Finding Your Joy with Gratitude and Love

Living with love and gratitude makes for a better person. We all know that infamous "Negative Nellie" that can rain on any parade. The person that constantly complains, criticizes and moans and groans through everything in life. They are the people in our lives that always have it bad or worse than any other. They are our family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors. These are the people, that if allowed, can break our spirits, bring us down emotionally and inhibit our own bliss.

Bliss or joy is our birth right. Yes, our own personal bliss on a daily basis is a choice, our right and what we all deserve. We all have days where we can fly high and those days where we are like carp, dredging the bottom of a murky pond. The fact of the matter is, it is all our own personal choice. We can choose to be unhappy with our jobs, our friends or our circumstances. Or, we can choose joy. Choosing joy and bliss can be a daunting task. It is a mindset that many need to practice and consciously think of on a daily basis.

Love and gratitude simply means counting your blessings for each and every thing we experience. This includes every speeding ticket, every carton of spoiled milk, poopy diaper and each pair of snagged pantyhose. We must take the good with the bad and be thankful for each experience. Each experience is a learning tool to be grateful for. The speeding ticket is a tool for us to remember to slow down and be more careful. It is for our safety. The poopy diaper? Yes, be thankful for it. You are blessed with a child that is healthy and doing what they are supposed to. You are a parent or caregiver which is a special job. That child needs you and your loving attention to keep them clean. The snagged pantyhose? Oh well, toss them out, put a new pair on or throw on some slacks. Be grateful for the options and slow down and breathe.

Remove yourself from the negative energies surrounding you if at all possible. Finding your own bliss or joy means focusing on you. Reach inward and dig deep, if need be, to find the good in each person or experience. Dealing with negative energy brings more negative energy to you. Focus, breathe and concentrate on bliss. In doing so, you will live your life with love and gratitude. When putting these tools into action in our daily lives, our own bliss becomes apparent. Our joy surfaces and our grateful hearts shine through without hesitation. Dr. Wayne Dyer, famous inspirational author, wrote; "The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind." In other words, look for the goodness in everything and be thankful for each moment.

The Law of Attraction is a very popular concept these days, along with Rhonda Byrne's book, "The Secret." These items focus on the power of our inner spirits and inner thoughts to create a positive life. Other authors contributing to the focus on inspiration are Carol Tuttle, Deepak Chopra, Leo Buscaglia, Wayne Dyer and many more. There are numerous websites, books, articles and tools to establish a daily practice of love and gratitude. A simple Google search will produce a multitude of sources for more information.

Teaching our children early, produces healthy and strong emotional individuals. A loving and giving child grows into a positive teenager and thus into a mature loving adult. Sharing these tools with our children is our duty as parents and caregivers. We have the tools to produce daily bliss, again, which is our birth right. The next step in the process is sharing our bliss with others. The act of random kindness and love or the concept of "paying it forward" is the next step to changing our lives and our communities.

Random acts of love and kindness toward others brings happiness to all involved. The receiver is blessed by something special and the giver gains the satisfaction of making someone else happy. Random acts of kindness and love need not be expensive and some have no cost at all. It is all up to you how you choose to spread joy to the world. Some folks buy a cup of coffee for a stranger or bake cookies for a neighbor or compliment someone or a happy smile given to another is worth more than most people believe. It can make someone's day and that is priceless.

Smile today and love your way toward your own personal bliss. Choose your joy and count your blessings big and small. Thank your God, your angels, your parents or whomever you prefer, but please make it a habit to count all your blessings. Spread your love and gratitude with random acts of kindness. Smile, today, at those you encounter and let your spirit soar with joy.