Happy FIRST DAY OF MARCH!! 

It's a new beginning, and if February wasn't working out, well here is March!!  And it's my birthday month, so you have to be happypants!  Just kidding, but really...

I hope everyone is enjoying their week so far!  If you've had a rough start, you can  begin right now to feel good!  Go ahead, feel good...take in those good vibes!  *Breathe in, aaaaaaaand out*

I thought of something today that got me thinking.  (Thoughts tend to do that sometimes.  I know, I was surprised too!)  You know in some convenient stores they have the 'give a penny, take a penny' container?  As I was walking by my favorite security guards on 59^th and 5^th, we always exchange a smile and 'have a great day!'.  As I continued on my journey, I thought to myself, 'Betty (Yes, I refer to myself as Betty when talking internally...) Betty, you just gave a smile and took a smile, and now look how good your feel!'  Moral of the story:  If you can go through your day, and someone gives you a smile (take a smile), you will have to give a smile away (give a smile).  It's really the only logical thing to do.   So, go ahead, give a smile and take a smile! 

*Small side note of understanding*--I only repeat this 'smile' idea, because I am still surprised at how good I feel after a 'give a smile, take a smile' scenario.  This is an idea that needs the repetition, because it is so easily forgotten.  It is a small thing to do throughout your day, with HUGE benefits.

  That intro has NOTHING to do with my theme for today, but whatever, let's roll with it!  (Or lean with it, maybe even rock with it?)  Perfection is the word of the day...AHHHHHHHHH!!!   Perfection is a loaded word that comes with lot of baggage.  Crazy thing about this whole 'striving for perfection' ideal, is that the perfect 'anything' is only a figment of our imagination.  The perfect 'insert here' is really a goal that we set for ourselves, or set by the pressures of others.

As I have gotten older, and wiser, well wiser than I was when I was a wee baby... (With all those 'w's, was that an alliteration??  I think so!)  Anywho, I realized that when you stop trying to be something or someone else, and take the time to focus on your wants and desires (dig deep!), that's when it all starts to fit together.  That my friends, is the definition of 'finding yourself'.  I thought of a life analogy last night while jogging.  I love a good analogy, so here goes...Life is like finding your running stride.  Think about it; it takes time and effort to find your OWN stride.  When you find it, you feel like you can run forever!   Even when you have found your perfect stride, there will be bad running days, it's just the nature of life.  On those days, the only thing that keeps you going is the realization that you will have a good run down the road.  Some people's stride looks silly, and other's look smooth.  However, when you find your stride, it is YOUR stride.  You are at your best when you run with your own stride.    

  Finding your stride is like finding your inner spirit.  Let me break that one down for you:  Your spirit can fill a room, it is your essence.  When you're having a good day and are feeling 'shiney happy people holding hands' that will emanate to those around you.  Just like yawning is 'contagious', so is happiness.  In turn, people will feel when you're having a bad day.  There is more to us than the outside exterior, we aren't just meat suits (or tofu suits- shout out to all my vegetarians wooop wooop!) , the inside essence make us, well...individuals.  So, why not take the time and energy into 'perfecting' our inside, instead of the outside.  It's one thing to take care of your body by working out and eating right.  It's another thing when you're killing your essence to be thinner, bigger, faster, stronger...(is that a Kanye West song?)  The only person, who is hurt in the end, is you.  I forget what book I was reading, but this quote always comes back to mind when I doubt myself.   It goes a little something like this... "When the voice and the vision on the inside become more profound and clear and loud than the opinions on the outside, that is when you've mastered your life."  That my friends is a keeper  :-)

  The truth is nothing is perfect.  It is easy to build up a person or an event to the highest of high standards.  It is inevitable that we will be let down.  The funny this is, most of the time the real outcome is more perfect than we could have hoped for.  Open those big beautiful eyes of yours, and see what's in front of you.  It may not be what we had expected, but it's more than what we could have ever dreamed possible.

So, go ahead, look at the open door of life, and expect to be surprised. 

I leave you with this today to ponder...

'Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect, it means you decide to see beyond the imperfections'

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and an even better week!  I am counting my blessings today, and you are one of them....yes you!!

XOXO

-Liz Dugan