Imagining the joy of eating Lemon Meltaways provided me with motivation to create them. Tasting that lemony goodness and watching them melt in the mouths of my coworkers made the effort truly worthwhile.
My cookies were one of eleven entries in the contest. When all the votes were counted, I was the chosen one. I actually won a cookie contest!
Now, look at my photo. That, my friends, is the face of a champion. I know. Let it sink in.
Life Can Be a Dream
Our lives can be delicious, not only to us but to those around us too, but only when we’re willing to enjoy them. I have met so many people who live wonderful lives without enjoying them. Here are three ways you can enjoy your life more fully.
1. Have the courage to share it with others
Our worries about the opinions of others can keep us from reaching out to them. As reluctant as you may be to share your life, doing it anyway can make your existence much more meaningful.
If others reject our attempts to serve them, it can teach us a better way to live. Maybe our lives are missing essential ingredients. Maybe we need to rewrite our recipe. Or, maybe we just need to find peace with those who are currently unable or unwilling to taste the sweetness.
When others accept our efforts to bless them (they usually do), it blesses us too. Few things in life are more satisfying than witnessing the joy we’ve brought to others. It’s a reward reserved for those who are willing to risk rejection.
2. Try a variety before you go for seconds
As wonderful as sharing our lives with others can be, we can actually be too eager sometimes. It’s OK to slowly sample the ingredients incorporated into the lives of others and become familiar with the recipes they follow before going back for more.
What may be worth a taste, may not be fit to eat in large amounts. If that’s the case, we can walk away from a way of life that doesn't work while still embracing those who've chosen it. It really is possible to be both kind and wise at the same time.
3. Savor the cookies on your plate
Between the fear of getting involved and the fear of being left out, there’s a peace that allows us to settle in. When we’re at peace with life as it is, we are able to make and keep commitments to principles, patterns and people.
Such order may seem mundane until we learn to mindfully savor each moment. In this way, that which may seem ordinary to some becomes extraordinary to us.
Life really is like a batch of cookies in a few important ways. When we use the best ingredients, find the right recipe and take the time to taste it, life can be truly delicious.
P.S. Don't worry. I'll share the recipe for Lemon Meltaways in my next post.
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Dr. John Brailsford is our newest contributor. He studies the lives and teachings of happy people and shares what he learns with others in powerful, meaningful and uplifting ways. He's a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified family life educator, and a speaker and writer, with a Ph.D. in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University. He has been married to an amazing woman for over two decades, and they are the parents of four wonderful people. You can learn more about John and his approach to finding fulfillment at drjohnbrailsford.com.
