Rest Comes From Relationship

As children of the Most High God, I don't think we realize how much power comes with it. I don't think we fully realize the depth of peace and protection that's in being connected by Christ. 

Being in covenant and cooperation with the Most High is where our righteousness lies. The righteous are the most cared for, protected people. This is found throughout the Bible. 

At the end of chasing lucre or whatever creature comfort we think can sustain us better than the Most High, there's nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everything is vanity and a vapor that can easily be gone just like that. At the drop of a hat. 

All that we need is in our relationship with Abba. Material things can fade away, but the Most High never fails.

Confidence is in trust. Trust is built in relationship.

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Delight Yourself In The Lord | Psalm 37:4

 

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4

Hodaya - "Splendor of The Lord", Praise, Thanksgiving.

Today give The Lord a Hodaya Praise!!

GOD is worthy! All The Time The Lord is good.

As we praise our Resplendent GOD, we become resplendent.

Praise GOD from whom all blessings flow, Praise GOD who IS the blessing. Who is always with us.

Seek trust and praise The Lord!

Hear and be obedient to His will.

He's Able To Lift You Up | Jude 1:24

 

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy". - Jude 1:24

Not only is He able to keep you from falling. He's able to lift you up. You can be presented blameless before His glorious presence and experience great joy!

Praise GOD for this!

More Powerful Than Pain

I think GOD will blow our minds if we're open to it.

GOD is a mindblowing GOD
No, not the blow your brains out kind,
But when we allow ourselves to be led
The mark is definitely made
There's an etching on our heart, more powerful than a scar 

it's a kind that reminds us.
of the time that GOD blew our minds,
And there was no feeling like it,
So there is no reason to go back to hurt.

It reminds us that healing 

is more powerful than pain

                                     

"They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them." - Romans 2:15

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” - Hebrews 10:16 

Created to praise God - Inspiration 3/4/17

Have you ever asked yourself questions like: What were you created for? Why are you here? and What are you doing?

Everything we do should be for the glory of God. Ultimately, we were created to praise God and progress in excellence.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. - Phillipians 4:8

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
-Proverbs 4:7

Let The Words Of My Mouth -- Faith-Based Poetry

Let The Word's Of My Mouth is a gospel centered poetry event that currently takes place in Fayetteville, GA. The line up of artists and poets is stellar. The latest installment in the series will include such performers as 5:10 Poet, Chris Dixon, Cyrus Harbin, Chavis Flagg, Nicki Harris and many more favorites from around the Atlanta, GA area and beyond.

The event will take place on August 27, 2016 at 383 Fayetteville Place in Fayetteville, Ga.

Here is the ticket link with more details... so you can grab those tickets: (Click Below)
Let The Words Of My Mouth: A Christian Spoken/Word Poetry Event

Worship Serves Our Purpose

Worship is the place to get away from it all, everything and everybody. worship is travel, it's going into that secret place and being elevated from your lower self and transcended into your higher being. Worship is where we come in contact with the essence of who we are and the purpose for our lives. seek to give praise and glory to God in gratitude. Be grateful daily.

 If the enemy can take your praise, he can take your Life. We were created to praise God. Don't get distracted. Stay focused on the purpose and mission for which you created. All true worship and devotion belong to God. Worship is Intimacy, revelation of power and knowledge of self are conceived in worship.

Show Up

by: April D. Byrd

Reading the word and coming before God in the morning definitely helps me make better decisions than I would have otherwise made. Wisdom and spiritual awareness is key, and that's what the word of God provides, whether it be spoken revelation or biblical text. 

To present ourselves before God makes a big difference in how we go about our day. I commented on Facebook yesterday that I wan't to be "in God's way", I want to be moving the way He's moving. If I'm moving with God, I feel invincible, like nothing can go wrong. If anything does go wrong I feel better prepared to handle it. 

The bible reads in 2 Timothy 2:15  to "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 

When we present ourselves, we show up, presenting ourselves to God means clearly making it known to that we are open, willing, and available to His power by taking the time out to show up. Make time for God. Presenting ourselves is submitting ourselves, life is so much easier when we submit ourselves to God's authority.

