“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart” ~Helen Keller

A couple of years ago I was preparing to take a trip to California.  I remember packing a handful of honeycrisp apples into my luggage for snacking when I reached my destination.  Once I got to my room, I took out the apples and had one or two a day until they were gone.

For me, it was my first trip to California, and I was alone, so it was nice to bring something with me to remind me of home and actually (and literally) provide me with a taste of home while I was far away from it.

It’s a simple concept, really.  If I wanted to enjoy the taste of honeycrisp apples when I was away from home, I just needed to bring some along with me so that I could enjoy them while I was there.  We can take this same concept and apply it when it comes to our own emotions to do essentially the same thing.

In many ways we have been conditioned to allow our external environment to influence our feelings inside.  We allow what people say or do to impact us and define our feelings.  We allow the circumstances of the world around us to shape our emotions.  We process internal emotions after taking in the external.  We’ve got it backwards in a sense.  We need to go inside first, and allow our internal feelings to have the first crack at establishing our emotional setpoints and dispositions.

If we want to be happy and positive no matter where we find ourselves, we have to take the first step and “bottle up” the positive emotions we wish to carry with us.  When I say “bottle up” the feelings, I don’t mean to suppress them.  I mean to capture them and internalize them.

For example, one of the most wonderful emotions I bottle up every chance I get is a positive experience with my daughters.  If it’s a hug, or a kiss, or a picture that one of them draws for me, I bottle it up.  If it’s a little hand holding mine, or a light moment, or an engaging conversation, I hold on to it.

Grab that positive emotion.  Bring it down to your heart.  Feel it as it warms you.  Notice the smile on your face as you dwell on that positive feeling for a few seconds.  Capture it.  Feel it.  Experience it.  Love it.

The next step is to remain present.  Always live in the present.  Life exists in the present.  Tomorrow never comes, and we can never get yesterday back.  Live moment to moment, just like our emotions and feelings.  Our feelings change quickly as time progresses.  They are always changing and never constant.  Just as feelings can come and go, we can always move quickly to bring back into present awareness those positive feelings that were bottled up and captured.

Think of those positive experiences.  Bring them back to the heart.  Feel them as they warm you.  Notice that you’re smiling again.  Enjoy it.  Embrace it.  Love it.

As long as you pack along your positive emotions of love, compassion, warmth, and positivity, you will never be without them when you need them the most.  Bring along with you those most prized possessions that you carry in your heart no matter where you go.  Bring that internal warmth and love along with you as you venture into unknown situations and locations.  Carry with you compassion and positivity as you step into the uncertainty of life.

As long as you bring them along with you, your positive emotions will be your constant companions, ready to warm your heart and bring you love every step of the way.  No matter where you go, you’ll be ready.

What positive experiences can you or do you “bottle up” to bring with you?  I’d like to hear from you!

Photo source: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/jan-willem