10 Ways To Add Joy To Every Day, No Matter What
By Ms. Moreah Vestan. Posted on .
6) Love your idiosyncrasies, forgive your weaknesses. I happen to be easily drawn into alternative activities no matter what I've begun. I don't like chiding myself, especially since I always meet my deadlines and do what must be done. So I've (mostly) made my distractibility just a fact of life instead of a detriment. I step back and
observe me being Moreah, and seek to be as indulgent of my aberrations as I am of my granddaughter's whims. Whether it's sleeping with your socks on, letting the dish drainer pile high, or always stopping at garage sales, I remind myself these behaviors are pretty harmless.
I watched Masterpiece Theater recently where the youngest son of a prestigious British family often spoke and acted without thinking. That got him into a duel, and as he was dying, he asked his family what he should say when he reached the other side. They
answered with love, "Whatever you think of. Whatever comes out of your mouth." That seemed like pretty unconditional acceptance of who he was—blessing him as he left them, affirming that it was okay to keep on being who he was.
More from YourTango: Online Dating For Seniors : 5 Ways To Know It Will Be FUN!
7) Grab your pleasure when and where it shows up. You're working at your desk and your dear friend Charles calls. The work can wait, unless calls always sidetrack you. Go to your most comfortable chair and sink into the conversation. A friend of mine
told me he is a millionaire in friends and acquaintances. Enjoy your wealth; give the bountiful gift of your attention to those you care about.
8) Make your own decisions on what is enough. It's not about comparisons, but about what suits you! If it pleases you to run marathons, to climb Mt. Everest, to spend hours in a hammock reading, to go back to the buffet line three times, to have two sets of tools, to sleep nine hours, do it. Honor yourself. Your desires and needs are inside you for a reason. You get to choose. You even get to say, "I've heard enough from you. No more!"
More from YourTango: 4 Ways To Deal With Difficult Changes In Your Relationships
9) Tune in to this moment’s sights and sounds. Move toward what quiets your busy mind and relaxes your heart.. A candle? A walk around the block? A soothing CD? The neighbor's flower garden? A photo album? Don't wait for the two-week vacations, the
year's bonus, the 40th birthday party. Open your ears to today's bird songs, your eyes to the fruit display at the Farmers Market, your nose to the aroma of lasagna, your touch to velvet and baby skin and loved ones' hugs. Start a gratitude journal. Read even more of 14,000 Things to be Happy About. The more you notice the goodies in your life, the
more they will show up.
