Resolve to have a good day (and other things too)

Forming a habit is a good thing to do.  It's hard work at first but then whatever it is happens like magic and something is missing if you don't do it.  A great way to form a habit is to make a resolution.  "Do X for Y weeks."

Resolving to have a good day might be too big a step to take, but resolving to think of two things that made today good is an achievable goal.  Perhaps it would help if to taping a note to a bathroom mirror or setting an alarm on a calendar to "Think of a good thing".

Even good habits; habits that make you feel good,can fall by the way-side. Sometimes, having accountability can help too.  Make sure when you resolve to do something to tell people what you are doing and why . . . because sometimes we all need a gentle reminder that "Today is a good day".

A Good Day Emergency kit

There are days that seem to be on track.  Life is all rainbows and unicorns. Then, one thing after another causes it to spiral towards a bad day; storm clouds and trolls.  Finding the good things in life isn't coming as easy as usual and it seems that nothing can be done.

Right then is when a "Good Day emergency kit" comes in handy.  A Good Day emergency kit might be a list of "standards" that always make you feel better but more than that, it's an exercise in finding good things to make a failing day better.

The basic rule of the Good Day emergency kit is to have enough variety of good things that when one of them isn't there (because it's part of the failing day) something else is there to lift it up.

For example, if your spouse is the most wonderful thing in the world and that spouse is part of the trend toward a bad day it's going to be harder to use them.  If the birth of your children is something you rely on to make each day better and they are sick, or screaming at you, or have run off with a clown . . . perhaps you need something else.  Something like your spouse.

Conversely, things are worse for other people elsewhere.  Being thankful that you don't have to walk for miles to get food or water; that you have a house, and bed, and food can be in your kit to remind you that today is a good day.

Now is a good time to build your kit. Stock it with variety of good things that you can go to when things get rough.  Stock it with enough good things that there will always be something to remind that the world is not ending . .and that today is a good day.

Now is the moment

Where do you find peace during your day?  Do you have any time when you are alone with your thoughts?  Those may be what makes a good day.

There are always going to be distractions.  Even when you are doing one thing, another thing is interrupting it.  For many, their work practically demands the attempt at "multitasking" be made and if you have kids, it seems that there is always at least three things that need to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND.  It's hard to have a good day when attention is spent everywhere else but where you are.

Maybe now is a good time to take a breath and stop multitasking.  Now is a good time to do one thing.  To do it with attention.

Zen masters taught "Chop wood.  Carry water." Today they might say, "Mow lawns.  Wash floors." Or "Write code. Teach children."  What they meant was do this one thing well.

People may chant or pray or play or work or garden or what-have-you..  While doing whatever it is they do, though, they might practice doing just that.  Focus on what needs to be done.

Ask yourself: "Where am I?"  You should be here.

Ask yourself: "What time is it?" It should be now.

Be Here Now . . and have a good day.

Thank the helpers

Most days are good days.  Mornings though?  Mornings can be rough.  If mornings started closer to 10:00 instead of 6:00 they might be better, but they don't.  It's good then to have a little boost in the morning, a little something to get the day going right.

My wife is the first thing I think of in the morning.  She makes every morning better.  Soon after, I see my kids.  They are wonderful and can start the day off right.  Later I see the "bus stop people," my neighbors, and the day is well on its way to being a good one.

From then on, we're onto the daily interactions with co-workers, retailers, and the other folks that make up our days.  Each one has the potential to make today better and often do.

One way to make today a better day for yourself  is to be thankful for those people. Even better is to actually thank them for making your day better thus making thier day better.  You can expect to see confused smiles but don't worry too much  These smiles are wonderful things and help make everyday a good day.

Thanks.  Thanks for everything.  Thanks for helping make today a good day.

You gotta have faith

Having a good day doesn’t just happen every day.  It’s an active choice based on what’s going on around you.  Sometimes, just being aware that today could be a good one can carry you though most days.

Most days are not every day though.  Sometimes the days are extra hard and a little boost is required and that’s where faith comes in.  You may not need faith in a deity or religion (although it helps some people) and you may not need faith in your friends (although that contributes  too).  Some days, to have a good day, you have to have faith that it CAN be a good day.

More than being open to the possibility that today is a good day and more than looking for the good in today, starting out each morning with the expectation that today is going to be good can be the catalyst to making that day better.

Believing that this day will be better than a previous day predisposes us to look for  and see the things that make it better.  We’re already in a good day groove.

Today is a good day to practice being faithful.  Today is a good day to have a little faith. 

Death and good days

Death isn't something we might associate with having a good day.  Most people try not to think about their death or any death at all.  Death though, gives us an interesting perspective for many things; a good day is one.

How do you spend your typical day?  Would you spend it differently if you knew it was your last?  Would you do more to make this a good day?  Would you spend each day differently if you knew that you might die within the week?  The month?  The year?

Knowing that the end was coming would change how most people lived their lives.  Even people in pain might live their lives differently if they knew that there would be respite, a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

The thing is, that we all know the end is coming.  We just don't know when.  Thinking about our death or the death of a loved one or even focusing on the death of stranger from the news can help remind us how we are living now.

Someday, someone is going to write your eulogy.  Part of how we live each day should be to give that person plenty of opportunity to say good things about you and how you lived.

Remember that one of the best things about today is that you are here to live it.  Reminding ourselves and the people around can make today better.

Love the ones you're with

Our lives can be defined by the choices we make, and one of the choices we make is who we spend our days with. Our family, friends, co-workers, and consequential strangers surround us and contribute to whether we have good days or not.

Do you spend your time with people waiting for the weekends because they are unhappy about the weekday? Do you spend time with the Monday dreaders? Mr. or Ms. Living-for-payday? Or, are you lucky and hang out with “today is a good day” type people?

One way to making today a good day is to take what you are given and do what you can with it. Habitually telling an unhappy person why today is a good day; the little things and the big things, can change their outlook and their behavior. It can make new, unthought-of pathways to happiness. Just like exercising is easier with a partner, so is making today a good day.

Make lots of partnerships. Make partnerships with the happy people that improve your day and with the grumpy people around you so their day can be improved.

Take some time and notice the people around you. Take some time and give them a little love. Love the ones you’re with.