When we submit ourselves completely in spirit, we also submit our problems. Taking time to just meditate and focus on the goodness of God before we proceed with our day is a blessing. There is much work to do on a daily basis, We don't have to carry this load by ourselves, we can put our trust in God and let Him handle it. Whatever you do, just show up...show up before God's presence and allow His wisdom to take the lead.

Show up in prayer to be led by God. His word is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our journey.

Is It Tough To Follow Christ?

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man and only God can fill it.  -Blaise Pascal

Clarence and Robert McClendon were two Christian brothers who did well in their careers. Robert was a prominent lawyer and Clarence was the author of a popular book. Clarence was deeply involved with the interracial action-groups of the 1950's and 60's, in Georgia, USA. Once Clarence asked Robert, now a politician, for legal help, which he refused, because his political ambitions would be jeopardized. To rationalize his refusal, Robert told his brother: I follow Jesus up to a point. I follow him to the cross, but not on the cross. I am not getting myself crucified. To which Clarence replied: Robert, you are not a follower of Jesus; you are only an admirer of his.

     
Perhaps Clarence could repeat those words to us. We bear the name of Christ, Christians, but prefer to formulate our own code. In Europe, the Christmas Holidays are called the Winter Holidays. Why? Ostensibly, they do not want to wound the sentiments of people of other religions. Perhaps some segments of Christians, in other parts of the world, have joined their European brothers in switching to the changed terminology, for the same reason.

     
The Hindus have not changed their festival Diwali to something more akin to Christian idiom. The Muslims have not renamed Ramzan to appease their Christian brothers. Why are we ashamed of the word Christmas? Is it because we are ashamed of being identified as Christians? To those of us, who are embarrassed of being Christians, Jesus has a warning. In Matt. 10:32, He says that in the presence of His Father He will not acknowledge those who are ashamed of Him, in the eyes of men. The Master never makes empty threats. Do we hear the alarm bell?

      
We are Christians, but will not attend Church Services. A Christian young man I know tells me that he goes to Sunday morning service only when there are no good movies on TV. Some offer an excuse for their non-Christian attitude. They say that they are scandalized by the behavior of some Pastor/Priest and dissociate themselves from anything Christian. Are we Christian because of some Priest/Pastor, or even because of the Pope? We are Christian because of Christ, who is sinless and blameless. Do we stop using our family name or stay disconnected because of some black sheep in the fold? We refer to Biblical Stories as Christian Legends to distance ourselves from their veracity. We are Christians who do not want to profess Christian beliefs. Do we not profess our political affiliations? Democrat or Republican (USA), Labor or Conservative (UK), Congress or BJP (India)? We join elite clubs and are proud of our membership. We work for Fortune 500 Companies and will let others know of the connection. But Christ, the Son of God, we leave out in the cold. We exclude Him from our network. Alone, He will hang on that cross.

      
We try to run away from Him, but He comes panting after us, as The Hound of Heaven, whom Francis Thompson faithfully portrayed. In an unhurrying chase, at an unperturbed pace, He will not give up following us. Gently, He reminds us, all things betray thee, who betrayest me. We try to hide from Him, but He will seek us out. We shut our ears to His words, but He will play music that we cannot silence. We close our eyes to Him, but He will tenderly lift our hands off them, to lovingly gaze into our troubled eyes. What a Christ we have! Yet, we are ashamed of acknowledging Him. Would we do to our friends, what we do to Him, the truest of all?

 In my reckoning there are a few reasons why we behave the way we do.

1) We are the instant people who demand instant gratification. We want Him to be the genie we can command. He would willingly oblige us, if only all our wishes were for our good. Often, we desire that which will harm us. He sees it; we don’t. So, He shuts some doors through which we wish to enter and opens new doors, if only we have eyes to see.

2) We want to be in control, to march to our drumbeat. To surrender, to submit are against our grain. We like to be in charge of our lives; and extend that power by taking control of Him. The paradox is that He does not want to control us. He will not place limits on His gift of free will. Of our own, if we love Him and seek His protection, He will accept our friendship, and not a forced alliance.

3) We mistake His goodness for weakness, because He does not react even when we act in defiance or choose to ignore Him. His Infinite Patience and Forgiveness are never tested. For that very reason, we tend to take Him for granted.

