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Sometimes we have to start over, again and again.

Beginnings can be diffiult. That’s why I chose this intention this week.

It’s one thing to try to have better days.

But what about the days that just aren’t happy?

Often, after a bad day or a bad moment or a bad decision we want to dwell in the negative. Arguments tend to put us into these dark places and we don’t know how to snap ourselves or our children out of them.

It’s not always easy to embrace these kinds of new beginnings. In fact, moving on into new territory can be rather frightening and tiresome. It can feel like losing. Like battle.

But moving on is necessary. Oh so necessary.

And, when we choose to move on, forgive and offer up a big cold glass of GRACE, we feel better. Instantly.

Take a recent morning that included a lot of sibling rivarly and kids just generally not doing what they needed to do.

I yelled.

There were a lot of tears and blaming.

Then, after a bit of a pause … I cracked a joke.

“Why did the chicken cross the road?”

We all started laughing, again. And then we told jokes all the way to school.

I’d call that morning a good morning. We forgot the drama. We fell into Grace’s warm, peaceful arms.

Photo Credit: Phishtitz via Flickr

Just how do we reclaim those awful, dreadful, really bad moments that leave us wanting to give up? How do we turn things around? How do we turn lemons into lemonade or lemon pie or lemon cookies or lemon sorbet?

{Yum, lemon.}

The Art of Turning Things Around when you have children is one of those essential life lessons that parents don’t often share. But, we’re a village here and Villagers need to speak up and out for each other.

Now, I’m turning to you for your help with the answers.

How do you turn a bad day around? What silly games do you play? What silly jokes do you tell? What silly dances do you muster up and crack out to bring laughs through the tears? What about turning around a fight with your partner or spouse? What about bouncing back from a weird thing with a friend?

I will take your BEST responses and I will publish them with your name by your idea. If you have a Website, I will publish that as well. By leaving a comment with your name, you are agreeing to allow me to use your words and ideas.

Let’s be clear. This is a Call to Action. You must leave a comment below along with your name, where you live {State/Country} and your e-mail so that I can contact you for more information. For deadline’s sake, let’s say you need to give your responses by Aug. 1st.

Please spread this message loud and clear. I’d love to get responses from parents from all over the world, from all walks of life, from family’s with one child or a dozen.

This is a big deal. This is our village. To stay awake, we have to be able to move past the rough patches and into the light of fun and happy — like a bowl of sunshine. To live mindfully, we have to stop focusing on where fault lies and start leading with our hearts.

We all want Happy Days. We all want Happy Hearts.

Share your ideas below.