Written by guest blogger, Gowtham Natarajan

As you stroll down the busy hallway at school during lunch with a group of friends, you look over and see a kid eating lunch by himself. But what do you do next?  

Do you keep walking thinking he chose to sit there? 

Go over to him and ask if he has anyone to spend his thirty-minute lunch break with? 

Offer to have him eat with you and your friends? 

This is probably a situation that many of us have encountered at one point or another. The question is, however, what did you do about it?

Achieving true happiness is a personal, everyday process that comes from inside each of us.

Happiness isn’t something we can buy or that someone gives us. Like everything worth having, happiness is something that takes focused effort.

Your attitude makes the difference!

Our attitude and how we react to the world, the people in our lives and the challenges we face either lift us up or bring us down. We always have a choice. By striving for an optimistic outlook and focusing on the good, we allow happiness to take root.

Take charge of your personal happiness!

Embark on an adventure of appreciation with our 30-Day E-Course. Receive $7 off through July 30, 2016 when you use promotional code GETHAPPY.

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Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. ~ Henry Van Dyke

Traditions are meant to be simple yet meaningful as well as enjoyed and remembered for years to come.

Thanksgiving traditions usually include turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie and families huddled around the television watching football. The holiday lends itself by it’s very nature to sharing our gratitude.

Below are a few traditions that will help promote the expression of appreciation and thankfulness.

Leaves/Tree of Thanks

Cut out (or purchase pre-cut) autumn leaves. Have each family member take a leaf or two and write things for which they are thankful. Attach the leaves to a branch using ribbons (a great centerpiece for the table) or tape to a ‘tree’ that has been cut out and placed on a wall or door. Read more →

We return thanks to our mother, the earth,

which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams,

which supply us with water. Read more →

Mara Mori brought me
 a pair of socks
 which she knitted herself
 with her sheepherder’s hands, 
two socks as soft as rabbits.
 I slipped my feet into them
 as if they were two cases
 knitted with threads of twilight and goatskin,
violet socks,
 my feet were two fish made of wool, 
two long sharks
 sea blue, shot through
 by one golden thread, 
two immense blackbirds, 
two cannons, 
my feet were honored in this way
 by these heavenly socks.
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“You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind.”

Is the glass half-empty or half-full? Our response to this age-old question about positive thinking reflects our outlook and attitude toward life.

Positive thinking doesn’t mean our head is buried in the sand while we ignore unpleasant situations. Positive thinking simply means that we approach life’s challenges in a more positive and productive way. We believe the best is going to happen rather than the worst. Read more →

…if you live feeling like

Your glass is half empty, well,

It may as well be empty all the way.

~Mattie J.T. Stepanek, Journey Through Heartsongs

The word “appreciation” means really seeing something for what it is – having an awareness of how special, how lucky, how unique, how blessed, how big, wonderful or awesome something is. Appreciation is a recognition not based on comparison, but based on the intrinsic value, character or immensity of a thing, action or person.

Some people are born “appreciators”. They value the essence of everything – the beauty of a sunset, the fragile green of a leaf, the boundless energy of a small child. Others must learn to see the beauty and wonder in the world.

Teaching children the value of appreciation is so important. It opens the heart, giving them a sense of belonging, a sense of community. Gratitude opens children up to the awareness of what others provide. Helping children grow an ‘attitude of gratitude’ can begin at a very early age. Read more →

To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great. It just means we are aware of our blessings. ~Dr. Robert Emmons

There are times when feeling grateful is really tough. Many things can have us looking on the downside rather than counting our blessings.

• A loved one is ill or passed away.
• We lost our job.
• The car breaks down.
• We’re having financial woes.
• Our favorite sports team lost the playoffs.

When you stop & smell the flowers life is sweet. Witness the beauty in all that you meet.

A positive, appreciative outlook allows us to fully experience the sweetness of life. It is a conscious choice to live every moment with love, grace and gratitude. By doing so, we open our hearts to happiness, growth and abundance.  Read more →

Chocolate or potato chips? Steak or seafood?

We all have preference, and so it is with HOW we like to be SHOWN love. Certain things resonate more than others, making us feel more appreciated, opening our hearts and making us feel truly loved.

How do you like to be shown love?

Melinda showers her boyfriend, Keith, with gifts to show her affection while he in turn washes her car.

But like a chocoholic being offered potato chips and vice versa, both Melinda and Keith are left less than satisfied.  Read more →