It can be laborious for me to stay positive at times, especially when things take a slight turn away from how we imagine our plans should turn out. But what really matters is staying positive most of the time, not letting the fears of what ‘might’ happen control you into getting worked up and stressed out. Incorporating positivity into your life has many benefits some you probably didn’t even know about!

“It makes a big difference in your life when you stay positive.” Ellen DeGeneres

For me when I was younger (late teens, early twenties) you could say I was a positive thinking person to the point where people used to ask me whenever a crisis occurred, what are you going to do? Aren’t you worried?

I always stayed positive and knew the outcome would be ok, but as I got older this wasn’t the case with more responsibilities to take on at work and home and becoming uncertain about my future my fears took over leaving me not knowing what to do until I remembered how I used to deal with this kind of circumstances. That was to stay positive, no matter what. You can too by following the ‘5 ways to stay positive’ revealed within this guide as well as exploring the benefits of being a positive person. While some people are more positive than others you can become a more positive person even if you think this is not true.

Why Should I Bother?

Why shouldn’t you! For a start research shows you can live longer just by being a positive thinker as well as a smaller chance of becoming depressed or distressed and not to mention, you’re less likely to catch a cold. Overall positive people are happier and healthier. Learning to become more positive will also allow you to cope better in stressful times.

5 Ways to Practice the Art of Positivity

1. Affirmations

Which are known as positive statements, let’s try some out:

*I am so happy and grateful for _______ (fill in the blank)

* It’s so wonderful to ________

The truth is that every day, people subconsciously or even consciously make thousands of negative statements about ourselves or about the circumstances in our life. So in order to stay positive, we must consciously make positive statements that also use words that have an emotion like ‘happy’ or ‘grateful’ as I used in the example affirmations above. The key is to try and ‘feel’ the emotion of the words used.

2. Expect The Best

What is the outcome you want? This question relates to a goal, your day or your life. Do you always expect the worst and then get it? Begin now to expect the best by focusing SOLELY on the outcome you want.  Use positivity. NO. MATTER. WHAT.

3. Surround Yourself With The Right People

“We are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with” – Jim Rohn

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said “we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with”. Think about it, how you feel, what you say and what you think depends on who you are with most of the time. When I spend my time around happy and positive people I feel energized. I am also a lot more optimistic about my future.

4. Make a Good Start to The Day

“The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

According to research (and experience) how you start your day determines the rest of it. Do you dread what lies ahead or do you wake up thankful and excited?

Make a good start to the day by first by giving thanks to see another day, second for the bed you slept in! Then think about all the great possibilities your day could bring. Don’t just take my word for it, try it.

5. Gratitude

Gratitude will keep your mind on all the good things in your life so you don’t have time to think about the negative. Be grateful for everything, not just saying the words but feeling them too. As you can see ‘The art of staying positive’ could be life-changing, all that is required is some time to make it a habit and best of all the benefits are worth the effort!

Will you make the necessary changes towards positivity today?

 

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we wish to reflect on the inspiring quotes and memorable words that have kept his spirit flame illuminating the world ever since that fateful day in April of 1968.

Here are 11 of our favorite inspiring quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that have become life lessons for many of us:

1. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”
2. “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
3. “The time is always right to do what is right.”
4. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
5. “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
6. “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”
7. “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”
8. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
9. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
10. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
11. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act.  It is a permanent attitude.”

And of course, we can’t leave out the “I Have a Dream” speech that still echoes through our hearts today.  Here it is:

Martin Luther King, Jr. will always be remembered for his role in the civil rights movement, the fearlessness in his eyes during the million person march on Washington, and the message of love and oneness that came directly from his heart. May we always remember Dr. King, and all of the amazing people who have come before us to help mold the world into a more peaceful, loving, positive place.

Please share to help spread these important life lessons from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Restorative yoga is a passive style of yoga where each pose  (asana) is supported by props—bolsters, straps, blankets, blocks, chair, or wall. This support enables the practitioner to comfortably sink into a pose and hold it for  5 to 10 minutes. And that allows them to let go, be present, and completely relax in the moment.  As with any type of exercise, it’s vital that we work within our own range of limits and abilities.

