When You Mess Up...

On self-forgiveness.

So while browsing the Internet the other day, I came across an article on self-forgiveness, and it struck a chord with me...So for today's post, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on...

My Happiness Toolbox

Everyone has their own definition of happiness. For me, it's the little things in daily life that make me happy. These little things/moments give me a genuine feeling of happiness. So, I've put together a list of 16 things that bring me true happiness to share with you in the hope that...

Weekend Refuel

So last night, I caught myself in a funk - not depressed, but empty, purposeless and disconnected and couldn't figure out why.
You know, those days that feel blah - and the nice weather is certainly not to blame.
Once I realized what was happening, I decided to make a list of some things (quick fixes) for getting out of my funk.

*Give myself permission to do nothing and just be.

*Put on some happy music.

*Go for a walk. (It's surprising how much physical activity can lift a funk.)

*Read a good book or see an inspirational movie.

*Take the afternoon off and take a nap.

*Make a list of 10 things you are thankful for.

*Stop worrying about things you have no control over.

*Be here NOW.

Live in the moment.

Hope you get a chance to refuel this weekend. Have a great one, and Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and mothers-to-be out there! xx

AROUND THE WEB

5 reasons to stop negativity and how to do it.

Why you should follow your dreams.

12 minutes to a happier you.

Meet the French author who has happiness figured out.

Made me laugh.

P.S. Thanks so much, Anastasia, for posing for me!:)

On Change

For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself...

Life Lately: Practicing Laughing

I'll admit it. I have an undeveloped funny bone...I guess it's because I am a little bit shy but I'm working on it. Having a sense of humour (humor) is important in life. Some researchers think humor and laughter just might do both your body and mind good. The fact cannot be denied and laughter is truly the best medicine.

Developing a good sense of humour...

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

Cloud Reflection.

So today I'm going to share a story with you that's a little embarrassing...In fact, I almost decided not to share it at all...

Is Happiness Always Good?+ Have a Great Weekend

I read this excerpt on TopNews.in, the other day, and it has stuck with me; actually, it made me feel relieved. Happiness, it turns out, has a cost when experienced too intensely. In fact, the more we strive for happiness, the more likely we will set unrealistic expectations that will result in disappointment when they are not met.

"Wanting to be happy can make you less happy," said study researcher Iris Mauss, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley.
"If you explicitly and purposely focus on happiness, that appears to have a self-defeating quality."

Mauss explained she is not saying, "Don't try to be happy," but rather that an exaggerated focus on happiness can have downsides. "It's certainly not always the case that pursuing happiness is a bad thing. If you give people the right tools to pursue happiness, then they can increase their happiness and well-being."

She said there were some methods that may ultimately help people achieve happiness without the negative effects that accompany its pursuit.
One way, she said, may be for people to learn to engage their emotions by doing activities they enjoy, while taking the focus off the goal of happiness itself.
Another is to change the type of happiness one pursues. For more, go here.

(Found on TopNews.in )

Hope you have a beautiful weekend! xx

P.S. Remember, the seeds of happiness only and always lie within!

Romantic Love Story

A story about a king who wanted to be like everyone else. Edward VIII. The king who gave up the throne for the woman he loved.

King Edward VIII (later the Duke of Windsor 1894-1972) was in love with Mrs. Wallis Simpson, not only an American socialite, but also a married woman already once divorced. Yet, in order to marry the woman he loved, King Edward was willing to give up the British throne - and he did. Choosing not to end his relationship with Wallis Simpson, Edward VIII abdicated (11 December 1936).

I've always been fascinated by real-life love stories; love is such a crucial part of our lives. Maybe you think it's easier to be a cynic. But you know what? True love exists! I do believe that true love still exists in the world. Yeah, I strongly believe that.
Remember how "The Notebook" ends with Allie and Noah dying hand-in-hand?

Hope you have a happy long weekend with the ones you love! xx

The Thames in London, UK. (Photo taken in 2010.)

P.S. I've been married and divorced once but still waiting for "the one". I guess love comes when you least expect it and at all ages.

"Don't worry. My heart is still open" I want to buy this t-shirt!;)

(Top photo via Wikipedia)  

Pick-Me-Up!

