This past Saturday, I woke up and just felt great. The sun was shining, it was cold (but not too cold); thoughts of spring filled my head and my
heart.
I got prepped for the day ahead. When I turned on my car, Blake Shelton was singing God's Country on the radio. I turned up the volume just a bit; I really love that
song.
My daughter has been in town for college spring break; it continues to be glorious having her home. She and I drove to the YMCA in a nearby town and we barely had to stop. As we
approached most of the lights, they (seemingly magically) turned green.
We arrived at the gym, worked out, showered, and paid a visit to Starbucks afterwards. I ordered a Mango
Dragonfruit Refresher, my daughter ordered an Iced Shaken Oatmilk Espresso...and we both had a tomato, mozzarella, basil sandwich. We then sat down, relaxed, and just talked and laughed for over two hours.
When we arrived home, I checked the mail. There were no bills...yay. Plus, there was an out-of-the-blue, "just to say hi" greeting card from a friend of mine who recently moved out of town.
The rest of the day continued to be a good day. Later that night, the new pasta recipe I made turned out great, I finished a scrapbooking layout that I was pleased with, and then spent an enjoyable few hours watching TV with my family.
It was a really good day. No issues. No chores. All sunshine, family, and fun.
Now, this is not to say that
most days aren't good days. But some days just stick out more than others as "really good days."
So, what actions can we take each day to help steer a day in a good direction from the
moment we wake up? Here are a few that immediately come to mind.
1. Get enough shut eye. This means that we're getting around 7-1/2 hours of sleep between the time we go to
bed and the time we wake up the next day. Being well-rested (but not over-rested) helps us begin the day on a more energetic note.
2. Set a positive intention each day.
When you wake up, state this sentence out loud, filling in the blank: "Today, I commit myself to ______." Maybe your blank is patience, or giving compliments, or steady breathing, or getting a project started. It's your intention and it could be whatever you want it to be.
Everything you do today should be zoned in on your intention, even if the day gets complicated. Be steadfast in the commitment you made to yourself.
3. Embrace the weather. While waking up to sunshine is always welcome, try to embrace the weather whether it's cold or warm, raining or snowing, windy or a gentle breeze. Find something good about the weather that day...even if it's a struggle to do so.
Maybe it's the beautiful ice crystals on your windows, or the way the trees sound as they're swaying in the wind, or how the brisk cold can wake us up immediately as we step outside of our front door.
And if you have to head out, be sure you're dressed for the weather so you're as comfortable as can be no matter what.
4. Listen to music that speaks to you. Whether it's country rock, pop, jazz, or classical,
music is good for our mind, body, and soul. Music can activate and engage our brains and focus, get our heart pumping (or more relaxed...depending on the type of music), help us reduce anxiety and stress, and increase our feel-good endorphins.
Tune in to your favorite station every day...or make a playlist of your favorite songs. Allow yourself time to enjoy it daily.
5. Do something nice for YOU, and do something nice for SOMEONE ELSE. A Do Good Live Well survey found that out of 4,500 American adults, 89% stated that giving in some way to another person improved their wellness or happiness. So, there's a pretty huge chance that when you do something nice for someone, you're going to have goodness in your life that day.
Whether you compliment someone at the office, handle a chore your spouse normally tends to, or send a friend an out-of-the blue card just to say hi, you're giving the other person an opportunity to have goodness in their day...which in turn should result in you having
that same feeling.
That all being said, you'll be more apt to do nice things for others if you feel good about yourself. So, do something nice for YOU too every single day.
Wishing you a day ahead that's filled with goodness!
