This past year has been challenging and I misplaced my sparkle and now I have made a commitment to find my sparkle, my joy and my happiness. I used to think that happiness and joy was a passive event but now I realize that I have to pursue it actively each and every day. It has to be on the top of my to-do list. Studies show that smiling at yourself in the mirror for 5 minutes every day helps to change the physiology and chemicals in your brain that trigger joy and happiness, it will also make you feel like a freakin’ idiot, I do it anyway. I actually set a timer and then I look at myself in the mirror and smile, and I feel stupid and my smile looks forced, so then I change the angle of my head and put my hand on my hip and now I am feeling like a total nut case and that makes me laugh and then I see a smile that is genuine, I plan on doing this every day because it is helping me to find my sparkle. Life happens, sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it feels so challenging and the only control I have over my life is my reaction to it. I wish you a smiley day, even if it only lasts for 5 minutes.