It's the Little Things

The whole premise of this project is to figure out ways I can do small things everyday that make a difference, both in my own life and in the lives of others. But how do I do that? Can I be happy without spending a lot of money? Does being kind mean I have to spend tons of time or go out of my way?

I think there will be times when the answer to those question are yes, but there are is also a myriad of opportunities each day to accomplish the little things that can have a huge impact.  Sometimes it's just appreciating the world around me and taking the time to simply acknowledging that I actually see and hear the people who move in and out of my life.  Maybe it's a friendly smile or holding the door for someone. Or it could be taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the tiny purple flowers that grow in the cracks of the sidewalk.

I think there are many of us who, well, it's not that we aren't kind or that we can't be happy, it's that we sometimes get so wrapped up in the drama and struggles in our own life, that we forget to look around us. There are times when we do need to focus on ourselves, but more often than not, I have found that whenever I start to think my life is heading downhill, the universe puts someone or something in my path that readjusts my perspective.

So, ideas for how to live by these two rules without a bunch of money and tons of extra time?

RandomActsofKindness.org has a whole slew ideas of how to be kind in their database, most of which don't cost much, and many that don't take very much time. I browsed through several pages and kept thinking, "Yeah, I could do that!"

If you need help thinking of things to be happy about, check out: ThingsToBeHappyAbout.com. They offer a daily addition to their list of over 100k little thoughts and ideas to make you smile and help set your perspective to happy.

My goals for today:
Be kind to myself - There is a bubble bath and some fantasy fiction reading time in my future tonight!
Be kind to others - Still working on the non-profit website, I can't wait to open it up to folks and start using it to help military spouse and veteran business owners promote their businesses!
Search for happiness - I'm not sure how I'll do this one today, other than just be thankful for my wonderful husband, my amazing kids, my job, my friends, and chocolate! :)