Feeling Positive

Don’t Be Afraid to Pursue Your Dreams

Have you ever awakened one day and realized that, although your life is going pretty well, there’s just one thing tugging at you? Something inside is telling you that something isn’t quite “right” in your life. Or maybe it feels more like something’s missing.

Perhaps those feelings are trying to let you know you haven’t been pursuing your dreams. For many, dreams about the future started when they were youngsters.

You might’ve grown to admire your uncle who’s a great golfer and wanted to try golfing to emulate him. Or maybe you do golf but there’s that one golf course in Europe that you really want to play.

It could be that your 7th grade English teacher, whom you loved, always told you what a great writer you were. But after high school, you’ve hardly written even a short story. You always thought you’d get back to writing, but just haven’t taken the time or effort.

It’s time to pursue your dreams!

Review these tips about following your bliss. You might realize that – YES! – you can go after your special goals while living your life and “taking care of business.”

1. Ask yourself, “Is there something I’ve wanted to do for a long time?” If so, what is it?

2. Write down your goals for the future. Obtain a spiral notebook and devote it to your dreams.

* Take your Dream Notebook and pen to the park or front porch. Then, ponder your dream. Write everything that comes to mind. Record your dreams on a small bit of paper and affix them to your bathroom mirror.

* Each day, when you see that message to yourself about what you want to do, it will inspire you.

3. Pledge to do just one thing each day or week to chase after your dream goal. Maintain your momentum toward following your bliss.

* Make your dreams a priority in life.
* Avoid allowing anyone or anything to get in the way of pursuing your dreams.
* Who knows what can happen when you “keep your eyes on the prize?”

4. It’s rare to accomplish dreams in a short period of time. Accept that you’ll be following your most cherished wishes for the long haul.

5. Think about ways to divide your path to your dreams into “chunks.” For example, if you’ve always wanted to travel to France to see the Eiffel Tower, you could separate your dreams into sections like:

* Read everything you can about France and the Eiffel Tower.
* Explore the subjects on the web.
* Become an “expert” about the topics of your dreams.
* Even though you might struggle financially to make ends meet, set up a separate bank account for your “dream” trip to Europe and make regular deposits (at least monthly), no matter how small.
* Regardless of what your dreams are, think of a way to move toward them somehow.
* Vow to keep your momentum going so you can achieve your dreams.

6. It’s okay to re-vamp or even totally overhaul your dreams. You can let go of a dream you had for a while if you discover you really aren’t interested in that goal anymore.

* As you grow and mature, it’s not unusual to develop new interests and dreams.
* You can feel comfortable transitioning into a new goal to pursue.
* Give yourself permission to let go of an old dream, alter it, or even add a new goal.

7. Avoid thinking of your dreams as impossible for you to accomplish. Dreams keep you moving forward in life.

* Tell yourself it’s entirely within the realm of your life to pursue and fulfill your dreams.
* You truly deserve to have goals and dreams, no matter what your situation.

Following your bliss will enrich your life in so many ways. Allow yourself the opportunity to fulfill your special goals in life. Pursue your dreams because you’re worth it.

Want a Healthier Life?

If you’re striving to live a healthier life, starting the day off right can make the difference in achieving your goals for the day. It’s not always easy to live a healthy life, but if you incorporate changes gradually, you’ll affect your lifestyle in positive ways. Starting your day with healthy practices helps establish a healthy mindset for the rest of the day.

Implementing these healthy habits in the morning will invigorate you all day:

1. Get plenty of sleep the night before. Experts advise 7 to 8 hours of sleep nightly for your health.

* It’s widely known that caffeine can cause sleep disturbances. If you’re having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, consider stopping your use of caffeine. Switching to decaffeinated beverages, for example, might improve your sleep.

* If you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll be ready to get out of bed at a reasonable time. For best results, arise at the same time each morning and retire at the same time each night.

2. Establish a routine to take care of your skin. Clean your face with facial soap or cleanser, apply a toner or astringent, and finish with your facial moisturizer.

* Apply lotion to the rest of your body in the mornings as well. Many free radicals in the environment assault your skin throughout the day. Providing a protective layer of lotion over your skin every morning is an excellent healthy habit.

