Joy Makes Us More of Who We Are

 

Many of us live like Professional Hinkle in Frosty the Snowman… “Busy, Busy, Busy!”

We have jobs, families, volunteer work. Homes to clean, yards to cut, meals to cook. We cart our kids around to soccer practice and chaperone school field trips. We pack it all in and sometimes even manage to fit in working out and meditation—that is, if we get up before the crack of dawn.

What about relaxation…play…joy? How have our lives become so busy that we no longer have time to include these important elements?

From a young age, we’ve been taught to value actions and accomplishments over relaxing and doing things that bring us joy. We’ve learned that play is for children and that we should derive joy from our accomplishments.

Yet somewhere along my journey, I began to challenge these “truths” because I feel better when I take time each day to relax and engage in activities I enjoy.

Studies show countless benefits for doing things that make you happy, including improved heart health, enhanced mental health, reduced risk of strokes, improved immunity, increased life expectancy, and less stress in one’s life.

For some, “happy, happy, joy, joy” doesn’t come easily. It may be because we’re out of practice, we don’t make time for it, or we’ve simply forgotten what brings us joy. If the first two resonate with you, make a commitment to carve out pockets of time for joy and see the positive impact it makes on your life. If it’s the latter—you’ve forgotten what brings you joy— read on for some great tips!

7 Questions to Help Uncover What Brings You Joy

1. If you had all the time in the world, what activities would you engage in?
2. How can you find novelty in everyday life?
3. If you won the big lottery, what would you do?
4. Think about the times in your life when you’ve felt the greatest joy. What were you doing? Who were you with? How were you being?
5. When you were a child, what brought you the greatest joy?
6. What unique personal qualities do you like sharing with the world?
7. What would your life look like if you put yourself first?

Joy is a choice and a positive practice. Every day when you get up, choose to make time for joy. Commit that you’ll find and experience joy throughout your day, regardless of what’s happening in the world around you.

Having fun helps us know ourselves better. When we engage in activities that we enjoy, we enlighten ourselves and others, and make ourselves more of who we really are.

“Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and the end of human existence.”— Aristotle 

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with inspiring and empowering ideas to live one's best life. 

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THE PERFECT LAP, His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line?

Reader Review Excerpt: “It was a heartfelt, sweet, foster child romance that gave me all the feels! Through it, we see how people can rise above past mistakes and that is a beautiful message!”

THE PERFECT LAP is a Reader’s Favorite Finalist for Contemporary Romance. Available as eBook, paperback, and audiobook. Purchase link:  https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv

 

CLOUD WHISPERS: A novel of family and forgiveness with a strong spiritual message: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate….

Reader Review Excerpt: “A beautifully woven story filled with love, loss, betrayal and renewal. It touches the heart of the reader as life unfolds for Liam and Katie. Peppered throughout the story are spiritual awakenings and life lessons which help to clarify many of the “why’s” in each of our lives. While Cloud Whispers includes passionate love stories, it also feeds your spirt and renews your soul. The gifts from this novel are unforgettable.”

CLOUD WHISPERS was awarded the IPPY Bronze medal winner for visionary fiction, Reader’s Favorite Finalist for visionary fiction, and an Official Selection in the Summer eBook Awards for New Apple Literary. CLOUD WHISPERS purchase link: https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc.

 

To sign up for my Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/.

 

Photo by Simi Iluyomade on Unsplash.

This Is One Moment In Time

We are living in uncertain times. Technology and the tools we use every day are changing at a pace that can make our heads spin. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our daily routines. Our jobs are changing, too, with a record number of people now working from home instead of going into the office.

Embracing the unknowns in our lives can be scary, especially when our minds are wired to see the negatives first. But we can change this through conscious thoughts and choices. So, don’t let your mind trick you into thinking this is how things will be forever. This is one moment in time, a moment we can and should embrace, but it’s only one moment out of a lifetime of moments.

The future can be whatever you want it to be.

That is, if you believe. You can choose doom and gloom or you can choose to think positively. You can believe in yourself and the future you desire or you can believe that you are a victim of whatever comes your way.

These different mindsets deliver radically different results.

Belief and positivity are choices you make. With practice, they eventually become automatic responses. When you choose positive expectations over negative ones and when you choose to believe that what you want is possible, your subconscious mind will work on making your dreams and goals a reality.

In the below excerpt from my contemporary romance, RESTART IN BRISTOL, Holly and Skye talk about embracing uncertainty and letting go of fear.

