Here’s some general Zestfulmindedness, and a recap of my Huffington Post Kimono Openings {that’s me, opening my kimono to the world!}.

In the real world, yeah — we know life is not all lollipops and crème puffs, but c’mon, we still want to be happy.

My dear friend Peter, recently said to me, “Nancy, I’m a bit concerned about you. You know, the pendulum swings from side-to-side in life, and so goes our inner feelings along with it. Seems you continually have this {insanely altruistic} optimistic view in spite of those natural life swings. Are you allowing yourself to experience being woeful or glum from time-to-time? Because you know, that’s life and — it’s reeeealy okay if you do!”

My response: “Peter, when I need to assume the fetal position, and wail — I do. Ohhh, yeah, I do. But honestly, I’ve arrived at a place where I’d rather just choose gratitude. And it’s astonishing how magically effective that virtue is when put in the forefront.”

It dawned on me at that moment: I’ve retrained my brain to place gratitude on top — as much as I can — and my life has seriously gotten a lot more rosy as a result. And when A Wham rocks my world from time to time, I’m more resilient, and spend less of my valuable time, wailing.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life and turns what we have into enough, and more.

Here’s three positivity boosters . . . and they work!

1. Keep a gratitude top of mind. Make it a priority. Gratitude needs to be cultivated, so get to it. “Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

2. Want a wholehearted life, and go after it with vengeance. Without wanting, we stagnate. Wanting fires up the perseverance that powers us to take the next step. Wanting fires up our imagination. Wanting fires up our life. 

3. Think more highly of yourself. Big Life Change events create the opportunity to paint a clean white canvas. You are an original. And actually — a masterpiece! In truth, we are all an incomplete canvas. Each day we complete a little more of the picture. Not loving it so far? Don’t worry; you’ve still got plenty of white canvas and a gorgeous collection of paint. Start making it better. Think better. Treat your body better. Love better. And you will be better.

So, be grateful, want wholeheartedness, and remember —  you are a masterpiece with lots more artistry ahead!

Download The Mindset Manifestos for an added Zestful Boost.

And, in case you’ve missed my recent articles I wrote for The Huffington Post this past month . . . enjoy them here and please post comments!

Midlife Women After the Wham Through the darkness of personal collapse I slowly evolved, finally realizing that softening into gratitude beats the vulnerability of grief to the punch. And ultimately, {I found} gratitude to the firm for showing me the door, offering me the gateway to the best chapter of my life. Once I got up off the floor and the shock subsided, and I finally stopped feeling like a victimized, washed-up old troll, I realized they gave me the gift of liberation: the golden opportunity to create a life I love. A life fully expressed. Full story

Get Your Flow-jo On! When was the last time you immersed yourself in an activity and completely lost track of time? Your whole being immersed, your emotions energized, firing on all cylinders, aligned solely in deep focus on one activity, exclusively? In the zone, on a roll, in the groove, wired in, on fire, in the moment, in tune — experiencing total engagement with absolute concentration? Full story

Mommy’s Courage, Chaos & Climax of College Admissions We must acknowledge the results of creating our total identity around our kids. They grow up. And they fly. And all we want is to witness their health and equipped independence. Nevertheless, we stand bewildered over the fast passage of time. Full story

Women, Divorce & Keys to the Aftermath A marriage is a tremendous investment of oneself, and — barring extenuating circumstances — a great accomplishment whether the outcome is lasting or not. I view marriage as an offering of tremendous personal growth. The agony of the demise stands as a testament to the depth of the investment made. We marry with the best of intentions, and then things shift. Full story