Stand out. Shine. Be colorful. Be uniquely you.

The best color is the one that makes you feel beautiful.

There are so many opinions out there about the way you should look, the way you should dress, and the image you should portray.  The important thing is that you are comfortable in your own skin, in the clothes that you wear, and the way you portray yourself.   You are not responsible for someone else’s thoughts.

One day I decided to dye my hair purple just to see what it would look like.  A few people were very vocal about their opinions and said some very unkind things.  However, for every negative comment or look, I received at least 10 compliments.  Every time I heard someone say, “Ew, your hair is purple.”  I wanted to reply, “Ew yours isn’t!”  But then I realized that they are allowed to have an opinion.  If they wanted to be known as someone who puts other people down, they have that right.  Who am I to tell them that their opinion is wrong?  They are entitled to portray themselves any way they want.

If you want to dye your hair, change the length of your hair, or even shave it off – be comfortable with your own choices.  It’s nobody else’s business what you decide to do to make yourself feel amazing!  Go out into the world and shine your best self (no matter what color it is!) 

Love yourself as if you were a rainbow with a pot of gold at both ends.

Could you imagine finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?  Almost every child has had that wish at one time or another.  Think of the pot of gold as what you have to offer the world. 

The rainbow’s job is to point you in the direction of the pot of gold.  If the rainbow represents you and the gold represents what you have to offer the world, this means that you are the beautifully colorful soul that gives valuable gifts to the world.  Your job is to figure out what those gifts are and find a way to share them. 

What gifts do you share with the world? 

The greater your storm, the more beautiful your rainbow.

We all have hard times.  How you get through them is up to you.  You can allow your issues to build into a sea of challenges so deep that you feel like you’re drowning.  Or you could find a way to deal with each issue head on. 

When a problem is in front of you, do you automatically think that you can’t handle it?  Do you allow the problems to pile up until there are way too many to handle? 

In order to see the rainbows, you need to find a way to deal with the problems in front of you.  This involves changing the way you look at the problems – one at a time.  Pick one problem and think of a few solutions to fix it.  Tell yourself that you’ve got this.  You can do anything you set your mind to do.  Then, do it.  Once that problem is resolved, pick another one.  Before you know it, your issues will be gone taking the storm with it.  You will be able to keep your head above water and actually see the colors of the rainbow pointing its way to your brilliant, vibrant future. 

Don’t miss the beautiful colors of the rainbow while chasing the pot of gold.

Some people are so busy worrying about what is coming next in their life that they forget to enjoy what is happening right now. 

I have recently had a conversation about autumn.  I love the beautiful colors and the crisp air that this season brings.  I like to take a drive through the mountains and enjoy the scenery.  I enjoy taking time to decorate my house so that I am surrounded by these amazing colors.

The other person told me that when autumn comes around, they are reminded that winter is coming soon.   They see autumn not as the calming, relaxing, colorful celebration as I do, but as the beginning of death, bitter cold, and snowstorms. 

This conversation depressed me for a few days.  I started looking at the beautiful leaves and wondered how long they would be there and when the tree would shed them all.  It got so bad at one point that I wouldn’t even go outside because it depressed me. 

Then I reminded myself that autumn is a beautiful season.  It brings happiness, togetherness, love, and beauty.  I made the conscious decision to think about the beauty this season brings and not focus on what will happen in the next few months.  I realized that by appreciating the good things around me, I was happier.

Think of three ways that you are focusing on the future right now.  Are these things taking away from the joy you could be experiencing?  Make a conscious effort to start enjoying the life you are living right now.  Thinking of the future is a great thing – as long as you remember to appreciate the life you are living right now.

Be the rainbow to someone else’s cloud.

Imagine that you woke up this morning and hit your toe off of the bed. Then walked into the dresser on your way to the bathroom (which was already occupied.) When your day starts out like this, what do you think will happen during the rest of the day? Are you the person who thinks the whole day is shot or do you think that the day just has to get better?

Now imagine the day all over again. You woke up and hit your toe off of the bed and then walked into the dresser. However, when you went to the bathroom, the person inside opened the door and asked if you needed in there. Then they left the restroom so that you could use it. What would that do for the next part of your day? What if while you were in the bathroom, they made you breakfast – and it was really good. Would that make your day better?

Those two acts of kindness towards someone having a bad day would change their attitude at least for few minutes. Today, make the choice to be the person who makes someone else’s bad day a little brighter. Smile, say something nice, or do something sweet for them. That one act of kindness could make the biggest difference in someone’s whole day!

Color has a powerful effect on our soul.

