Steps to Having a Better Week *Final Installment*
This is the third and final installment. After this one, I just feel like I would be getting to a list that no longer really means anything. When in all honesty we just want a better week without trying. It would be great to wake up one morning and EVERYTHING goes better than expected. And then wake up the next morning and that day is even better. Unfortunately that seems like a fairy tale. What I hope to bring is a little smile to the good weeks and a little hope to the bad ones.
As a quick disclaimer, I do not discuss dry humping. I just wanted to put that out there before you continue reading.
#1 Laugh at least once a day
It seems so easy and yet it can be so hard. We can bitch and complain about all that is wrong in our lives. We in actuality we should spend more time finding all the fun, humorous and silly things that happen. Just the act of laughing can make someone else laugh. When I think back to the times that I laughed so hard I peed my pants, it makes me smile. I laughed so hard I peed my pants. That is awesome. I wish I could say I do that once a week, but I do it at least once a month and when I do the feeling stays with me for a few days afterwards. And I’m not picky with my laughter, I can laugh with the minis, my other, my friends, family, classes. I just want to laugh because it feels really fucking good.
#2 Talk to someone you love
I think that we could talk to anyone and feel better. But sometimes we focus on our right nows. We over book our lives with people and things that may not be around in months or years. When life is feeling like it is slipping away or into a dark space, find the people that really matter. Take the time to call a family member you haven’t talked to. Make the time to meet a very good friend for coffee or beer. Or if it’s the minis or the other, schedule time to unplug and just hang out. The minis and I are outside walking and biking a lot, I get to spend some pretty amazing quality time with them and we get to talk and connect in a way I can’t seem to do while multi tasking at home.
#3 Spend time with children
As I mentioned in #2, I really like hanging out with the minis. But I also like hanging out with their friends. Kids don’t see life in to-do lists. Kids live in the moment and wear their emotions on the outside. Spending time with children is a great way to gain perspective. It slows down the mind and speeds up the body. You can slowly put the lists and obligations aside and enter a world that you create. Almost everything a kid does is somehow imagined and created in their own mind. The innocence and fun and make believe is something we need to be reminded of, even if just to give us a break for a few minutes.
#4 Dress up
This one may only apply to me. I wear sports bras and workout pants every day. I wake up morning after morning and the biggest wardrobe decision I have to make is what tee-shirt I should wear. I wouldn’t change this for anything. BUT, putting on some heels and make up makes me feel like a whole different person. And I don’t wear heels with my workout clothes. But putting on some jeans or a skirt, I love it. It makes me feel fancy. Sometimes when I’m alone, I’ll put on dress clothes just to feel special. I love the sound heels make when I walk and I love that I become three inches taller.
#5 Walk with a friend
Luckily I live in an area where I can walk most places and even if I drive to meet a friend, it’s only a few minutes in the car. I love being outside through all the seasons. I love the natural flow of conversations when the body is busy not falling or running into things. The calmest I feel is after a long walk with a good friend. And it is easy and free. Walking doesn’t take too much energy. Another thing that I love about walking with a friend, you can have intimate conversation without looking straight into someones eyes. When I am really struggling with how to deal with something or how to process something, it’s nice to just walk side by side and listen to someones perspective without searching for subtle cues. Words can be said and life’s problems can almost all be solved in about an hour.