Finding Awesome when Faced with Darkness

I stumbled across Neil Pasricha's The 3 A's of Awesome on TED Talks yesterday and I feel like he recorded it just for me. He's so honest and sincere in the talk that it struck me that maybe that's what we're all missing, sincerity. Maybe we all need to just take a step back from what society tells us to do and who we should become ... maybe we should just be genuine!

He talked so openly about his life that he impressed me. He's gone through hard times. He's seen darkness. He'd dealt with the suicide of a close friend, divorce, etc., and yet he turned to the positives in life and created a blog titled 1000 Awesome Things. He talks about the little things we should all be grateful for, things often overlooked like:



Old Folks who sit on their Porch and Wave as you Walk By
Absolute Perfect Silence
When your Microwave Cooks Microwave Popcorn Perfectly
When Socks from the Dryer Match up Perfectly
Etc.

They're simple, sometimes silly things and yet, they're real and genuine and when we stop to pay attention to them it makes the world a little better place. 
I started something similar on Pinterest a while back, my gratitude board, where I record three gratitudes a day in picture form. I love pictures. It really does make the world look happier, more promising and helps me search deep within my own soul to discover what I truly value. Sometimes it's the smallest things that surprise me the most, like being grateful for:

Phineas and Ferb (makes our whole family laugh)
Encouragement
and Cuddles ...
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And after watching Neil's Awesome TED Talk, I wondered, can I institute his words into my life to help others be happier, to recognize the positives around them each day? There's already enough negative and scary out there. I want to think happy thoughts and pass them onto you. 
So, here goes. I'm officially making this blog my happy place and wishing all of you warm cuddles with your loved ones! :)