4) We enthrone false gods in our hearts. Wealth, power, fame and pleasure are some of the deities we enshrine, dislodging the rightful owner. Does He complain? No, He waits for the time we will turn away from those false gods and return to Him, like the Prodigal son. In a question that also holds the answer, Job asks: Has anyone resisted Him and found peace? No wonder, the scholarly Saint Augustine wrote: Our hearts were made for you, O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.

      
Mistakenly we believe that we are doing Him a favor when we pray or live a life by The Book. Hugh Blair exposes our folly: It is for the sake of man, not of God, that worship and prayer are required; not that God may be rendered more glorious, but that man may be made better. We need to reflect on Hugh Blair's words, because a Perfect God needs nothing from us. He would not be God if He needed anything from us. He is complete in all respects. With unmatched love He persuades us to reform for our sakes, not His.

      How do we reform? By being the salt of the earth, and light to the world. Salt dissolves in food to lend it taste and flavor. Light dispels darkness. Like salt, when we make ourselves useful to others, and as shining examples, when we shed light for others, we become lovable. And when we become lovable, we can be sure that Jesus’ love is in us. Aptly, Bishop Fulton Sheen explains what that means: When the Lord puts His love in us, then we become lovable.

      There is no doubt that it is tough to follow Christ, but the rewards far outweigh the effort, and the peace that comes from it cannot be matched. Ordinary people have done it. Are we any less?

This Time I'll Rise

He called me today... there was a warning in me so badly not to pick up...but I couldn't resist. Why because I'd been really wondering why he hadn't called already, and even wanted to call him just to say it "Happy New Year" of course. as he did, but I resisted the tug of familiarity for my own sanity.

Last year I'd become so used to him calling at the times that were convenient for him that it was expected, becoming common place. I thought I'd overcome, but he called me, and I picked up. When I answered the excitement in me to say a simple, nice "Happy New Year" like I wanted to, was stifled. I had a dry attitude that was close to bitter. I cut him off short. I shouldn't have even answered, but I did.

When people call you and say Happy New Year, they more than likely want to be in your life for the year. My picking up woke me up, after that conversation, realizing if  that frustration is inside of me, it means that there are feelings inside of me that can still be accessed. I will not allow myself to be used by the enemy or taken for granted this year!

A while back I wrote a poem pertaining to this situation called "Don't Let The Devil In." In actuality I'm not talking about this guy who called. We can serve as our own worst enemies. Sin is what happens when our actions aren't based in wholeness and rooted completely in God. We are what we let in. Where there is no enemy inside, the enemy outside can do no harm.

We read that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, we have the power to refute whatever comes against us, well that power is a direct result of being fortified with God's strength which is greater than our own. This truth comes with understanding that God is the very creator and master of every weapon created. I was allowed to be placed in a situation with a particular man for a season in my life. He wasn't the devil, my lack of self-esteem and confidence was.

I will not stay held in bondage this year, I will not stay running around in circles. I will not be taken advantage of by the devil. The devil wants us to be complacent. There are many things in our lives that can be considered the devil. There are many things that the devil works through, but we have to ask ourselves "are we inviting the devil in?" Our greatest honor is in listening to God's calling and following  His will. We hear "my sheep know my voice and another they will not follow. God uses the fire and trials of our lives to wake us up and show us what's really important, but we're supposed to learn from them. I've learned my lesson. This time I'll go beyond avoidance, I'll rise above keeping the devil out. This year will be amazing, because I'll do everything  I can to let God in.

Omitting: The Truth

by: Chancee Christian

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” ~John 4:24

Worship: to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power 2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion

So, most of us already know how to worship God..... & we all have different ways that we worship, some lift their hands, some shout, some cry, some just bow or kneel to show great honor or respect for God!

I, personally, worship God in three of those ways. However, I've come to realize that worshipping God is one of the easy parts of walking with Him.....once we learn who God is through a real relationship & learn to love God for who He is...... Worship is easy.....but that's only half of it.....

Truth: sincerity in action, character, and utterance

The other half of our lives with God and how we worship Him, is truth!!

Is it possible to only be a halfway worshiper?

YES!

How so?
We can use are lips to pray, love on & praise God & also curse His own children.....

James 3:9 "We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself."

