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Does your light burn bright?
We use light as a symbol of celebration and joy. We hang them in trees and on buildings, burn candles on cakes, use sparkle and glitz to adorn cards and gifts - all in an effort to create a festive glow. What about the light that emanates from our inner glow? Is this inner glow reserved only for holiday celebrations? How do we use the light within us to enhance our everyday lives?
We can take time to pause and reflect on what truly brings JOY to our lives. When do we burn brightest? What excites us and brings out our inner glow? If it is burning bright, think about how those around us get to bask in that glow. How quickly does it spread to others? How do we describe our inner glow? What would it look like? Is it as bright as we would like? When we embrace a positive attitude and mindfully seek ways to cultivate optimism in our lives, we fuel that inner glow. It’s easy to let holiday celebrations turn to stress and frenzy, making us feel anything but happy and joyful. Take control of your light! We are not stuck in a static state on the happiness scale, we can move toward a more positive direction if we choose!
Imagine... increasing your positive outlook, feeling the change within and passing that glow to others!
Activity:
Try This - Get together with a group of friends, coworkers, family members and read a book or article on the power of positivity and discuss your takeaways.
Examples:
- ENJOY LIFE! Healing with Happiness by Lynn D. Johnson
- Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive... by Martin Seligman
Reflection:
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson has written a powerful book so aptly titled, Positivity – Top Notch Research Reveals the 3:1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life. She offers sage advice on how people can embrace a positive attitude with intentional practice. It’s worth the time to read and we recommend you visit her website www.positivityratio.com to take a questionnaire and increase your awareness of your positivity ratio.
- What do you think your positive to negative thoughts ratio is on a daily basis?
- What will you do to increase your positive thoughts?
- If you were to boost your sense of optimism, how do you think this would affect you?
- Who would benefit from your increased optimism?
- How would you relationships change?
- How could a more positive outlook on life change you?
- What is stopping you from wanting to try to increase your positivity?
“We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own.”
-Ben Sweetland
The Charmm’d Foundation would like to thank Linda Kahn Stremmel for pondering with us this week! She is a Certified Coach from Integrated Coaching Solutions, “Quiet the Mind, Soothe the Body, Ignite the Spirit”©.