Positive Energy for a Good Day

I truly believe that your surroundings impact your attitude and outlook. Think about it, if you hang out in a dark place or with really negative people don't you eventually start thinking negative as well and even feel more negative and down....

Create your positive space

Majority of my day is spent in my office working. Sure it would be nice sitting on a beach somewhere being a lazy beach bum, but let's face it that doesn't exactly pay the bills and the winning lottery ticket has not found it's way to me yet. I wanted to make my office a happy, fun, positive, place to go into every morning. I started filling it with things that make me smile and also motivate me. I put motivational sayings on my screen saver, and absolutely love when I catch my coworkers reading them and enjoying. 

A few of my screen savers...some inspire and some just make me smile

When I think of my happiest times, it's when I am with my family and especially my nieces. Those 2 little girls bring so much joy into my life, so of course I had to put pictures of them around my office and I included some of their art work. I fully admit there are times on busy days I love just being able to take a breather and look at my pictures, I feel happier and calmer. 

Ashley and Kaitlyn
Yep, they took a selfie

Recently my sister's family went to Florida and when they got back my nieces presented me with some beautfiful shells they had collected for me on the beach. They were so proud to show me the different shells and colors and tell me all about how they picked them; I really wanted to do something special with them. Then it hit me, I had the perfect idea!!

These girls have great taste in shells!
Thank you to my sister for sending me the pictures of them digging and searching in Florida

A few months back my dad and I participated in our first 5k event and we did it together. It was a truly wonderful experience I will never forget. The event took place at a winery and at the end we all received a wine glass. I felt the same way about the wine glass as I did with the shells, I wanted to do something special with it...You see where I am going with this...

Dad and me completing our first 5k.
Could you tell I am a little excited?

I put the shells inside the wine glass, rearranged them about a million times and now they sit on the window sill in my office. Looking at that wine glass makes me feel motivated and encouraged remembering how I got the glass and the shells make me feel loved inside thinking of the girls telling me about the shells. 

I absolutely love how my wine glass and
beach shell creation came out..made with love

Fill your place with joy, whether it be your office or home, find things that make you smile and feel good inside. It really helps make the days happier and more fun. 

Views from inside my office
Pictures and items throughout, all come with happy memories!

Summer Fun!

I love summer time. The warm sun on my skin (sorry mom I do love the sun), the sound of the ocean at the shore, the kids laughing in the nearby pool, the smell of sunscreen (see mom I do wear sunscreen), and the longer sunny days. I also love that with summer comes our yearly family trip to Point Pleasant Beach/Boardwalk.

I had decided to take off this past Friday and it worked out that all of us were free to go. From the moment we figured out it would work out I was excited. I love our time together, seeing my nieces smiles and hearing their belly laughs as we play games, watching my family relax and enjoy each other's company, walking along the boardwalk and talking with each other, and of course the gift shops. It's our time. I also admit I was feeling a little nervous this time. Along with all the fun usually comes all the food. You know which food I am talking about...funnel cakes, fried oreos, french fries, ice cream; the delicious list goes on and on. I have been doing so good eating healthy and enjoying it for a while now I was torn between letting loose and eating it all or behaving and eating as little as possible. All week it was rolling around my mind. One second I thought eh let loose enjoy just this once and then I would think it's one second of enjoyment and then lots of feeling yucky. What is a girl to do?

Friday morning I woke up and it was beautiful out. I decided that no matter what I ended up eating later a walk was still a great idea to start the day off right. I did a nice 4.6 mile walk around my town. I ate normal for most of the day not wanting to be starving later. For the first time in a long time when I got dressed for the boardwalk I didn't want to cry at my reflection in the mirror. I actually thought I looked pretty darn cute. Off we went.

  

Family Pictures

  Playing on the Sand

After walking around and playing games it was time to eat. I told myself to just check out the menu and I would know what to do. I thought about my cute outfit, I thought about my walk in the morning and I thought about how good I felt. The decision turned out to be pretty easy. I found a place that served salads fully of chicken, avocado, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes on a bed of delicious mixed greens. That along with a bottle of water and I was very stuffed and very proud of myself.

Yummy Salad! Love they put avocado in it

We walked more, played games, went on some rides, and then my mom suggested walking on the sand. It felt like freedom walking along the sand and near the water. The wind blowing through our hair. Hearing my nieces giggle as the water got closer to their little toes. When we walked back onto the boardwalk it was time for ice cream before we were ready to call it a day and head back to the car. I thought to myself well you did great at dinner, you played lots of games and walked on the sand that has to burn some calories, you can have a small ice cream. I was waiting online with my sister and brother-in-law when my mom called my name to show me that right next to the ice cream place was a fresh fruit stand and they had my obsession blueberries. I decided that sounded way more appealing. I got a large mixed fruit cup and felt more like a giddy kid than had I gotten the ice cream or frozen coffee deliciousness that my sister and I usually get (yes she still got it and said it was delicious).

Games, rides, prizes and more games

Haha..My dessert picture was photo bombed by my very hungry dad 

We stopped at one last gift shop where my mom treated my to a beautiful coffee mug to add to my collection and then headed to the car. On the ride home I felt so happy inside. I had enjoyed the entire day and ate delicious food all while staying healthy. It was an amazing day and boy did I sleep good that night!! I look forward to our next family adventure.

My new coffee mug with breakfast the next morning

Cindy