How so?
We will lift our hands in Worship to God & use those same hands to flip others off, to place them on others in physical abuse or touch others in places that are only supposed to be for our spouses......

Truth (the Word of God) tells us in Matthew 22:39 to ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’

How so?
We will shout, some in tongues, many blessings to the Lord our God in Worship but also shout at drivers on the road, shout disrespectful words at our children, spouses, employees and employers.....

James 3:10 Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen.

How so? We can love God, serve Him, follow some of His commandments because we don't want to admit we are out of order or out of God's Will, so we continue to live in sin because the World accepts you living with the man or woman you're not married to.....the World accepts you being in a marriage or relationship with the same sex...... because the World accepts you not forgiving those who hurt you, did you wrong so therefore you live in bitterness & resentment......

The World accepts so many of the things God doesn't accept in His Kingdom!!!!

So instead of living to please the God you Worship in Spirit.....

We begin to conform to the World

In Spirit we Love & Worship God.....but when it comes to "truth"......

I challenge you today, to STOP being a halfway worshiper, but to begin to WORSHIP God in Spirit and Truth!

Will it happen overnight? Nah
Can you do it? Yes
Will it always be easy? NO
Are you a conqueror? Yep!

But you aren't alone......

Love you ALL!!!!

-Chancee Christian is the founder of Daughters Of A King Ministries.

Exclusive: "He's Worth The Wait" Book Signing Recap

Recently BOLDJournal got a chance to attend a fabulous event. The book signing for "He's Worth The Wait." was insightful, cool, and empowering just to say the least.  The event included music, spoken word artists, and powerful testimonies from singles who embraced sexual abstinence until marriage and continue to operate in God's will for their lives. 

Fanny Quioto, Author of  "He's Worth The Wait" shared some wisdom and a bit of her personal testimonies with attendees, along with her inspiration for writing the book.  "He's Worth The Wait" also has a CD version to be listened to on the go. It's a great resource to provide strength and encouragement for young ladies willing to honor commitment to God in their lives.

In He's Worth The Wait, Fanny Quioto shares her testimony of how she overcame her sex addiction and her decision to remain celibate until she says, "I do." She also shares her very personal and candid confessions and notes concerning her future husband directly from her journal. This book aims to encourage other women to remain abstinent until they are married and to remain strengthened in the process.

"He's Worth The Wait" is available now on Amazon. Overall it was a great event! We're looking forward to more events of the like. Thanks to Fanny and her ministry Hands Of Love outreach for sponsoring the event! In case you missed it we have some great images below. You can also check out a few of the video clips on our Instagram.

Breath Of Life Daily Editor-In-Chief @aprilinspired and  Poet @innertame_me rocking He's Worth The Wait tees

Breath Of Life Daily Editor-In-Chief @aprilinspired and the woman of the hour "He's Worth The Wait" Author Fanny Quioto  (Prov31status)

Attendees rocked their "He's Worth The Wait" tees. 

To acquire a "He's Worth The Wait book", CD, or for more info contact Fanny Quito via e-mail at quiotof@gmail.com and Stay tuned to Breath Of Life Daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to find out how you can win a personalized copy of "He's Worth The Wait".

More Than A Conqueror

by: Ruthann Mckenzie

Question of the day is…(drum roll, please)...are you a winner or a whiner? Honestly, I tend to be a whiner.  When troubles come my way, I am ready for God to take away the pain.  As for me, my first response in trouble is, "let this cup pass from me".

This week I was reminded of Romans 8, specifically verse 37, “…we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Here Paul is letting the church know that God has already made them victorious. When this letter was written in Greek the word used was hypernicomen, which translates as a compound word to "being overly or beyond expectation" and "victory". The actual translation of "more than conquerors" means we have above and beyond the victory of those in the world through Christ.  We are more than conquerors because of God and His love. In short, we always win, or overcome, despite our situations.

As humans, I believe it is natural for us to be weak and ready to give up. We are merely made from dust, but made by a perfect Designer. I believe God created us from dust so we can continuously boast in our wins through Him. Yet, we rarely utilize the authority and power within us given by God. We can overcome every trial and conquer any battle as long as we trust fully in the Lord. Having confidence in Christ means that we know we can be more than conquerors. You are not just a conqueror, but more than a conqueror! Above and beyond what you can think or imagine, you have power dwelling within you to overcome though Christ. I mean, how awesome is that?

