Stop and Smell the Roses

When we lived in New Zealand I used to sometimes take the girls to the Rose Garden in the Botanic Gardens after school.  It was relatively close to our house and we would wander around the roses and the greenhouse eating ice-creams (did I mention that I had to bribe the kids).  I used to say to the girls "We are stopping to smell the roses".  I don't think they understood what I meant!  But it used to make me smile!

Today I read an article called “Don’t miss out on happiness; stop and enjoy it”.  It was written by Kimberley Cohen – who is a personal insight coach – and I thought she made a wonderful point.  Everyone needs to remember that life is wonderful and enjoyable every day.  So stop and take things in for a moment.  For me, that stopping might actually be writing on this blog.  I’ve decided I really need to be a little more disciplined about ensuring that I use this blog.   But it’s true that even if I am having a bad day (and today had a few 'bad' bits'), just by pausing for a moment and thinking of nice things can break the day up and change my outlook.

Remember: “Life isn’t going to wait for you: you have to make time for life and live it.”

Below are my three children enjoying ice-creams in the Rose Garden, Wellington Botanic Gardens.  It makes me smile...