The Most Happiest = Prettiest
Audrey Hepburn has become one of my idols because of her grace and candor. Her statement about the prettiest girls rings home for me this week. I have spoken to a number of my students, colleagues, my daughter, and myself about the benefits of being happy lately.
It is so true that the most attractive people do seem to be the happiest.
Find happiness in your life today and you will find beauty.
By: Melanie A. Peters
Storage Bins – Treasure Tubs
I have three sisters and between the four of us we have 11 children. That’s right 11. And they are all aged 8 and under.
I know what you are thinking, “Do they keep the kids in the tubs?”
No. We keep their clothes in the tubs. ALL their outgrown-of, “I’m not wearing that,” and too-big-for-now clothes, for every season and occasion, we keep them in tubs. Lots and lots of tubs.
I spent four hours this past weekend separating the clothes from my kids’ dresser drawers. It involved pulling out things that are too small, things that are for the wrong season, and things that I have NO EARTHLY IDEA where they came from and then sorting them into storage tubs and clearly labeling the tub.
My sisters and I have perfected the art of tub swapping. We know every time we get Continue reading “Storage Bins – Treasure Tubs”
“The trick to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days waiting for better ones ahead. The grand and the simple, they are equally wonderful.” – Marjorie Pay Hinckley
As the school year winds down, students start suffering from severe senioritis.
(Senioritis n: student’s innate desire to be a graduating senior)
Every day I find myself saying, “Don’t wish your days away.” My students just shrug me off or rudely comment back (in most cases) and do not realize that I speak from experience. I was a terrible teenager. My teen angst was almost completely self-imposed and I had no clue why I was in such a hurry to get out of high school but I was dead set on getting out of that place and away from everything that had to it. I wish I could have some of those times back and dedicate a much more positive outlook on what life had to offer. I would have gotten so much more out of high school and its lessons.
As a mom of young children, I often have to remind myself to not wish away these days. My babies are only young once.
If you are a student, parent, teacher, or struggling professional, do not wish your days away. Enjoy the simple things that are available to you now and embrace the experiences that present themselves daily.
Don’t wish your days away. You can’t get them back!
Put your energy into appreciating the now, store your cherished moments in your heart, and you will find that your purpose and intentions will have a much grander meaning.
By: Melanie A. Peters
Spring fever is a real disease.
Itchy eyes, twitchy legs, trouble with concentration, and a desperate need for fresh air are some of the basic symptoms of spring fever. Deeper effects are found in our inability to complete normal tasks, such as writing or grading papers, doing laundry, finishing anything necessary for our employment or education (even though we know it HAS to get done.)
Unfortunately it can also lead to crabbiness and short temper. Last week I had to take a walk with my 7 year-old daughter because she and her classmates were feeling the effects of the spring fever bug. (I might have also felt a touch of it coming on, which resulted in our decision to take a long walk.) My little girl explained to me that the kids in her class were not being nice to one another, and even though she tried to make them be nice, she could not stop them from picking at each other. I listened carefully and remembered well Continue reading “Spring fever is a real disease.”
Gray Bath Water
After a long hard evening of swinging, sliding, climbing, and digging in the pea gravel of the playground and ball park, my kids are filthy. Happy, but filthy.
The first thing we do when we get home from the ball park is run the bath water and watch the grimy goblins turn back into my children.
Their transformation results in sweet-smelling, soft, and cuddly snuggle buddies and Continue reading “Gray Bath Water”
Growin’ Green Grass
“The grass is greener where you water it.”
As the perpetual optimist, this quote is ideal for my blogging pursuits, but it also makes me think of the not-so-green times.
Yes, happiness rained down equals greater (a.k.a. greener) times but what about the times when tears rain down? Or when the fertilizer gets too deep?
“The grass is greener where you water it.”
Dance in the rain or say a prayer of thanksgiving for the multitude of poo. The rain and refuse serve as perfect precipitation for appreciation of the good times. Let your happiness be found in memories and knowing that opportunities to get past your current situation are there to bring you cheer.
So so in the words of JoDee Messina, “Bring on the rain.”
“The grass is greener where you water it.”
By: Melanie A. Peters
April Showers – Refresh Your Outlook
The month of April is known for its dramatic weather patterns. Rain storms and showers are the norm and are needed to give the growing season a boost.
For spring athletes the rain can be problematic because it causes rain delays and game postponements. Farmers who need the precipitation are frustrated by rain (after a while) because they are hampered by the mud and muck that makes fields and pastures too soggy to plant or feed OR they are out-of-sorts because there is too little precipitation to kick-start their crops. Teachers wish the rain away because their students need time outdoors to burn some energy.
Today don’t wish away those springtime showers. If you are lucky enough to have a rainy day, be grateful for the nourishing and sustaining drops that fall around you. Enjoy the pitter patter on your roof or windows. Embrace the power of the lightening and thunder.
All of these things are miracles. We would not have those May flowers, if it were not for these April showers. Refresh your outlook and look forward to the rain and all it brings.
By: Melanie A. Peters
Hunting Easter eggs is a sport that combines the agility of tag with the awareness of hide-and-go-seek, and the dexterity of Twister. It requires its participants to search out those ornate orbs and gather as many as possible into their brightly colored baskets. The competition gets really fierce when there is a golden egg to be found. 
Remember how great it felt to find one particularly sneaky egg? Or how excited you were to return with your basket brimming to the top?
Go on a mental Easter egg hunt of gratitude.
Fill your heart with thoughts of appreciation for the things around you. Bulge your bonnet with thoughts of gratefulness for your family and friends. Seek out those daily pleasures that you have not given much thought to lately. Make a game out of how many treasures you can find in a room and say a prayer of thanksgiving.
Finding value in your surroundings will always lead to bountiful discovery and positivity in your pursuits.
By: Melanie A. Peters
I cannot wait for those silly old Valentine candies to move off the store shelves so those glorious, cream-filled, chocolate eggs can take their place! They may be chuck full of calories and sugar, but they are soooooo worth it!
Seek out a guilty pleasure today.
Savor it and smile.
Love the moment you are in and don’t worry about calories or other people’s opinions. Intend to do something that makes you happy. Put your energy into something meaningful to you.
Say, “Intentergy told me to do it” and enjoy every moment.
By: Melanie A. Peters
The Greek myth of Narcissus teaches that we must love someone aside from ourselves.
Narcissus was born beautiful and prophesied to live a long life, so long as he never came to know himself. He lived happy, confident, and free until he was cursed to love someone who could not love him in return. Narcissus was cursed because he refused to love the nymph Echo. He soon came to see himself, for the first time, and fell in love with his own reflection.
Narcissus wasted away on the shoreline where his reflection stared back at him, and in the spot where he died a flower bloomed. Today that flower is called the narcissus or the daffodil.
We can learn a lot from the mythological beginnings of this flower.
First, it’s better to get to know ourselves early in life (unless Tiresias says you will die upon learning that knowledge 🙂 ). Seek to know who you truly are.
Second, a willingness to love those who are different than ourselves will earn us greater rewards and fewer missed opportunities (and even fewer curses). Love those you encounter.
Third, when we don’t let go of things that are beyond our control, we miss out on the beauty that exists around us. All that remains is a memory of wishing for what we didn’t have. Observe and rejoice in the phenomena occurring around you and appreciate the diversity that our world provides.
Put your energy into loving the marvel that is you. Enjoy the miracles that being positive can bring.
By: Melanie A. Peters
Intentergy 