“A mind free from all disturbances is Yoga “ Patanjali

Although it’s deceptively easy in appearance, Staff Pose is an intense posture. Not only does it build strength in the stomach and upper back, but it also opens the chest making it easier to take deep, healthy breaths.

Because this basic pose provides the structural basis for many seated postures—including twists—so it’s important to include it in our daily practice.

Here’s How It’s Done

• Sit on your mat with your back upright forming a 90-degree angle with your legs.
• Adjust the flesh of each buttock so that your sit bones rest on the mat—distribute your weight
  evenly between both sides.
• Extended in front of your body, legs should be together.
• Slightly rotate your legs inward and engage your thigh muscles, pressing them firmly into the
  mat.
• Push out through your heels as you point your toes to the ceiling—keep your feet and knees
  together.
• Press your palms flat on the mat alongside each hip, fingers pointing forward.
• Draw your belly button in toward your spine, hold your chin parallel to the floor, and gaze
  straight ahead
•  Anchor your body through your tailbone as you sit tall—stretching the top of your head toward
  the ceiling, while drawing your shoulders away from your ears.
• Imagine your spine as a “staff”—focus on maintaining the 90-degree angle alignment of your
  body.

My shoulders are wide and my chest is open, allowing me to draw in deep, nourishing breaths.

Modification

Sit on your mat with your back against a wall—your sacrum and shoulder blades should touch the wall, while leaving a space between the wall and your head and your lower
back.

Most restorative yoga poses are held for between 5 and 10 minutes. As mentioned, this posture is deceptively easy in appearance. Try to maintain the Staff Pose for 1 minute or longer.

The Benefits

• Effective for improved posture
• Sciatica relief
• Diminishing the symptoms of asthma.

This asana also works to calm the chaos that some of us entertain in our minds, and can help to improve concentration.

Inhale. And Then Exhale. Let your heart gently ride the waves of each breath. Restorative yoga makes my body feel easy to wear, and comfortably at home. This is one of my favorite poses. Besides that, I love how I feel when I mentally affirm, “My shoulders are wide and my chest is open, allowing me to draw in deep, nourishing breaths.”
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Pets are amazing companions who show us true, unconditional love. In return, we give them a home, teach them new tricks, schedule them for a dog grooming service and provide a special place in our hearts. For dog grooming Greensboro call Vickie’s Pampered Pet. While we think we are teaching them about life, these loving little beings are actually showing us life lessons on how to love, stay peaceful, and have fun!

Three life lessons we can learn from our pets:

Practice unconditional love and loyalty

Pets are happy, loyal creatures. They are not judgmental and they don’t care what you wear or how you look. When you are feeling down or ill they are right by your side. They emit pure positive energy and unconditional love. They enjoy every moment with you as if it were truly the greatest gift. When you come home, your pets will greet you at the door and show you just how much they missed you (even if it were only an hour).

Pets are truly masters of unconditional love. Their compassion and loyalty can literally heal us of our emotional and physical wounds. In fact, scientific research is actually showing that animals make us happier and healthier. You can read more here about how animals and humans heal each other.

Live in the Now

Pets lead a simple life. They can sit back, enjoy a drive to the park with their owners and take in the breeze on the way. And, they truly live in the NOW with calmness and peace in most situations. They seize the day and don’t let worry run their life.

Pets also take advantage of the simple things in life, like naps. How many times do you catch your furry friend sleeping? (haha) Speaking of naps, have you noticed the refreshing stretches afterward too? They will yawn and stretch as if to take in every oxygen cell around them. Afterward, they are stimulated and ready to go.

To LIVE in the NOW  is one of life’s most important lessons and while we humans are still trying to figure it all out and do the best we can to be conscious of it, pets already have it figure out. They live in the now effortlessly and bring a depth of peace and wellness one cannot truly even describe; it must be felt.

