Sometimes - it's the smallest step.

A few years ago I was in a major rut. I wasn't sure what I had to do to change, to move out of that rut. That was my prayer that I continually sent up - "How do I get out of this rut?" One day it "came" to me that I needed to smile. Smile? In those days, I truly felt I had nothing to smile about. I wasn't about to walk around pasting a fake smile on my face. I might have looked miserable, but at least it was genuine. Thus, it came to me to start small - baby steps. I was to put a smile (using a colon and right parenthesis) after my name. I was to do this every time I signed my name no matter what. So, I did. If any of you have received correspondence from me, you will notice that my name is followed by a :)  There were definitely times when I was in no mood to add on a smiley face, but I did it and that always got me thinking on how to come out of the mood. 

Now that I've mastered the :) - I work on having one on my face. It has taken me a few years to get to this point, but more and more often there is a smile on my face and it's genuine. I'm learning that smiles can be contagious, put you in a good mood and they can help your body relax. That little step helped pull me out of a rut, helped shift my attitude and view on life and has connected me more to my Spirit. Sometimes, it is the smallest steps that can make a huge difference. - Adrienne :)

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