Positive and inspirational reading (and reading in general) are great ways to clear your mind of negativity every day. I believe that eventually, if you’re filling your mind up with positivity every day, positive thinking and positive living will just come naturally. This is especially true if you’re someone who struggles with being as positive as you want to be, which has at least once applied to all of us who have been hit by life in the worst way. Keeping up with reading anything that you love can do wonders!!! Here are some of my favorite reads, as well as some things that I am currently reading, and some other inspirational thoughts and finds! ♡
Making Resolutions Because We Have Been Blessed With a New DAY
Like many people, I have things about myself that I do not particularly like that I struggled with last year and that I struggle with still today. I work on these things everyday so today my struggle is a little bit less than it was yesterday. It is a journey and a very long process but I have found that this process is pretty much effortless when I leave no time to focus on my faults because I am focusing on all of my blessings. I am making resolutions ever day because God has blessed us with not only a new year but […]
I keep learning about all of these things that are taking place (and have been taking place) — on top of all of the other issues in our society and in this world. I don’t get too deep into what’s going on because it is a waste of precious time that I could be using for positive thoughts and actions, to better myself, and to enjoy and better my life. But it is good to be knowledgeable of it all as a reminder of what has yet to come. With that said, this post is not about all of the sad things that are occurring in our nation and all over the world — it is, very simply, about uplifting yourself and those you can touch…
[Click photo to read more!]
22 May 2015
Letting Go of the Past and Getting on with Your Beautiful Life
No one is perfect and we all have faced some sort of 
challenge or hardship in our life, so the first thing to keep in mind is the fact that you are not alone. But our ability to carry on regardless of what we have been through in life merely has to do with how strong we want to be as a person and how strong we want our relationship with God to be. If you are not sure that you believe in God, there is nothing in his messages and what he wants for you that will hurt you if you try to follow them — the only thing that could happen is that you start to become a more positive and more vibrant person with a life to match.
Letting go of the past can be the hardest thing that you ever have to do in life whether you are dealing with loss; have been hurt by someone or victimized; struggle with knowing your self-worth, what you deserve, or what you are capable of and hurt yourself; have been down an undesirable path of any kind; or absolutely anything else that can torment any mindful human being. However, once you are able to build up that strength and do whatever it takes, letting go will definitely be the best thing you have ever done for yourself by far. During a very dark time in my life a very wise man, my dad :-), compared the past to the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and those who look back at their past to Lot’s wife who looked back at these cities as God destroyed them after an angel warned them not to do so — and his wife turned into a pillar of salt, she lagged behind as she still held onto such dark places and was “consumed.”
Changing the present
Letting the past consume us wastes away the present and can threaten our futures. If you carry around a lot of negative energy right now, the negative aspects of your past will stick to it like glue. Sometimes just changing your attitude about where you are at currently can make all the difference. Realize when you are being negative and change it. Think positive, *read inspirational books* as daily positive reminders, write down your thoughts or wishes in a journal, and take time for yourself to just breathe and relax while listening to relaxing music. Starting out with these daily positive actions will help you realize that you are in control of the tempo of your everyday life starting whenever you decide to change the simplest aspects of it.
Forgiveness: Not just for others but yourself too
In order to let go we must forgive others AND ourselves. We cannot be positive if we do not forgive others and hold onto regret. Why should you go through life being weighed down by something bad that someone else did? That just doesn’t make sense. You cannot change anyone else’s actions, past and present, only they can. Forgive them, remove them from your life if their actions are an ongoing hindrance to your happiness, and let God continue his work with them. Regret for even the smallest things that you have done in the past can make anyone coward back into negativity. What has been done is done. The simple fact that you regret any of your decisions is all you need to forgive yourself and for God’s forgiveness as well. True regret is repentance and when you repent God can hear you loud and clear. Whenever something pops in your head that you regret, talk to God about it and let it go, it cannot be changed and you will do better by it.
Knowing what you want for yourself and living for that
Why let the weight of your past hold you down when there is so much more in store for you? You won’t find your greater purpose here unless you let go and make room for your greater purpose to blossom. If you cannot find the strength to do so anywhere else, find it in faith – faith that God has an ultimate plan for you here on this Earth and for eternity. Every moment that you dwell in the past is a moment wasted of time that you can be making the most of the present and getting closer to a brighter, more promising future. If you have lost someone, they have moved on from all of this and if they are in a better place there is no reason for anyone to be upset about their departure from here. They are in paradise and feel no loss and therefore will not know you again until you join them when it is your time. They are no longer in your life here but you may see them again one day.
“Every day is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.”
Each new day is a chance to make a change or to completely start again. So right now is the time to finally let it all go. Do not allow what has already happen to consume you. Take advantage of our ability to regain control of ourselves and our lives. Anything that can’t be changed is not worth wasting another moment being miserable over so we need to just learn from it, forgive, let go, have faith, and change ourselves to match everything that we want for ourselves.
