~ violates your personal boundaries, ~ will affect your well-being, ~ is unnecessary or unhealthy, ~ drains your financial resources, ~ depletes your energy, ~ feels uncomfortable, ~ makes you feel guilty, Or, ~ your gut tells you a situation is wrong.
These are situations you might want to say NO to.
We teach people how to treat us, and we build our self esteem, when we set boundaries and when we’re living our values. This isn’t selfish it’s necessary.
Your time, energy and financial resources are assets to be invested in the things that matter.
You, your dreams, your well-being, your life, your values, your loved ones, matter. Invest in that.
Life’s big beautiful things, really are the small, simple, joyful, things🔆. ~a smile from a stranger ~that first sip of coffee in the morning ~watching the sun rise or set ~the quiet that comes with the snowfall ~a lingering hug ~a hand to hold ~a friend to call ~puttering in a garden ~ hearing a baby laugh ~someone who listens ~a thank you ~ a puppy on your lap ~a heartfelt apology ~a walk in the forest ~walking barefoot on the grass ~the smell of fresh lavender ~ a bubble bath ~feeling the wind caress your face, ~waves rolling onto shore ~sitting next to a crackling campfire ~the colours of autumn leaves ~waking up and feeling well ~peanut butter cups 😋
… and so much more.
The best things, the really good things, are the millions of beautiful, simple (often free) things that help get us through the difficult things.
I hope this day, and every day, is filled with simple, beautiful things that offer you comfort and bring you joy.
To the artists, dancers, singers, musicians, composers, poets, writers and creators~ who were told “you’re not good enough” and told to give up your creative dream and get a real job…….. THANK YOU for NOT giving up! You add the colour, the music, the passion, the words, the fun and the inspiration our world so desperately needs right now.
Your creative gifts are the tether we cling to as our world dangles in peril.
Some of the most creative minds including; Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, JK Rowling, Elvis Presley, Fred Astaire, Walt Disney, and many more, were told to give up their creative dreams ~ thankfully they didn’t listen.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” ~ Albert Einstein
If what you’re doing, what you have, where you’re at or who you spend your time with, doesn’t bring you joy ~ give yourself permission to let it go.
If finding joy seems hard because you have a mortgage to pay, a family to support, educational goals you want to achieve or you’re caring for someone, change your perspective and find joy in these things and where these things and people will lead you.
If you can’t change your current circumstances you can still;
Make self care a priority. There is no one who is more important and worthy of self care than you, no one.
Stop worrying and overthinking, it serves no purpose. It takes as much energy to focus on what’s right in your life, as it takes to focus on what’s wrong. However, the affect of focusing on what’s right can have a huge positive benefit on your physical, spiritual and mental well being.
Nurture yourself in nature. Learn to be still beside the ocean, in a forest, or sitting on top of a rocky bluff. Listen to the peacefulness and bring calm into your life.
Avoid being drawn into other peoples drama/conflict.
Manage the internal dialogue in your head. We tell ourselves stories about ourselves that are just not true. Stories such as “I’ll always be alone.” “I’m going to be in pain my entire life.” “I’ll never get fit.” “I’ll always be poor.” “I won’t be happy until this situation changes.” Change the story you tell yourself about yourself.
Make plans to do something you’ve always wanted to do, even if that something is still off in the future.
Try spending less $ on “stuff” and spend more time making memories and having experiences.
Interact with positive uplifting people.
Take a break from media and tune into a comedy channel instead.
Purge stuff; sell, donate or get rid of things that no longer serve you and your life.
Say goodbye to toxic people and relationships.
Stop being offended by every little damn thing. You’re not responsible for how others behave or why they do the things they do. So stop being judgmental or worrying that others may judge you. We’re not all on the same path, we’re not supposed to be.
Get moving. Physical activity to the degree you’re able, can; improve your memory and brain function, help manage chronic pain, assist in weight management, lower blood pressure and improve heart health, improve your quality of sleep, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression and, reduce “life fatigue”.
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Focus on the things in your life that do bring you joy; the ones you love, your pets, your garden, a sunset, creating art, the first sip of coffee as you start your day, a ride along a stretch of open highway, your cozy pillow ( I love my pillow), kissing the lips of someone you love.
Life can feel like a “whack-a-mole game” with crazy, unpleasant circumstances popping up in unexpected places. You can still be happy, and you can still whack those things with a big smile on your face😁.
If where you’re at now is hard, find joy in knowing these challenging days will be behind you one day. You’ll look back on your struggle and be proud that you were strong and got through it.
When I look back over my life, its not the stuff or the pay cheques that brought me joy, it’s simple pleasures and precious moments that have always lifted me up.
You have more power over your current situation than perhaps you realize. Use this power to grow into the best version of yourself by following your joy.
Wishing you a happy, zenny, joyful, sunshine and lollipops kind of day☀️🍭 🤗
Our entire lives we’re on a quest to feel whole and happy.
As we wait for happiness to arrive, some of us fill the empty spaces in our lives with distractions, temporary highs, busyness, unfulfilling relationships, toxic substances, material possessions and the debt that often comes with them, but still, the emptiness remains.
As children we knew how to laugh, how to play and what made us happy. It was being close to the ones we loved, exercising our curiosity, exploring our environment, creating adventures, making art, splashing in puddles, running barefoot in the rain, playing in a forest or a pond, taking risks and trusting we’d be okay, even if we fell; these are the things that filled us up.
Then, as we grew, life became cluttered with distractions, busyness, possessions, stress, too much information, self doubt and responsibility. Many of us parked our creativity, abandoned our curious nature, spent less time with those we loved and we stopped doing those wonderful things that made us happy when we we’re children.
It’s time to invite the child who lives in each of us to come out and play, to remember the happiness we felt when we set ourselves free from the clutter and distractions that bog us down.
Even amidst the frenzied noise and turmoil in the world, we can still CHOOSE to be happy.
Today is a good day; ~ To look up and see the world through the curious eyes of the child in you and reclaim your sense of wonder. ~ To seek out a new adventure and bask in the beauty around you. ~ To flip over a few rocks along the shoreline and see what scurries out. ~ To pull out a colouring book, make a kite, play in the sand, go to a park and get on a swing, hang off a monkey bar, make a mud pie or do some happy finger painting on your guest room wall. ~ To giggle, to play and melt back into your authentic happy little self.
Today’s a good day to be happy. To let go and jump, skip, slide, soar, surf, run, ride, sail, paddle or swim, right past anything blocking your path to happiness.
You came into this world knowing where happiness resides, it’s still there waiting for you to unleash its power over your life.
The Whimsey Angel 