Needle-felt hearts created a theme. My question was internal: “How do you hold a good heart?”

The answer started me on a day trip to happy. “Begin with a smile,” I thought. As I allowed the sides of my mouth to curl upward, cares fell away. It’s physiology, I understand. Yet, the reflection launched more thoughts about how I prompt the positive.

The Collaborheartists, my creative group, met to complete our needle-felting projects. My project theme of heart expanded from consideration of my theme for the coming year.

10 ways to positivity and heart-centeredness

For fun, I challenged myself to list the 10 ways I prompt positive heart-centeredness:

Complete a daily gratitude journal. Without fail, I use the brilliant 5-Min. Journal app to focus myself morning and evening on gratitude. It truly takes less than five minutes.

Write morning pages. The act of physically moving my hand in penmanship helps me connect with my brain and my intentions for the day. I use a simple composition book (99-cents at the dollar store), put it in a plastic cover and decorate it with something pleasing to me.

Connect with positive people. Surround yourself with those who look at the glass half full. Life is too short to be guilted into associations or bored by them. Five of us who refer to ourselves as the Collaborheartists meet monthly and manage to explore all manner of subjects as we create.

Find a confidante. Sometimes, in addition to pouring my heart out in writing, I need to talk things out and know that my comments go no further. A listening ear is invaluable. And, in turn, I listen.

Exercise. Movement is important. I stretch my muscles and gain flexibility with purposeful movements. If I don’t set the time aside, it doesn’t happen.

Do something bigger. Pick a project, a goal you work toward. Choose something with meaning to you. For instance, I’m involved with the Big Brothers, Big sisters Mentor 2.0 program. My mentee is now in her junior year and I have pledged to be in touch with her via weekly emails and monthly meetings until she’s through with her senior year of school. It’s a commitment bigger and longer than normal and it reminds me to focus on the big picture.

Eat good nutrition. The truth is I feel better when I eat real food, not junk, and get plenty of nutritious veggies. Make it easy on yourself to make good choices.

Set your intention for the day/week/month. How can you be more congruent with the goals you have set for yourself? What one little thing can you do to move forward today?

Make things. There is no substitute for using your hands. Make something beautiful. Make something just for the sheer fun of it. Better yet, make something with some of your positive people. It’s the best of all highs.

How will you promote heart-centeredness for you?