A "Sunny" Mindset

It's St. Patrick's Day, and today is another gorgeous sunny springlike day in Colorado. For some reason I awoke to thoughts of sunflowers. I was particularly drawn to this photograph of a very healthy sunflower facing towards the sun, set against a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds, towering above its neighboring sunflowers.

This sunflower is a gentle reminder of the great joy and potential each and every one of us can possess in our lives every day. I feel it is especially important to continually remind ourselves of what we are grateful for and safeguard ourselves from thoughts of doom and gloom, remove ourselves from toxic environments and people, and shield ourselves from all negativity and the negative attitudes of others.

Thoughts are things. You are what you think about. Focus on what you do that is positive. Remember to value your contribution to the world. Believe in your courage, your strength, your beauty, and most of all yourself.

Your success in life will emerge and soar above the rest, just like this sunflower. It is just a matter of cultivating a "sunny" mindset.

Spiritual Gifts in Uncertain Times

I'm sure most of us are wondering where we can further curb our spending habits and save money. We can purchase our "essentials" at the big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Target to minimize our grocery bill. We can brew our own coffee every morning instead of visiting our local Starbucks for a coffee fix. Perhaps we can't afford the gym membership anymore, so we're exercising outdoors and enjoying the fresh air with our loved ones and with our dogs.

For our customers who have watched the Kindred Spirits Gift Shop evolve over the last few years, you've probably noticed how we've expanded and especially expanded our area of focus. We had our logo and Web site redesigned and had our tag line changed to better fit the times and reflect the products we now offer.

When we're anxious about what's going on in the world, many of us will turn to spirituality to help us get our mind off our troubles. It’s okay to shop for spiritual gifts to treat ourselves and remind ourselves that we do have the inner strength to get through these uncertain times.

Kindred Spirits Gift Shop's Charity Program

As The Pet Guardian, it's always been important to me that people are aware of what can happen to their pets. I don't want anybody to ever go through what I did when I lost my dogs Tasha and Niki.

When I decided to launch the Kindred Spirits Gift Shop, I knew I wanted to "give back" and help the animals. No matter what's happening in our world, the policy here remains: 5 percent of all purchases from the Kindred Spirits Gift Shop is donated to three nonprofit animal-based charities: Angel's Gate Hospice for Animals, Companion Animal Protection Society, and Meisha's Hope AIHA/IMHA Fund #338 at Morris Animal Foundation. For two of the shop's nonprofits, 25 percent of a specially-designated gift basket is donated to that organization. Our third charity gift basket will be forthcoming sometime this year.

Some people don't understand why I'd choose to "give away" 5 percent (or 25%) of the shop's bottom line. Setting aside my deeply personal reasons, here's why:

Organizations such as animal shelters and rescues -- really any organization that deals with the health and welfare of animals -- are especially in need of funding given the state of our economy. There are more animals, higher costs to care for them, and the funding is just not there like it used to be. The animals will continue to suffer if we don't step up and give.

There are volunteer opportunities. There are also plenty of ways to give back by going online and donating or shopping with e-tailers who donate for you. When going through the checkout process with the Kindred Spirits Gift Shop, please be sure to click on one of the charities so your donation can be directed there. It's that simple.

As you're purchasing gifts and gift baskets with us, remember you are helping the animals. As always, thank you for helping to make our world a better place for our furry friends!