Sometimes our smile comes from our joy, but sometimes our joy can come from our smile. – Thich Nhat Hanh
Editor’s note This is a guest article written by Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind.
We spend a lot of time working for the achievement of milestones. Graduations, promotions, raises, and other assortments of accomplishments are considered more valuable than everyday experiences. We work feverishly to make these achievements, but once we reach the top of these mountains, we already have our eyes set on the next peak.
There’s nothing wrong with achieving goals and reaching for new heights. But if we spend most of our time experiencing, rather than achieving, doesn’t it make sense to enjoy everyday experiences as much as possible?
We consider these normal days routine and monotonous. The day you graduated college is more important than a random day in class. Your child’s first steps are monumental compared to her throwing oatmeal at the dog on a Monday morning. Driving your new car for the first time was more exciting then cursing the jerk that cut you off on your commute to work.
If our days are mostly normal, perhaps we should spend more time trying to enjoy the present. Perhaps we should stop looking for happiness in the future and start looking for it in the only place it can happen- now.
To find joy in the present doesn’t mean we abandon our search for a better tomorrow. We simply need to realize… Read more
Around here we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things. – Walt Disney
Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.
Life can hit hard. Sometimes you get knocked down when you don’t even see it coming. Some are cheap shots, some are glancing blows and some can bring you to your knees. When this happens, it’s not about how hard you get hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, but still find the strength to keep moving forward. It’s about having the will to continue in spite of the obstacles.
It is interesting where inspiration can be found at times. Our son, Andrew, bought the Rocky Series not long ago. This DVD set contains all six Rocky movies. Recently, I had an opportunity to watch the last movie in the series, Rocky Balboa, with my son. The movie contains a very poignant scene between Rocky and his son. The message Rocky delivers is one of hope, courage and determination when life hits hard: Read more
“We do not have to wait until we are old to become wise. We can discover these secrets at any age and the sooner we discover them, the more fulfilling our lives will be.” – John Izzo, Ph.D.
What makes life worth living? How can we live in a meaningful and joyous way? Do we need to fear death? Dr. John Izzo addresses these questions in his latest book The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die
In the book, Izzo not only shares these concepts, but he illustrates them by telling the stories of the extraordinary people he interviewed. In addition, he developed a series of questions that readers can ask themselves to help integrate the secrets into their lives.
These secrets are inspiring and provide a good blueprint or roadmap, for all of us to use in our journey of finding happiness and our life’s purpose. The following is a brief synopsis of each secret: Read more
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
We don’t have to look far to find inspiration and the desire to cultivate and sustain our faith can be jump-started when we turn to others to help. In order to keep moving forward in life, we must keep growing – and keep changing.
During the times in my life when I’m feeling down or discouraged, I often turn to others for strength. Hearing that someone else is either going through what I’m experiencing, or has moved past the pain and discomfort I’m struggling with, is a valuable resource.
Sharing is what Stories of Change, Faith and Inspiration is all about. The following articles remind us we are not alone. There are many who have gone before us. There is incredible value in reading their stories and gathering a few nuggets of their wisdom.
The writers featured in this edition are true BridgeMakers. They have each taken the time to reach across to a place where they once stood to help us get to the other side, too. Read more
If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. – Andy Rooney
Article written by Alex Blackwell. Connect with me on Facebook.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to smile, it only takes one reason. Our lives can be stressful and complicated at times, but that doesn’t mean laughter, happiness and serving up a warm, beautiful smile can’t fill the gaps in between.
Perhaps if we can think of more reasons to smile, the gaps might become further apart and the energy our smiles provide will have a better chance of sustaining our efforts to look for the positive that exists around us. Maybe, our smiles can help us stay in the positive a little while longer, too.
There’s no question disappointment will continue to occur (that’s just part of the natural ebb and flow of life), and when the sadness does come again, having an inventory of what brings us comfort and a heartwarming reason to smile is good to have on hand.
Here are my reasons to smile: Read more
