Good Morning

You wake up each morning with a great big smile :)

What a glorious night’s sleep you think to yourself as you stretch and open your eyes. Feeling refreshed and ready for a wonderful new day, filled with excitement, possibilities, the people you love and things you enjoy. What glorious adventure and wonderful new things will you discover, experience, learn and enjoy today.

I hope I have described your typical morning

That is how I choose to wake up, and do most mornings. But there was a time however I was far from that. I’d go to bed usually over tired, with all of that days and life’s chores, dramas, worries and events playing over and over in my mind. Each morning as I woke I’d open my eyes and stretch, then BAM! All of the worries would come flooding back “he said, she said, but, no, why me, I’ll never, I can’t, how am I going to do that, I’m not that lucky, it’s too hard, too expensive” and so on. I went into each new day filled to the brim with yesterday’s negativity, dramas, doubts, hopelessness, helplessness and fear.

If that sounds familiar in any way I'd like to reassure you it doesn't have to be.

We have 100% control of the things we think and feel.

It is vital to be aware of our thoughts, who we listen to and what we take on-board, so we can consciously choose what we focus on. Because this will play a large part in how you experience your day, ultimately your life.

Time to take control and put away what was, what's happened and what can never change. Time to bring back to life that brilliant, creative mind so you can wake up each morning with that great big smile and excitement, energised for the brand new day ahead!

Joy is a choice, each morning you wake up - You choose

I CHOOSE JOY :)

I began this mind shift years ago with the simplest of methods. No one ever said this had to be difficult, we often just believe or assume it will be. I printed up a large sign just as I've written it above "Joy is a choice, each morning you wake up you choose - I choose joy" and stuck it up on my wardrobe door. This was just my very first step, providing me with a constant big, bright visual reminder every morning, every night, every single time I went in my bedroom. Seeing the constant reminder helped me to consciously change my focus and acknowledge that I had a choice. I certainly didn't enjoy feeling like crap, feeling overwhelmed or miserable - it's exhausting! Of-course I chose joy. From there the process of change began.

A helpful and beneficial new habit was created starting with that initial statement, new awareness, conscious choice and repetition.

The beauty of our minds is that they can be changed. Just because we've always believed something or always done something (that often doesn't serve us, it's just what we know, what we've always done) doesn't mean it's too late, too set or too ingrained. We must remember we learnt that once too. Now with awareness and for many of us the fact that we're older and more experienced, having years’ worth of practise - even if that includes unconsciously practising (ok doing, often robotically) all the things that bring about what you don't want - we can now bring forth (using very simple tools and repetition) the happiness and love we seek, we want, we deserve.

One step (thought) at a time.

I dream, I believe - each and every one of us can shed the things that keep us stagnate and bound in fear, and uncover the amazing ability, joy and brilliance that resides within. It's in you, in me, in all, just waiting to be set free to move us forward into the glorious life we were meant to live; authentically, consciously with joy and with love.

Start each morning in a great frame of mind and then go out; LIVE and enjoy your day!

Because you can!

I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback.

Karen Offord is the author of 'Dare to Dream, Your Journey of a Lifetime'. She is an author, blogger and professional counsellor - helping men and women who desire to make positive changes in their life by providing an abundance of information, tools and resources - so they can experience, enjoy and live the life they desire and deserve, full of love, hope and joy. http://www.karenofford.com/Dare-to-Dream-Your-Journey-of-a-Lifetime.html