"Some Positive Thoughts and Ideas"

 

Today I'd like to share with you some positive thoughts and ideas that you might find helpful, and that you might enjoy.

First of all, it's really important for us to send out positive thoughts and feelings to the world if we want our lives to be more positive. Just like a boomerang, whatever we send out comes back to us.

In my new book, "Life in the Southern Appalachians," (For more information about this book which is on Amazon, please see the widget on the right.) I mentioned that traditionally, the people in Southern Appalachia have an innate goodness.

A wonderful example of this is something my husband Greg recently shared with me. He told me about the owner of a local garage who took a man that didn't have a place to live into his own home and gave him a job at his garage. The man was able to turn his life around, and now he has a home of his own!

Heartwarming stories like this give us a renewed faith in the goodness of humanity, after hearing and seeing all of the negative stories on the radio and television about people who act savagely cruel toward others. Although these types of things do happen, we shouldn't dwell on them, but we need to seek out positive things to listen to and to watch, as well as doing our part to make the world a better place.

For instance, we can give food to our local food bank or donate food or other supplies to our local animal shelter, etc. Also, there are so many ways we can help others by volunteering. We can get more ideas about how to help others by searching online. While we are helping others have happier lives, we'll find that we are happier, too!

~"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves."- James Matthew Barrie

"You've probably heard the old proverb, all work and no play...." So, Greg and I now, once a week, plan and do something fun.

This week, we went to Kingsport where we lived for several years. We have always loved the many beautiful parks there. We went to two of the parks in one afternoon-

First, we visited the Kingsport Greenbelt where we enjoyed a carryout meal in the car, and then we took some pictures of the ducks, geese, and even a deer that was there.

Geese at the Greenbelt

After that, we went to Warriors' Path State Park where we walked around Duck Island, and photographed the picturesque scenery-

Kayaking on the Lake at Warrior's Park

The leaves are barely changing color in the area right now. A lot of people were there at the park, enjoying the warm Indian summer weather. A foot race was going on while we were walking around the park. 

When we can't go out because of the weather, we enjoy watching our DVD's, many of which we have never even seen. Our favorites are the old comedy shows, both American and British.

~Happy Halloween!

(Also, for genuine paranormal photographs that Greg and I, as well as my brother, Nick, have taken, please see the widget for my Kindle eBook, "Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind.")

~Positive thought- "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." -Lucy Maud Montgomery, "Anne of Green Gables"

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, November 7, 2026, Becky

"Random Positive Thoughts"

 

This is a photograph of the beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Today in this blog post, I'd like to give you a few random positive thoughts, which I'm sure most people would enjoy since we need to "accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative" (From a song by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen), especially right now.

Here are some wonderful thoughts from some famous people that might be helpful as affirmations, to put somewhere to view often, or as part of a treasure map.*- 

~"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful." -Annette Funicello

~"We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents." -Bob Ross

~"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one remembers to turn on the light." Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Agkaban."

~"It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it." -Dale Carnegie

~"I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health." -Voltaire

~Be grateful-a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles

~"Life is short, do what makes you happy." -From Amazon

~"Believe you can, and you're halfway there." -Theodore Roosevelt

~"Small steps every day create the life you want to live." -Unknown

~"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

~Every day in every way, I'm getting better and better.

~I am happy, healthy, and positive.

~I deserve love and respect.

You might even think up some affirmations, positive thoughts of your own.

I'm happy to announce that my new book about Southern Appalachia is finally published! Here it is-

The complete title of the book is "Life in the Southern Appalachians, The Mountain Culture, Sayings, Traditions, People." The book has almost 300 pages, and there are 26 chapters. It's about a wide variety of things. The titles are in alphabetical order. The first chapter is "Animals" and the last chapter is entitled "Weather." A few of the other chapters are "Appalachian Mountain Words and Sayings," "Haunted Appalachia," "The Performing Arts in Appalachia," "Quilts," and "Vittles." There are some guest authors and other contributors in the book, as well.

Here's what people have said about "Life in the Southern Appalachians"- "Very interesting!" "An easy read." "Great!" "Loved it!"

If you'd like to see it for yourself, it's now for sale on Amazon.

 

A Great Idea from Pal's in Abingdon, Virginia!

