Goodbye, 2016

This year has been a truly great year for me! Here are some of my favorite times of the year. 

Favorite posts from 2016:

1. Oh, how He loves us!

2. Dear sensitive soul

3. 8 ways to be a better friend 

4. Soul cleansing

5. What marriage has given me 

Favorite moments in 2016:

1. Starting, finishing, and loving my first clinical rotation this summer

2. Finishing my last semester of classes and passing my doctoral project

3. Going to a week long Bible school

4. Moving into our wonderful new place in Placerville

5. Our church's Jesus for King campaign and food drive 

6. A family trip to Lake Tahoe this summer 

7. Visiting my grandparents in New Mexico

8. Seeing my nieces and one of my nephews for Christmas

Favorite pictures of 2016:

Yosemite with friends 

Family selfies 

My grandparents in New Mexico 

Spreading the good news!

Trip to Pismo with lots of friends!

Dressing up for Halloween! 

My lovely BFF

Watching my brothers perform at Bible school-- so proud of them!

Pictures with my favorite

Passing my doctoral defense!

Seeing our nieces and one of our nephews for the first time in almost 2 years!

Goodbye, 2016! You have been good to me. May 2017 be just as wonderful and may it bring the return of Christ! 

Forsaking Your First Love

Every year, Daniel and I follow a daily Bible reading plan that takes us through the whole Bible in a year. We are finishing up the book of Revelation this month. The book begins with Christ giving a message to the churches at the time, with messages of encouragement but also warning.

Revelation 2:4:  Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.

With one church, Christ warns them that they have lost their first love. And isn't that easy to do? When we first become believers, first get baptized, we are so excited. The difficulty of life can wear us down. It can make us a little jaded. It can make us feel too busy to go to church or do good. It's so easy to get wrapped up in all the physical people and things around us. 

Our first love should always be for God and Christ. Whatever else we love in life, we can't let it diminish our love for God. In the Bible, God even uses the term adultery to refer to His people who have forsaken Him. That's how serious it is! 

Forsaking your first love (GOD) can be dangerously easy to do. We can't see Him or hear Him. He doesn't yell at us if we don't listen. Of course, we have His word but only if we chose to read it. But the amazing thing is that He is always calling to us to Him. 

I know I've been feeling like I've lost a little of that first love. I still love God and I still read the Bible and go to church and do all the things I am supposed to do, but it can feel mechanical. We all slip there sometimes but we need to get back! I need to rejuvenate my first love, and if you are in that place too, so do you!

I thought this picture was a great illustration of this. We are looking at this beautiful ocean but the forest and the rain on the window are blocking our view. Life can be that way. The cares of this world, our spouses, our kids, our friends can cloud our love for our Creator. They are all good things but they can't be our first love. God wants to be first in our hearts. 

So if you are feeling in a rut I encourage you to reach out. Reach out to me, reach out to a close friend, but most importantly reach out to God. He longs to hear our prayers. He longs for us to maintain our first love. Start 2017 with a rejuvenated love for the Creator of all! 

Why Christmas is the Best

 I love love love Christmas, as you can probably tell by now! If you don't, this will be the last Christmas post of the year.

Christmas is the best because it brings family together. For a lot of families, it might the only time of the year that everyone can make it to the same place. That family time is super important.

I love the weather at Christmas, slightly chilled (in California, hah!) but still beautiful, for the most part. Almost every shopping center is decked out in all their fine Christmas apparel. I adore the white lights and wreaths everywhere. 

Christmas is also my favorite time for decorating the house. I just made a big grapevine wreath covered in sparkly red hydrangeas and white and gold poinsettias. The Christmas tree with our colored lights and ornaments looks so perfect sitting in our house. Our Christmas candle burns and fills the house with a lovely smell. Daniel wrapped white lights around our window, which I think looks so perfect. 

I love sending out Christmas cards to our friends and receiving them back (send me cards!!!!). I love buying the perfect (**hopefully**) gifts for those I love and wrapping them in pretty gift paper and bows. I love watching people open gifts that I gave them and seeing their reactions. I also love getting gifts too, obviously. 

I love sneaking around in the dark of the morning to put little goodies into everyone's stockings. 

I love our new tradition of going to the bookstore and buying a book on Christmas eve. I love my family tradition of eating french toast on Christmas morning and getting up at 6 am to open presents. 

