Happiness & Gratitude

Can I be super transparent right now?  I can be grumpy.  I don't mean tired grumpy.  I mean look-at-me-wrong-and-feel-the-wrath-grumpy.  Not something I'm proud of.  I am not a pessimist, I like to consider myself a realist; but hank heavens, my other half is a singing dancing optimist!  But truly, the past couple months I've let the grump in me take over and my sweet family has had to bear with me.  It may be that I've felt stressed lately but I think its actually been a combination of 2 things. 
A perspective shift and a lack of gratitude.  So I'm working on changing that.  And I tell you something.  MAGIC HAPPENS when you have the right perspective in life.  

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Happiness is when what you think, what you do,
​and what you say are in harmony

I've been reading a book called "The Slight Edge", and I started it mainly to help me grow professionally.  It is full of stories and wisdom that can actually transform your life, if you apply it's principle and practices.  As a Christian, I know life is made of hills and valleys, and I have the experience to trust that when I'm doing things that add light to my spirit, my perspective is good.  Likewise, when I neglect my soul, negative vibes thrive.  Now, I've always enjoyed Personal Development books, but this "Slight Edge" really simplifies the mission we all have to be successful.  One thing I've taken so far from the book is, "Success does not lead to happiness.  Rather, happiness leads to success"

I think we can all get caught up in doing and striving, that we spend our energy trying to create happiness through accomplishments, when its actually way more simple than that.  If we can learn to focus on BE-ing happy, all the other moving parts flow a lot smoother.  It's true.  And you'll have to read the book to find all the studies and testimonies that back this up.  My favorite part that I'm excited to apply is HAPPY HABITS.  If we can get into the rhythm of doing some daily practices that train our mind in happiness, your perspective begins to shift and your life begins to shine!  

You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.  The secret of your success is found in your daily routine

I have heard many times about how important gratitude is. I don't know about you, but its something I need to remember to be way more intentional about.  I'm a Type A work, focus, work type of gal and I have to actually remind myself to slow down and smell the roses.  With that, unfortunately, comes a lack of much needed gratitude.  I mean, its not that I'm ungrateful.  I just don't usually take the time to consider each day about how much I have to be thankful for.  And doing that is life-changing.  So I've given myself a Gratitude Challenge.  My family deserves a more joyful me (not a more successful me) so I have decided to take action and set my sights on filling my heart with gratitude.  My plan is 2-fold.  I want to begin each day with thankfulness so I've set my alarm for 5am with the label "Gratitude & Meditation" and I will write down 3 new things each day that I'm grateful for.  I'm using an app for this to keep me on track.  The second part is for my sweetheart.  I've spent too much of my breath nagging since I've been in house-under-construction-mode so my gift to him (and to myself and our family) is to tell him  one thing I'm grateful for about him, every day this month.  I'm so excited about this because it will 1) give him an uplifting loving touch every day and 2) put my mindset on track with positivity and joy.