Walking through the forest in the middle of October, I see the most vibrant, amazingly beautiful colors that nature has to offer.  The bright colors make me happy and feeds my soul.

Sitting by the lake in the middle of summer, nature also gives me one of the most beautiful scenes.  The green trees, blue skies, and white clouds reflected in the brilliant blue water soothes my soul.

Two completely different seasons and two completely different color schemes affect me to my core – each in their own way.

Just as the different sounds of music can either calm you or energize you, different colors can affect your mood.  Today I challenge you to notice the colors around you and the effect they have on you.  If you find a color that makes you feel great, surround yourself with it.

Stand out.  Shine.  Be colorful.  Be uniquely you.

We have spent so much of our lives trying to fit in.  We try to wear the same style of clothes, match hairstyles to the people around us, play the popular sports, and even hang out with the appropriate people.

I grew up trying to fit in.  I remember wearing clothes I wasn’t comfortable wearing just because it was in style.  I remember doing as I was told, being quieted, making sure my hair and make-up were done appropriately.  I was so busy doing what I should do that I forgot who I wanted to be.

One day I met a lady who dressed in whatever she felt comfortable wearing no matter where she was going.  She danced in the middle of the street even when no music was playing.  She was respectful of other people, but was such a free spirit you couldn’t help but smile at the happiness she was shining. 

Happiness.  I wanted that.  Her secret?  She quit worrying about what other people thought she should be doing.  She decided that she was allowed to be happy.  She was allowed to feel beautiful.  Just because other people thought she should do something didn’t mean she had to do that.  She chose a blissful existence despite the way society perceived her.  She found a way to true happiness!

Spend some time today thinking about something you’ve always wanted to do (change your hair color, wear something out of character for you, dance in the middle of the street when there’s no music playing, or try a new hobby.)  Pick one thing and do it.  Show the world who you really are and shine your true colors!

Life is about using the whole box of crayons.

We all get so caught up in our every day responsibilities that we allow life to become routine. It’s like coloring an entire picture with just one crayon.  Look around you and see the beautiful colors and shades of crayons sitting in the box while you color with just one.  Imagine how beautiful your picture could be, how much more depth you could create if you opened your mind and used many different colors.   

You’ve heard the saying to think outside the box, right?  Instead, look inside the box and see all the colors that were left behind.  These colors represent the different parts of your life that you allow to sit there while you focus on just one aspect.  Imagine how great your life could be if you allow yourself to be open to your other ideas and talents.  The depth you achieve could make the difference between living a one-color life and a colorful life.  The possibilities are endless. 

Your life is your canvas.  Remember to paint yourself a whole lot of colorful days.

You are in charge of your own life.  Just like a painting, you are allowed to choose the colors, the content, and the vibrancy of emotions you put into it. 

Looking at a painting evokes some kind of emotion.  Your perception of the image in front of you controls that emotion.  The way you live your life is also about perception and emotion.  We have all had the blue days of sadness, the green days of success, and the yellow days of fun.  Even on our bluest days, we can choose to make our day a little more vibrant by stepping back and allowing a little fun into our lives. 

Life is what you make of it.  Find a way to add a little fun and vibrancy into your life every day – even if it’s only for a minute.

Sometimes a little splash of color is all you need.

Adding a little color to your life sometimes makes all the difference.  I lived in an apartment that wouldn’t allow you to paint the walls.  Every wall in the entire apartment was stark white.  The rooms felt cold and unwelcoming.

One day I found a rainbow suncatcher and put it in my window.  My room was instantly bathed in color from this suncatcher.  The rainbow made me happy and the colors brightened my room and my life.

This suncatcher followed me from house to house reminding me of the power that color has on my mood, my soul, and my entire existence.

Add a little color to everything you do.  It raises your mood and affects everyone who comes into contact with you. 

 Life is like a rainbow.  You need both the rain and the sun for the colors to appear.

How would you know you are having a good day if you never had a bad day to compare it?  How would you know to appreciate the sunshine if you never experienced the dark?  All good things can be appreciated because of the bad things we endured. 

When I was younger, our town flooded.  Many lives were lost and homes were destroyed.  However, our community banned together to feed the hungry, give shelter to those whose homes were affected, and to check on the old lady who lived down the street even though she yelled because we rode our bicycles past her house.

Every time I have a bad day, I try to remember the flood.  Although I lost a few family members who were very dear to me, I survived.  The good that came from that day is that I learned to appreciate the fact that I survived.  I wouldn’t have known to appreciate my life if I didn’t experience the loss of others. 

When your life seems too stormy, search for the sunshine and you will appreciate the colors of your rainbow even more.

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