3. Drink plenty of liquids as a healthy start to your day. Hydrating your body and skin for the day is a habit that will pay off in many ways. It helps your body and mind all the way down to the cellular level for peak performance.

4. Have a good breakfast. The possibilities for a healthy breakfast are varied:

* Fat-free yogurt with blueberries and strawberries with a bit of granola

* Oatmeal with bananas and skim milk

* A boiled egg with a slice of toast and some fruit

5. Remember your vitamin! If your doctor recommends a vitamin supplement, after breakfast in the morning is usually an opportune time to take it. Taking your vitamin ensures you’re doing what you can to get adequate vitamins and minerals.

6. Consider taking a morning walk either before or after breakfast. Exercising in the morning brings vitality to your day.

* In addition, psychologically, you’ll feel pleased with yourself because you accomplished something, and feeling good about yourself contributes to good mental health. When you start your day feeling so positively, the rest of the day is less stressful.

7. Write a short list of tasks you hope to accomplish. Being organized is another healthy way to start your day. Make it a ritual to sit down for a few minutes in your morning to gather your thoughts and make a plan for the day.

8. Take care of your teeth in the morning. So important to healthy living, brushing your teeth thoroughly is integral to good health and a great start to your day.

If you’re trying to live a healthier life, you would do well to incorporate these habits into your mornings. Making changes in your lifestyle are best when introduced gradually. Keep your health goals foremost in your mind and these healthy habits will automatically have you starting your days with a smile.

Want a Happy Marriage?

A long, successful, happy marriage is the goal of every bride and groom. However, a happy marriage doesn’t just happen: it must be created and nurtured. It takes a bit of work and it never hurts to discover some wonderful ways to enhance your marital relationship.

The following suggestions are the perfect opportunity to refresh your happy marriage toolbox. There might be a few secrets for a happy marriage that you haven’t tried yet. Hopefully, these ideas won’t be secrets for long.

1. Make brief contact with your spouse throughout the day. It takes only a few seconds to let your partner know you’re thinking of them.

* Place a two or three minute call to your spouse during your morning break.

* Send a text message. Text messages are particularly fun because you can make a statement, ask a question, or make a plan simply by tapping in a quick message. For example, you could text, “Can’t wait to get home tonight,” “I’m cooking your favorite for dinner,” or “I love you!”

* Send a quick email to just say “Hi.”

2. Provide your spouse with something to look forward to. Whether it’s this weekend’s activities or a favorite dinner, talk about what you’ve planned just for your partner. It’s incredibly enjoyable for both of you when you take the time to think about what they would like and then make it happen.

3. Occasional surprises work wonders. For example, plan a surprise weekend getaway, a romantic dinner at home, or flowers just to say, “I love you.”

4. Make your relationship fun. An important aspect of lasting relationships is the capacity to enjoy each other’s company.

* Be silly, tell jokes, and use self-deprecating humor once in a while. Have fun when you’re around each other.

5. Talk about plans for activities you both want to do in the future. Sharing ideas and setting goals together bring you closer together and ensure you stay there – together.

* It’s especially fun to plan to go out to lunch on Saturday to make decisions about your vacation plans and figure out together what you want to do.

6. Create a special time each day when it’s just the two of you, really relating together. It could be that after work, the two of you prepare dinner together. Or when you sit down at the table to eat, you both are consciously present that “this” is your special time.

* Go for a walk together in the evening or listen to your favorite music after dinner.

* Daily responsibilities may make every day difficult, but connect with your spouse often.

7. Be adventurous in your relationship. Learn something new together. When you have adventure, your relationship feels fresh and exciting. Try these ideas or develop your own based on your mutual interests:

* Take a ballroom, hip-hop, or country-western dancing class.

* Go vegan for a week.

* Attend a lecture on “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

* Change your appearance from time to time, just to make it interesting. Get a new haircut or color. Wear a different style of clothing.

Couples who truly focus on their marriage have their own secrets to their relationships’ success. Surprising your spouse, creating special time together in each day and being adventurous in your relationship are some fantastic secrets to keep your passions alive. Strive to make your marriage the happiest that it can be.