Can’t find the beauty in life? Start by turning off the news and disengaging from the social drama. The constant stream of horrific news, political ranting and judgmental discussion tends to wear me down and keep me from feeling inspired, whole and powerful.  I don’t care what the politicians are saying, or which celebrities are getting laid or divorced, or the state of the economy. I can’t control any of that anyway, so why bother? And really, what impact does it have on my day right now?

I’m not suggesting you bury your head in the sand. We all have a role to play in life, and playing it with care and compassion and intelligence means being an informed citizen. Pay attention to what matters, but don’t dive too deep into the muck.

It’s a well-understood spiritual principle that what you focus on is what you see reflected back at you. We are well-trained to look for disaster and live in a state of constant anxiety. I won’t have it anymore. I’ve even started to enjoy flying again. The awkward strip tease as we inch forward in line, the awkward silence as you face the TSA’s x-ray vision…I just slap a big smile on my face and put out love instead of fear. If you can smile through security screening, you can smile just about anywhere.

Part of being blissful is looking for and recognizing the good. And you can do that anywhere, any time.

Excerpted from “10 Little Rules for a Blissy Life” by Carol Pearson.