I love eating chocolate covered cherries in the morning for the only day of the year. I love tasty appetizers and sparking cider for dinner. 

Most of all, I love Christmas because it means spending time with family. 

What are you favorite Christmas traditions? 

Christmas-y Reflections

As I write this, I am lying in a comfy bed in a place called Ucluelet, BC, on a mini vacation with Daniel's parents. I look out my window and it is anything but cozy. All night I have heard the roar of heavy winds, rain and the occasional hail. I'll admit that I have a very irrational fear of wind and was terrified all night. Yet, when the morning finally dawned, I felt so much less afraid. Why does the dark make everything so much scarier?

It got me to thinking how thankful I am to have a safe place to stay. There are so many who don't. I'm thankful to have food to eat this morning and a rain jacket to keep me dry once I venture outside. I'm thankful that I can go into the kitchen and get water and that my biggest struggle is that we have to drink out of a bottle because the tap water isn't safe. Even in a secluded cabin in the woods, I manage to get wifi so that I can write my blog and check my Instagram.

So while I might be a little bummed that I can't get a Starbucks, I remember that life is so good. Life is actually so great. I am on vacation with my husband. I don't have to worry about anything. There is no schoolwork to do and while we are away, there is also no housework to do.
 

My life feels so full and I hope yours does too. Wherever you are, whatever you do, I hope that your life feels full. I hope that you will remember your blessings and minimize the things that hurt you. If you think you aren't blessed, trying thinking about your life from a different perspective. There is always something to be thankful for.  

I hope that you will reach out a hand to your neighbor in need. I hope that you will shine as a light for Jesus to the world around you. 

I hope you will take every single moment and soak it up! Merry Christmas week!  

Remembering those Hurting

While the holidays are a very wonderful and festive time for many of us, there are a lot of people who spend the holidays hurting. Maybe they have lost a parent and can't find it in themselves to truly celebrate. Maybe they grew up going through foster families and never really had a real holiday experience. Maybe their child is sick. Maybe their spouse left them and they have to pull off Christmas alone for the sake of their children. Maybe they never met their "soulmate" and are spending the holiday alone.

In a time where there is so much joy, it can become especially painful to those who are hurting. 

There are so many people who have never been able to experience the holiday with joy, for one reason or the other. 

My heart aches for all these individuals, because in a time when my heart feels so full, I want everyone to feel the same way. I encourage you to remember those who hurt and acknowledge that there may be nothing you can do. 

There is no right answer because each person is different and you will have to choose your response based on the individual. It might be inviting them to celebrate with you, or it might be giving them the "permission" that they don't need to celebrate when their grief is too raw. It maybe simply be reaching out to the individual and asking what they need. 

Meet people where they are. If they are grieving, accept them. If they want help, accept them. If they don't want help, accept them. No one suffers exactly the same way. 

So if you are hurting during this Christmas, I hope that you may find a sense of peace. It's okay to reach out to those around you. If your heart is full, don't forget to look around and notice those who suffer. And wherever you stand, don't forget to be thankful for what you do have. 

May your weekend be truly blessed! xo

P.S. If you want to do something for those truly in need, go sponsor a child with Agape in Action. 100% of the proceeds will go to the field, which is really important!!

Behind the Blog

 I decided that I would do a little Q&A about myself and later realized how self-absorbed that seems. But since everyone is a little self-absorbed and the internet is all about over-sharing, what the heck? All the stuff you would never have wanted to know about me! 

What inspires you?

I'd say that the biggest thing that inspires me is my faith-- because it influences all aspects of my life. It teaches me compassion and love, it teaches me kindness.  

What is your middle name and how do you feel about it? 

Well, let's jump right into a hard one! My given middle name is Mariah ("they call the wind Mariah"). However, when I got married I took my maiden name as my middle name, because I love my maiden name and didn't want to lose it. Also, I do love the song. 

What do you do for a living?

In short, be married to my husband who makes money while I spend it all. Hardy-har-har. In long, I am in physical therapy school. Since I talk about different snippets of my program on my blog, I thought I'd give you the full picture of what it's all about. Basically, it's a three year graduate program (so I've been in school for almost 7 years!!) where we have 6 semesters of classes and 3 semesters of clinical rotations (working full time for free). I am actually two days away from my last final, ever!! Then I am off to finish two more clinical rotations, one in the hospital and one in an orthopedic clinic. I will graduate in July and have to take a super-hard national exam (yikes!). 