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Excerpt from Restart in Bristol:

Holly’s voice was non-committal so Skye made a new appeal. “I recently read an article on embracing uncertainty. It said clinging to the safe and steady is stifling, and all it brings is more of the same ‘ole, same ‘ole. When one welcomes uncertainty, new potential arises.”

Holly pressed her lips together. “I like solid and steady.”

Skye puffed out a breath and called on her patience. “Grayson was solid and steady.” At the stoplight on Lakeshore Drive, she caught Holly’s gaze. “Is he what you want?”

Holly shook her head vehemently. “I get it. You’re right.”

Skye smiled. “What would you do if you let go of fear and trusted yourself to deal with things as they arise?”

Holly’s eyes moved to a faraway place and her lips lifted.

Skye put a hand over her cousin’s. “Don’t answer, but tonight you should do whatever you were just thinking about.” She pulled into Steph and Cruz’s drive. “No fear,” she said squeezing Holly’s hand.

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What would you do if you could embrace this moment, let go of fear, and trust in yourself and your dreams? This week, choose to believe and choose to be positive, and in doing so, you'll create space in your life for new, exciting moments!

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with new age spirituality. 

Restart in Bristol, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—He’s a hot mess. She wants stability. Will these childhood sweethearts risk another pass at love? https://amzn.to/37cCw1b

The Perfect Lap, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist: His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv. Also available in audiobook: https://adbl.co/2WAsOnp

Nora’s Promise, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance— Reader's Favorite 2019 Contemporary Romance Bronze winner and 2019 NIEA Bronze winner: She trusts animals more than men. He races through women like checkered flags. Can one orphaned boy bring them both to the finish line? https://amzn.to/2OktquX. Also available in audiobook: https://adbl.co/2VArr7c

To sign up for Sedona’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/. I blog once a month, and I don’t send spam—ever!

 

Recommended Reading:

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

 Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

30 Inspirational Things To Do Without Leaving Your Home

Many of us are staying at home these days because of a ‘stay in place’ regulation or to support social distancing. Being at home can feel stifling or it can be exciting…it all depends on your perspective! Choose a positive mindset and look for the opportunities this situation creates. Below is a list of 30 activities sure to inspire!

30 Inspirational Things To Do At Home

1. Watch the sun rise or set.
2. Create a gratitude journal.
3. Take a walk.
4. Visualize your perfect future.
5. Meditate.
6. Write in a journal.
7. Practice yoga.
8. Watch an inspirational video.
9. Check out the free resources at Calm: https://bit.ly/2WzJdbW
10. Make a vision board.
11. Make a list of 101 goals you want to achieve in your life.
12. Find your muse—write a song or short story, or paint or draw.
13. Visit a museum virtually. Try the National Gallery of Art : https://www.nga.gov/.
14. Commit to one new daily activity that will improve your life (exercise, meditation, journaling, pre-day planning, visualization, walking, etc.)
15. Listen to uplifting music.
16. Watch clouds float across the sky.
17. Think about your most important goal and write down what it would take to achieve it.
18. Gaze at the stars.
19. Put your phone down and have a real conversation with a loved one.
20. Visualize world peace.
21. Read a book or listen to an audiobook.
22. Call, text, or video chat with someone who could use a lift.
23. Sit on your front porch or look out your window and watch the world.
24. Create affirmations and read them daily.
25. Listen to an inspirational podcast.
26. Take a nap.
27. Take a bubble bath.
28. Tell someone special something you appreciate about him or her.
29. Look at yourself in the mirror and say something positive.
30. Watch the moon rise. 

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with new age spirituality. 

***New Release!***Restart in Bristol, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—He’s a hot mess. She wants stability. Will these childhood sweethearts risk another pass at love? https://amzn.to/37cCw1b 

The Perfect Lap, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist: His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv

Cloud Whispers—2019 IPPY Bronze winner for Visionary Fiction: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate: https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc

To sign up for Sedona’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/ (No spam—ever!)

Recommended Reading:

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

It's Time to Shift our Focus & Energy

With our country focused 24/7 on the coronavirus, let’s take pause to think about all of the good in our world. Even though it’s not covered by the media, peace, love, joy, and goodness is all around us.

Last night’s news showed an actual fight over a pack of toilet paper. Yet today in my grocery store, I watched a young couple offer the last pack of Charmin to an elderly woman. On my car radio, I heard an endless list of cancellations—schools, sporting events, concerts, committee meetings, community gatherings—even church. At home, I scanned through Facebook and found an equally long list of people offering support—daycare for those impacted by school closures, people swapping groceries and supplies, others extending an empathetic ear.

