Daily Gratitude: This is a magic way to increase our own happiness without even much effort.

If you can find something you appreciate and praise it, it will bring a smile to your face and put joy in your heart. Let’s say you see a little dog climbing all over a child, making the kid laugh and play. Who could resist appreciating that? Who wouldn’t find a smile coming to their lips?

Let’s say you have a friend who is always doing good things for you and for others, do you tell them how much you appreciate them? Once you do and once you see how happy that makes them, then your happiness will increase.

And you shouldn’t be showing your appreciation for small things. We complain when we have to wait for traffic lights but take a moment to think how you’d feel if we didn’t have any traffic lights. What kind of grumbling would that lead to.

What are some things you take for granted? Say plumbing. Think about life without those things. What is your appreciation level now?

Make a game of it. Enjoy finding things to appreciate. Make it a habit. You’ll have many more smiles throughout your day if you do.

Daily Gratitude: This is such an interesting thought. Can you see how it applies in your life? I can and it’s made me start seeing things differently.

I can look at a crowd and see “ a mess of people” that I have to maneuver through or around. Or I can see the human race, or people who have the same basic desires as I do, or a group of people who might like the same things I do (otherwise why would we be in the same place), or I can see a group of enemies.

I’ve found that a lot of what i “see” is based on my mood at the time. Is that the same with you? If I’m already in a not so good mood, I’m less likely to see things in a positive flavor. That’s not good for my vibrations. I want to avoid anything that will bring my vibrations down. And I can control that. I just have to be aware and then intentional.

Try looking at traffic or lines at the store/coffee shop or someone causing you to be late (or to think you’re late. Are you really late? What does that actually mean?)

Experiment. Try changing your impressions of what’s in front of you. And try to make them good impressions. I think you will be happier.

Daily Gratitude: I think I heard this a long time ago but just read it again this week and it struck me like a power punch of truth.

Do you have any friends that are a bit “private”? Maybe they aren’t really averse to letting you know something about themselves. They just aren’t used to opening up spontaneously. So when you ask “how are you?” You know you’re going to get the usual response from them. “Fine thanks”

Why not ask specific questions. Something like “how is Jack doing in his new job? Are things any easier for him now?” Now the other person knows what you’re interested in finding out and can respond with a deeper answer.

This takes time. It even took me time to think of a more specific question as an example. But by taking that time I had to decide what I really wanted to know about Jack. Maybe I wanted to know if my friend and Jack were still fighting a lot like they were when Jack was unhappy in his job. Her answer to this question about Jack’s new job might afford her the opportunity to follow on with more info. And she doesn’t, her response and tone of voice might give me a clue as to whether I should probe deeper or just leave that subject alone for the time being.

When you buy something you really want to know more than “what does it cost?” But if you don’t know what matters, then you might end up with a “lemon”. I did. A long long long time ago I was at a car dealer and I saw this convertible that I wanted. All I asked was “how much?” And boy was I sorry. It was the absolute definition of a lemon. But i learned a lot from that experience.

It’s a bit of work but if you are a curious person, it’s well worth it. Figure out what you want to know and then come up with better questions that will help you get there.