Your favorite season and why?

Every season, because each one is amazing. Winter because of Christmas and New Year's and alll the joy. Spring because I'm ready for warmth and flowers. Summer because shorts and swimming and school break. Fall because leaves and sweaters and pumpkins.

How tall are you?

5'4"

What's your favorite TV show or movie?

I definitely can't name just one! I don't like many movies but I do love the Harry Potter series. I love cop shows including Castle, White Collar, and Blue Bloods. For a little more fun, I love Psych. 

Your favorite subject in school? 

Surprisingly (based on my career choice), English! I guess that's why I started this blog on the side!

Do you have a favorite book?

I have too many to name! Find me on Goodreads to find out which books I love (: 

What's your favorite food and drink?

Sushi and Starbucks Refreshers, hands down. 

Favorite store?

Target, for everything, duh, and Down East Basics, for beautiful and modest clothes!

P.S. I'd love to hear your answers, so much that I'm leaving a blank form in the comments! Send me an email or leave me a comment with your answers! 

P.P.S. If you haven't already, don't forget to find me on Instagram! 

Get Moving!

It's not the normal content of my blog, but being in the health field means that I am passionate about exercise. No one will be healthy forever, but exercise can greatly improve your quality of life! However, I know that sometimes it can be SO hard to get moving and stick to a routine. I hope you find these tips and routines helpful and encouraging. 

One way that I commit to fitness are to plan out my workouts at the beginning of the week. At this time of year, I also have "backup" workouts, like if I was supposed to go for a run/walk and it ends up raining! You'll be way more likely to exercise if you have a buddy, so choose a friend who also wants to exercise and plan two days a week to do so. That way, even if you want to cancel, you really can't (: It's important to make your workouts as convenient as possible, too, so that you won't have an excuse to opt out. 

 

Also, I love to listen to podcasts while I am running (if I don't have a buddy), so if music doesn't make you feel like grooving, try a podcast (I've been listening to Serial recently but also love This American Life). Lastly, if you have a rarely-used gym membership, I highly recommend trying out some workout classes. That is the one thing that I miss most about having a gym membership! Luckily, there are also SO many awesome routines on Youtube to do in the comfort of your own home. 

I thought I'd share some suggested routines for beginner to intermediate levels to encourage you to get out there and move! I think you will find these workouts convenient and enjoyable! Don't forget to grab a friend to walk with or download some music/podcasts. 

WHERE DO I START? ROUTINE:

2x/week- walk for 20-30 minutes at a fast pace

1x/week- Yoga with Adrienne video

1x/week- Full body strengthening video 

I LIKE EXERCISE BUT DON'T HAVE ANY EQUIPMENT ROUTINE:

2x/week- walk for 30 minutes at a fast pace

1x/week- Cardio video

On the weekend- go on a hike you've been wanting to do (take a friend or spouse)

I LIKE EXERCISE AND HAVE FREE WEIGHTS AT HOME ROUTINE:

2x/week- walk for 30 minutes at a fast pace

1x/week- jog for 20-30 minutes (interspersed with walking if needed, no shame!)

1x/week- Full body strengthening workout 

1x/week- Yoga with Adrienne 

I WILL NEVER GO TO THE GYM ROUTINE:

1x/week- go rock climbing at your local climbing wall!

1x/week- go on a new hike with a friend

1x/week- Ballroom dance video

1x/week- Fun Zumba routines (a playlist with many songs to choose from!) 

These are just a few ways that you can incorporate cardio exercise and strength exercise in your week. There are millions of ways you can exercise! If you don't like just "exercising" try a dancing or Zumba video. 

Don't forget to reward yourself for sticking to a whole week of exercise! Please let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to talk fitness with you anytime. 

How to Truly Celebrate the Holidays

In this holiday season, don't forget to focus on what is really important. It's so easy to walk into every store around and feel the need to decorate like crazy. What's Christmas without at least 1500 dollars of decor in the house? 

Now don't get me wrong, I love holiday decorations as much as the next girl, but there is so much more to the "holiday season". Whether it be Thanksgiving or Christmas, we often get so wrapped up in materialism.

