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The Zen of Coloring: 7 Lessons on Living a Happy, Mindful Life

Adult Coloring

“The hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve been into mindfulness for a long time but having never been much of an artist, the mindfulness coloring craze had bypassed me until recently.

I brought a book and some colored pencils to keep me amused during a recent train trip but enjoyed it so much I’ve continued the habit—and to my surprise, the work I’ve done looks quite good!

I’d heard that mindful coloring is good for reducing stress levels and being more present, but I found even more benefits. For example, …

I’ve Learned from My Bad Choices

I've made mistakes

Source: Million Feelings

The Smallest Step

The smallest step

Never Be Defined by Your Past

Never be defined by your past

Look for the Good and You Will Find It

Rose Colored Glasses

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ~John Lubbock

Have you ever noticed how as human beings, we tend to go negative?

Looking out into the world, we see the crumpled fast food bag in the street and the torn curtain in the window.

Looking into the mirror, we see the pores and dark circles under our eyes. We see the freckles and miss the dimple, or we hate the dimple and miss the smile.

Our eyes focus in on what’s wrong.

I’ve noticed it’s hard to undo this tendency in myself, though sometimes the veil drops …

You Don’t Need to Do Big Things to Change the World

Holding the earth

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” ~Mother Teresa

Life is complicated. The world’s problems are extremely complex. But what if you could help solve the world’s problems? What if you were a world changer?

Seems rather daunting, doesn’t it? Me? Change the world?! I used to feel like an ostrich, burying my head in the sand and trying to ignore all the hurt and evil in the world, because I felt helpless, like there wasn’t anything I could do.

I didn’t always feel that way though. There was a time when I felt I …

Never Look Down on Someone Unless…

Never look down on someone

Source: Collective Evolution

Remember How Far You’ve Come

Remember how far you've come

Source: Live Life Happy

Things Money Can’t Buy

Things money can't buy

Source: Simple Reminders

Dealing with “Haters”: How to Rise Above the Negative

Angry Egg

“The final proof of greatness lies in being about to endure criticism without resentment.” ~Elbert Hubbard

A splash of tequila to the unsuspecting open eyes is a brutal way to learn that someone has a problem with you.

My brother’s girlfriend was drunk at the time, and laughing so hard at the sting of my agony that she had a bathroom accident. I hadn’t provoked her in any way. It was just one of those things that make you wonder.

Later I would come to find out how much she secretly detested my academic success.

I didn’t understand it at …

The Pain Won’t Go Away Until We Learn the Lesson

Sad Girl

“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.” ~Pema Chodron

Wounds I thought were healed began to burst open after a recent breakup. I had obviously not learned the lessons I was meant to years ago.

As a child I put 100% effort into everything I did, from schoolwork and swimming training to leadership positions. I remember feeling so sure of myself.

I drew my confidence from many areas of my life. A good student, swimming champion, school captain… I had my life sorted. Although the swimming accolades and A’s on my report …

Never Give Up on a Dream

Never give up on a dream

Source: Positive Energy+

What We Think We Become

What we think we become

Source: Spirit Science

How to Leave a Toxic Relationship When You’re Still in Love

“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” ~Marilyn Monroe

Why does it have to hurt so badly?

You’re so in love, but your relationship has become toxic. It simply can’t continue.

Night after sleepless night, you lie awake replaying the fights in your head.

You can’t understand why your partner won’t change or how they can simply ignore how you feel. You wonder if they ever truly loved you.

You’ve tried everything to save your relationship, but nothing’s worked. You know it’s time to end it, yet the thought of being alone petrifies you.

But …

When Life Takes a Detour: Turning Uncertainty Into Joy

Happy Woman

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” ~Og Mandino

You know when you get a major wake up call that shakes you to the core and gets you to focus on what’s truly important? That’s what 2014 was for me.

My boyfriend and I had gotten married in May 2014 after moving from Toronto to a small town to be closer to his aging mother.

I was working thirteen-hour days to re-establish my wellness business, and things were slowly picking up. I was finally …

Worrying Is a Downpayment on a Problem You May Never Have

Worrying is a downpayment

Keep People In Your Life That…

Keep people in your life who

Source: Million Feelings

What You Do Makes a Difference

What you do makes a difference

Buddha Doodles Review and Book Giveaway – Whimsical Drawings with Deep Truths

Buddha Doodles Imagine the PossibilitiesNote: The winners for this giveaway have been chosen.

When I first found Molly Hahn’s Buddha Doodles a few years back, I knew I’d stumbled upon something special.

Her whimsical illustrations never failed to put a smile on my face, and they often came with just the message I needed to read on a given day.

I was even more enthralled when I learned about Molly’s background, and why she started Buddha Doodles.

Having endured a traumatic childhood, she began her meditative sketch practice as part of her healing process. And I, …

How to Turn Everyday Life into an Adventure

“Every day is an adventure.” ~Joseph B. Wirthlin

Be honest.

It gets to you, doesn’t it?

You feel trapped in a life of monotonous everyday routine. One dull day merges into the next, each equally forgettable. The months slide past until you look up from your desk and suddenly another birthday’s here.

So you avidly consume programs and articles on fearless adventurers and bold entrepreneurs who risked everything to pursue their dreams.

And you follow them hoping someday to have your own stories to tell, your own daredevil memories to post and tweet. But instead, you end up doing …