By Michele Landers

I have a huge coffee mug—actually, it is more like a bowl—with the words “Good Morning, Gorgeous” inscribed on it.

I found it, or rather, it found me when I was shopping one day. I was glancing at a display that held about 30 coffee cups of varying shapes, sizes, and colors when my eyes were instantly drawn to this very seductive mug that I could swear winked at me. And that thought made me giggle inside. Not only because here I was flirting with a coffee mug in the middle of Home Goods, but because it brought a smile to my face on an otherwise not-very-happy day.

Did I buy the mug? Yes, of course!!—along with two others that were hanging nearby, which became gifts for two of my closest friends.

I won’t go into the details, but the simple truth is the day by itself wasn’t unhappy, just my thoughts and preoccupation with a situation that made the day feel unhappy. And yet in one enchanting and miraculous moment, a feeling of joy moved into that space of doom and gloom, settled in, and coaxed the other thoughts aside.

Gorgeous Reminders of How to Live in Joy
What had happened here? Since I believe in a universe that is miraculous and symbolic and always communicating to us, sometimes in the oddest ways, it was no surprise to me that the flirty mug was reminding me of three things:
1: Not to take things so seriously.
2: To bring more joy into my life.
3: That I was beautiful inside and out and to love myself.

Yep, all of that from one brief encounter with the coffee mug that opened up my heart. That mug reminded me that I can shift my perception from having an unhappy day to having a fabulous day, so I set about making a list of my top favorite personal portals to joy.

My Favorite Portals to Joy
These are my favorite ways to stay in high-vibrational energy, and that bring positivity into my world.

1. Journaling
I’ve found that journaling is such a powerful portal to joy. I recommend that you find a quiet place and take your journal with you. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth for three deep breaths.

Now, ask yourself, “What tends to make me instantly and persistently unhappy?” Think of situations, not particular people! Some examples could be: running late, feeling unappreciated, or being in debates or arguments. Write down as many situations that you can think of, but list at least five.

Next, write down what kind of things tend to motivate you. Think of situations in general, such as: being outside in nature, spending significant time alone, or spending more time with people.

Pay attention to what comes up in your physical body as you think of each of these and write them down.

Next, finish this sentence: “The interesting thing is… ”

See what shows up for you. When I’ve tried this myself, I’ve been pleasantly—even joyously—surprised by what emerged.

2. Meditate on Opening Your Heart
How open is your heart? When our hearts are fully open, love flows freely to us and through us to others. Opening your heart is always, unequivocally, the way to peace and love. Many people ask me, “How do you open your heart?”

My guess is you do it a lot more than you realize, like when you hear a beautiful piece of music or when you hold a baby, a child, or lover in your arms. Maybe it’s watching a sunrise or sunset. There are a myriad of ways to open your heart, but if you would like a specific exercise, try the following:

Read the entire meditation first and then if possible close your eyes to do the meditation. Sit quietly and take a deep breath in and then let it out with a loud, “Ahhhh.” Do this three times.

“Feel” or focus your energy on your heart center. Now imagine your heart as a lotus blossom or rose opening up and expanding with love. As it expands, visualize the colors pink and green emanating from the center of this flower, moving downwards and upwards at the same time, filling you with so much love that it envelops your entire body. Feel the love… breathe in the love.

At this point, you may even feel tearful… a very good sign. Now see this beautiful wave of love move outwards from your body to all around you, sending love to all the people you know directed towards their hearts and filling them with love. And then picture this wave of love flowing out to all the people, animals, plants, and even the minerals of the world.

Watch how it creates an all-encompassing wave of love embracing the universe and then watch as it flows back to you, creating a cycle of love flowing endlessly in and out. Stay with this feeling for as long as you like, and when you feel complete, bring yourself back with three more deep breaths.

3. Guided Heart Chakra Meditation
And just to keep the energy going a little longer, I’m going to share another guided meditation called “How to Open Your Heart Chakra – Guided Heart Chakra Meditation” by Thomas Moore. It’s so calming and beautiful I had to include it as one of my favorite “gorgeous portals” to joy.

4. Listen to the song, “You Are So Beautiful to Me.”
Yes, I love this song called, appropriately enough, “You Are So Beautiful to Me.”
Enjoy all of these, Gorgeous!

Now every morning, me and “mug,” filled with a steamy, dark, and delicious brew, hang out on the patio reading, watching the birds at the feeder, or maybe just listening to the silence. And every morning he greets me with “Good Morning, Gorgeous,” and my heart just melts. It’s such a nice way to start the day, and definitely one of my top “gorgeous reminders” of how to live in joy!

About Michele Landers
Michele Landers is a board-certified Life Purpose Coach, a certified Hypnotherapist, a professional Numerologist, and the author of The Tao of Numbers and The Year of Living Miraculously. She is a dynamic and gifted lecturer, teacher, author, and consultant on the subjects of Personal Empowerment, the Law of Attraction, and Numerology.

Recognized and highly regarded as an authority in her field, Michele has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs and was a featured Life Coach on Fox 29’s South Florida Today with Shannon Cake. Michele can often be seen on NBC’s WPTV “5 at 11.”

She is a sought-after media personality and speaker who has helped thousands of clients gain clarity and direction in their lives and has helped them discover their own unique talents. Her books, The Tao of Numbers and The Year of Living Miraculously are both informative and entertaining.

Michele is available for speaking engagements, interviews, and workshops.
Michele Landers’ Website: https://michelelanders.com/
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Michele’s Enlightened World Network YouTube Channel is called Divinely Inspired ~ By the Numbers. You can find it at: https://bit.ly/3f9IWnc