Good Morning: Share Your Smile...

“Smile today … one smile can make miles and miles of smiles.” ~Lisa’s Mother   Good morning!   A while ago I received a wonderful email that is perfect to share with you as a Good Morning message.   Lisa wrote, “I was just sending an email out to some friends and remembered a saying my mom has always said to me since I was really young and thought I would share it with you. ‘Smile today … one smile can make miles and miles of smiles.’”   “I remember thinking about this when I was about 6 – 7 and...

Good Morning: Life is a Mirror...

“Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you.” ~Wally Famous’ Amos   Good morning!   Want a quick way to measure how you feel about yourself and what type of attitude you have? Answer this question: how do you see the world around you today? If you see the world as scary, worrisome, negative or stressful–odds are you are holding these feelings within. Likewise, if you see the world as hopeful, optimistic and joy-filled, you likely embrace those feelings within. We can’t capture the invisible. If...

Good Morning: Live in a Garden of Happi...

“One of the most tragic things about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” ~Dale Carnegie   Good morning!   If you were to gather 100 people in a room and ask them to write down their happiest times, you would likely find the lists had one thing in common. Our happiest times come when we connect with others and give the best of ourselves. Yet, these happy times can be hard to come by since human nature is...

Good Morning: Learn to re-Start Your Day...

“I can start my day over anytime I choose.” ~Brook Noel   Good morning!   While my mother and I were chatting recently, she reminded me of something I had done as a little girl. Every once in a while, she would see me stop for a moment and close my eyes as if intently concentrating on something. One day, when I was doing this after lunch, she asked me what I was doing. I informed her that, “My day isn’t going that good, so I am starting it over.” I don’t know where I learned the skill, but it has served me well.   A while ago, I...

Good Morning: Turn it All Off...

“To poke a wood fire is more solid enjoyment than almost anything else in the world.” ~Charles Dudley Warner   Good morning!   How many times have you found yourself getting angry at a disobedient computer? What about getting tired of a ringing phone? Have you ever head a child get frustrated with a video game? Do you have a spouse or child (or does your) cell phone seem to ring incessantly? Just as we choose to have these technologies that “make our life easier” (said tongue in cheek), we can also choose to turn them all off once in a...

Good Morning: Have an Attitude of Gratit...

How beautiful a day is when kindness touches it.” ~Unknown   Good morning!   When I was 10, I was a math whiz. My mother was always helping kids in our neighborhood and we often took in a child who might have been having problems in their home. One year, we took in a young man who was around 18 and wanted to get into the military. Unfortunately, his education had been lacking and he was unable to pass the math test. I went to my school principal and asked if he could loan me elementary math books. I started tutoring him 2 hours a night, beginning with first...

Good Morning: How You Feel Colors the Wo...

“Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you.” ~Wally Famous’ Amos   Good morning!   Want a quick way to measure how you feel about yourself and what type of attitude you have? Answer this question: how do you see the world around you today? If you see the world as scary, worrisome, negative or stressful–odds are you are holding these feelings within. Likewise, if you see the world as hopeful, optimistic and joy-filled, you likely embrace those feelings within. We can’t capture the invisible. If we...

Good Morning: Live Each Day to the Fulle...

“When your life flashes before your eyes, make sure that you’ve got plenty to watch.” ~Unknown   Good morning!   Today’s quote offers the important reminder that we need to live life to its fullest–not just when it is convenient for us, but every day. It can be tempting to let our dreams, goals and relationships pile up on our to-do list while we tend to the daily logistics of living – but we must remember that our dreams, goals and relationships are what build a life. We never know what tomorrow brings, which makes it all the more...

Good Morning: Share a Good Morning with ...

“Thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break your world by your own thinking.” ~ Susan L. Taylor, journalist   Good morning!   For those of you who have sincerely practiced one or more of the Good Morning routines, you have likely noticed that a chipper good morning has a drastic influence on your morning, and therefore the rest of your day. Just as we say ‘breakfast’ is the most important physical component of a day, I feel a ‘good morning’ is the most important emotional component of our day. It also shows how...

Good Morning: Value Your Family...

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” ~ Jane Howard (1935-1996)   Good morning!   I think Jane Howard is trying to express just how important our family is to each of us, and each of us in turn to our family! Let’s not waste a day, without making our family first and foremost in our thoughts, energies and joys. Tonight, at dinner time, let’s share our day and rejoice in the special-ness each one of us brings to our family’s dinner table. If you...