Sunday Sunshine: Forgive

When I say something that I wish I hadn’t or do something that I would rather not repeat, I tend to play it over and over again in my head. I’d like to think it’s that I hold myself to a certain standard, but it may be more that I just have difficulty forgiving myself.

Reconsider carrying around those unnecessary burdens. Forgive yourself. Forgive others.

The weight of those things that you carry in your “can’t forgive” bag is unnecessarily heavy. Forgiveness lightens the load. When you forgive, you make room for peace. And when you carry peace around, it’s as light as a feather.

Today, this week: Forgive yourself and forgive others. Replace your burdens with peace.

Sunday Sunshine: Soar!

If you were to say in a sentence what you want for your life, what would it be? Put a name to those desires, those aspirations, those values, those dreams. When you name them, they become more real to you.

Perhaps this is the year you want to explore a new hobby or visit a new place (even if it's only virtually). Perhaps this is the year to learn how to play the piano or bake a fancy cake or write poetry. Perhaps this is the year to adopt a pet or adopt a new healthy habit.

What first steps might you take in order to make your dreams come true?

Take flight! Let your heart be swept away on the wings of your dreams!

Today, this week: Set your sights on your dreams. Soar!

Sunday Sunshine: Unexpected Places

The day is new, the air is fresh and there are opportunities just waiting for you!

We often find our hearts in unexpected places. There are signs all around you. Look for them. Listen for them. Remain open to the possibilities.

Be positive!

Anticipate good things and they will come—perhaps not as you planned—but even better!

Today, this week:  Be open to the possibilities for wonderful things to come into your life.

Sunday Sunshine: Choose Wisely

How you view the world and what it does to you, for you and through you is up to you.

Choose wisely.

When you choose to embrace happiness in your life, it's as if you invite the sun to shine on you and to warm your soul.

When you go one step further and share your happiness with others, it's magic! You transfer that sunshine to others and brighten their world and yours.

As you intentionally choose happiness and then generously share it with others, those recipients have the opportunity to share happiness, too.

Today, this week: You choose how you will view this day. Choose wisely.

Sunday Sunshine: Sweet Moments

You are a magnet. You have the power to use your positive energy to attract positive energy back into your life. 

In other words, what you cast out into the world has a way of coming back to you.

Think about when you smile to someone. You often receive a smile back.

When you are kind, kindness is returned to you--often in unexpected and bountiful ways.

When you are grateful, the reasons to be grateful seem to multiply. 

Trust that the good, positive, sunny energy that you put forth will come back to you in even greater measure.

Measure your days by the sweet moments -- those times when you smile, when you feel loved, when you've received kindnesses, when you've been in awe.

Today, this week: Be a magnet. Be sunshine. Look to the sweet moments.

Sunday Sunshine: Be a Lifelong Learner

Just as the grass grows, the trees leaf out, and the flowers lift their heads out of the soil, we, too, have opportunities to rise and shine during this glorious season of summer growth.

Today is a new day. Today marks a new week. Look for opportunities for your creative energies and ideas to form. Look for ways to grow as a person. Be a lifelong learner. Be an every-single-day learner!

Today, this week: Be a lifelong learner. Make time to grow each and every day.

Sunday Sunshine: Pay Attention

You have the capacity to be a peacemaker. We need peacemakers in our world.

You are a peacemaker when you seek to better understand another person’s perspective, listen with your full attention, consider your response carefully, measure your words and show respect.

It doesn’t mean that you have to be in full agreement with the other person, but it does mean that you honor the light in that individual and you give him or her the respect to hold his or her own opinions, even if they are different from yours.

Doing so can help you look through the clutter and distraction of differences in order to find the light of common ground. That light will help you forge a path through differences to a place of compromise and respect.

Listen carefully and openly to hear another perspective. Respect a way of thinking that is different from yours. Be slow to judge. Seek to understand.

Today, this week: Pay attention. Listen. Be a peacemaker.