Focusing on the heart

February and Valentine’s Day can be a sore spot for many, but thankfully this post has nothing to do with that type of lovey fake fluff. My focus for this day has always been on what it can represent…reminding us all to love and be kind. Do you really want to know how to make your life feel fulfilled and happy, be kind and bring happiness to others. It will make you feel like you have never before. By this I don’t mean you need to go out and join a charity or volunteer (which of course are amazing if you do!!), I mean show everyone you meet kindness and love…the ones that don’t act that way toward others, are often the ones that need it the most.

Working in a hospital, I got a view into people’s lives in the most personal and emotional manner. These patients and families were faced with stress none of us can prepare for, and life decisions no one is ready to face. In fact, I saw family dynamics and personal struggles surface that no one knew were even there prior to these situations. One thing I learned and would take away is…no one knows anyone’s life or personal struggles. One family would be saying goodbye to a family member with so many prayers and love, and another could not cope with a life without them. Life is stressful. Life is so hard. And none of us know what we are doing. My theory is, show kindness to everyone and hope they spread the same to others. With that, don’t be a pushover! Still be the strong mind, heart, and body I preach. But take the strength you are gaining every day, and spread it to others by words and actions that are positive and hopeful. We all need it.

But with that, how can we take all the corniness I described above and make this month of love truly meaningful. I have a few insights…

  1. Love yourself and be confident. You may feel like with the hustle and bustle of life around you, there are times you feel so small and insignificant. But guess what, you are supposed to be here. No matter what level of impact you make, the world would not be the same without you. We are all different for a special reason, and life would not be the same without you. I am saying this because you have to know that when you go through your day, in one way or another you have impacted others, and can positively affect people around you if you choose to! So are you going to drift into the shadows, or are you going to be the surprising light on someone’s day. But make sure to save some of the light for you. If you are not kind and show love to yourself, it makes it really difficult to spread it to others.
  2. Be the smile that catches someone’s eye. Have you ever made eye contact with someone, and they gave you a smile that caught you off guard. Where your first thought is…why are they smiling at me? Then you realize, oh they are just one of those special people that actually smile at others for no reason?!? Just because they are nice?!? That smile may have made you make a misstep on to the curb, but the following steps you took that day were probably were a little lighter. Remember that. Small things make a big difference to others.
  3. Pay a compliment to as many people as possible. After the age of 18, I feel like I graduated into a time where compliments vanished. There was so much build up where people wanted you to succeed and flourish, and then one enters adulthood where this big shadow of insecurities, judgment, and competition lie. When someone would say something nice, my response would be fragmented and forced, you would think I had never heard something nice in my life. That is when I decided I was going to compliment people as often as possible…good friends, complete strangers…any time a nice thought came into my head, I did something crazy…I said it out loud…to them. Some examples are, “I love your hair.” “I like your shirt.” “You look really nice today.” Nothing groundbreaking. Things you may have noticed and probably were in your thoughts, but hey, why don’t we start saying these things out loud. Make others feel good. That simple.
  4. Keep your circle small, and love hard. When I was in my geriatric nursing class (aka old people), there was one thing that really stuck with me. As people age, their “circles” get smaller because they know their time on their Earth is getting shorter, and they want to spend it with people they really care about. To me this theory was so profound. Find the ones you love, and give them your time, your thoughts, and your energy. We only have so much life left to live, so give yourself fully to people you really love. You never know how many memories you have left to make, so you better start now.

As you make changes in your health, there is no bigger change you could make then in your heart. Impacting others in a positive light will make you grow as a person more than you could ever imagine. My blog is all about keeping things simple and realistic. Spreading kindness in small ways every day, will make a huge impact on who you are the rest of your life. Grow in your heart, and the world around you may follow.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

5 Days of Holiday Gifts…Gift 5: Do Good

Gift #5: “Do Good” Tees from Cotopaxi

It seems like this past year is sticking out in people’s minds as a tumultuous one. One marked by some negativity, ill feelings, and some uncertainty. My hope is things will turn, and everyone who choose to focus their energy on the good, and not the bad. Take their uncertainty, and create change. Really, just Do Good each and every day.

Cotopaxi (www.cotopaxi.com) is an amazing company because they sell outdoor products, but they equally show a passion for creating change in areas far behind hiking gear…Health (Reducing preventable disease and under 5 mortality rates), Education (Improve primary literacy rates and access to quality education), and Livelihoods (Create opportunity for entrepreneurial training and job skills development). Cotopaxi “creates innovative outdoor products and experiences that fund sustainable poverty alleviation, move people to do good, and inspire adventure.” I love this. I will always buy from these types of companies first. Ones that take a platform and uses it to spread positivity and hope for those who really need it.

The product I love that spreads this message, is their “Do Good.” tees. So simple yet so powerful. They come in baby onesies, kids sizes, as well as men’s and women’s sizes. The material is soft and lightweight, and is available in various colors.

Is wearing this shirt going to change the world? Probably not. But you will be reminding yourself and others that the ability to do good and create change is there. It is inside all of us, and the outside world does not have to dictate that. Make a small impact each and every day, and even if the world doesn’t change…you will.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

5 Days of Holiday Gifts…Gift 3: Stylish and Charitable

Gift #3: Rising Tide Scarves

When I shop for gifts, I try to keep in mind a few variables…will they actually use it, is it meaningful, and is it a product I believe in. I know what you are thinking…why do you care if you believe in a Christmas gift? I try my best to spend money on companies or people that are ethical, local to the USA (and especially Colorado), products that are more environmentally friendly, and hopefully they are thoughtful in promoting health or the betterment of people. Rising tide is one of those companies.

Rising Tide (risingtide.com) has been around since 1989, when they developed a company based on helping low income artisans from developing countries improve their standards of living. Rising tide then takes their products, and markets them in the United States. They are currently assisting families and workers in northern India with educational, medical, and emergent costs that arise. Nepal is also a main focus, where they have partnered in a project that supplies teacher training, safe drinking water, and building improvements to public schools in rural areas.

One of my favorite products is the Chunky Woven Infinity Scarf. I have given this gift in each and every color, and everyone has loved them. Additionally, I have given this scarf to people of all ages, occupations, and clothing styles, and all have told me over and over how much they wear it. It is soft, warm, and the colors are so vibrant. It really is my go to gift, and if you are close to me, one year you will probably find one beneath your Christmas tree.

With all of the ways the world changes, taking a few minutes to think about the companies and people you are giving your money to, is more important than you may think.  Make your presents count with meaning, with thoughtfulness, and spread love in more ways than one.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val