Inspired by my previous post today, Recipe for Life, I’ve decided to add on to the original “recipe” I shared. I thought of some optional “ingredients” that have helped me have a good life lately. I’m sharing them now as inspiration for your own “recipe”.
What I shared was only the basics–pets, a home, good Internet, comfortable furniture, good food, a backyard, reliable transportation, etc. For the part of recipes that usually say “add salt for taste”, here’s the “salt” for my recipe:
- Simple luxuries that make you happy, if only for a short moment. Today I got a mani/pedi because my nails were growing and the old polish was starting to chip. So I spent a part of my afternoon in a massage chair having my feet and legs rubbed and pretty colors added to my nails.
- Things that make you happy or confident about the way you look. For me, it has been fun earrings from Claire’s:
- A space that is uniquely yours where you can be at peace. I mentioned my backyard under our huge magnolia tree. I’ve even waxed poetically about my favorite spot on the couch. But I sincerely love the desk in my office/craft room. It really needs a new name given that my husband has his fishing gear in here too. So maybe, our “hobby room”? Regardless, this is the room with all of my books and knick knacks, my carousel of pens on my desk, and all of my yarn. I don’t sit back here often, but when I do, it feels peaceful. And right.
- Down time–I had hobbies on my original list, so they really go hand in hand with down time. You need to find time to not be productive in the traditional sense. Make sure every day you find time to stop. Cut off the laundry and chores. Stop checking email. Scrolling social media is down time, but sometimes, even stop doing that. Find time to just exist. Sometimes for me it’s going to bed when I’m not quite tired yet because I want to lay with my cat who likes to snuggle and pet her before I fall asleep.
Finally, and this is the most important thing you have to do in order to enjoy your recipe and the ingredients you put into it–lose the ability to care what other people think about the things on your personal ingredient list. I wear those Claire’s earrings to work, where I am a leader in my department and supervise other people. I wear business type clothes to work every day…and my funky cool earrings. Today I got my nails painted a very shamrocky green color with extra shine that was part of their chrome collection. Not a very professional color, I suppose. But that’s the color my nails will be tomorrow when I go to work. Maybe I’ll wear the green frog earrings too since the green matches. And I’ll wear it all because I like it and unless they show me in the employee handbook where I can’t have nails this color or wear earrings like this, I’m going to wear this stuff. I encourage you to do the same–that is, wear what you want to wear. Don whatever look you want to have. If you love it, wear it with pride. Your life will be better for it. Trust me. I know.
Cheers to a good life!
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