It seems like the appropriate time, blog #200, to write about the things I like to remind myself of daily.  Things that when temporarily missing change the whole trajectory of my day and me as a person.

 Love

I chose love as my #1 daily reminder.  Redefining the word love totally changed the way I respond to everything in my life. 

When I started approaching life with love I found myself understanding compassion at a deeper level.  It became clear to me that I know very little about why things are happening.  When I am frustrated with what is going on around me, I remind myself that it is not my job to judge but to love.    

Kindness

When I am having an off day I often ask myself if I am treating people with kindness.  I remind myself to love and then I evaluate how I am acting.  As I am rushing through the day to get my tasks completed am I being kind?  Am I coming from a perspective of love and showing kindness?

Smile

For me, a smile is a game-changer.  When I am not happy with myself, I put on a smile and almost immediately feel a change in my perspective.   I am not suggesting a fake smile, that could be very stressful. 

When I choose to change the way I feel with a smile,  my body relaxes and I begin to feel gratitude.  It makes me more approachable and reminds me to be grateful. 

Faith

If you ask what is #1 in my life, it is my faith.  It puts all things into perspective and allows me to explore avenues I never would have thought possible.   

I rely on my faith to navigate through life.  When I am feeling unsettled, I ask myself who is in control?  Am I going through the motions of life or am I following my path and exploring the opportunities that present themselves? 

Prayer

When I am not sure what to do, I pray.  Prayer has always been a part of my life, but in recent years I have been much better about praying through life. 

I have times that I set aside to pray, but I have learned to incorporate prayer throughout my day.  At first, I had to remind myself to pray.  Now it has become something that ignites daily without me consciously telling myself it is time to pray. 

Giving Thanks

Having a grateful heart helps me put things into perspective.  Just as I trained myself to think in terms of love, kindness, and prayer, I also made thanking Jesus a priority throughout my day.

The more I give thanks the more gratitude I feel.  It is a clear reminder to me that I have faith in what is to come.

Why Worry?

As I feel my body tense up with stress I remind myself to give my worries to Jesus.  When stress is at a high level I may have to pray my worries away repeatedly.  When I am able to give up control of my worries, I am guided to a solution.  When I don’t give my worries to Jesus I am too stressed to see the solutions in my path.    

Serve

Sometimes I need a reminder to ask Jesus what it is he asks of me.  When I take the time to pray over that question, I am amazed at what God puts in my path. 

Hope

Hope is something I rely on to see me through tough times.  Together, faith, hope, and love are powerful reminders of the strength of Jesus.    

Forgive

I also remind myself to forgive.  To forgive me, to forgive others, and to learn to let go of any situation where forgiveness is unlikely.  I find peace when I ask for forgiveness from Jesus.

When I don’t feel myself, I think about these 10 things and inevitably one or more have gone missing.  Recharging my battery and fine-tuning my perspective is a necessary part of my daily routine.

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