We have established that God declares that you are more than a conqueror. Now, why aren't you declaring that for yourself daily?  Yes, this life can be difficult and challenging, but we need to hang tightly to all God has to say about us. An important thing to realize in this passage is that Paul was speaking to normal everyday people, like you and I, but telling them how powerful they really were through Christ.  The letter from Paul was not written to the highest courts in the land, the Roman empire, or wealthy people, but it was written to a church that held no authority in the natural realm. However, we don't have to be mighty in the world's eyes to be more than a conquerors in Christ. Think about that next time you do not believe you are above and beyond victorious.

If we keep God first and allow Him to be greater within us, then we will begin to notice it is much easier to be at peace. There is nothing that can come in between the love God has for us. We can be more than conquerors in all aspect of life, over trials and tribulations, if we stay connected to God. So I ask again are you a winner or a whiner? If you are a whiner, then trust today that God calls you strong and more than a conqueror through His unfailing love.  Be a winner today!

----

Ruthann McKenzie is the creator of justbeconfident.com where she blogs and coaches others to be confident and live victoriously. Follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram: @theconfidentyou 

Resources For Your New Vision Board

By:  April D. Byrd

It seems like everybody is creating a vision board for the New Year. It is a smart thing to do. If you want to visualize your dreams and your goals and let them daily serve as a reminder. Visualization helps, If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.  If you can see it, you can achieve it. I believe it's imperative to create a vision board with with a relevant and appropriate action plan. Wisdom say's Write The Vision... Make it Plain! Seeing is good but, How Will You Act? Create a Vision Board with an Action Plan  Here is some info and resources about vision boards that should help with the journey.


What Is A Vision Board
typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you've torn out from various magazines, books, etc.

How To Create A Vision Board
You'll need a poster board, A big stack of different magazines, (choose lots of different options, if you limit your options you may get bored after a while.) ex:  Oprah, Real Simple, Natural Home, Yoga Journal, Dwell, Ode, Parenting, Money, Utne, and an assortment of nature magazines. You will also need glue. "Yes! Glue" if you can find it or rubber cement are recommended, and a picture frame if you wanna keep it fancy.

Pray or Meditate First
The ultimate vision for our lives is on a spiritual or divine level. It will be good to meditate first. "Have a little ritual before you begin your vision board. Sit quietly and set the intent. With lots of kindness and openness, ask yourself what it is you want." If you are a believer like me Pray, worship a little communicate with God to see what His will is.

(photo credit): Strength For The Soul

related article: If you're not sure about a vision board you may want to read  "Christian Entrepreneurs, Vision Boards And The Law Of Attraction" by Nicole Hollins.

Try A Vision Journal

We're back to what scripture reads about "writing the vision". use the same principles of creating a vision board in a big sketch book. "Get a large sketch book and keep an on-going vision journal. This is especially effective if you’re going through many transitions in your life." Write it down.


Complete A Free Workbook
Put in the work, to get the results. Teacher and Author Taria Prichett  has created a free downloadable workbook to help people specify their goals and expectations. Find out more info and details on the workbook by visiting the site. More resources and details are listed about access to the workbook at the end of the post.

There are all different types of vision boards. A few years back I created a 3-D vision board. Some of the things I added still amaze me today. It's wonderful how I can see all of the images and ideals coming together. This year I am building an appropriate action plan for my dreams and moving in faith. Hopefully you will do the same and have a great time doing it!

3-D vision board I created a while back...time for an action plan!

*Info on different vision boards and resources can be found at ChristineKane.com and the Reflect and Re-Invent Yourself Workbook can be found at RegalRealness.com

21 Habits of Happy People

“Happiness is a habit – cultivate it.” ~ Elbert Hubbard

1. Appreciate Life

Be thankful that you woke up alive each morning. Develop a childlike sense of wonder towards life. Focus on the beauty of every living thing. Make the most of each day. Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

2. Choose Friends Wisely

Surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values and goals. Friends that have the same ethics as you will encourage you to achieve your dreams. They help you to feel good about yourself. They are there to lend a helping hand when needed.