Positive Thought: ~ "There is always music in the forest, but our hearts must be very still to hear it." ~Unknown

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, September 5, 2026, Becky

*A treasure map is a board with positive thoughts and pictures of things you would like to have or be or do. I have one that I made a few years ago, and it's amazing the things that have come true in my life because of the map that I made. I study it regularly, so I guess that's why it's been successful.

"Some Random Positive Thoughts"

 

View from a Window

~"To a wonderful May full of sunshine, fresh air & healing." -Laura Koniver MD

I love being out on beautiful, warm days, so I take breaks to be outside in between writing on my book which is due by the end of this month. It will hopefully be published in June.

Since I have limited time right now, I'm writing a blog post today which is short, but hopefully sweet!

Here are some random positive thoughts-

~I often like sitting on our front porch on a nice day for a few minutes. Rather than sitting and trying to meditate in a traditional way with my eyes closed, I prefer to observe things around me, to take in the sights and sounds of my surroundings. I enjoy the warmth of the sun, the fresh air, the beauty of nature, and birds sweetly singing and soaring through the air.

By taking breaks outside, I often come up with new ideas that really help me, either while sitting outside or a little while later.

I come up with ideas for my blog posts, my books, places to go, things to do, and not long ago, I suddenly thought about moving a small chair just around the corner from a small room to a larger room, and it has made a huge difference for us!

~ I try to stay away from negativity, like negative ads, negative PSAs, negative situations, and negative people! Things seem to go a lot better that way!

~On the other hand, it's good to listen to and watch positive things. One day, I heard Dana Perino talking about being positive, which was very inspiring. It makes you feel so much better when you watch and listen to things that are positive rather than negative.

As a little experiment, look at and listen to things for a few minutes that are negative, and then do the same for things that are positive. How did you feel after each one? Why dwell on the negative when we can live our lives positively? 

~Let's "Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative." -Johnny Mercer

What a great idea!

~Pet feature-

Happy birthday Mitzi! 

~Later this month our Mitzi will be 19 years old! Kallie was almost 17 and Kit-Cat is eight. We love all of our babies. They are very special!

~Another important day this month is this Sunday, May 10-

Happy Mother's Day!

Greg and I remember our special mothers and grandmothers, and we wish mothers everywhere a wonderful day of celebration!

~Next month, excerpts from my new book!

~Positive thought- "The blessings of life are everywhere, in the small moments, in the simple fact that we are here....beauty is always present, waiting to be noticed." -Malte Marten Music

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, June 6, 2026, Becky

"A Few Positive Thoughts"

 

I'm still working on my new book about Southern Appalachia, and I also have a new coal jewelry order to finish, so I'm limited on the time I can spend writing my blog posts, etc.

However, I have a few positive thoughts I'd like to share with you.in this blog post today.

Here they are, in no certain order-

~Because of the dry weather this year in our area, most of the leaves on the trees have not been as vibrant as usual, but some of them are really pretty-

If we look for the good, for the beauty, we can find it!

As I was working on this blog post last night, I was also half-way listening to an interesting radio show that comes on earlier than usual on Sunday nights, "Coast to Coast AM." I got to hear part of an interview that the host, George Noory, had with a guest. 

She was an expert on the way the brain works, and she told about an experiment in which there were two groups of people that were taken to Las Vegas. One group was very positive, happy, and friendly, and the other group consisted of people who were mean and very negative. Guess which group did a lot better in Las Vegas? 

Before we try something like this experiment ourselves, we just need to be positive, so our lives and the lives of others will be happier and more fulfilling in all ways. This positive attitude must become a way of life, like being nice to other people, thinking well of others and ourselves. We need to look on the bright side of things, and to expect the best. We should then attract better people and things into our lives, including material things. ( I certainly don't promote compulsive gambling though!) Your life should flow a lot better with a kind, loving, calm, positive attitude. Just try for yourself, and see!

Another thing that Greg and I both heard was that if your have a positive attitude, even toward your computer printer, that it will work a lot better!

Something very important that I wanted to mention was that if you have an election in your state tomorrow, Tuesday, November 4, 2025, please vote as if your future depends on it, because it does! Good can overcome evil because good is much stronger than evil!

Here is something that I could have put in my book about Appalachia, but I didn't. Instead, I decided to save it for this blog post- 

One time, at a family holiday dinner, I bit into a mini tomato (that we call a tommie toe here in Southern Appalachia), that squirted my cousin who was seated across from me, right in the face! I was appalled, but thankfully, everyone, including my cousin, just laughed! (I wouldn't be able do that again even if I positively tried!)

