Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are. – Marianne Williamson

I’ve noticed something. When you ask somebody how things are going, they either respond with an “Okay,” but when you ask for details they treat you to a litany of things that are bad, or they don’t even bother to pay lip service to the mighty “Okay” and jump right on in to all the woes in their lives. I’m guilty of it too. It is so darn easy to fall in to the negativity trap and focus on all the things that are wrong or bad or difficult in your life. The thing is, the more you think about them and talk about them, the more power you’re giving them. And the more power you give to all that negativity, the bigger it gets and the more it takes control of your life.  So instead of focusing on all the negative things, find the positive things.  Even if it’s one teeny tiny little thing that you think would sound insignificant, focus on it, share it, shout it from the rooftops if you have to.  Soon you’ll find that there are more positive things in your life.  Focus on the positives and you’ll attract even more positives to you, and before you know it, you’ll be living in a state of joy.