3. Be Considerate

Accept others for who they are as well as where they are in life. Respect them for who they are. Touch them with a kind and generous spirit. Help when you are able, without trying to change the other person. Try to brighten the day of everyone you come into contact with.

4. Learn Continuously

Keep up to date with the latest news regarding your career and hobbies. Try new and daring things that has sparked your interest – such as dancing, skiing, surfing or sky-diving.

5. Creative Problem Solving

Don’t wallow in self-pity. As soon as you face a challenge get busy finding a solution. Don’t let the set backs affect your mood, instead see each new obstacle you face as an opportunity to make a positive change. Learn to trust your gut instincts – it’s almost always right.

6. Do What They Love

Some statistics show that 80% of people dislike their jobs! No wonder there’s so many unhappy people running around. We spend a great deal of our life working. Choose a career that you enjoy – the extra money of a job you detest isn’t worth it. Make time to enjoy your hobbies and pursue special interests.

7. Enjoy Life

Take the time to see the beauty around you. There’s more to life than work. Take time to smell the roses, watch a sunset or sunrise with a loved one, take a walk along the seashore, hike in the woods etc. Learn to live in the present moment and cherish it. Don’t live in the past or the future.

8. Laugh

Don’t take yourself – or life to seriously. You can find humor in just about any situation. Laugh at yourself – no one’s perfect. When appropriate laugh and make light of the circumstances. (Naturally there are times that you should be serious as it would be improper to laugh.)

9. Forgive

Holding a grudge will hurt no one but you. Forgive others for your own peace of mind. When you make a mistake – own up to it – learn from it – and FORGIVE yourself.

10. Gratitude

Develop an attitude of gratitude. Count your blessings; All of them – even the things that seem trivial. Be grateful for your home, your work and most importantly your family and friends. Take the time to tell them that you are happy they are in your life.

11. Invest in Relationships

Always make sure your loved ones know you love them even in times of conflict. Nurture and grow your relationships with your family and friends by making the time to spend with them. Don’t break your promises to them. Be supportive.

12. Keep Their Word

Honesty is the best policy. Every action and decision you make should be based on honesty. Be honest with yourself and with your loved ones.

13. Meditate

Meditation gives your very active brain a rest. When it’s rested you will have more energy and function at a higher level. Types of meditation include yoga, hypnosis, relaxation tapes, affirmations, visualization or just sitting in complete silence. Find something you enjoy and make the time to practice daily.

14. Mind Their Own Business

Concentrate on creating your life the way you want it. Take care of you and your family. Don’t get overly concerned with what other people are doing or saying. Don’t get caught up with gossip or name calling. Don’t judge. Everyone has a right to live their own life the way they want to – including you.

15. Optimism

See the glass as half full. Find the positive side of any given situation. It’s there – even though it may be hard to find. Know that everything happens for a reason, even though you may never know what the reason is. Steer clear of negative thoughts. If a negative thought creeps in – replace it with a positive thought.

16. Love Unconditionally

Accept others for who they are. You don’t put limitations on your love. Even though you may not always like the actions of your loved ones – you continue to love them.

17. Persistence

Never give up. Face each new challenge with the attitude that it will bring you one step closer to your goal. You will never fail, as long as you never give up. Focus on what you want, learn the required skills, make a plan to succeed and take action. We are always happiest while pursuing something of value to us.

18. Be Proactive

Accept what can not be changed. Happy people don’t waste energy on circumstances beyond their control. Accept your limitations as a human being. Determine how you can take control by creating the outcome you desire – rather than waiting to respond.

19. Self Care

Take care of your mind, body and health. Get regular medical check ups. Eat healthy and work out. Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of water. Exercise your mind by continually energizing it with interesting and exciting challenges.

20. Self Confidence

Don’t try to be someone that you’re not. After all no one likes a phony. Determine who you are in the inside – your own personal likes and dislikes. Be confident in who you are. Do the best you can and don’t second guess yourself.

21. Take Responsibility

Happy people know and understand that they are 100% responsible for their life. They take responsibility for their moods, attitude, thoughts, feelings, actions and words. They are the first to admit when they've made a mistake.

Begin today by taking responsibility for your happiness. Work on developing these habits as you own. The more you incorporate the above habits into your daily lifestyle – the happier you will be.

(source: prettywildhealthy)