18Sep 2014 by CJ

Living a simple life leads to the most happiness

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
“A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with—that’s poverty—but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar.” ― Victoria Moran, Lit From Within: Tending Your Soul For Lifelong Beauty It’s rare that we ever take the time to evaluate the material (and personal) clutter in our lives and ask ourselves, “how can I simplify my life – what could I truly live without and still be happy?” For me, a highly anal organizer, there’s no greater feeling than purging the unneeded “stuff” we seem to hoard. We’ve got closets, basements, garages, attics, sheds…
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14Sep 2014 by CJ

Seems happiness isn’t the ONLY purpose in life

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
Famed writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” I find his rather candid statement to be somewhat contradictory. After all, thousands of self- help gurus have written countless books on the subject of personal happiness and now all of a sudden Mr. Emerson is saying that “the purpose of life is not to be happy”? I don’t get it! But in all seriousness folks, I do get it. When our lives come to an end, and they all will someday, the only thing that will matter is how much good you did for someone besides yourself – how…
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07Sep 2014 by CJ

Don’t let yourself be a “joy-stealer” in life

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
“Watch out for the joy-stealers: gossip, criticism, complaining, faultfinding, and a negative, judgmental attitude.” - Joyce Meyer Here’s a question you’ve probably never asked yourself before – are you a joy-stealer? Are you that person that people eventually stop confiding in because of your uncanny ability to deflate every ounce of happiness from a situation (many times undeservingly)? Regardless of one’s situation or circumstance, we all possess opinions about the way in which others conduct their lives. It’s human nature I suppose to be critical of others based heavily on their contradictions of our own lives. While the majority of us have enough self-control (and etiquette for that matter) to simply contain our opinions, others have somehow managed to convince themselves that they are the authorities on what is and…
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17Aug 2014 by CJ

It’s totally okay to be happy with a simple kind of life

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
“There was nothing wrong with being a homebody. There was nothing wrong with not wanting - not needing - the constant jostle and noise of a party or bar or... whatever.” ― Charles de Lint, Jack of Kinrowan The older I get, the more I realize that I’m a bit of a homebody. While I’m not averse to going outside of my house (I’m in no way a hermit), I find great comfort and delight in the simple pleasures of life, which are probably considered boring to much of society who’ve happily adopted a chaotic and frenzied lifestyle. I enjoy… Watching old movies at home - munching on a sweet or salty treat, while cuddled up with my sweetheart on the couch. Sitting outside on a beautiful evening with a…
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11Aug 2014 by CJ

Sometimes cleaning and organizing can lead to positive feelings overall

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
“Rest and peace should not be left until you're deceased. They are two vital life ingredients everybody needs and seeks.” ― Rasheed Ogunlaru Whenever I’m feeling a little overwhelmed there are two things I can rely on to help ease my restless mind. One is going for a long walk in a picturesque environment – regardless of the temperature. There’s just something about being outside with nature that has a profoundly calming effect on me. The second might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you, but we’re all different, right? I like to clean and organize. There’s something about each process, which seems like a chore to some, that helps to rejuvenate my spirit even on the darkest of days. Maybe I should go work for…
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