Purple Friday Finds

Pretty, perfect, passionate ... PURPLE!

These are some of my favorite picks from the Etsy Freethinkers Team. Click any of the pictures for more information about each item.

Use LOVE to get more of what you love!

If there’s something you’d like to see more of in your life, feel the LOVE for it instead of feeling a “need” or “want” of it.

How is the feeling of “love” different from “want” or “need”? The best way to describe it is to have you feel it for yourself. Think of someone or something you know you love in your life right now. This can be a child or a spouse or a pet. The list is endless. We’ll use a person as an example. Close your eyes and feel the love you have for that person. Then think of something else in your life that you love and feel that feeling. The trick here is just to recognize exactly how it feels TO YOU to feel love. Describing how I feel isn’t going to help you because each of us feels and senses things in a unique way.

Now try this exercise

Think of something you want more of in your life. Let’s pick money for example because that’s a pretty popular one. Normally if you’re feeling short of money, you feel a burning desire, a need to get into a better situation. That’s a natural feeling. Now think about money, and think about why you want more of it, in a general sense. For me, money brings me a feeling of security and freedom. Whatever good feeling you get from money in general, focus on that for a minute. This is something you love in your life.

Part of this process is taking a very specific want and making it more general. This helps me because I have been known to obsess over things that are lacking in my life. So trying to think of that specific thing in a different way can be very challenging. But it helps to make the feeling and statement more general.

Now this isn’t saying you must always feel this new way about the thing you desire. We’re human, and we’re used to thinking certain ways about things. Just once in a while, whenever you happen to be thinking of something you want, try the exercise above.

It helps to have words to go with this feeling because that helps you focus it. You can phrase it in any way that works for you. I can share a couple of mine: “I love the security and freedom I get from having more money in my life.” “I love the feeling of purpose I get from knowing I’ve helped someone.” “I love seeing my family happy.”

By changing how you feel you can change how quickly you get this thing you’re wanting. By simply holding that sensation of love and focusing your attention on it, you will manifest more things in your life that make you feel that way!

Make every day a good day!

Here are a few easy things you can do today to help improve your mood and reduce your stress. They take very little time and no money. Try a couple of them and see how you feel!

* Do you have a minute alone – maybe in the elevator, stairwell, your car, or office? Smile once for no reason at all.

* Have one of your favorite foods as a meal or snack. Don’t rush it. Take your time and really enjoy it.

* If you have a clumsy moment, laugh at yourself! It’s not important enough to get upset about, and it was likely pretty funny if seen by someone else.

* If you’re dealing with someone who annoys you, focus on something you genuinely like about them. Maybe they’re wearing a nice shirt or maybe you like the color of their eyes. It won’t make you love that person, but you’ll notice that working with them becomes a little easier.

* Take a minute or two to spend with a pet. Feel the softness of the fur, or really notice the colors of the eyes, fur, feathers – whatever applies to your pet. :)

* If you have a chore to do around the house, turn on your favorite music or audio program. Your mood will rise as you listen, and then the job will be over in no time.

* Take a minute to think of your closest circle of friends and family. Sometimes the ones closest to your heart are not the people you see or talk to the most. If you feel like it, you can even send someone an e-card or a little note by snail mail.

* Take a few minutes and play a silly game. If you want to play it with someone else, like your kids, then that works even better! But it’s best if it’s something silly or physical that doesn’t take much brain power. Before you know it, you’ll be smiling and maybe even laughing.

Do you have a tip you’d like to add to this list? Leave a comment and share it!

Wordless Wednesday

Water on a Leaf

by Art by LAQ

Deals for the New Year!

I just wanted to share some of my favorite Etsy shops with my readers. And as an added bonus, all of these are either marked down or have free shipping. Click the pictures to shop or get more info.

Hope you like the selection. :)