Have you ever had one of those days when everything is going wrong? You spilled your morning coffee on the carpet. Someone used the last of the shampoo. The hot water ran out before you got a shower this morning. And all that happens before your day even gets started. It is enough to put anyone in a lousy mood.
Each of us has some activity that grounds us. My thing is listening to my pissed-off-put-me-in-a-better-mood music. Music can be therapeutic. Because it just takes my mind off of what made me angry in the first place and makes me feel better in seconds.
What is your thing?

What do you do when you are having a bad day? Any tips? I'd love to hear your ways to shake off a bad mood. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! xx

P.S. Tip: Touch your toes. "It opens up your hip joints, which is where most people store tension", says Dr. Oz. "Hold the position for a minute then slowly roll up. As you lift, so will your mood."

Linking to Wednesday Around The World

But Would You Expect Any Less From a Woman Whose Motto Is...

"Keep Walking - Keep moving forward". So I've been away from blogging for a while. Over a couple of weeks actually. And I felt so guilty for not blogging. What have I been doing while on blog break?
{Busy being fabulous? You would be surprised how hard it is sometimes:)}

Well, certainly not. In fact, I went through some tough situations that threw me for a loop...that's the things about life-sometimes life can just suck, but we do get through it and develop strength through it all.

It's not often that I let people into my little world...writing about myself is just something that I learned not to do, but in an effort to be authentic I'd like to talk about something difficult I went through recently.
My life feels stressful sometimes. I nearly had an anxiety breakdown last week...I just couldn't fake being happy anymore.
You see, relationships can greatly impact my emotional life and cause emotional stress. Breakups can be really hard. After a bad breakup it can feel almost impossible to keep positive, motivated, and forward-focus.

Unfortunately, we all go through the ups and downs of everyday life and sometimes it feels like we are in an endless tunnel, but things do get better and I strongly believe that. Lost a loved one. Or maybe your pet, or even a precious dream. Whatever your case may be, these are times we all go through. We are all guilty of carrying far too much emotional baggage.
Things happen that I have no control over, so I have to put them behind me and get on with my life.
My point is that you're not going to feel sad all the time you just have to get over it and move on.
After all, although the breakup is sad, it's not the end of the world.

They say, there is no bad without good. Pain surprisingly is just an opportunity to find out how grand you really are.
So the best part is once we "come back", we come back stronger, bigger and better. Everything does happen for a reason.

When I feel lost, depressed or things fall apart for me, I've also found a few ways that really help me get grounded and feeling alive. 

Here's my list of things to get out of a funk. Works for me.

1. Go outside and spend my time in nature.
 I'm much of a 'nature' person, so taking time to sit outside, walk in the woods, or that sort of thing can be  very calming and refreshing.
2. Read a good book
3. Try some warming recipes like this
4. Surround myself with things and people I love.

It is amazing how much help comes out from all these people who want to be there for us.

Okay, enough of all this moaning. Frankly, I even hesitated to write this post because I am worried it is too personal to publish. But then I thought that what I've expressed here might have an ultimate impact on many others. I do hope so.

On a totally different note, I'm trying to focus on the fact that it's November. And each year when November arrives I realize that it's time to soak up whatever particular delights winter has to offer.

What Are Your Pet Peeves?

{Random picture of a girl taken a while back.}

It seems almost everyone has pet peeves. Yes. I've got some pet peeves. (Let me know if I should include some more.)

Here's my list:

People who are mean to animals.
Noisy eaters.
People who talk with food in their mouths. I find that extremely rude.
People who throwing trash into a recycle bin.
People who blame anything but themselves for their failure.
People who pick their noise in public.

Of course, I have plenty of annoying qualities myself, but I am completely at peace with them. Haha!

What are your pet peeves? Chime in!

Hope you have a lovely weekend, and here are a few wonderful blogs from around the Blogland. xx

Gorgeous photography Foto ao Acaso!

Brilliant Abstract Artwork La Fotografia Efectista Abstracta

Outstanding photography Foto Fer
 
Wonderful photography OHLAR d' OURO

Inspiring photography Klicktossan

Beautiful poetry Poesia y Vivencias

I love this kitty. Amazing poetry La Gata Coqueta

Wonderful flowers Maya da Ines

Beautiful skies ceuepalavras.blogspot.com

Inspiring blog Kelly's Thoughts and Ramblings

Beautiful photography Ruth's Photo Blog

Quirky and Inspiring photography The Bitch is back

Amazing Travel Blog by MAGDA

Inspiring blog Aussi Dimi decoupage

Beautiful oil painting Christa Mavropoulou

Need a good laugh? A View from the Edge

Gorgeous flowers Mijn klein paradijs

Amazing Australian Adventures by Red

Such a delight It's Me

My Google Plus Page:   https://plus.google.com/101363327672273423546/posts , if you'd like to see.

