Above and Beyond

Lucky number 7 is on deck.

If you have been following along with me lately on my blog, I am highlighting the 10 Principles of Shine from the House of Shine.

In this weird and beautiful world we live in, there are often daily challenges to do the right things, it's hard to see the rainbow when it rains, and customer service downright sucks at times.

It's time for a reality check.
This is a reminder.
It's just manners.

7 Reject Mediocrity

Dismiss moderate quality.

Principle number 7 states, people who Shine don't just check boxes.  They are not minimalists, looking for how to squeak by doing as little as possible.  Instead, people who Shine take pride in their work, and therefore give their best effort.

Bottom line, if you want to Shine in your corner of the world.... you just naturally do more than is necessary. There is no looking back for a return.  There is no cashing in.  It's paying it forward!!! There are no ifs, ands, or whats.... it's BE, DO, SHARE .... and Shine just comes along for the ride!

Reject being like the rest, and stand out with pride to give more!

Be the reason someone smiles today.

Hand Up

Happy Monday.  It's another day to get it right and start fresh!

Last week on my blog I highlighted the first 5 of the 10 principles of Shine
.
1 Be Present
2 Create
3 Use your Strengths
4 Keep Perspective
5 Realize the Impact of Little things

At the end of this post, scroll down to see the different examples that I use to SHINE .

Today we are at number 6, Bring out the Best in Others

According to the House of Shine,  Shining means that while you are busy discovering your unique contribution to the world you are also helping others discover theirs.  Earth is an estimated 196,500,000 square miles, so there is plenty of room for all of us.

To Shine is to give one a hand up, to uplift and to share. 

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Go ahead and be busy today.  But also make a point to help someone else discover their SHINE.

Little vs. Big

Realize the impact of the little things.

I admit it.  

It's very hard to stop and smell the flowers in this busy world, but for the last 5+ years I literally do just that, STOP. Smell flowers. 

They all don't smell as pretty as they look, however! But I stop and take a moment and enjoy the view.

This cute 9 pound fur ball is feisty. 

His bite IS worse than his bark.  

He is so little.

His bark, his antics his presence, he brings such a level of joy and spunk to our quiet house.

Tiny reminders to SHINE

According to the authors The Power of Small: Why Little things make all the Difference, our smallest actions, words, and gestures often lead to our greatest long-term rewards and outcomes. 

Enjoy the little things in life for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things.

Number 5 of 10  Principles of Shine,  Realize the impact of little things.  Shining means being as good at the little stuff as you are at the big stuff, it means treating small opportunities with as much attention to detail as you do the big ones, House of Shine.

Take in the View

Another day and it's number 4 of the 10 Principles of Shine, from The House of Shine.

1 Be Present
2 Create
3 Use Your Strengths
4 Keep Perspective .... oh I like this one, because it has a double meaning *...

Perspective is a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

Should you have your head in the clouds ....

or your feet firmly planted on the ground?

According to The House of Shine,  without perspective we can wallow in our own misery until it becomes an excuse for not helping others.  And yet connecting to the large community is part of what makes us shine.

(* Perspective the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point. )

One of my favorite quotes: There are dreamers and there are realists in this world, you think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists, but more often than not the opposite is true.  See the dreamers need the realists to keep the dreamers from soaring too close to the sun.  And the realists? Well without dreamers, they might never get off the ground.

Can you be both?  A dreamer with your head in the clouds, and a realists with your feet firmly planted on the ground? 

Sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to see the light.

How do you keep perspective when you SHINE?

Use Your Strengths to Change

Each day, for ten days I'm exploring the 10 Principals of Shine.

Please scroll through my blog and check out day 1 and day two... and then click on some of the headings on the left ( only if you are interested) and see what kinds of things I've created here at Creative Greetings!

Principle number 3 is Use your Strengths

According to The House of Shine, each of us possesses a unique combination of talents and, when used in combination, we are braced to make a significant contribution to the world.

A unique combination of talents. 

I have an eclectic amount of interests which stems back even further than my liberal arts college education.  I am interested in a lot of things!! I admit that with all of these interests, I am not a dreamer, which does hold me back... but I have a desire to find the purpose that I am here for and make the world a better place.

I am no longer as afraid to stand out.  (It definitely may be uncomfortable at times, but I was born to stand out, not to just fit in.)

Right now I'm doing a mix of talents, (I: paint, doodle, take pictures, use photo shop and app technology, create crafty 'stuff', write, decorate) and I'm trying to find the right combination to share and SHINE in this wacky world of ours. Will you join me in this journey?  

Come back and see all 10 Principals of Shine.  You might get inspired.

PS : :::as a shameless plug::::: I really do make cute and affordable creative greetings, what can I create for you today!!!

Create Joy

Are you ready for SHINE principle number 2?  ( which by the way I spelled wrong in yesterday's post.... but no judging for spelling or grammar issues on my blog, cuz you know it comes from my heart)

Create: to bring something into existence

According to the House of SHINE, one who creates pushes boundaries.  They are masters of their trade and that mastery allows them to see opportunities for improvement.

Many people claim they are NOT creative.  

The word really has a deeper meaning.  The way I create is visually, I'm crafty, I can draw, I can make things and then I can take pictures of them and post these things for all the world to see.

To shine is to 

Be Present

and to create

One way I create is to practice, practice, practice .... something every day.  And that brings me joy!

Gifts that SHINE

Do what makes your soul shine!

I have many mantras. A statement or slogan repeated frequently

I adopted SHINE and all the principals according to the House of Shine, that go along with it,

The first principle is to be PRESENT. Now you are here and your job is to figure out why.

I am certainly on a journey here in my life.  That is what it's all about, right?  I'm in no hurry to get to the finish line.  But along the journey I certainly want to enjoy the bumps, the twists and the view.

Every day I work on being PRESENT.  I am here to do.....