Bring Your Own Sunshine

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Guardian Angels

Ah… passion. The fire that burns intensely through you. It gives you motivation and excitement for your dreams, your goals and the person you want to become.

I want passion to be there every day. I love getting up in the morning full of passion. It is a great feeling, but unfortunately, there can be periods where it fades.

I have to admit. My passion has faded these last two weeks. I figured it would happen in the winter, but my passion decided to fade just as spring made her appearance.  I feel blue and stuck in a rut. I want to be further than I am. I want to be in a better place. Ah…my impatience has awoken. I take a deep breath. I will be okay, I just need to have patience. I give all my worries to the universe. Everything will work out, just as it is supposed to.

I have four things I do to keep my passion alive.

Be kind:  I make sure I am kind to others. Being kind brings me joy and spreads joy.

I love watching others pay kindness forward, the people who go out of their way to be kind to others. Seeing this fills my soul with love. I am so thankful for kindness.

I must be kind to myself. I push away negative thoughts. I give myself the tender loving care I deserve. I appreciate loving the imperfect woman I am. Self-love is very important. It gives me renewed energy that fills my soul.

Smile often: Yes, rock your big beautiful smile. A smile warms hearts. A smile can make me feel alive. I immediately smile back — it is an instant reaction. I glow. A smile can pull me out of a mood. I feel a connection to happiness. I make sure to wear my smile every day.

Dance:  I dance the stress away. A big part of dance is letting the worries of life go. I can’t stress over what I can’t change… but I still do! When I dance I am free. I am the woman I want to be. All the parts of my life I can’t change melt away. I remember the woman I am today; the woman in the mirror. She is pretty great. I turn the music up and let my imagination take over. Through movement, I begin to understand all I have to give, all the wonderful blessings in my life and everyone I am thankful for. My passion is alive within me.

Eat ice cream:  This is my metaphor… enjoy life. Get excited over the simple pleasures in life. These simple pleasures relax me.  I step back to take it all in. I go swing on a swing, walk in the rain or have the ice cream. I go and enjoy my life.

In time my passion is back and on fire, but for the in-between times, I have my four things.