“People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. ~ But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.” ~ Thomas S. Szasz

As I continue to look for the positive and inspiration in moments of each day, I often find that some days are easier than others.  With my friends, we sometimes discuss the past opportunities of “finding ourselves,” and in a parallel conversation, “have we lost ourselves?’ As I think more about this, I think of the moments that I am having these conversations.  When I think about the conversations, I remember the joy I find in talking with these friends, the stimulation of having the conversation, the relief in the empathy of understanding one another and the nurturing of the support we gain from just being able to talk and relate.  And then tonight, it hit me, we have not lost ourselves or lost the opportunity, we are just tired and worn down.  We are all creating ourselves, all the time. Every moment of every day. We make choices, take new steps (baby ones that sometimes are our own milestones),  and interact with people we enjoy both in real life and virtually.  But yet,  some days it’s hard to find that fire that allows us to see each day as ‘ournewfavoriteday.’

Obviously, multiple factors influence this ability and some days are far more difficult than others, but there are some things that seem to help me more than others as well, and if I can practice these then my chances are better to be able to keep perspective and stay inspired.  This isn’t rocket science, so I expect that you will not be blown away by the following, but sometimes I write these out because they are good reminders for me too!

So here goes:

1.  Get enough sleep.  For those with babies, this is nearly impossible but there are things we can all do, even those with kids.  Go to bed earlier, there are no laws about acceptable bed times.  Lately, I have started to make sure I am in bed by 10 (even when I get distracted writing!).  I am generally exhausted at the end of the day and with the unpredictability of E’s sleeping patters or lack there of, it’s so important that I try to get enough sleep as it influences everything from my diet to my mood to my ability to focus and be present.

2. Wake up grateful.  Each morning when I wake up and see the smiling faces of my minis, I am grateful. Before I get out of bed (whether it’s 4:00 or 6) I try to be grateful for the day. That I woke up, that KSP is by my side, that there is a warm bed I am waking up in.  From there, who knows what will happen, often my mornings involve gagging, throwing up, and loud dance party music for Q. Somehow in this craziness, I find comfort and joy (except when E vomits on the bed instead of me or her, then I am not so psyched but then I can be grateful that I have extra sheets to change my linens).  If I can truly appreciate even just one of the blessings you have each morning first thing, somehow that little moment will stay with you in some way the rest of the day.

3.  Look for inspiration around you.  Usually this involves needing to be present, but even in the moments when your mind wanders you can find inspiration. In a cloudless sky, the smell of your morning coffee,  in the green of the grass, the wind in the trees, the smile of your people (big or little, any of them count), the adoration of your pet, the appreciation of a moment where you nailed it, or the happiness of hearing from a friend or a colleague you like and respect.  Any of these things and more can inspire you, which lights up that little place inside you that sometimes gets tired and dragged down  and dimmed in the everyday activities of life.  If it helps you, make a list.  Write down taglines of what inspires you.  Understand if you are inspired by sight, sound, touch, emotion.  Pinpointing your sources of inspiration helps to further your inspiration and lets you know where you might go if you just need a little inspiring.

Obviously, there are other things you can do, but I find that these are the things that start your day with, it’s a good foundation for ‘anewfavoriteday’.

What are the other things you do? Or which of these things above do you try to do to make each day ‘yournewfavoriteday?’