To me, the reason for both Thanksgiving and Christmas essentially boil down to giving thanks and doing good. It's not a celebration of Christ's birth to me, because I believe his birth was no more wonderful than his life, his death, his resurrection, or the work he does now. But, I do believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are a time to truly share Christ's love with the world.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you can show Christ's love to the world. That certainly should be done all year long, but having a time when we really focus on Christ's love helps me to reflect! What am I doing to show the world that I follow Christ? What am I doing to affect the people around me on an individual level? What am I doing for the widows and the orphans?

 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

It truly is more blessed to give than to receive. Maybe instead of focusing so much the gifts and the decorations and the food and the fancy parties, we need to be looking for the good we can do. So how can we cultivate an attitude of gratitude and godliness for the holidays?

Reflect each day on what you are thankful for. It's often said, but that's because it's true. It's so hard to be ungrateful or grumpy when we reflect on what we have.

Donate to your favorite charity. Find a cause that is important to you and give to it. It doesn't have to be a lot, although it certainly can be! Do your research and find a charity that uses it's donations effectively.

Volunteer for a worthy cause. Volunteer work is certainly easy to find! There are a myriad of ways that you can help individuals in your community. Ask your family to join in to make it extra special. Better yet, commit to volunteering for that organization for the next year or more!

Invite elderly people from church over for a fancy dinner. How better to make someone feel loved and appreciated then to go all-out having them over? 

Find a place that accepts Christmas gifts for impoverished children. I know I can't imagine Christmas without presents, especially as a child. It definitely depends on the person, but a special really makes me feel love. There are so many families who don't have the luxury of giving special gifts for their children, so let's do our part to help them out!

What other ways do you have to cultivate gratitude? 

Living Boldly

I hear this idea of living boldly bounced around a lot, but what does it mean to truly live boldly? 

I want to live boldly but how do I do it? To me, it means to push yourself out of your comfort zone. I think to really do good, you have to get outside of your comfort zone. For people who struggle with anxiety (like me), getting out of your comfort zone can be very hard. But living out of your comfort zone can also be very beautiful.

I think living boldly means loving as much as possible. I think it means aiming for dreams that seem out of reach. Not just having a dream, but taking steps toward that dream. A dream is really just a wish if you aren't progressing toward it. 

Living boldly doesn't mean being fearless, but it DOES mean not being stopped by your fears. We can never get out of our comfort zone if we succumb to our fears. Instead we must face our fears head on. 

For me personally, living boldly means finally taking steps toward being a foster parent. It means taking my national exam in July rather than waiting until October. It means loving deeply, even when it hurts. 

But living boldly isn't just an idea that comes from me. It comes from the Bible. The Bible is full of individuals living boldly. They faced their fears, they followed God despite all, and they loved deeply. In fact, in this culture, following God requires boldness. 

I believe that to follow God is to truly live boldly. What do you do to live boldly? 

Joys of November

November is just the best month, isn't it? Well, next to December, that is. I love November because it is just full of thankful vibes. 

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family, despite the fact that many of us were sick. I had fun decorating the table for the first time! We had a wonderful meal and even got a family picture, thanks to one of our friends.

I'm so thankful that two of my brothers, who have bronchitis and pneumonia, are finally getting better!

In November, I also passed my oral defense. If you don't know what that is, I'm not surprised! In the physical therapy program, we have to write a final project and then we have an oral defense where we present our case study and then are grilled on it! It was pretty stressful but I'm so glad to be done with that! One step closer to graduation. 

Also in November, Daniel and I invited people over for a "Run for the Everlasting Cure" event. Run for the Everlasting Cure is basically a day of prayer that our church honors around the world. We make an attempt to get together and pray and walk. We had a brunch, followed by prayer and a very rainy walk.

Lastly, I enjoyed a Gilmore Girls party with my girlfriends, complete with macaroni and cheese, Chinese, pizza bites, burgers, fries, coffee, poptarts, and ice cream. The food and company were great, but the show was horrible, IMHO. What did you think of GG? 

Oh yeah, and Daniel and I had pictures taken by Savannah Hayes photography, which we got back yesterday. I just love them! Don't worry, I limited myself to three so that I wouldn't seem overwhelmingly vain. 

As we head into December, I reflect once again on how thankful I am for my full and happy life! May your December be truly blessed. 

