A lovely day

We live in a society where people are bogged down with worries - bills to pay, jobs to find or work at (if they are fortunate enough to have one), groceries to purchase, car problems, children to take care of, etc. I have always been of the mindset that we have control over how our day is going. Yes, I have been victim of not choosing to have a good day, but I try, when I am able to, "get over it", whatever 'it' might be.

That being said - on my igoogle homepage I subscribe to the 'how to' section. One of those highlighted today caught my attention. It is 'how to have a lovely day'. I love that thought. How do I make my day lovely? So, I decided to read it, and it reminded me of our daughter, Rachel. She does a LOT of these things, daily! I am now going to share with you what they said, definitely summarized. If you want to read the entire article you can go here: http://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Lovely-Day

Now, before I go any further can I just add that I am grateful for this article because sometimes we just need a little boost and their suggestions (for the most part) are definitely something that can turn our not so good day into something lovely. It's just a wonderful thought.

1.  Get up early (plan ahead, don't go to bed later than midnight, but they suggest 10 PM, and I happen to agree)
2.  Begin with a stretch. Don't you love it when you have time in the morning to stretch? It so beats getting up and rushing around...I am not sure why, but it does.
3.  Have breakfast (they suggest an ambrosial one, with yogurt, fruit, granola)
4.  Wear something that makes you feel good. Who wants to go through their day wearing something that makes them feel lousy? Not I, thank you very much!
5.  Wear perfume or aftershave. You might as well smell delightful!
6.  Bake. And if you can't bake, go to a bakery.
7.  Make a cup of tea. I have to say, that having given up on tea, I sure do miss it. Instead you could sub with a cup of hot chocolate or spiced cider. It's all good.
8.  Read the newspaper. I am not one to be doing this for several reasons, 1) We don't get the newspaper, and 2) I find it kind of boring. (I know, I am bad.)
9.  Eat dessert first. Now, that is a novel idea, right? We have done this on occasion, especially when our kids were little and kind of grumpy when going out to eat; let them get dessert first, then eat their food. Worked like a charm for us! (didn't happen often though) Oh, and when you get home from a long, hot, tiring camping trip - banana splits work for dinner, at least it did in our family!
10. Go shopping for vintage clothing. It's just fun, if you like to shop! Set a budget though, you can go crazy!
11. Go for a walk - it so clears your mind and gets your body moving. So many wonderful benefits.
12. Ride a bike - one of my favorite activities. I look forward to loading our bikes up on the pathfinder and then going to a biking destination - like Monterey, Yosemite, the American River or even Bidwell Park in Chico.
13. Pick berries or fruit from your own garden. This is a huge thing at our house. We love it when our fruits are in season and we can eat them and share with others. The oranges are just beginning to turn orange...I love it!
14. Dance freely. I always loved dancing. I would dance in my car, and I love it when I see others doing the same things...though some get a little crazy, good for them! And I love that our granddaughters and Linzi have dance parties. And people think "Mormons" don't dance! We sure do!
15. Head over to your local library or book store. How fun is it to roam through books? Finding just what you want? When you find that book you are looking for you just want to shout 'Hallelujah!'
16. Write a letter --- I am stressing this because people forget that you can do this --- make it handwritten. This has so gone out of style, and it means so much to people that you would take the time to send them something you took the time to write to them.
17. Put together a movie night. I heart movie nights. My husband isn't a fan of sitting and watching a movie, but he told me the other night he would start watching movies with me. Now, that is love. :)
18. Treat and take care of your body. They recommend a spa day, but those are rather pricey. If you can't afford that simply purchase a mask or bath oils or bubble bath and treat yourself to some 'me'/pampering time. We all deserve it.
19. Make new friends. I am 56 years old, and am working on this, now that I am back in my ward and have no stake assignments keeping me away. I need friends, since most of my best ones are away living their lives.
20. Relax. So, this may be obvious, but like I said before, we all need some 'me' time. It's up to you how you choose to relax, but I can tell you that turning off sounds around you, and just being in silence is very relaxing.

I hope you enjoyed these tips. Have a lovely day!