our reADERS WRITE

The spring daffodils have arrived and are my favorite of all flowers. They represent a precious memory of my grandmother.

We grandchildren affectionately called her “Lou.” She would sit on our old Charleston Green swing and gently sway back and forth as she watched her grandchildren pick daffodils in her front yard. I can close my eyes and still hear the sound of the chains on the swing creak with every movement.

Lou loved watching us pick flowers. This gave my grandmother great joy.

In my book”, Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops,” I wrote a story about my sweet daughter Caroline, when she was a little girl. Caroline could always sense when I was having a bad day.

She had been watching the movie, Peter Pan. Suddenly her big brown eyes widened and she said excitedly, “Oh, Momma! Tink happy toughts! Then you will fly!”

Happy thoughts were her cure for me.

There is power in good things, says author Shawn Achor in “The Happiness Advantage.” When you write down 3 good things that actually happened, your brain will be forced to scan the last 24 hours for things that brought small or large laughs, benefits of accomplishments at work, a strengthened connection with family and a glimmer of hope for the future.

This has been studied for over a decade and validates how our brains are wired.

I appreciate Gandhi’s famous quote: “Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”

What are you thinking? Find 3 good things to celebrate and watch your life bloom into best ever version of yourself.

Jane Jenkins Herlong is an author and member of our Authors for Literacy .