The act of being grateful is not always easy, especially when things are seemingly going wrong.  Milton Erickson, MD was quoted “Life will bring you pain all by itself.  Your responsibility is to create joy.”

Can a person create joy and if so how?

~Be Thankful:  Thankfulness is often something we must consciously cultivate.  It is an emotion that doesn’t often sit at the top of our attitude list. It may be difficult to feel or see without trying, but if you find one small reason to be thankful every day, it will lead to simple joy.

~See Miracles in common Things:   Take a look around you.  The ‘common’ is everywhere.  A sunrise, a falling star, the flicker of a firefly.  A wise man can see that the common is not.

~Create Sunshine….Mental Sunshine:  The positive mood side effects given off by the sun are immeasurable.  Sunshine stimulates the production of serotonin and leads to a brighter outlook.  Just a few minutes in the sun can elevate one’s mood.  Mental sunshine is the same.  A positive outlook will lead to positive mental sunshine!!  Pass some on.

~Send Thank You Notes:  Don’t forget to send yourself a thank you note!  You are amazing!  There is no one like you.  Appreciate yourself.  Don’t take yourself for granted.  You were marvelously made….just the way you are.

~Leave trails of happiness:  Give praise to those around you that do a good job.  No matter how small that job may be, done with heart and hard work, don’t let it go un-noticed.