Inspired by one of my favorite blogs Brocante Home (who was in turn inspired by a feature in Harper’s Bazaar written by Diana Vreeland), Why Don’t You is a week’s worth of ideas for adding a little something special to your life. Pick and choose what sparks your interest and fits into your schedule. Or use these simple ideas for special days as inspiration for coming up with your own ideas.
Why Don’t You? Simple Ideas, Special Days
Record yourself telling a story from your past.
It might be about your own childhood or about a special moment with your child. Whichever it is, this will become a treasured keepsake. Every so often, record another story and before you know it, you’ll have your own oral history.
Konmari your dresser drawers.
You’ve probably heard of Marie Kondo. She’s written a few books and now has a show called Tidying Up on Netflix. Her methods might not be for everyone but if you’re dealing with clutter or a disorganized home, it’s worth a try. I found her approach enlightening.
In any case, even if you only glean one tiny party of her methods, I’m going to suggest you look at the way she folds her clothing before putting it away in dresser drawers. I can’t tell you how much joy it brings me to open one of my dresser drawers and see my clothing neatly folded and all lined up. It just LOOKS so tidy and it’s so much easier for me to find the article of clothing I want.
Create a gratitude collage on your fridge or bulletin board.
Choose a surface that is easily changed out anytime you want. You can add family photos, of course, but think beyond the obvious. Paid off a long outstanding bill? Add it to the collage! The sun is shining after days of gloomy weather? Jot it down on a piece of paper and add it to the collage.
Look for opportunities every day to express your gratitude and add it to the collage. This visual display of all the blessings in your life can be really powerful – and in itself, another blessing.
Start planning your garden.
I’m not much of a gardener but I still love the look of bright, colorful flowers around my home. So, I’m planning for window boxes and planters, but you can plan actual vegetable and/or flower gardens instead.
Even if it’s not the appropriate time of year for planting where you live, just the act of looking through garden catalogs (online or not) and picking out what you will plant can be very uplifting. Depending on how close you are to planting time, you could even start planting seedlings. The sight of them poking up through the soil and growing each day will be sure to make you smile.
Go outside and play.
Even if you don’t have kids, get out there and play like you are one! If you have snow, go sledding or build a snowman. Head to the beach and build a sandcastle. Blow bubbles. Fly a kite or paper airplanes. Kick a ball around. Just get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!
Give yourself a special gift.
It doesn’t have to be big or expensive. If you’re like me, you can find something special at the dollar store! It just has to be something that brings you joy. Maybe it’s a new color of nail polish or lipstick. Or perhaps a new composition book or a set of colored pens.
From time to time, we need a little lift. There are many ways to do that without money too. Maybe giving yourself an afternoon of reading or watching old movies is more your style. Whatever it is, do it. Give yourself a gift.
Be kind to someone else.
I’m sure you’re a kind person anyway but what I’m suggesting is that you find an opportunity to go just a little bit out of your way to be even kinder. Kindness isn’t just a gift for others. It’s a gift you give yourself too.
When the bank teller or sales person provides good customer service, take a moment to ask for their manager or fill out one of those customer comment cards to express your gratitude. Leave a bigger tip than usual. Make a point to say smile more. Say thank you more often.
Send a message or email to someone else just letting them know that you’re thinking of them and that they are important to you. Comment on some posts on social media or blogs that you like. Phone, Skype, or Facetime your grandparents. Get down on the floor for some uninterrupted playtime with your kids. Snuggle your pets.
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