What We're Thankful For

As we come into Thanksgiving, I set aside time to reflect on what I am thankful for. This year, Daniel and I both sat down together and made a list of the things with are thankful for, both big and small. Without further ado, our unedited lists...

Her: 

// Being able to talk to God in prayer

// Marriage

// Family

// Medicine! (I'm sick.. )

// Pumpkins

// Fall leaves

// Embroidery

// Dear friendships

// Books

// The food on my table every day

// The ability to go to school so that I can do a job I really like

// Caffeine

// Ice cream

// Snail mail

// Date nights

// A cozy bed

// A warm home

// Our little house!

// Carmex

// Nail polish

// My strong legs to exercise with

// Workout videos on Youtube

// My car 

// My church family

Him:

// Danielle (daaaww I think he had to say that)

// Everything God has done for us

// My health

// My job

// Hope

// Friends and family

// Snow

// Beautiful scenery

// Horsepower 

// Tea or coffee in the morning

// Sleep 

// Lip balm

// Onions

// Sex (sorry family.) 

// Cool weather 

Some of these things might seem really silly, but they really can be the things that make life so great. What are you thankful for in this season of your life? 

4 Ways to Follow God Every Day

Though I claim to follow God, sometimes I find it hard to live that out every day in a practical way. What does it mean to follow God every day? Not just going to church, not just reading my Bible, not just writing about it. Following. 

I've come up with some practical ways that I can start experiencing God in my everyday life. 

1. Look for God in your everyday experiences. In fact, every meal you eat, every safe car drive you take, every blessing that comes into your life, comes from God. Don't take those things for granted, and don't forget to thank Him every day for those things. Be mindful of what is in your life and that each bit has been given. I believe that being thankful absolutely helps to experience God in a practical way. 

2. Begin the day by asking for His guidance. What if we started every day with a prayer, asking God to help guide our steps? It seems like an obvious thing to do, yet I rarely ever start my day this way. Don't jump out of bed first thing. Stay there. Pray. Ask God for His help for you to shine for Him. 

3. What would Jesus do? It's a cliche saying, but it can really help guide you. How would Jesus respond to this person? Would Jesus listen to this music? While it can seem overwhelming to constantly be comparing yourself with Jesus, it doesn't have to be! I find that the more I examine my life, the easier it is to make the right decision. Deep down, I want to be more like Jesus, even if it's hard. 

4. Don't make big decisions without prayer. Or really, little decisions either. I am SO guilty of not doing this. If I have a decision to make I ask everyone for their opinion, I make a list of pros and cons, I might even ask God to bless my decision. BUT I don't ask God to guide my decision! Asking God to help me make my decision is probably the number one thing I should be doing. 

What are the ways you follow God every day? 

Hate Words

I wrote this post several years ago. I thought of it a few days ago and thought it was worth a re-share. The message still rings true, maybe moreso than ever.

The other day I was picking up Ava (one of the girls I nanny) from school.  I often wait for her by the front of the school, and there is an older man who often talks to me while I wait.  He has always been friendly and inquires about my day and my life.  When he approached me on this particular day, he asked me if I had watched the Superbowl and I told him that while I don’t care for football, I did love basketball.

He then told me that he couldn’t stand basketball and he only liked football a little.  Then he leaned close to me and whispered, “Too many blacks.  I can’t stand the way blacks act.”

WHAT?! I have never, ever heard someone say such a racist, disgusting thing in my life.  I honestly did not even comprehend what he was saying because I was so startled.  At that moment, his little granddaughter ran up to him and he picked her up in a big hug.  He called her a princess and asked her about her day.  He held her hand in his and took her backpack, walking to the car.

I stood there in absolute shock.  So many thoughts were racing through my head.  Just that day I had written a post about words and the power they have.  To my shame, I did not say anything powerful back to that man.  I still can’t figure out what I should have said in the face of such pure racism.  How do you respond in such a way as to make a difference without just using hate words back?

Words. 

They have such power.  Power to build up, power to destroy.  The saying sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me is not true at all.  Words hurt.  Because words reflect attitudes.  People will fill the boxes we make for them.  Whether our expectations bring them up or drag them down, others often fulfill the stereotypes we set for them.  That’s what is so wrong with our culture.  How will we ever break the hate cycle if we keep using hate words?  That man will pass on his attitudes to his granddaughter, who will pass it on to her friends, who will continue to pass it on.

