I’m an optimist. I have a tendency to always find the positive side of things.
I thinking finding the good in things helps to feel happier and more content. When I was younger, I had an aunt that would say to me, “You’re smiling so big your cheeks are going to burst!” It’s true even today. After an evening with good friends, I usually spend the better part of my way home realizing that my cheeks are sore from smiling so much. It’s the simple things that can make the biggest difference.
There are a few things I’ve found that help me keep that positive spirit:
1) Having support. My husband and I don’t live close to family and have moved around a lot. This has meant constantly making new friends, starting new jobs, finding new communities, etc. While this has been quite a challenge at times, all the investment we’ve made into meeting new people has always been worth it! It also helps that my main source of support, my husband, could not be more positive. Having someone I can’t wait to get home to every evening and pursues me as if we just went on our first date is a pretty great feeling. 
2) Being grateful. I try to regularly take a few moments to stop and reflect on where I am in life and all that I’m grateful for. A roof over my head. Food when I’m hungry. Heat when I’m cold. A job. Friends. And the list (thankfully) goes on.
3) Being hopeful. I think that hope is one of the most powerful tools we can arm ourselves with and goes hand-in-hand with optimism.
4) Taking care of my physical health. I see such a HUGE relationship between the effects of physical and mental health. When I’m exercising regularly and eating healthy foods, I always feel better about myself and have a more positive outlook (and you don’t want to see me when I’m hungry 
).
One of the ways I am able to take care of my physical health is by preparing healthy foods to have available when hunger-strikes. Like this granola; made with oats, almonds and coconut oil, it will keep you full, give you something to satisfy your sweet tooth, and provide you with something you can feel good about eating!
Maple Almond Granola
Keywords: bake breakfast brunch snack vegan vegetarian nuts oats cranberries
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tbs. coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix everything together except the dried cranberries. Spread over a baking pan.
2. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and lightly toasted, stirring after 10 minutes. Mix in cranberries, serve and enjoy!
I made this granola using Vanilla Stevia from NuNaturals. They recently sent me a package to review of the items pictured below, that include their new products: Lemon NuStevia Liquid and Orange NuStevia Liquid.
The Vanilla Stevia added the perfect amount of sweetness to the granola and I have been adding a few drops of the Cocoa Bean Extract to my morning oats; I love the added cocoa flavor it brings!
The great news is that they want YOU to have the chance to try their new products as well! FOUR Simply Life readers will win one bottle of each of the Lemon & Orange Flavored Stevia Liquids!!!
To enter, do any/all of the following and let me know in the comments; giveaway will be open through May 9 (winner must have a US address; cannot be a PO Box):
1. Like NuNaturals on Facebook.
2. Tell me what you would use these products for.
3. Retweet the following: @NuNaturals giveaway at @SimplyLifeBlog! http://www.simplylifeblog.com/?p=4829
~How do you keep a positive/optimistic attitude?