Even though we’re bombarded by constant doom and gloom, yesterday someone paid for my drink at Starbucks. My daughter sent a video of my 3-year-old grandson ‘calling’ me on his baby monitor, and a friend I haven’t talked with in months gave me a call.

People can use a lift now more than ever, so consider what you can do to spread a little kindness and cheer. Bake cookies for your neighbor. Offer to babysit or host a small gathering for friends who are itching to get out. Call your mom. Send your niece a care package.

While we should absolutely take preventative measures and use an abundance of caution to stay healthy, it’s time to shift some of our focus and energy away from the virus. Otherwise, as country superstar Luke Bryan states in his smash hit, “Most People Are Good,” “I believe if you just go by the nightly news, your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose.”

Instead of focusing on what’s going wrong, let’s shift our attention to the generosity and goodness that abounds in our communities and our world. And let’s show our appreciation by passing it on!

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with new age spirituality. 

***New Release!***Restart in Bristol, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—He’s a hot mess. She wants stability. Will these childhood sweethearts risk another pass at love? https://amzn.to/37cCw1b.

Cloud Whispers—2019 IPPY Bronze winner for Visionary Fiction. The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate: https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc.

To sign up for Sedona’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/ (No spam—ever!)

Recommended Reading:

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

6 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude

GRATITUDE: NOUN

“The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” —

Lexico–Oxford Dictionary

No matter where we are on our life’s path, we always have something to be grateful for. Luke Bryan states this well in his smash country hit, “Most People Are Good”: “…every breath’s a gift, the first one to the last.”

Even on a bad day, there are so many things to be grateful for—our breath, shelter, food, family, friends, pets, our planet, and even for life itself. The list is endless if we take time to contemplate.

When we feel gratitude for the blessings in our lives, we cultivate a deep sense of positivity. According to Psychology Today, feeling grateful boosts happiness and delivers physical and psychological health benefits. Our gratitude also benefits others. When we’re feeling grateful, we’re kinder, more generous, and more giving toward our family, friends, and really, everyone around us.

So how does one cultivate a practice of gratitude? There isn’t just one way, but many paths to gratitude.

In my contemporary romance, Nora’s Promise, Nora uses an easy technique—she runs through a mental list of gratitudes in her mind. Below is a brief excerpt:        

Nora needed to pull herself together and focus on the now. Using a technique Steph had taught her, she silently listed her gratitudes. Ben, Davey, Steph, Cruz. Cosmo, Concordia, Chance. Ella and Hud. The mountains and open land around them. Her mood lifted and she felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Her list had barely scratched the surface. With so much to be thankful for, how could she be in a bad mood?

6 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude

1. Like Nora, make a mental list of the things you’re grateful for (this works no matter where you are—in a car, on an airplane, in line at the grocery store…the possibilities are endless!)
2. Write your gratitudes in a journal every morning.
3. Give gratitude at the beginning of your meditation or yoga practice.
4. Take a mindful walk and give thanks for the experiences along your journey.
5. Take turns sharing gratitudes with a group of family members or friends.
6. Perform a random act of kindness (this can be as simple as a smile or a hug, a cup of coffee, or a gift to someone in need.) When you show compassion to others, it’s hard not to feel a corresponding sense of gratitude.

Gratitude is a powerful process that fosters optimism by shifting energy from negative to positive. Given the significant benefits, why not make gratitude a part of your daily routine?

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with new age spirituality. 

Nora's Promise, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—Reader's Favorite 2019 Bronze winner in Contemporary Romance and 2019 NIEA Bronze winner: She trusts animals more than men. He races through women like checkered flags. Can one orphaned boy bring them both to the finish line?
https://amzn.to/2OktquX

***FREE PROMO AUDIOBOOK CODES ARE AVAILABLE FOR NORA’S PROMISE, while supplies last. To request a free Audible audiobook code, please send an email to: SedonaYHutton@gmail.com.***

The Perfect Lap, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—2019 Reader's Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist: His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line?
https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv

Cloud Whispers—2019 IPPY Bronze winner for Visionary Fiction. The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate….https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc

To sign up for Sedona’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/ (No spam—ever!)

Recommended Reading:

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon: https://amzn.to/2UEH0J2

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash