Life is rough sometimes. You can still find happiness.

Let's just be real; choosing happiness can seem like a tall order, given the state of the world right now. So, when I talk about choosing happiness, let me be clear: what I mean is that you are choosing to find moments of joy, love, acceptance, and peace inside yourself, even with everything going on.

Believe me, I get myself in knots over all the pain in the world. I speak up on injustice when I see it. I worry over the wellbeing of literally everyone in the whole world. I bet you do, too.

It's seriously overwhelming. And, if I didn't take a moment to pull back, to disconnect, to recenter myself into my own reality, I would be completely burnt out (and I know of what I speak, because I've done it).

So, what I am suggesting you do is to bring awareness to when you are only focusing on what's wrong, what's lacking, what needs to be done, and what obstacles are in your way. When you find yourself in that mode, take a moment and step back. List 5 things to be grateful for. List 5 things that are making you feel joy or happiness or acceptance or peace or love right now. List 5 things that are going RIGHT. List 5 improvements you see in life.

The only way we can create positive change in ourselves and in the world is if we are willing to take personal responsibility for how we feel and act, and the only way we can keep on doing what needs to be done to create a better world is if we restore ourselves to find the good in even difficult days. By cultivating this ability to shift yourself from "black cloud" thoughts and feelings to a reasonable sense of hope and gratitude, you can do so much more for the world (and you will feel and be more well to boot).

After the Paris Attacks: What My Sleeping Dog Taught Me About How ONE Person Can Make a Difference

I've had a hard time sleeping since the Paris attacks. I close my eyes, and all I see is the terror, the hate, the inhumanity. My mind can't understand how someone can do such horrible things. Filled with these thoughts, I've found myself caught in the belief that this is a cruel world, and sickened by the fact that I don't know how to fix it or what to do to help. 

Then, this morning, I woke to find my sweet dog sound asleep on his teddy bear. Looking at him, sleeping happily and without a concern in the world, I realized that my husband and I have created a home filled with peace and love, that allows him and all who enter to feel safe and supported. 

And it occurred to me - maybe that's what we can all do to change the world: Focus on creating peace in our own homes, in our own relationships, in our interactions with each other online and in person. Take time to be generous to others, and peaceful in our words to them and to ourselves. Reach out to those that don't seem to have friends, and help them to feel part of the community. Take time to call loved ones and let them know you care.

Sure, there are things that have to be done to combat the terrorism directly, but I'm not in the military or police, and certainly have little say in the direction that goes. But I can make changes that assure that the world around me gets better, little by little. 

I've always believed Gandhi's approach "be the change you wish to see in the world." Now, perhaps more than ever, we need to take this to heart and make a conscious choice to act with love and kindness and peace - and perhaps, just perhaps, that will begin to go viral. Wouldn't that be nice? Let's make peace go viral. I believe it can be done - if we share peace like we share posts, it can be done. Sending love and peace to all today...