How Do You Manage Stress?

Have you ever stressed out? Sure, we all have. In these tough economic times, when the daily grind becomes too much, that many of us are stressed out is no surprise. I know that stress is part of life, but it doesn't have to rule our lives!
I often feel overwhelmed by my busy life, and I do struggle in order to manage professional and personal responsibilities, but I've decided to live a more balanced, less stressful, deliberate life and fight stress by de-cluttering my life and mind.

In fact, I find myself tired of having to excavate the kitchen table before I can serve dinner. Let alone, the junk drawer in the kitchen or the piles of cloths in bedroom. I actually often can't find my car keys amid the piles on my counter. So, being surrounded by more things than I can manage, my life just seems to be out of control. There is no question, clutter is an ongoing cause of stress. 

I am one of those people who want to do it all, but to be honest with you, I probably can't; at least not without paying the price. There is no question, multi-tasking is another cause of stress.
So, I've decided to try a new approach realizing the harmful effects of stress- and also to develop several positive, healthy habits. Here's my "How to reduce stress" list...

De-cluttering my home (donating to local  charity any in good condition item I am not using. I would never want to part with my memento box and stuff from my parents though.)

Stopping judging myself. (I may not be my own hardest critic, but the only real judge of me, is definitely me!)

Approaching big tasks one step at a time.

Trying to pace instead of race. The world won't end, after all!

How often do you feel stressed out? Are you good at handling stress? Any tips to share? Thank you! xx

Five Things Tuesday

"I'm not frightened of what people think anymore. Because, when you 're a teenager or in your early 20's, you're always frightened of what people we will  think. When you're young, you're trying on lots of selves. And then suddenly at about 28 all the pieces of the jigsaw start to fit together comfortably."
~Rosamund Pike

I really like this quote. I find it to be so true. Don't get me wrong. I do care about...
what people think to a point. Actually, to be truly happy with who I am is okay, and if others cannot deal with that then sorry, it's their issue not mine. As I've gotten older and wiser, I've realized I do not need to worry about what other people may think of me.
I cope by concentrating on my core goals and only the opinions of those who matter in my life.

What about you? xx

Minimal Photography - Are You...

Are you a minimalist or a maximalist? They say "Less is More", 

"Do less and do it better". I definitely like that!:)

Most of us may possibly be unaware of how little we need to truly live and be happy. I am not quite sure I deserve the label 'minimalist' living in a materialistic and globalized world and era.

I actually am a city girl and I can honestly say it is not easy for me, but I've already simplified my life a lot, and cleared a lot of unneeded possessions.

I'm trying to downsize...giving non-essential stuff away.

De-cluttering is great fun! looking at the open uncluttered space,
I love it!

"Living in a tent"...is it really starting to appeal to me? Definitely not, but I do strongly believe that the pursuit of wealth has made more people unhappy than happy.

                    

How about you? What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear. xx

Romantic Gesture

Aren't you excited for warm sunny days and spring flowers? 

Speaking of I love these fresh flowers, they really do lift spirits  and definitely help brighten my mood.

I'd love to have these flower photos hang around my house with beautiful frames.

Say it with flowers. Sending flowers tell our loved ones, friends,

family how much we care about them. Flowers can also convey
such a wide range of emotions.

Think about it. One day. Unexpectedly. A big bunch of pretty flowers shows up on your doorstep.
Suddenly, you realize that someone is thinking of you!

What a special feeling! Flowers say it all.

...and remember. When nothing else will due say it with flowers.

I do love to get flowers, but I have never sent a man flowers.

I wouldn't think of giving flowers to any man. At least so far!

Would you ever send a man flowers? Would men really appreciate

getting flowers from us?

What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear. xx                                                                          

Would You Marry Your Best Friend?

I actually think the person you marry should be your best

friend but your best friend doesn't have to be the one you marry.
                                      
On the other hand, I will only marry someone who can be my
best friend. 

What do you think? I'd love to hear. xx