I can’t wrap my head around the fact that a man who could be so sweet and caring to his little granddaughter could be so hateful toward an entire race.  I guess the point is that it isn’t just members of the Ku Klux Klan that hold these attitudes; it is people we know and see every day.  It isn’t because those people so evil and stupid that they believe a stereotype that simply isn’t true, it is because of the insidious way that those stereotypes are passed along.   Which is why it is so dangerous to us—stereotypes can become ingrained in us without us even realizing it.  If we look at a black person and believe that they will have “bad behavior” or a blonde girl and expect her to be dumb, that is what we will see.   We pass that on.  The hate continues. 

Think of how many times we have done the same, judging others before we know them.  Assuming things about them just because of who they are or what they look like.  We can’t change the world.  I don’t have the answers on how to stop the hate cycle.  But at least we can stop it in ourselves.

God is Still God and God is Still Good

In the wake of the tense election, I think everyone is reeling a bit by the choices that have been made. I've seen Christians do two things: A) remind everyone that God rules in the kingdoms of men or B) ask why God would let this happen. I think it I were a non-believer, I'd be a little bit skeptical. Why would God let a guy like Trump be President? 

The answer is: I don't know. But last time I checked, God doesn't need to run things by me before they happen. And do you know what else? We might all be stunned by what happened, but God is not. 

This is what I do know. God did not choose Trump to be leader (or even Hillary, for that matter) because he is such a stand up guy and is going to turn America to God again. It might actually be surprising to some, but God's ultimate plan is not to "make America great again". God's plan is to bring HIS kingdom. 

His mercies are new every morning. 

Whether Trump will be the President that brings America to it's knees, I do not know. Whether he will be the President who will make the world so messed up that the Kingdom will come, I do not know. 

All I can say is that I know that Trump is simply another player in God's big plan. As Christians, whether we like Trump/Clinton should simply not matter. Trump is going to be President because God has put him there, and I won't question it. Do I love Trump? NO! Do I love Clinton? NO! But I absolutely love God's plan. 

This is what I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt: God is STILL God and God is still GOOD. 

My Bad Habit: Negativity

Even though my blog is called Pure Joy, I've always been a bit lot of a negative Nancy. Really, I am. It's one of the bad habits I talked about last week. Unfortunately, joy just doesn't always come naturally to me BUT I do as much as I can to change that aspect of myself. 

There is so much research and knowledge that having a negative attitude is not good for your health or your relationships. Having a negative perspective on life only creates more anxiety and worry. Not only that, but most people don't want to hang out with negative people. Just ask my poor husband. 

The good is that there is so much you can do to overcome negativity. For me, negative thoughts occur when things aren't going as well as I'd like. Say I get a bad grade on something, then I catastrophize and that one grade can send my life into a downward spiral. It might go something like this: This bad grade means that I will never be able to learn this material. Then, I won't be able graduate or pass my national exam. Then, I'll be jobless and will never be able to pay off my debt or make anything of myself. 

See how it goes? Negativity crops up and makes you feel so inferior. It takes the worst in every situation and makes it feel like reality. 

One way I've stopped this attitude in my life is to stop the thought and evaluate. In this case I might ask myself: 1) Do I really not know the material or is something else going on? Maybe I didn't understand the wording of the questions or I didn't study enough. 2) What is another way I can learn this material? 3) Hello! I can't know everything. Is this one section really going to keep me from being a great Physical Therapist? And the answer is... NO!

Negative people like myself tend to do a lot of catastrophizing and a lot of blaming. We predict that things are going to go from bad to worse. Everything becomes all or nothing. In these situations, I must bring myself back to reality. No blaming myself OR others. And then, I need to go a step beyond and bridge the gap to positivity! 

Positive thinking may not actually change a single event of your life. But it will change the whole course of your life and who you are. It will transform your relationships. Most people will love a positive person, provided that they aren't being fake. I really believe this is true, because it works for me when I focus on positivity. 

And honestly, when I try to focus on positivity, negative people can be just plain annoying. So I remind myself that I don't want to be like that. I want to be a person who spreads joy. 

So what's your bad habit? Any suggestions for helping me overcome mine?