Brrrr!

Man... it's -12, but feels like -21 with the wind. It's snowing, and wet; my feet are damp; and I have a little chill. Old man winter, has finally come back for another round.

Funny thing... every year for as far back as I can remember, I HATED winter. Lately I've been on a journey of introspection, self-discovery, and awareness. Throughout this journey, I've discovered that I actually find it hard to hate ANYTHING... even WINTER!

Hate is a VERY strong word, and the power of words feeding our subconcious mind, is a strong one. A friend and fellow blogger Tina Su wrote a wonderful article on the subject.

The truth is... We can usually find something to appreciate in everything. Take every situation, and there is something to appreciate or learn.

Often times when we decide that we hate something, we don't feel as though there is any other way to think about it. Exterior forces have sent this signal to our subconscious so often, that it becomes second nature. The reality is, that the hate we've *decided* to feel towards this subject is a choice. For a more in-depth take on the power of subconscious thought, I suggest you read the article "Train Your Eyes to See Colour, Again" .

Thinks I used to *hate* about winter:

• It's damp
• It's cold
• It's dark
• It's dead
• It's dready

These things may all be true, but if I focus on these things only, then that becomes the reality. If I send this message out into the universe, I will suddenly be surrounded by like minded folks who also *hate* the winter. Do we REALLY want to hear someone say "Man! I'm SO EXCITED for SNOW this Sunday! I can FINALLY bust out my skis!!"!!.... of course not. We've already decided that we *hate* the snow, so why would we stick around a "winter lover"? They have the potential to change our mindset on how we perceive winter. This sets us off kilter, and can be mentally disrupting. We as humans would much rather stay in our state of *hate* and will naturally gravitate towards those that share the same sentiment. Do you see how powerful this mind process is?

Since hate is not part of my mandate anymore, and I choose to remove the word from my vocabulary, I've decided to come up with a NEW list of things I LOVE, or at the very least LIKE about winter:

• It's pretty outside
• You can take your kid tobogganing/sledding!!
• There are a multitude of winter sports to engage in (I would LOVE to start Snowboarding)
• Xmas!!
• It's my Birthday in January!!

And that's just to name a few.

In closing I would ask you all to look on the bright side of things, as there is a bright side too EVERYTHING. Focus on the positives, send those positive vibes out into the universe, and you will be rewarded, with peace, love, harmony, and happiness.

Don't forget your hat and mitts! It's a cold one... and I LOVE IT! :D