Be fun and spontaneous

If it’s one thing you can always expect from your pet, it is them loving who they are. Our pets are spontaneous and if they want to play, they will. Laughter is the best medicine and your pets know it too. They’ll wag their tails about and if they sense you are enjoying their humorous nature, they will continue to put a smile on your face by repeating their positive behavior. They’ll even do something to make you smile if they sense you’re in need.  Enjoying play with your pets also has positive side-effects!  Playtime can enhance your social skills, increase your energy level, and free your mind. You may even solve life’s most compelling puzzle when playing with a pet.

Have you learned from your pet or have a story to share with us? We are BIG animal lovers; we’d love to hear from you about what life lessons you’ve learned from pets. Comment below!

We have 100,000+ reasons to host a celebration and did so in a big way!

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” ~ Dwight L. Moody

Click HERE to watch the event from 12/30 on YouTube or watch the video below. 🙂

On December 30th ripples of positive inspiration were spread around the globe.  New thought leaders embraced their own Power of Positivity to share their unique wisdom, and introduce you to new paradigms naturally designed to provide your best life mentally, physically, and spiritually!

During our “Celebration of Illumination”, we also hosted a GIVEAWAY (see bottom of post to enter) that includes books, items from our store, and more to nurture your overall well being!

Our Guest Speakers:

MIND: Betsy Chasse

The thought processes that followed the movie “What The Bleep Do We Know?!” led us down a quantum rabbit hole of possibility that revealed an entire new level of understanding. Betsy Chasse is a Co-Creator of “What The Bleep”, and we knew that her unique wisdom had to be shared. Not only is Betsy a filmmaker, but she is also an author, speaker, and best of all titles, Mom!  Betsy is excited to share and inspire during the celebration. And, she will certainly open up your mind to a whole new way of seeing the world around you. She also inspires regularly on her website!

Her upcoming book, Tipping Sacred Cows: The Uplifting Story of Spilt Milk and Finding Your Own Spiritual Path in a Hectic World, comes out in January 2014 – it’s definitely on our list!

BODY: Tyler Tolman

 

Tyler Tolman is one of the most respected and one of our favorite natural health teachers.  [quote_right]”The way that we are brought up has meant that we’ve lost track of the truth and it’s my aim to change this.”[/quote_right]His research of ancient health modalities combined with his father’s lifetime of dedication to studying physical health has forged a widely supported belief; that being able to lead a happy life that is free from disease is easy to attain.  Tyler states in his own words, that “The way that we are brought up has meant that we’ve lost track of the truth and it’s my aim to change this.”

There is no way you’ll finish listening to him without learning something entirely new.  Tyler is eager to share a piece of his knowledge with everyone!

SPIRIT: Stephen Edwards

Stephen Edwards is a globally known author and speaker who has worked with Anthony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, and many other global thought leaders.  Stephen holds a very special place in our heart.  During a time when we had just begun to see the light at the end of a tunnel, Stephen came into our lives and helped lay an important cornerstone on our spiritual path.

The knowledge and energy Stephen possesses always captivates, and during his segment, you will see a glimpse of a power inside of you so profound that it can truly help you climb the most challenging mountains in your life.

You’re going to find a new favorite source of inspiration when you meet Stephen – we’re sure of it. 🙂

Now for the fun part of the celebration.  The GIVEAWAYS!

Giveaway #1: “In the Garden of Thoughts” by Dodinsky (BOOK)

 

What’s most important in bringing joy to your own journey is finding the inspirational messages that fit you best. The messages that warm your heart, cool your head, and make you feel just right all over.  Messages just like these can be found in the book “In the Garden of Thoughts”, written by Dodinsky and illustrated by Amanda Cass.

Dodinsky emerged into the world with a gift to give. And, that gift clearly shines through this beautifully written inspirational book.  Poetic writings pair with a visually stunning experience make “In the Garden of Thoughts” a masterpiece. We guarantee it will leave it’s indelible positive mark on anyone who reads it.

The best part of all is that you can win a copy! (Entry at bottom of page.)

We will announce the winner during the presentation on our Facebook page!  Entrants must be U.S. based, and can only enter once per household.