If you ever need someone to talk to about absolutely anything you can definitely reach out to me, I don’t care if we haven’t spoken to each other once in our entire lives! It is not my place to judge and I despise gossip because I know what it feels like to be talked about by people who do not know you or your story. We should all be in this together! Do not be afraid to email me at chynna.nicole@beautyandliving.com or message me on Facebook. You are not alone and it’s never too late to use the weight of the past and all of your capabilities to strengthen you so that you can finally lead a positive life ♡
3 May 2015
My husband, Michael, introduced me to this guy last week and he is truly amazing! His name is Clayton Jennings and he has really been allowing God to work through him in a great way. He speaks the truth about the world we live in and, no matter who throws threats his way, he keeps on going and getting more and more people (young and old!) to listen to what really matters among all of the chaos going on in the world. His following has sky rocketed over a very short period of time, and for good reason. Follow him as well for a world of inspiration! I currently follow him on Facebook: Clayton Jennings ♡
5 April 2015
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Happy Easter!!! ♡ As I was looking for books to add to my reading list today, I discovered an author who I truly believe I am going to love! Her name is Shauna Niequist. After I read more about her books, I then read a little more about her and found that she is currently a spiritual leader in her home town at Willow Creek Community Church, 40 minutes from where I live! So crazy. She currently has four books published and one was just recently released March 10th of this year! All of her books get tons of praise for how beautifully she writes and how much heart she puts into her writing. I am very interested in reading her fist book, Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life as well as her newest book, Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are ♡
About Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life: “Cold Tangerines is a collection of stories that celebrate the extraordinary moments hidden in your everyday life. It is about God, and about life, and about the thousands of daily ways in which an awareness of God changes and infuses everything. It is about spiritual life, and about all the things that are called nonspiritual life that might be spiritual after all. It is the snapshots of a young woman making peace with herself and trying to craft a life that captures the energy and exuberance we all long for in the midst of the fear and regret and envy we all carry with us. It is both a voice of challenge and song of comfort, calling you upward to the best possible life, and giving you room to breathe, to rest, to break down, and break through. Cold Tangerines offers bright and varied glimpses of hope and redemption, in and among the heartbreak and boredom and broken glass.”
“Cold Tangerines celebrates the rawness and reality of life amidst the amazing wonders God provides daily, if we just look (taste, feel, see, touch). Thanks for helping me contemplate my soul more and feel encouraged that even when life is hard (as it will be), there is so much authenticity, intimacy and joy offered. I loved “basement,” and laughed as I’m your “other” kind of friend but NOT my basement (i’m like YOU and felt so known) but i’d like to say it’s because I’m married to a creative person like you so I don’t get my neat cleaned-up shelves. it’s probably better i don’t. GET THIS BOOK–YOU WILL BE FILLED.” ~ A. Mury (Amazon Customer)
About Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are: “In this daily devotional, Shauna Niequist becomes a friend across the pages, sharing her heart with yours, keeping you company, and inviting you into the abundant life God offers.
And there are recipes, too, because spiritual living happens not just when we read and pray, but also when we gather with family and friends over dinners and breakfasts and late-night snacks. These recipes are Shauna’s staples, and each one should be enjoyed around a table with people you love.
So read and learn and pray and cook and share. Remember to savor each day, whatever it holds: work and play, coffee and kids, meals and prayers and the good stuff and the hard stuff. Life is all about relationships, and your daily relationship with God is worth savoring in every moment.”
“This book, from its beautiful linen bound cover, hand-lettered title, and navy-edged pages, speaks to the heart of the creative in me. I love that about it. The way it’s all geared toward an experience. And when you open the pages and dig into the daily prompts you find Shauna’s every word really does create an experience for you. She provides an opportunity to reconnect with your heart and to hear God’s words. She inspires you to action, she invites you to be honest, to dive deep into your own story, and to discover how God is alive and moving in your story. I can’t wait to try the recipes she includes as well, they ALL sound amazing! Highly recommend, and makes a perfect gift as well!” ~ S. Carter (Amazon Customer)
“Shauna is hands down my favorite writer. Honestly I have had a difficult time reading many Christian books. They always seemed fake, surfaced, or to over the top. Shauna speaks to my soul. She writes so so beautifully and makes you feel important. I feel like she is my best friend and I have never met her! This devotional is BEAUTIFUL. From the cover to the font to the little unique touches throughout the entire book. I am so excited to see how the Lord uses this devotional in my life. That you Shauna letting the Lord use you to bless others.” ~Hailey Shaffer (Amazon Customer)
29 March 2015
“Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go – purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything, whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.“
I have not yet read this book but I plan on purchasing it really soon!
It is The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer (2007).
“What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover inner peace and serenity? The Untethered Soul—now a #1New York Times bestseller—offers simple yet profound answers to these questions.
Whether this is your first exploration of inner space, or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you. You’ll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness. By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization…
Visit http://www.untetheredsoul.com for more information.”
This book can be purchased here on Amazon!.
27 March 2015
God has perfect timing; never early, never late. It takes a little patience and a lot of faith but it’s worth the wait.
This has to be one of the best devotionals out there. I bought this last year and let it just sit in our bookshelf for way too long. I am just really getting into reading it everyday and so far my reaction is ‘why did I wait so long to pick this one up.’ So far this devotional seems very unique in that it gives you a lot of of awesome solutions to actually do to bring that positivity that you just read to life. I’m sure there are others that give positive suggestions to do as well. But I believe that some of these are very creative and that much more effective. For example, my favorite so far is right in the first pages and is about creating a memory box. It is literally a box that you fill with things that are important to you, and you simply make it clear of negativity, bitterness, and unforgiveness just like you want your mind to be so that you find a more positive path to follow. A lot of people already keep a box or place with memorabilia and this is a way to think of that place in a greater way. You can also add your favorite scriptures or quotes as well. It may be corny to some but to me this is a wonderful way to begin to retrain your mind and remind yourself of all of the great things in your life that are much more worth holding onto than anything else. You may only get the reminder every time you add something to your memory box, but actually I believe that the reminder will be there always just knowing your memory box is there. So cute, so symbolic!
THECHYLIFE 