Appreciating the world around us!

You have heard it a million times to show gratitude towards the world around you. Don't take things for granted... Well, listen to this important advice! There is just too much beauty and good things in the world to appreciate without focusing on the negative. We watch the evening news and most of it is "bad" stuff reported but there is a lot of good stuff going on out there too! You don't have to look too far. Every church and community organization has many people all wanting and doing good things for the community.

Appreciating the world around us and others is quite easy. Reaching out to others with a simple smile or gesture is the best place to start. When you begin appreciating things you become more aware of yourself.

Look around you! Just visit a local park or beach (in bad or good weather) and look around you. Appreciate what you see! The world has so much beauty. Go for that walk or take that hike! Exhilerate yourself by breathing in the air and enjoying nature.

Getting out and growing!

Now that the warmer summer months are behind us, I take this time now to reflect while I was hiking and my contemplative time along outdoors. Outdoors, I can meditate, reflect and organize my thoughts. It is magical!

Breathing. Yes, I know. We all breath. But there is an art in breathing and focusing on your breath that is calming. When you're meditating that is one of many ways to begin. Hiking or walking outdoors causes this calming affect on me. I find peace and solace wherever I am outdoors. If I'm in the mountains and looking out over a river valley, there is something very spiritual about it. Not only am I getting (and keeping) my body in shape by hiking but I am growing both spiritually and physically.