Live. Love. Laugh. Play.

Live!

Take time to experience the world around you. Be mindful of yourself and stay present in the moment. Living is now. We have a finite amount of time to spend and there is no earning any more. If we hold too tightly onto the past, we let it cloud today. If we look only to the future we will loose sight of today’s treasures. We tend to hurry through our lives. Rushing from task to task. But even in these busy times, you can live in your moment. Do each thing as if it was all there was and immerse yourself.

Love!

Notice and engage the people around you. Give a smile, a nod and a hello to those you encounter. Take time to chat with the people you know. Remember to give hugs and kisses to those you hold dear. Confess and profess your love. Let it shine out onto the world.

Laugh!

Every difficult situation presents us with the opportunity to use our humor. It can serve as both a sword and a shield. Most things in our lives to not deserve the degree of seriousness that we afford them. Laugh when you trip over the carpet and smile when others tease you. Joke when the computer eats your blog post and you have to start again. These are things that should be shrugged away with our humor. Let your laughter wash through your life and it will cleanse you of the greater portion of your stress.

Play!

Hold onto the child’s ability to love the small things in the world. Take time each day to enjoy something small in life. The pleasure of blowing a big bubble in your gum. The feel of thin ice crunching beneath your feet. Kicking fallen leaves while you walk. These are things you can gain a sense of play and relaxation from with out setting aside time in your day. Things that can be enjoyed in a few seconds, but can lift your spirit for the rest of the day. Make your life about “playtime.”

Live. Love. Laugh. Play.

If you keep these things at the heart of your life, you will know happiness. It truly does not matter if you are rich or poor. Nor does it matter where you live. Once your basic physical needs are met, your spirit is open for happiness. Sort through your life and re-evaluate. Many of us confuse our wants with our needs and loose sight of the abundance of what we truly have.

Know happiness!