Giveaway #2: Heavenly Mats Acupressure Mat and Pillow

We started using an acupressure mat over a year ago and it has become a staple in our lives.  Every time we use it, we really do feel refreshed and renewed.  The aim of these mats are to target pressure points in the body and trigger the release of endorphins and oxytocin – which in turn can help the body by relieving pain and stress.

After letting the folks at Heavenly Mats know how we liked it, they offered to give us an acupressure mat and pillow to add to the prizes during the celebration! (Entry at bottom of page. We will announce the winner during the presentation.)

Giveaway #3:  Power of Positivity Affirmation Mug

We love when community members send photos of them holding their new Power of Positivity mugs, so we decided to give one away during the event!

Wake up with positivity every morning and read one of 9 affirmations on your new favorite mug to start your day off right! (Entry at bottom of page. We will announce the winner during the presentation on our Facebook page.)

Giveaway #4: Everyday Positive Thinking by Louise Hay (BOOK)

Each day, randomly open this book to a couple of positive thoughts, and you’ll find that your outlook becomes much brighter!  Every day can be a celebration! Everyday Positive Thinking is a wonderful compilation of quotes and affirmations from some esteemed Hay House authors.

(Entry at bottom of page. We will announce the winner during the presentation on our Facebook page.)

ENTER TO WIN:

Restorative yoga is a passive style of yoga where each pose (asana) is supported by props—bolsters, straps, blankets, or blocks. The support enables the practitioner to comfortably sink into a pose and hold it for between 5 and 10 minutes. This is an aid, allowing them to let go, be present, and completely relax in the moment.

“I am calm and balanced, the way I was designed to be.”

Perhaps the most therapeutic of all yoga poses, Legs Up the Wall is often referred to as the “cure-all”  pose. A rejuvenating posture, it can be done: actively (without wall support, legs simply balanced in the air), or passively (legs supported by a wall or other supporting structure).

 

“Yoga carves you into a different person – and that is satisfying physically.”
Adam Levine

Why You Should Try Legs Up the Wall

Either way, this asana is effective for blood flow to every part of the body. In turn, the boost in circulation is great for:

• Improved digestion
• Headache relief
• Loosening tight hips and hamstrings
• Decreasing insomnia
• Easing back tension
• Diminishing PMS symptoms
• Resetting the body’s clock from exhaustion or jet-lag
• Cutting a cold off at the pass
• Shifting one’s perspective from overcast to sunshine
• Enhanced libido—woot woot!

 

Here’s how this restorative yoga pose is done:

 Note: this inverted pose can be done with hips on a bolster or on the floor—I prefer the floor.

1. Sit on the floor with your side fairly close to the wall.

2. As you slowly lower your back and head to the floor, gently swing your legs up, folding them into a cross-legged position against the wall—maintain this soft hold for a minute as you settle your torso.

3. Once your sacrum is comfortably flat on the floor (or bolster), cross your legs the other way and maintain this soft hold for another minute.

4. Extend your legs up the wall—hold your legs just firm enough to keep them vertically in place. The cascading weight of the legs into the pelvis serves as an excellent hip opener.

Note: some people will feel completely at ease when they rest their heels and calves flush against the wall; other’s will be more comfortable with their calves away from the wall a bit — this is adjusted by the distance of your sit bones from the wall.

 

5. Rest your hands and arms where they feel pleasantly at ease: on your stomach, at your sides, or on the floor above your head.

6. Now that you’ve settled into position, surrender to the tranquility of this pose by softly closing your eyes and intentionally relaxing your brow, jaw, neck, and shoulders.

7. Belly breathe—with each inhalation feel your belly naturally rise; with each exhalation feel it naturally fall. The vast inner space this pose creates bids, “Welcome, stay as long as you like.”

8. To end the pose simply draw your knees toward your chest, gently roll to your side. And, finally, sit up slowly.

Legs Up The Wall

This is one of my favorite restorative yoga poses. Indeed, I love how I feel when I drift into the stillness of this therapeutic posture. And, then, I mentally affirm, “I am calm and balanced, the way I was designed to be.”