National Courtesy Month: 15 Ways to Celebrate

September is National Courtesy Month and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Part of the reason I began My Cup of Cocoa was in reaction to the negativity, hostility, and meanness I was seeing in our world. This blog is my attempt to counterbalance all of the negative things with positive, happy, and uplifting ones. We don’t have to look very far these days to find someone behaving discourteously. It’s on the news, the internet, on the roads we drive, in the businesses we frequent. One of the best ways to respond to discourtesy is with kindness and Read More

How My Bullet Journal Makes Me Happier

I’ve been using my bullet journal for almost a year. The system works for me. This is the longest I have ever kept a journal. The key to the bullet journal for me is its flexibility. I use what works, stop using what doesn’t, and can change my pages any time I want or need to. It feels good to feel organized. My bullet journal makes me happier. The bullet journal system might not work for every one, but I recommend giving it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised to see it works for you too.   What is Read More

Let’s Celebrate Friendship Day

Did you know that the General Assembly of the United Nations declared July 30 to be International Friendship Day? I don’t really need a special day to celebrate my friends. I’ve got some great friends, and I am thankful every day for them. But it is nice to know there is a special day set aside just to celebrate friendship. My life is much richer because of the friendships I have. In honor of Friendship Day, I thought share a little about what makes my friends so great. If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll know I also love great Read More

Have Courage and Be Kind: Why Kindness Matters

I love the quote “Have courage and be kind.” from Disney’s Cinderella (2015). In this adaptation of the long-beloved Cinderella story, this is the advice her mother gives her before passing on. A broken-hearted Cinderella tries her best to follow her mother’s counsel, but it becomes increasingly difficult as her father marries again and her step mother and step sisters move in. Soon after, he leaves on a voyage that proves deadly and Cinderella is left to the cruel hands of her “family.” Throughout her ordeal, Cinderella reminds herself to have courage and be kind.  There even comes a point Read More