The lives of kids are made of Good Day stuff

Babies are cute and making babies is fun.  Thus, more babies are constantly being made.

They grow up and become toddlers, then kids, then teens and finally they move out as adults.

While they are little though, they are made of good day "stuff".  So much of their lives are filled with firsts.  From the time they can hold their heads up by themselves to their first romantic kiss and all the things in between make their lives a time filled with wonder.

Sadly, for some, life ceases to have many firsts after a certain age.  It ceases to have wonder.

To make today a good day, a sprinkling of wonderment might be useful. A little joyful exuberance here and there might make what has become ordinary extra-ordinary.

Looking through the day with the eyes of a child can make today a good day.  Planning some "firsts" again can make today a better day.

If there is a kid in your life, take some lessons.  Go play, have fun, show them that growing up isn't the end.  Show them that today is a good day.

One [whatever] at a time

There is a company in downtown Detroit that makes bagels.  There is a muralist painting murals there too.  They are not in the "nice" parts either.  These people are doing things where other people fear to go.  They are making Detroit better, one bagel or one mural at a time.

Making today a good day can be done the same way.  Find something small that you can do for yourself or for someone else and do it.  Then do it again.  And again.

Maybe you smile more.  Maybe you hold the door open for the person behind you.  Perhaps you whistle a happy song.

It's not critical what you do as long as it makes you happier.  Oftentimes it's just important that you do something.

Make today better one {whatever} at a time.  You'll end up with a good day.

Reach out and touch someone

Sometimes the best part of our day may be making someone else's day better.

There is a tradition in my family of racing to the mailbox to see what new and magic thing has arrived. "What's in that box for me?" "Will there be a package?" "A letter?" "A pony?!?!"

Typically these days, it's bills or junk. The sense of potential is still present though. It's there because every once in a while the letter from an old friend or family member is in that magic box.

A phone call can do the same thing. There is magic in hearing the voice of a long-lost friend or a "just because I love you" call form a family member.

Today is a good day to write a letter to an old friend. Perhaps just a postcard if a letter is too big a commitment? Maybe a phone call or (sigh) even an email if that's all you can do.

Taking a little time to show someone you care lifts them up. It makes them feel special. It can also lift you up and confirm what was already known; you *are* special.

You can make today a good day.

To Dream the Impossible Dream.

There are not enough quests in the world today. Most people do what they have to do to get by. They go to school or work and then they go home and eat and sleep. Time is spent with friends and family (and much time is spent alone). The world should have more quests.

Making a bucket list, a list of things you want to do before you die, is a good start at finding your quest. Do that. Do it now. Act on it. Start crossing things off.

My quest is smaller. It can also be shared.

My quest is to make today better; to make today a good day. To make today a good day for people around me. It's not a big quest like a quest to end pollution or make healthy food available for kids everywhere. It's a small quest with a big payoff some time after I'm gone.

My quest is an investment in the future for my children.

There's a fellowship formed around my quest. All are welcome to join.

Find a quest. Join this quest. Make today a good day. Make today better.

Listen for the good days.

How much attention do you pay to the sounds around you?

We're surrounded by sounds all the time. By spending some time really listening to what we are hearing we can make today a good day.

I wake up before the alarm and hear the birds outside my window. (this may not be a good day sound for you.) Then I hear my wife breathing and the rest of the house getting up.

I listen to music all day long when I work. Classical, funk, 80s love songs, rap, R&B, soul, gospel, metal . . . I'm all over the place. Music lifts me up though. It makes a day better every time.

At night I hear the sound of kids playing, winds blowing and all is well.

Make sure to listen to what you are hearing. Make sure to focus on the good sounds. Make sure to listen to the good days.

The Jedi don't know everything . .but they know a lot.

"If once you start down the dark path, forever it will dominate your destiny . ."  -Yoda

Life is full of ups and downs.  It seems sometimes, that the downs are stronger and more powerful than the ups.  Don't be fooled into having a bad day by bad things.  Take some time and focus on the good things in your life.


Emotions feed into themselves and grow.  Getting frustrated or angry doesn't help make a day better.  Those things lead to more frustration and anger.  By choosing to let go of them or using the good things in your life as a foil you can move passed them.

Choose how you want to feel or how you don't want to feel or how you want your day to end and do something about it.

"You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view" - Obi Wan Kenobi

 Choose your point-of-view and make today a good day.

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".