choosing joy

To tell the truth, being a postive & joyful person is a lot of hard work. I completely and whole-heartedly believe it takes a lot less courage and a lot less work to be a Negative Nelly, so to speak. Don't get me wrong, I have days when I feel down, and there are many times when I slip into negativity--Lord knows, I am no where close to perfect (and thankfully I'm so over trying to be) but overall, I would consider myself a very positive person whose intention is to always see the positve in myself, my life, and others. This is because I do the hard work and I make the choice. I consciously choose to contradict every negative thought about myself or others with a positive one. I consciously choose to celebrate the little things in life as well as the big ones. I consciously choose to see the opportunities in the challenges. I consciously choose to trust life. I consciously choose to give thanks every chance I get. I consciously choose to practice yoga and take care of myself. I choose my attitude, outlook, and approach to life on a daily basis. It is very hard work. But, it's oh-so-very worth it.

Do the work. Be courageous. Choose joy.

Namaste'
Leslie

beyond happy

Today my June issue of Body + Soul magazine arrived and one of the articles really stood out to me. It's titled "Beyond Happy," and it states that, "those who experience more positive emotions cope with stress better, find creative solutions to problems, enjoy better health and relationships, and even negotiate more effectively." Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D. is quoted as saying, ""Rather than just signal an absence of negativity, positivity can produce success and health.'"

I am not exactly sure what my parents did to instill in me a positive attitude, but it is definitely one of the things I am most thankful for from them. Some of the tips in the article for cultivating positve emotions include:

• "Be here now. The most direct way to boost positivity is to live in the moment."
• "Don't overthink. It's one thing to savor the present but quite another to analyze it to death."
• "Make positive thoughts stick. Work to pay the positives more attention. Make them 'stick' by actively registering them in your mind."
• "Assume the best. Thinking about what you want in life may get your positive emotions circulating."
• "Ritualize gratitude. The ultimate positive gear shifter? Seeing the good in every situation. Search for reasons to feel and experience gratitude."

I would say I use each of these strategies on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, I do have negative thoughts (and the resulting feelings) creep in now and then. The main thing is that I realize how toxic negative thoughts are, and so most of the time when I have them, I am very aware I've slipped into negativity. Because of this awareness, I'm able to make a conscious effort to replace the negative thought or self-talk with the positve. At that point, I work to make the positive thoughts stick. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but I always try!

I find ritualizing gratitude is something that has helped me the most. I have so many things to be thankful for. So, to end this post on a positive note, here is my gratitude list for today. I am thankful for:

• beautiful spring weather
• my sweet husband
• the smell of fresh cut grass
• blogging
• my blogging friends

I'd love to hear what you're grateful for, or how you cultivate an upbeat attitude in your life. (And even if you don't post about it, definitely think about it. You'll feel a bit better by doing so!)

Namaste'

Yogadiva

easter pics and thoughts

Here are a few photos from Easter 09. The first one is beautiful Easter tulips my sweet husband surprised me with. I love, love, love having fresh flowers in my home! The second is my handsome husband and me at my Aunt and Uncle's house for our family Easter celebration. I am lucky in that I always enjoy spending time with my family. They are a lively and fun bunch! Speaking of lively, I've also posted a picture of the sunglasses my Grandma Nana showed up in...rhinestone covered aviators...yes folks, I attribute some of my unique, fun and creative fashion sense to my Nana. :) I remember when I was in high school, I occasionally used to even borrow Nana's clothes...she was hip even then! As a side note, I hope to be wearing rhinestone aviators when I'm 80+ years old!

After the family celebration, my sweety and I came home and snuggled in bed the rest of the night with the pups. It was a really rainy and cold day, so we decided to spend some down time vegging in our bed. It made for an end to a great day, and boy, do I feel rested today!

The yogathought today is paraphrased from the minister Kristin Powell's Easter service yesterday:

We have thoughts that crucify and thoughts that save--and we can choose to crucify or redeem ourselves. We can choose to cross out thoughts that aren't serving us anymore and clear the way for good.

Amen!

Namaste'

Yogadiva