April 21, 2010
Be here now and appreciate the paradise you have for a happy life .
That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.
Joni Mitchell wrote this song during her first visit to Hawaii and it became an anthem for the environmental movement in the 1970's. I was reminded of the song again during a recent visit to Washington DC during the Cherry Blossom Festival. Two thousand blooming cherry trees around the tidal pool is a beautiful sight, as are the roughly 1 million visitors each afternoon of the peak season. As human beings, we love nature and we often take it for granted.
So this earth day, be sure to celebrate by taking time to enjoy and appreciate the nature around you. From breathtaking views, to lessons of renewal, nature has a lot to offer us. When we stop to smell the roses, we gain a double happiness boost. First, we get the sensuous pleasure of a wonderful fragrance and we bring our thoughts back to the pleasures of the moment rather than worries about the past or future.
When nature moves us to feel grateful for its beauty and majesty, we build happiness again. Spending just 5 minutes a day focusing on things we feel truly grateful for everyday for a week can raise our happiness levels for more than a month.
If you celebrate earth day by taking a walk outside, tuning in to your senses, and feeling grateful for the pleasures you experience, you can boost your happiness. Do not pave your personal paradise, …
Be here now and appreciate the paradise you have for a happy life.
Affirmation
I take the time to stop and smell the roses every day. I enjoy spending time in nature.
Journal or Meditation Question
When was the last time I took a moment to smell the flowers and really appreciate the scent? What sensation do I enjoy the most when I am outside?
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