A Basket of Tommie Toes

Wishing you and your loved ones-

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Positive thought: Greg and I were out shopping last week when we saw this beautiful rainbow (above) in the sky. It was the closest we'd ever been to one. Other people came by, and we all marveled at the beautiful sight. A rainbow traditionally symbolizes hope, peace, and new beginnings, even after difficult times. We took that to mean a better, more positive life for all of us here on our Earth!

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, December 6, 2025, Becky

 

 

"Becky Arnott Artist"

 

This is a special blog post. I have some positive quotes from some special people, and I'll also tell you about my business, most of which I've hardly ever mentioned.

First, here are some positive quotes and ideas that have helped me be on, and stay on, the track of positivity.

One of my favorite authors is Rhonda Byrne who believes that a positive mindset attracts positive outcomes. She has many wonderful thoughts on being positive-

~"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."

~"Gratitude is a powerful process for shifting your energy and bringing more of what you want into your life."

Rhonda Byrne is a prolific author. Just a few of her helpful, inspirational books are: "The Secret," "The Magic," and "The Power."

Rhonda's latest book is "Countdown to Riches" which is about attracting wealth.

Here are some more inspirational quotes from others-

~"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says 'I'm possible.'!" -Audrey Hepburn

~"If you can dream it, you can do it." -Walt Disney

I like to say- "I'm a positive thinker, feeler, doer, and speaker." This is my own quote that helps me be more positive. I got the idea from a talented psychic several years ago who told me that I was a positive thinker, but not a positive feeler. Just thinking positive isn't enough. We need to feel positive, too.

I'm currently studying a website about the importance of being on a high frequency level. I'm working on the areas I need to improve. You might find it useful, too. Are you a high- or a low-frequency person? This website can help you decide. It's-  

 https://www.yogkulam.org/blog /common-traits-of-high-vibration-people

Here is a brief description of the types of art that I do-

I come from a family of artists, so art comes naturally to me. I have been involved with the arts since childhood.

~I do pencil portraits of people and pets from photographs-

I also create unique Southern Appalachian Mountain coal jewelry and magnets-

Some of my work is in shops in Southwest Virginia-the June Tolliver House in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and The Clapboard House in Wise, Virginia. Also, my coal jewelry, etc. is at Coal Miners Daughter Mercantile at two locations in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

I've written two books-

My first one, "Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind," is full of paranormal photographs (over 100!) that I, my husband Greg, and my brother Nick, have taken throughout the years.

 My second book is "Down Memory Lane," which is "A Nostalgic Memoir of Life in the Southern Appalachians."

Please see the widgets above for more information about my books.

Also, I'm currently finishing a third book about life in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Many of my photographs are on a Getty Images stock photography site. I'll have more information about that at a later date.

Positive thought: "Thoughts are magnetic and thoughts have a frequency. As you think thoughts, they are sent out into the Universe, and they magically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to the source-you." -Rhonda Byrne

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, November 1, 2025, Becky

Positive Thoughts for the New Year

Welcome!

Glad you're here today!

Hope your  year has been going great so far!

Just to help keep things on the right track for the new year, I'd like to share some positive thoughts with you using quotes and  pictures.

Without further adieu, here they are: (Enjoy!)

"Every moment is a fresh beginning."-T. S. Eliot

 (A robin symbolizes new beginnings.) 

"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."-Laura Ingalls Wilder

"Be yourself because an original is worth more than a copy."-Unknown

"Life is beautiful. Enjoy the ride."-Mitch Koppel

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do."-Rumi

"Life is as sweet as a cupcake."-Unknown

"Kindness matters."

""Life is so much easier with a sense of humor."-Unknown

"Think happy thoughts."-Unknown

"Dwell on the beauty of life...."-Marcus Aurelius

"Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective."-Doe Zantamata

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia."-Charles Shultz

Important note: Starting next month, February 2017, "The Art of Positive Living" blog will be only on the first Sunday of each month, and starting this month, the "Spirit Photographs" blog will be only on the third Saturday of each month.

Positive thought: "A good life is when you assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are."-Unknown

Thanks for visiting! Until, Sunday, February 5, 2017, Becky